Chapter 12
May 4
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Lucas. Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang as Lucas blew out all twenty-five candles on his cake with one breath.
"Daddy what did you wish for?" Cameran inquired
"Sweetheart I can't tell you because then it won't come true." He told his daughter lovingly, giving her a kiss on the cheek. When he turned back to the table he caught Ben and Gavin sticking their fingers into the cake.
"Let me take this to the kitchen and cut it before these two rascals eat the whole thing." Peyton brushed her sons' hands aside and attempted to pick up the cake. As she bent down she felt a dull pain make its way up her side.
"Let me do it. You need your rest." Luke gave her a peck on the lips and took the cake to the kitchen.
Peyton made her way to the family room and propped her feet up on the coffee table. Just as she got comfortable there was a knock at the door. The last thing she wanted to do was get up and answer the door. The kids had given her a rough time during the day. They insisted on baking their own cake from scratch but in the end more food ended up on the floor than in the oven. She spent the rest of the day cleaning up the mess and buying a cake from the local bakery. Peyton began to lift herself off the couch slowly when another pain shot up her side.
"I'll get it!" Cameran called from the dining room and raced to the front door. Lucas followed close behind and greeted Nathan, Haley and six week old Connor.
"Happy birthday Luke." Haley gave him a hug and Nathan followed with a handshake.
The newly expanded family had recently moved into a house down the street from Lucas and Peyton. They realized that they had outgrown their condo in Boston. Nathan left his partner in charge of their first sports club and opened up another one in Manhattan. Haley decided to take some time off work to be with Connor.
"Uncle Nathan come have some cake." Cameran grabbed his hand and dragged him into the house.
"Do you know if Peyton is busy?" I need to ask her a question." Haley asked.
"I think she's resting in the family room. She seems extra tired today." Lucas told her before joining his brother and children in the kitchen. Haley navigated her way through the house until she found Peyton sprawled out on the couch with a pained expression on her face and her hands rubbing her very pregnant belly. Haley set the baby down in the playpen and rushed to her friends side.
"Are you okay?" She asked her fiend with concern evident in her voice.
"Yeah I'm fine." Peyton said as she let out a deep breath.
"You are in labor aren't you? How long has this been going on?"
"Only since this morning. I didn't tell Lucas because I wanted him to enjoy his birthday." Peyton confessed. "Besides I hate sitting in hospitals for more than I need to."
"That's a good point. Just don't wait too long." Haley warned before the baby started to fuss.
"I think he's hungry. I'm going to heat up a bottle." She picked up Connor and took the baby bad into the kitchen. She came in the witness pure chaos. Everyone, including Lucas and Nathan, were covered in cake.
"I think it's time to get cleaned up. Go upstairs and get ready for a bath." Luke told the kids.
"This room is a mess. You guys better clean this up." Haley scolded them. She hated the fact that Peyton would end up doing most of the work.
"It'll get done." Nathan promised while testing the baby bottle on his wrist and feeding his son. Haley lost all train of thought at the sight of Nathan holding Connor. Nothing made her happier than seeing her husband bonding with her son. Connor was the spitting image of his father and his personality became more and more like Nathan's everyday. Her daydream was interrupted by shouting from the other side of the house.
"Lucas!" Peyton's cry sent shock waves straight to their ears and a terrified look immediately washed over Luke's face. He rushed out of the kitchen and found Peyton hunched over on the stairs clutching her stomach.
"Is there something wrong with the baby?" He asked frantically.
"It's time." She barely croaked out.
"We need to get you to the hospital." He reached out to help her up.
"There's no time. The baby is coming now!" She told him before another contraction came. Lucas carefully picked up his wife and brought her to their bedroom.
"Is there something wrong with my mommy?" Gavin looked up at Haley with tears in his eyes.
"No honey, everything is going to be all right. Your mom is having your little brother or sister." She told her nephew.
"Nathan can you come help me keep the kids occupied. I don't think it's appropriate from them to be around for this."
"I agree." He scooped Gavin into his arms. "Who wants to watch a movie?"
"Can we watch Shrek 2?" Cameran came running out of her rom with Ben close behind.
"Sure." Haley replied and the group made their way to the family room, leaving Lucas and Peyton alone upstairs.
"Luke I don't think I can wait any longer." Peyton moaned.
"I guess I'll have to deliver the baby here."
"Are you sure you can do this?"
"I had to take an OB/GYN course to get my medical degree. I have a first aid kit in the bathroom." Lucas told her trying to sound confident but in reality he was dead scared. It was one thing to deliver someone else's baby, but delivering your own child was a whole other story. If he made a mistake it would mean the life of his wife or child.
Luke went into the bathroom and got the first aid kit. Inside he found a pair of rubber gloves. When he came back in the room he found Peyton in the middle of another contraction.
"Okay I think it's time to push." He told his wife. Within ten minutes she had given birth to a beautiful baby girl.
"I'm so proud of you honey." Lucas wiped Peyton's forehead with a wet cloth. "Did you picka name yet?
"Riley Loren Scott." Peyton said proudly.
"I'm going to go tell the kids that they have new sister." Luke kissed the baby and made his way downstairs.
"Is everything okay?" Haley asked when she saw him enter the room.
"It's a girl!" He announced to everyone and they all went up to welcom the new baby.