Page 42 of Three Minutes
“That’s a beautiful name!” the nurse utters as she walks back to the other side of the room. I turn my attention back to Raina, feeling a whirlwind of emotions I’ve never felt before.
“Did you just decide that?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “No, I’ve known for a long time that if we had a girl, I wanted her to have that name,” she confides.
I lean down and kiss her gently on the head, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Words seem inadequate to express the depth of this moment and what it means to me. And for a moment, I can’t help but wish mom were here to see it all. My heart swells with love as I admire my two girls forming their bond. Mine. They aremine. My eyes glaze over, witnessing the way Raina gazes at Esther. She was always meant to be a mom. She’s a natural, just as I knew she would be. I can’t believe we arehere in this moment now together. My thoughts drift back to the day Raina broke the news to me.
Raina’s confession lingers in my mind as I try to wrap my head around it all. We had sex twice, once with a condom and the other time I pulled out. I keep replaying the details from that night and the morning after, searching for anything I might have overlooked. Yet, every moment we shared is etched in my memory as if it happened just yesterday. I glance back at her while she paces nervously. “Are you sure?” I ask softly.
She pauses, running her fingers through her hair. “Yes. They had to check me when I got to the hospital. I found out shortly after waking up. My aunt and Cassie knew before I did.” A wave of anxiety washes over me.
“How did they take it?”
Raina bites her bottom lip, flinching slightly from her injury. “Well, they were surprisingly okay with it. They handled the news better than I anticipated. I think they were mostly just shocked given my condition.” She lets out a forced laugh.
I flex my fingers at my sides, still struggling to grasp the reality of the situation. “I’m just trying to understand how this could happen. I really thought we were safe, given everything.”
She shakes her head, her expression heavy. “I thought so, too. I told the doctor that. But…he explained that there are several ways this could have happened. First off, it was during my most fertile time after my period. Then there’s the chance the condom could have broken or had a defect. And even with the pull-out method, it only takes the tiniest amount.” She pauses, taking a moment to collect herself. “The doctor seemed stunned by my condition when he looked over my medical history. He mentioned that there could be various complications.” She stops, trying to hold back tears.
“What complications, Raina?” I ask, feeling the tension in the room. She furrows her brows, biting her lip.
“Just different complications during the pregnancy. I’m at a higher risk of miscarrying because of my condition—” Her lips shake as she fights to finish the thought.
“Come here,” I demand. She brings her watery gaze to me, slowly walking over and sitting on the edge of the mattress. I pull her into my arms, trying to ignore how sore I am. I rest her head under my chin, rubbing her back. “Whatever you go through, we’ll go through it together, okay?”
I hear her sniffling as she lifts her head. “Do you mean that? I-I thought you never wanted kids? I don’t want to be a burden for—”
I grab her face, careful not to hit her stitches. I kiss her tenderly. God, I needed this for so long. Her mouth on mine. I release her, gently kissing where her lip wound is. I then hold her face, staring into her green eyes. “I’ve said many foolish things, Raina. And honestly, I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. But I’ll learn for you. I’ll do better for you, f-for our baby.” She gasps at my words.
I rub my thumbs along her jaw. “I fucking love you, which means I will love this baby growing inside you.”
She smiles at me. “I love you, too,” she whispers. Something flips in me. Hearing those words come from her mouth for the first time. She fucking loves me? How did I become so lucky to be loved by someone like her? I pull her in again, sliding my tongue past her lips. I moan into her mouth, remembering the way she tastes and how crazy she makes me in all the best ways. I need her now, in this moment, more than I need air. I pull away, but our lips remain touching, as we breathe each other in.
“Lock the door,” I groan.
“What?” she breathes out.
“Hurry and lock the door.” I release her, and she does as I say, looking back at me multiple times.
She turns around, pressing her body against the locked door. “Now come here and take your pants off.” I say stern-like.
“Ezra, what? No…you are hurt badly.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, slightly grinning. “Raina, I’ll be okay. My dick isn’t broken.” She sucks her lips in, holding in a smile. With no hesitation, she walks back over to me, unbuttoning her jeans. I watch as she pulls them down along with her panties. I lick my lips, remembering how deliciously intoxicating she is. I lean over, wincing as I rip the monitor plug from the wall, then quickly pull the IV out of my hand. Raina gasps, opening her mouth to say something, but she stays silent. I lay back, propping up on the pillows. “Get on top of me.” She looks back at the door, as if thinking someone will come in. When she looks back at me. She looks feral.
She leans in, pulling the covers back. My dick stands straight up beneath my hospital gown. I watch her eyelids flutter as she takes it in. She then pulls the gown up to my stomach, revealing my dick and where my stab wound is bandaged on my side. I hear a long breath come from her. She climbs onto the bed, carefully as she straddles me. She focuses on me as she slides down onto me. We gasp in unison. We both have wanted this again for over a month now. And it’s felt like an eternity. I grip around her ass, squeezing and tugging.
She begins rocking back and forth slowly, taking her sweet time fucking me. My eyes roll back as I try to savor how tight and wet she is wrapped around me. I bring my eyes back to her, unable to believe that she is all mine. This. Her. How did I ever deserve it? I grab her waist, pushing and pulling with her, adding more pressure for both of us. She drops her head back between her shoulders, mouth parted.
“Raina, look at me,” I moan out. She continues riding me, bringing her hooded gaze down. “You are mine, yeah?” She bites her bottom lip, nodding slowly. “And I am yours…I havebeen this whole time,” I breathe. I grip her tighter, picking her up and slamming her down on my length over and over. “Tell me you love me, Raina.” I grab her breast, pinching her hard nipple between my fingers.
She squeals, “I love you.” I bite down on my bottom lip. I could hear her say that over and over. I can feel my release seconds away. I run my hand along her tattoo, pushing her back as she plants her hands behind her. I slide my middle finger down her center, rubbing circles around it. She gives a breathy moan. “Ezra, I’m about to—” Before she finishes her sentence, I add pressure to her clit, as she slams down on me, filling her fully with my dick. We both groan as we ride out our orgasm. “Fuuuck, Raina.” My head falls back onto the pillow as I try to pull myself back together. I look up at her. She has her head resting on her shoulder, looking down at me, panting. I take her in, every piece of her. She is mine, and I am hers. Forever.
“Ezra, would you like to hold her? The doctor needs to check me and go over a few things,” Raina says, pulling me back from our shared memory. I glance down at little Esther, who is making soft cooing sounds. I instantly feel a bit anxious. I’ve never held a baby before.
“I-I really want to, but I’m afraid I’ll hurt her,” I stammer.
Raina tilts her head with a reassuring look. “You’re not going to hurt her. Just pick her up like this and settle into the recliner with her.” She nods her head toward the chair sitting by the window. Taking a deep breath, I flex my hands at my sides. Raina gently lifts Esther, and I support her with my hands underneath. “Yes, just like that. Just make sure to cradle her head.” I nod, nervously drawing her to my chest and gazing down at her. Raina glances back and forth between me and our baby, a genuine smile spreading across her lips.
