Brooklyn looked over at her friend Meghan and noted the look of concern on her face. She looked over at their other friend Sylvia and realized she had the same look of concern.
“Everything is going to be fine. Look at how excited she is. This is a once in a lifetime type of opportunity; being pregnant isn’t going to stop her.”
“She’s not just pregnant, Brook. She’s seconds away from popping pregnant,” Meghan pointed out. “What if she goes into labor while we’re waiting in this massive line.”
“That’s why we got her the wheelchair, so she wouldn’t have to be on her feet the whole time. And the odds of her actually going into labor are low. Come on, guys; Savannah’s excited about this. Gabriel signed off on it. Plus, I checked with her doctor, and she said it was fine.”
“What if the excitement sends her into labor?” Sylvia asked.
“Then we deal with it,” Brooklyn said matter-of-factly. “Savannah wants to do this, and she’s a grown-ass woman who can make her own decisions. Stop worrying. I don’t want her to start worrying because you two are.”
“Fine. But I want it known for the record that I think this is a terrible idea.”
“Noted. Now get back over there in that line and smile like you think this is the best idea ever. Savannah deserves to have fun today, Meghan.”
“Aye, aye captain,” Meghan said, the sarcasm nearly dripping from her voice, before she walked back over to stand next to Brooklyn’s sister.
Brooklyn looked over at Sylvia who hadn’t moved. The pretty blonde gave her a shrug then left her to join the others. Of course, she’d never admit it, but Brooklyn wasn’t one hundred percent sure about what they were doing. Waiting in the longest line she’d ever seen just to spend a minute or two meeting one of the hottest actors ever didn’t seem like the smartest thing to do when you were a week away from your due date, but her sister was a grown woman who could make her own choices…even if they were dumb as fuck.
Plastering on her best attempt at a “this is so fun and a great idea” smile, Brooklyn walked back over to the line, which hadn’t moved an inch since they got there. It was going to be a long afternoon, but at least her sister would be happy. She’d been talking about the opportunity for months, hoping that the baby came before the big day so it wouldn’t be a hardship to stand in line. As her adoring sister, Brooklyn knew she had to come up with a plan to make sure her sister got to enjoy the experience.
As the line inched along over the next couple of hours, Brooklyn’s back and feet started to hurt something fierce. Of course, she couldn’t say a word as she hadn’t told anyone other than Savannah her secret. She’d just have to suck it up until she could go home and take a nice hot bath to soothe her achy body. At least standing in line with her sister was helping to take Brooklyn’s mind off of everything that was going on with Declan. She’d only thought about him once or twice the entire time they’d been at the convention.
On the flip side, Savannah was having an excellent time chatting with the women around them, making jokes about not getting out of line even if the baby decided to make her debut. The concern that Meghan and Sylvia had shown earlier seemed to melt away as they realized how happy Savannah was. Brooklyn was delighted that her sister was having such a good time, the only thing that would have made it better was if the line would finally start moving.
Another hour passed before they were near the front of the line. They could finally see the reason they were all there, and the giddiness took over the entire group. The smile that lit up her sister’s face made the pain in Brooklyn’s back worth it. Knowing she’d help to make one of Savannah’s bucket list items come true made every ache and pain disappear at that moment.
She watched as Sylvia and Meghan each took their turn, then waited for the sign that she could push Savannah up to meet Chris Evans, her Hollywood crush. Savannah nearly bounced in the chair as they got closer. Brooklyn laughed as her sister let out a loud sigh when he turned to look at them, that gorgeous smile that could melt the panties off of most women and some men, plastered on his face.
Parking the chair off to the side, she locked the wheels, then helped Savannah to stand. Her sister let out a very unladylike grunt that Brooklyn figured had to do with sitting for so long. As they slowly made their way to where Chris stood, Brooklyn wondered if she shouldn’t have just pushed Savannah up close and then moved the chair. Her sister was moving slower than usual, and instead of standing up straight, her shoulders were hunched over.
As they approached, pleasantries were exchanged. Savannah was a bit tongue-tied which Brooklyn found hilarious. She had no problem talking to Liam Crawford, her best friend Finley’s boyfriend and one of Hollywood’s hottest up-and-coming action stars, yet she could barely tell Chris Evans her name. When the photographer was ready to take the picture, Brooklyn started to step back. She’d have her moment in a minute, for now, it was all about Savannah.
Before she could let go of Savannah’s arm, her sister let out a deep, agonizing groan that was followed by the sound of water hitting the ground.
“Oh shit…” Brooklyn muttered as she realized what was happening.
“Did that woman just pee on Captain America?” a young voice yelled out from behind them.
“OH MY GOD,” Meghan yelled as she rushed over to them, Sylvia hot on her heels.
“Are you kidding me?” Savannah groaned again, although Brooklyn couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or pain.
“Shit, Savannah, have you been having contractions this whole time?” Brooklyn asked her sister.
“They were far enough apart; I didn’t think it was a big deal. We paid a lot of money for these pictures, and I figured we had time. How embarrassing that my water just broke all over Chris Evans’ shoes. Jeezus. I thought you said it didn’t gush out like that in real life, only in the movies.”
Brooklyn just shrugged. “That’s what the books all said. It’s usually more of a trickle if it even breaks at all before you’re at the hospital.”
“Well, those books are all freaking liars. If I had known this could happen, I never would have gone through with this. I’m never going to live this down. Hell, people over there in line think I just peed all over Captain freaking America. And I didn’t even get my picture.”
“Ummm, ladies…we need to move things along, and before we do, we’re gonna need to send Chris off to get changed, so…”
Brooklyn turned to see a slightly frazzled event employee standing next to them, trying to usher them out of the way. He was young and probably had no idea what was happening. Like most of the people in line, he probably had no idea that Savannah’s water had broken and instead thought she’d urinated all over her Hollywood crush. Turning back to look at her sister, Brooklyn saw tears starting to well in her eyes.
Looking at Chris, who still had his arm around Savannah’s shoulders, Brooklyn realized he seemed to be taking it all in stride, not even caring all that much about his drenched shoes. His reaction just proved how much of a damn good actor he was.
“I know this is all super awkward and we probably need to get her to the hospital, but would you mind if we took the picture really quick? Meeting you was on the top of her bucket list, and I would hate to have gone through all of this and have her come away with nothing.”
✽✽✽
Savannah
“We are not naming our daughter Chris Evans. We already have a beautiful name picked out for her.”
“But Gabriel, I feel like I owe him something after everything he did today. The man carried me through the crowd to meet the EMTs. And he did it in sopping wet shoes,” Savannah reminded him.
“You had a wheelchair for crying out loud. He really didn’t need to carry you all that way.”
“Let’s compromise, how about we just use his name as her middle name. Ryan Chris Evans Archer after the two most important men in my life.”
“No.”
“How about Ryan Evans Archer.”
“No.”
“You’re being unreasonable,” Savannah said as she looked down at their sleeping daughter who was bundled up in her arms.
“I think the hormones have messed with your head.”
“Whatever, I think you’re just jealous,” she joked as she looked up at him.
Her smile fell from her lips as she took in the look on his face. She might have been joking, but her assessment of her husband’s feelings was spot on.
“Of course, I’m jealous. The man that’s on your ridiculous laminated list held you in his arms and according to you and the girls nearly had to help deliver our daughter. Those things are my job. I’m supposed to be the one to be there for you, not the man you said you’d leave me for if given a chance.”
“Oh Gabriel, you know I would never leave you, not even for Chris Evans. You’re the love of my life, the father of this beautiful baby girl. You mean everything to me. I’d be lost without you…even if I replaced you with that good-looking man. I love you, and only you. There isn’t anything that can come between us. Never forget that.”
Savannah was hopeful that her words assured him that he was her everything. Not some guy she thought was hot. There was no one better looking than her husband. No one who made her feel like she was the center of their universe the way her husband did. No one made her feel safe and loved and cherished the way that Gabriel Archer did, and she would never, ever give him up. She would never replace him with something shiny, and she hated that he believed that she would or even could.
“Babe, you know that it’s all just a joke, right? Even if he walked in here right now and told me he couldn’t stop thinking about me after I ruined his shoes, I’d still choose you.”
Gabriel sighed. “I know. I just, hell, it’s been a weird emotional day. I didn’t think I’d get to see our daughter be born and I hated myself for not being there with you. I knew I should have bought a ticket, but thought I’d let you have fun with the girls. And then to hear he was there for you when I should have been…it just made me feel worse.”
“As long as you know that you’re it for me, you can let the emotional roller coaster take you wherever it needs to go.”
“We’re still not naming our daughter after that man.”
“Fine. I was joking anyway. Her name has and always will be Ryan Elizabeth Archer.”
A soft knock followed by her sister popping her head into the room interrupted their moment.
“Are you guys up for visitors?” she asked quietly after noticing that the baby was asleep. Brooklyn had been with them through the delivery but had left soon after so they could have some quiet time together.
Savannah nodded her head as Gabriel said yes. Brooklyn opened the door wider allowing everyone to come into the room. Both sets of grandparents came into the room first, followed quickly by Sylvia, Meghan, Andrea, and Braeden. Everyone had huge smiles on their faces, their arms filled with stuffed animals, balloons, and flowers.
“How’s life as a family of three?” Brooklyn asked as she moved closer to Savannah’s side.
“Your brother-in-law actually thinks I’d leave him for Chris Evans, but other than that, we’re all doing great. She’s been sleeping for a while.”
Brooklyn laughed as she smacked Gabriel on the shoulder. “Dude, you know that’s not true. Hell, you should have seen what a bumbling nervous nellie she was today. It was pretty hilarious. Besides that, though, she never once looked at him the way she looks at you. Sorry, but you’re stuck with her.”
“Brooklyn,” their mother scolded playfully. “Can I hold her? What’s her name?”
Savannah nodded, waiting for her mom to get closer so she could place the sleeping angel in her arms.
“Her name is Ryan Elizabeth Archer after her gorgeous daddy and my sweet and sassy Nana,” she announced to the room.
She looked over at her husband, who was grinning from ear to ear. Pride was written all over his face as people congratulated them and told them how beautiful their daughter was. She reached over to grab his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before she laced her fingers between his.
As much fun and embarrassing as the afternoon had been, there was nothing better than being surrounded by her family and friends with her husband by her side, their newborn daughter being loved by the people they cared about most. Her life was damn near perfect, more than she ever imagined it could be. She woke up every day, knowing that she was the luckiest woman in the world to have Gabriel in her life, to have him love her as much as she loved him.
There was nothing in the world that would ever tempt Savannah into throwing away what she had. Not even a chance with her favorite actor, no matter how hot he happened to be.
Author Paris Hansen 