Chapter 56

Once the shock of the weekend wore off, Liam and Maggie went back to their happy home for about a week until Mike called in the middle of the night to tell them that Makayla was in labor.

It was still early, so they went back to bed.

After breakfast, they made their way to the hospital to find Makayla breathing through a contraction and Mike patting her head with a washcloth and saying words of encouragement.

“Hey, guys! How’s it going?” Makayla asked between breaths.

“Shouldn’t we be asking you that?” Liam asked as he kissed her forehead.

“I’m fine! Liam, take Mike to get something to eat, please! He hasn’t had breakfast yet,” she replied.

“I think that is a subtle way of kicking you out, mate!” Liam joked.

“Fine, I’ll be just down in the cafeteria, sweetie. Call me if you need anything, okay?”

“Yep, I’m good, Mikey. Just go eat!”

He kissed her and left with Liam. As soon as the door closed, Makayla groaned.

“Thank God he is gone! He’s been hovering since I mentioned I felt odd last night! He hasn’t let me go to the bathroom by myself! I just need a few minutes without suffocating, you know what I mean?”

“Well, I can’t say I do, but I will soon enough. He loves you and the baby and just wants to make sure you are okay, Mak.”

“I know, but I can pee by myself! In fact, I’m going now and we are going to walk the hallways. I want this party started and this baby out! I am done being pregnant!”

Maggie helped her up. Mak came out and hooked her arm through Maggie’s and away they went, Maggie pushing the IV cart with her.

They talked, laughed, and breathed through the contractions that were starting to ramp up.

Just as Liam and Mike came back to the maternity floor, Makayla’s water broke in the hallway right in front of them. Mike paled and demanded Makayla get back to bed immediately.

Maggie suppressed a giggle as she watched her best friend be half-carried back to the room. Liam smiled and kissed Maggie as they followed.

As soon as Makayla got back in bed, her labor intensified. The contractions were hard, and she was progressing quickly. An hour later, Brett and Sheila arrived after a long night at the club.

Both sets of grandparents arrived just as the nurses were moving things in the room and turning on the baby warmer.

After hugging everyone, they waited in the hallway as the doctor came in and said it was time to push.

The group waited on pins and needles until they heard the beautiful cry of a baby in the room.

Liam pulled Maggie close as she wiped the tears away. They held each other as they waited for Mike to come out and tell them the good news.

And just as they all were going crazy with anticipation, Mike came out with a huge smile on his face. “It’s a girl! We have a daughter!”

Everyone squealed and hugged again as Mike continued, “She is beautiful! Come meet her!”

The doctor was talking with Maggie as she held her daughter swaddled in blankets. Mike sat on the bed next to her and kissed her. Makayla beamed.

“We would like to introduce you to our daughter, Abigail Margaret…,” Mike said.

Liam squeezed Maggie’s arm. Maggie looked at her best friend with wide eyes. How could she possibly name her child after her when she had mothers, grandmothers, and aunts to honor?

Makayla nodded her head as if she was reading Maggie’s mind and made a motion to her heart, a gesture that they shared since they were little to show how much they loved each other.

Maggie blushed as she heard Makayla’s mom say, “And when she grows up to be as amazing as the woman she is named after, we will all be so proud!”

Liam hugged her tighter and whispered, “I agree!”

Everyone took pictures, and then Maggie, Liam, Brett, and Sheila left to let the grandparents enjoy some time with the new family.

They went to a late lunch at a local pizza place and toasted their dear friends and the newest addition to their group before going home.

As Maggie and Liam lay in bed together naked after a powerful round of sex, Maggie sighed.

“What’s wrong, darling?”

“Absolutely nothing! Everything is wonderful! My best friend just had a beautiful little girl, I have an amazing fiancé, a baby on the way, and a wonderful home! I’m just content!”

Liam smiled and kissed her shoulder as he pulled her in closer. “I couldn’t agree more!”

***

Over the next few weeks, Maggie developed a new routine.

She would get up and have breakfast with Liam, swim a few laps, then go to Makayla’s to help with her niece and give her best friend a chance to shower or sleep.

Since school started, she also went to coach her girls’ softball team. After practice, she would come home and cook dinner for her and Liam.

Sometimes they would go for a walk on the beach, sometimes to the club to see Brett and Sheila, or just stay home and relax. And they were so happy!

Maggie and the team had their first game and much to her surprise, they won! The girls were ecstatic, and Liam treated everyone, including parents, to pizza to celebrate.

Brett, Sheila, Mike, Makayla, Nick, and Hannah came too. It was an unforgettable day!

The days kept moving along and before anyone knew it, the regular season was over.

With a record of ten to four, the team made it to the state playoffs, and it was two weeks before Maggie and Liam’s wedding. They couldn’t believe how time had flown!

Maggie had gone in for fittings for her dress and was thrilled that her boobs had stopped growing, for the time being, so her perfect dress didn’t have to be altered too much.

She loved the little baby bump that was growing, and Liam loved rubbing it and talking to their baby as much as he could. The design of the dress accommodated their growing little one to a T!

The team lost in the quarterfinals but vowed to go farther next year. Maggie was so proud, and the school offered Maggie a multi-year contract to continue to coach which she happily accepted.

The girls were counting down the days to the wedding, and Maggie was giddy! Liam’s family arrived a week before the wedding, and Erica had everything taken care of.

All Maggie had to do was relax and enjoy her new family.

Makayla threw a lovely English tea-themed bridal shower with Sheila, Hannah, and Joan’s help. As soon as the family arrived, they had a spa day bachelorette party. Liam and the men went out to Brett’s club after a day out on the boat.

At a family dinner two days before the wedding, Henry dropped a bomb.

“So, Bethany and I wanted everyone to know that I put my name in for a transfer to the office out here.

“I talked with the partners since Liam is the manager here and I didn’t want it to look funny. I should hear their answer by the time you come out after your first stop on your honeymoon.”

Charlie and Elizabeth were in shock. William and Liza looked at each other then back to everyone else too.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting this news! I hope you get approved, we could use another international specialist,” Liam said as he jumped up and hugged his brother.

Maggie was thrilled at the prospect of having them close by and prayed that the verdict would be a yes.

“We were going to wait, but as this is the time of surprises, Liza and I made a proposal to the managing partners to transfer out here too,” William said with a grin.

Everyone was laughing and talking at once about the prospect of the big changes.

Dinner ended on a happy note with the men retiring on the deck for a drink as the ladies planned the next few days.

With everything nailed down and after a quick visit from Erica, they were ready to go.

Maggie couldn’t believe that in less than two days she was marrying the man of her dreams and having his baby when only eight months before she was miserable, lonely, and betrayed.

How quickly life can change when someone runs into you!