Chapter 28

Harper

"We need some pump up music in here." Noah said confidently.

"No we fucking don't." I groaned, shifting my seat again.

"No, no, Harper stop scooting backwards." Dr. Greenberg sighed. "I need your hips forwards."

"It hurts." I hissed, sliding my hips down again for her.

"Pump up music?" Noah offered with a laugh.

"Noah seriously shut the hell up." I snapped, turning to glare at him. "This isn't the time for music. Holy shit." I whispered as a contraction hit, literally taking over my entire body.

"Shouldn't she be pushing by now?" Noah asked, glancing over at Dr. Greenberg. "It's been like twenty minutes since the adoption lady left."

My stomach twisted, thinking about the conversation that went down with the adoption lady.

"Things have slowed down but I'm not concerned yet." Dr. Greenberg shook her head. "We'll have a baby shortly."

"Miss Lawrence?"

The adoption lady was back at the door.

My stomach flipped and I reached to grab Noah's hand.

They were here.

"Come on in." I tried to seem cheerful, still holding tightly to Noah.

He squeezed my hand back as he stood up.

"This is Joanne and Roger Highland." Tanya (the adoption agency lady) said with a cheerful smile. "And these are the parents, Harper and Noah."

"Nice to meet you." I said, gritting my teeth through another contraction.

"If you guys can step up there, I need a line of sight." Dr. Greenberg said politely, having covered up what was all open and exposed in between my legs.

Joanne and Roger were a young couple and they were absolutely flawless.

I don't know what it was but they were both ridiculously attractive and I wanted to be them.

They couldn't have kids of their own and had been on the list for a baby for about thirteen months now.

And today could very well be their lucky day.

Noah and I were required to meet them before we confirmed anything.

This was going to be an open adoption and they were more than welcome to have us get to know our son.

But I didn't know if I wanted to, to be honest.

How could I give up a child and then get to know them down the line?

"Nice to meet you too." Joanne smiled.

They both shook Noah's hand but nobody went near me.

I was sweating buckets and in a ridiculous amount of pain.

"Noah." I whimpered, squeezing his hand again.

"Protocol only allows adoptive parents to be in the delivery room if the decision is final so I'm going to need you to-"

"No, let them stay. It's final." I snapped. "I don't want the baby."

"Harper." Noah whispered.

"Shut up." I snapped, turning to look at him. "We literally decided this nineteen minutes ago."

"That doesn't mean that-"

"Joanne, Roger, we'd be honored for you... Holy shit." I breathed, my entire body going rigid with the force of the attraction. "I can't do this."

"Fuck yes you can." Noah said seriously, squeezing my hand. "You can do this. Trust me."

"No I-"

"Get angry." Noah said harshly. "When you get angry, it takes the pain away."

"That's a bullshit lie and you know it. You think that's true because you were pissed at me when you broke your arm and it didn't hurt." I managed to laugh, shaking my head. "I told it to you to pretend that me being an ass was justified."

"He's right actually. The adrenaline." Roger spoke up.

Joanne elbowed him in the side but I offered a small smile.

"Come on, just think about that time when Mick and Roy thought it would be fun to put the bicycle bell on your motorcycle and-"

"Shut up."

"That was a funny day." Noah grinned. "Remember what we did that evening? Had a little fun in the back of Mick's truck while they were in the party?" Noah winked.

"I'm serious Noah, shut the fuck up." I hissed.

"That was a fun night too, man. Hell I got so drunk I don't even remember half of it."

"Yeah I know. You puked all over my bathroom and I'm the one who had to fucking clean it up so my dad wouldn't know." I snapped. "Noah seriously stop talking."

"Alright, Harper, it's almost time to push."

"Shit." I whispered, letting my head fall back for a minute.

"I mean the next morning was pretty chill, right? That shower sex though."

"Stop talking about that." I hissed, turning to glare at Noah. "I don't want to think about your fucking di-"

"Alright Harper give me a big push. Use your core." Dr. Greenberg said happily, clapping her hands together. "Everybody ready?"

"You know I still have a sweatshirt that smells like your shampoo and it reminds me of that day." Noah told me, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand.

"Stop talking." I hissed, using all of my strength to push. "Ugh!"

Noah was just grinning like a fool.

"Come on... You love thinking about what we do together." Noah winked. "Although my all-time favorite time was probably in the locker room before that-"

"I swear to God." I hissed, feeling my face getting red from all the effort. "I will throw you out of this fucking room.

"Alright alright Harper stop pushing." Dr. Greenberg suddenly said.

I gasped, turning to look at her as the pressure was suddenly relieved between my legs.

"And it's a baby boy, born at... 19:39." Dr. Greenberg said happily.

I felt the tension leave my body as I was suddenly overcome with chills.

"Holy shit." I whispered.

"Told you getting angry makes it hurt less." Noah was smirking as he kissed my hand. "Good job."

"Fuck you." I laughed, shaking my head. "You asshole."

"It worked." Noah winked, leaning forwards to press his lips against mine.

"Do you want to hold him?" Dr. Greenberg asked, holding up the wrinkly purple thing wrapped in a little blue blanket.

Noah and I looked at each other.

"We're doing the right thing?" I whispered.

"We're doing the right thing." Noah confirmed, leaning down to kiss my shoulder. "We are."

"I think Joanne and Roger should get to be the first ones to hold their baby." I said softly, not taking my eyes off of Noah.

"I love you." He whispered, kissing my hand again.

His eyes filled with tears and I felt myself starting to tear up also.

"I love you."

"We're doing the right thing." Noah whispered again.

But I didn't know if he was reassuring me or reassuring himself.

~*~*~

I looked across the room at the happy couple holding the bundle of blankets.

Noah squeezed my hand, pulling me closer against his side.

I rested my head on his shoulder.

"And the last bit we need to discuss is... Wait nope that's it." Nancy said happily, looking at the papers in front of her.

Joanne and Roger exchanged a thrilled look, both of them touching the baby in some way.

I didn't want to know what they were going to name him.

I didn't want to know anything.

We agreed that if Noah and I ever wanted to know anything about him, we'd reach out to Joanne and Roger and they'd decide the best way to go about talking to him.

But they promised from the start, he'd know he was adopted and who his parents were.

Noah kissed my head, rubbing his hand over my shoulder.

"I'm glad you're with me." I whispered, doing my best not to start crying.

"Me too." Noah whispered.

I was running on autopilot as Joanne and Roger left the room with the baby.

And then the door shut and Noah and I were left alone.

My emotions got the best of me as I let out a sob, turning to bury my face in his neck.

Noah's breath was shaky as he pulled me against him.

And as I wrapped my around his shoulders, Noah let out a sob too, twisting his fingers in my hair.

"We're doing the right thing." I whispered against his skin. "Trust me."

"We can't raise a child." Noah shook his head. "This is the right thing."

"It fucking sucks but it's the right thing."

"It's the right thing." Noah agreed, his shoulders shaking as we both cried together.

But hey, as long as I had Noah Keller in my life, I think everything will turn out alright.