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Chapter 20: Rowen, Part 1
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Deflected Chapter 21: Rowen, Part 2
I use a little too much force to toss my own tape into the trash and rest my hands on my knees, ready to tell all. "All that morning sickness is supposed to go away by ten or twelve weeks, but it seems to be getting worse. We asked about it yesterday and the doctor said some women never get over it.""Seriously?""It doesn't happen often, but of course it happens to my wife. And, of course, there's nothing I can do about it. And, of course, the doctor mentioned watching for dehydration since she throws up a thousand times a day, so now I feel like I'm constantly making her drink water, which just makes her throw up again." The frustration runs through me again, now that I'm not having to hold myself together in front of Tiffany. Not that I need to, but I know it adds to her aggravation these days. "I'm sorry, man. That fucking sucks.""I don't know how you went through this three times," I say with a shake of my head.He chuckles. "It's different every time. I remember the first time,
Deflected Chapter 22: Tiffany, Part 1
I underestimated the vastness of the housing market in Houston. By a lot.Who knew when you have a decent-sized budget and a good realtor, you could spend hours upon hours searching for the perfect home?I didn't. And now I regret it.When Rowen's mom, Denise, invited me to come along with them, I reluctantly said yes. I am almost out of my first trimester, but the exhaustion and sickness is still taking a huge toll on me. I really wanted to nap instead, but they're my husband's parents. My child's grandparents. I want us to be close since they're going to be around so much more in the next few months.Plus, a small part of me still feels like I'm trying to impress them. It's overcompensation for the embarrassment I still feel about our first meeting. I know I shouldn't feel that way. They've made it very clear they don't look at me differently or anything. But damn if that insecurity doesn't rear its ugly head if I think too hard. Hormones don't help.So I agreed to go house hunting,
Deflected Chapter 23: Tiffany, Part 2
Laying my head back on my arms, I notice Denise has a huge grin on her face."What?" I ask.She glances up at me then back down to dump some flour in the bowl. "Every time he can't stump you makes me laugh. You know he actually jots down jokes now, so he can remember to try them out on you?" She chuckles. "It's become his personal mission to prove he's funnier than you."I shake my head, stifling a giggle. "That is a very strange life goal.""No one ever said my husband wasn't strange. He's a good man, but he definitely keeps me on my toes."I watch as she reads her recipe and continues adding ingredients to the bowl. I'm not a very good cook, but I enjoy watching her do so many things at once. Rice, eggs, now… whatever this is. I'm impressed."Why don't you go take a nap," she says suddenly, and I realize I must look as wiped as I feel. My head is back down on my arms and I'm just blankly staring as she works."I should," I say through a deep sigh. "But I don't know if I have enough e
Deflected Chapter 24: Rowen
Losing in San Jose is not something any of us anticipated. They're a strong team, but we're stronger. Or at least we thought we were. That is, until Santos didn't show up for our trip.No one knows where he went. Last I saw him, we were talking in the locker room about nausea and hormones. Then suddenly, he disappeared.When someone finally asked Coach about it during warm-ups, all he said was, "He's not here but you are. Do your job and focus on the task at hand!"We all shut up and went through the motions of warm-ups. And then it all fell apart.Logan has proven himself to be a great back-up goalie, but he wasn't prepared to jump in at the last second because of an injury to our second stringer. That was his own damn fault. It's not like we don't train enough. But the last minute change got into Logan's head, and he couldn't keep the ball out of the net.That's how the ricochet effect began. I couldn't seem to block for shit. Daniel kept kicking too wide. The stress of the change, a
Deflected Chapter 25: Tiffany
I KNEW YOU WERE PREGNANT!Quincy's text comes in shouty capitals, making me roll my eyes at her excitement. My response will probably make her roll her eyes right back at me, only it'll be in exasperation.Me: I swear to God those guys gossip more than a bunch of old ladies at church!Quincy: Oh, come on. Did you really expect Rowen to keep it from them for long?She has a point. He's been way more excited than I ever anticipated. He even cried when my blood tests came back and the doctor told us it's a boy.I've never seen Rowen get teary-eyed over anything, but the thought of being a father has him a blubbering mess. It's actually really sexy.Me: Touché. Just keep in under wraps for now. I don't want my job to know yet. You know how sticky it can be.Quincy: Yep. It wasn't that long ago I was trying to sort it all out with Chance. My lips are sealed. Wait… I'll seal them after this: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!Tucking my cell into my back pocket, I pull open the door into the newsroom. Like
Deflected Chapter 26: Rowen, Part 1
Practice was a bitch today. We're finally starting to gel again after Santos's sudden departure, but it hasn't been without growing pains. Our record has dropped into the shitter, but hopefully, we can pull it together for play-offs. The season is long enough, so we have time. Kicking the door shut behind me, I drop my bags on the floor and head straight for the kitchen. Tiffany drank most of the broth to my mom's chicken noodle soup - it's the only thing she can really hold down, and even then, not always - but that leaves all the hearty stuff for me to eat. With as hungry as I am after practice, none of it is going to waste.Popping the Tupperware of leftovers in the microwave, I thank my lucky stars my parents are moving here. Yeah, we have separate lives, but if I know one thing, they'll implement family dinners once a week. That means home cooking for this growing boy.Grabbing my bag, I head into the bedroom while I wait for my food to heat up. I need to get some laundry done so
Deflected Chapter 27: Rowen, Part 2
"I know this is a bedpan," the nurse jokes, handing the plastic bowl to me. "But around here we use them for morning sickness. Keep it handy just in case you need it. The doctor will be here in just a couple of minutes. My name is Karen, if you need me."Karen leaves and I collapse into the chair next to the bed, pulling it forward where I can hold hands with my wife. "How are you feeling?""Like shit."I chuckle, glad she hasn't totally lost her feisty nature. Stroking back her hair, I can't help but feel relief that we're here and she's going to be taken care of. "I probably should have asked this before, but did you call in sick? Do I need to call Caleb?"She shakes her head gently. "I already called. There's no way I'm getting this promotion Rowen. Not now.""Hey. You don't know that. Your interview went great.""Yeah, until the end of it when I finally told them I'm pregnant." She rolls onto her back and rests her hand on her forehead. "Steve left almost a month ago. I'm sure the
Deflected Chapter 28: Tiffany, Part 1
Peeling my eyes open, I don't move, instead assessing my body. It's become my normal. I'm pleased to discover warmth, I'm comfortable, I'm nauseous, but what else is new? I'll take a little stomach churning over actually having to run for a bucket anyway.Overall, though, this isn't terrible. I'm not sure what the doctor put in that IV, but it made a huge difference in how I feel. I was hooked to it for a few hours before they deemed me well enough to go home with the understanding that I take today off at minimum. Tomorrow is still to be determined.The bed dips next to me, and I roll over to see my husband situating himself against the headboard, long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles."What are you doing here?" I question. Usually, I wake to an empty house because of our opposite schedules. Needless to say I'm surprised to see him casually lounging around. "Shouldn't you be at practice?""I took the day off." He grabs the remote off the nightstand and flips the TV on.Tuc
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Deflected Chapter 52: Tiffany, Part 3
The snick of the lock unlatching when I wave my key fob in front of the door is the first real sign that life is going back to normal. Well, as normal as life can be after a new little human has come into the world. But as I step through the door and into the newsroom, I realize nothing has changed. The scanners are still squawking. Reporters are still making calls and typing. Televisions still glow with every local station and CNN ready to be monitored. The only difference is the person at the assignment desk."Hi Tom," I greet as I grab a huge stack of mail I'll need to sort through upstairs. There's too much to go through down here."Tiffany." He tips his head at me and goes back to his business. Tom took over for Caleb when he moved upstairs. He's a little older than everyone else in the newsroom. His hair and neatly trimmed beard are almost gray. He's pleasant enough, just sticks to himself. We definitely don't have the same kind of rapport Caleb and I use to have.That also mean
Deflected Chapter 51: Tiffany, Part 2
Rowen makes sure we're all settled before kissing me on the top of the head and throwing on his sweats. "What do you want to eat? My mam brought bangers and mash.""I'll leave that for you," I joke, knowing it's his favorite. "But do we still have any of that grilled chicken salad? I don't know why but it sounds really good.""Yep. I'll go grab it for you."The last three months have been an adjustment, but overall, it's gone really well. Cace is a great baby, but I didn't expect anything less with him being Rowen's child. Well, that's not exactly true. A part of me always remembered Ryan is his grandfather, so I know there's some ornery in there waiting to come out. But for the most part, he's very docile. Cries when he's hungry, fusses when he's wet, but otherwise even-tempered. And my in-laws have been wonderful. Sure, the men argue all the time about the safest way to hold the baby or the best cleaning products. Denise and I just laugh at the ridiculousness and let them hash it ou
Deflected Chapter 50: Tiffany, Part 1
"Keep doing that," I moan, grabbing Rowen's hair and pulling him closer to my core. His tongue still does magical things to my lady parts and today, he's going to town. Licking, nipping, and sucking as he inserts two fingers inside me, hitting just the right spot. "Oh, that's it. Right there… ohgod…"My orgasm hits me fast and hard, just the way I like it these days. He continues to suck on my clit as the waves overtake me, riding me to that sated feeling I love. But he's not done yet.As soon as I've come back down to earth, he kisses up my body, paying special attention to the scar that now mars my abdomen. When I look at my stomach, I see flabby skin that hasn't tightened up yet and a knife wound. But Rowen tells me it's beautiful. That it's a reminder of the sacrifice I made to give him the best gift he's ever received - our son. Coming from anyone else, I'd say they were full of shit. But coming from Rowen, I know he means every word. Because of it, I still feel beautiful. It al
Deflected Chapter 49: Tiffany
"I know you'll be here when you can, Mom," I say through FaceTime on my phone. "Really, all we're going to do for the next few weeks is sleep and eat anyway. Maybe bathe."Stroking the top of my son's head, I watch as he suckles on my breast. Yes, the dull pain of breastfeeding is there, but that doesn't take away the surreal feeling of being a new mom. It's amazing."I know." My mom sighs. "I'm just mad at myself. Of all the times to fall down some steps and break an ankle, this is the worst."I giggle lightly. "I still can't believe you did it at the gym.""And right after my kickboxing class too! I had just shown everyone what a badass I am, and three steps took me out.""Any muggers with ill intentions better beware of running into you in a back alley. Unless there are stairs involved." "Well, hopefully in the next few weeks, the doctor will clear me for travel. Then I'll be on the first plane there.""Sounds good to me." Baby Cace squeaks and pulls away from my breast, nuzzling h
Deflected Chapter 48: Rowen, Part 2
The thoughts are overwhelming. I've never been this happy in my life, and I've only seen him for a split second. Lifting my head, I look around trying to catch another glimpse. Apparently, I'm not as subtle as I think I am."Would you like to see your son? You can go over there."Nodding, I stand up and follow the person over to a small table where my son is lying down, clearly unhappy by being poked and prodded. I don't blame him. I wouldn't like if all my glory was on display in front of these strangers either."Can I… can I touch him?" I ask tentatively, not sure what I'm allowed to do right now."Absolutely," the person says. "And talk to him. Babies like familiar voices."Slowly, I get closer, still in awe that I'm looking at my son. My son. It feels like I'm walking through a dream. Reaching down, I touch his tiny hand which immediately stretches and grabs my finger. The contact makes me suck in a breath. He's real. This is real. It's not a dream at all."Hello there, mo mhac. I'
Deflected Chapter 47: Rowen, Part 1
I have dreamed about this day for months. Thought about every scenario on how it could happen. Planned for any situation. Prepared myself in every possible way.Except this one.Not one part of me anticipated I'd be standing in the hallway of the hospital wearing drab green scrubs with a matching surgical cap, waiting to join my wife in an operating room. And yet here I am, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more nervous than I've ever been in my life.It's not just the operation. Yes, that is my immediate concern. As much as I like Dr. Hermann, he's getting ready to cut Tiffany open and pull our son out through a gaping wound. I'm sure there's more to it than that, but it basically boils down to that, and it's scary. What if he cuts the wrong part and he can't stop the bleeding? What if he accidentally cuts my child? What if she gets a major infection? The horrific possibilities are terrifying.Taking a breath to refocus my thoughts, I try to remember all the positives. Tiffany won't
Deflected Chapter 46: Tiffany, Part 2
I can practically feel his surprise when he shifts, situating us face-to-face. Thankfully, my doctor and my father-in-law have started chatting again, so Rowen and I can have some privacy. "Tiffany, this is just a change in the play. You of all people know how easily it can happen. I know this isn't soccer, but it's not that different. We go into every match with a plan, but sometimes it doesn't go like we expected. There's an injury or a new goalie." I smirk at his reference to the issues the team had early in the season. "The objective is always the same, but how we get there doesn't matter as long as we do. It's the same thing here. It doesn't matter how he gets here as much as it matters that it happens safely for both of you."I sniff again, but my tears have all but dried up. "We've been deflected."He nods and smiles at me. "Exactly. It's a change of play. But in the end, when we're holding him and taking care of him, we'll forget about everything except that we won."I chuckle
Deflected Chapter 45: Tiffany, Part 1
A low murmuring pulls me from sleep. I know it's only been a couple hours, but I feel so much better than I did. Damn that epidural for being as amazing as everyone said it would be.Peeling my eyes open, I roll slightly onto my back to see Dr. Hermann and Ryan chatting like old friends. A few seconds of eavesdropping and I finally catch the source of their newfound connection - Ireland. Apparently, Dr. Hermann spent a summer backpacking through Europe and caught a couple games when Ryan was in his prime and playing in front of his hometown fans. I'm sure the tales are tall right now, but at least their relaxed chatter means nothing wrong is happening on my side of the room.Glancing around, I finally catch sight of my husband who is sleeping soundly. I'm glad to see him getting some rest. He's been trying so hard to be strong for me. It's not gone unnoticed. But at last count he'd been awake for thirty hours. It was wearing on him."Ah, iníon sa dlí, yer awake."Ryan steps toward me a
Deflected Chapter 44: Rowen, Part 3
Another eight hours. Another one centimeter dilated. Almost. I may be rounding up out of my own feeling of desperation. This entire experience is not at all like I expected. Not that I knew what was supposed to happen. Sure, we'd taken a birthing class one Saturday, but that was months ago when our schedules allowed us both to be there. And it never told us what would happen if Tiffany's body refused to do what it should. At least Tiffany's sleeping now. About four hours after the Pitocin began, she started crying, saying she couldn't do it anymore. She'd been awake for almost twenty-four hours and had been in some form of labor for over half of it. Plus, once the drugs kicked in, her contractions went from being painful to downright excruciating. It didn't take much convincing for her to finally decide to have the epidural. But it did take my Mam physically moving me out of the way to help her through all her fears - fear of a needle in her spine, fear of the drugs hurting the baby,
