Carrying the Flame Ch. 10

The End

"Have you had enough shopping?" Callia asked Laura as she pushed a sleeping Mason in his stroller.

"I think so," Laura said as she released a deep breath.

"Are you alright?" Callia inquired.

"I hurt and I feel achy. Like something is squeezing me and letting go," Laura answered, stopped and grabbed the railing next to her.

"It sounds like you're in labor Laura," Callia said excitedly.

"Oh God," Laura moaned.

"It's okay Laura, just breathe," Callia coached. "I'm going to take Mason over to that table there and then I'll help you sit down," she added.

"Hey Callie, now isn't a good time. I'm in the middle of a really important lecture, can I call you back in a half hour?" Gray asked.

"Well, I suppose you can, but I'm kind of in a bind and stuck at the mall," Callia said and rolled her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Gray asked, a feeling of dread welled up within him.

"Nothing's wrong, but if you don't come pick us up from the mall, you may miss the birth of your child," Callia answered.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes," Gray promised.

"Take your time Gray, first time labor can take hours," Callia suggested, laughed when Gray swore loudly and hung up. "He's on his way sweetie, just keep breathing," Callia told her friend. Laura looked up and grumbled under her breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"What is the problem Mr. Hanlon?" the professor asked, frowning at the disruption.

"I'm sorry Professor Avery, but I need to leave. My girlfriend, wait, she's my wife now, my wife is in labor," Gray rambled.

Professor Avery, who had been told of the situation by Gray when he'd come back from Michigan chuckled. "Congratulations Mr. Hanlon. Go, get to your wife and email me later to let me know how things go and I will tell you when you can retake the test," Professor Avery told him. Gray nodded and all but ran from the lecture hall.

"Callie, where are you?" Gray barked into his phone.

"Jesus Gray, it's only been fifteen minutes, you can't be here yet!" Callia exclaimed.

"Where are you?" Gray asked again.

"In the food court, by the Starbucks," Callia answered. "Gray, how did you ..." she was greeted by a dial tone and couldn't help but laugh when Gray all but ran to where they were sitting moments later. "Jesus Christ on a stick Gray, are you trying to get somebody killed?" Callia scolded.

"Shut up," Gray grumbled. He knelt down in front of Laura. "How are you doing?" he stupidly.

"How am I doing?" Laura repeated.

"Not know Laura," Callia said wisely. "Let's just get out of here," she added.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How are you holding up?" Cooper asked after Keely had left with Mason.

"I'm fine Coop, why?" Callia wanted to know.

"Well, just a few months ago, you thought you were pregnant," Cooper pointed out.

"I'm excited for them, and maybe a little jealous," Callia admitted.

"Jealous?" Cooper asked.

"Mason isn't a little baby any more, he's walking, and talking, and soon, he's going to be a big boy," Callia clarified.

"I know what you mean," Cooper agreed, sinking into a chair with a sigh. They both stood up in surprise when Gray walked into the hall and flopped into a chair next to him.

"Laura kicked me out of the room, said I was being too big of a pain in the ass," Gray grumbled. Callia burst out laughing and earned a dirty look from Gray.

"What were you saying?" Callia wanted to know.

"I don't know!" Gray exclaimed. "She just said I was being annoying."

"Callie nearly kicked me out," Cooper said with a grin.

"Literally. If it hadn't been for Mason crowning at that exact moment, which is insanely uncomfortable, I would have literally gotten off of that bed and kicked at Cooper until he'd left the room," Callia remembered with a grin.

"Go back in there, and when you do, apologize for being annoying then don't say ANYTHING else until the baby is actually born," Cooper advised. Gray gave each of his friends a look that expressed his nervousness, his fear and his excitement and walked back into the delivery room.

"Still jealous?" Cooper asked Callia.

"A little, but not enough to want another baby right this exact second," Callia answered.

"But practicing is an acceptable past time, right?" Cooper asked.

Callia grinned. "Acceptable and highly encouraged," she agreed. Cooper laughed and kissed her hard. "I love you Coop," Callia murmured.

"I love you too Callie." Cooper's voice was husky and rich with love for his wife.

"Wake up!" Gray shouted. Callia and Cooper's eyes shot open and they nearly jumped out of their chairs, straight through the ceiling. "It's a girl!" Gray chanted over and over. Callia and Cooper exchanged glances and laughed as they stood up and hugged Gray.

"How's Laura?" Callia asked.

"Asking for you," Gray answered. Callia glanced at Cooper and Gray. "Go ahead, I need a minute," Gray added. Callia smiled knowingly, hugged Gray again and sprinted the ten feet to the delivery room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Baby!" Mason exclaimed when Callia carried him into Laura's hospital room the next day.

"That's right Mason, a baby," Callia agreed with a laugh. She gave her friend a smile and a hug and sat down in the chair by the bed. "How are you feeling?" Callia asked her friend.

"I'm tired, but I'm happier than I thought I would be," Laura answered, glanced at the small baby in her arms.

"She's absolutely beautiful Laura," Callia murmured. "Have you and Gray decided on a name yet?" she wanted to know.

"We think so." Laura and Callia looked up when Gray and Cooper walked into the room.

"Daddy!" Mason squealed, struggling to get out of Callia's arms. Callia put him down and laughed as Mason tottered to Cooper.

"I think someone is going to be a daddy's girl," Cooper observed as Gray scooped his daughter out of Laura's arms.

"What are you naming her?" Callia asked again.

"Dalia Rose," Gray answered, snuggling his new daughter tight.

"That's a beautiful name," Cooper said, bounced Mason in his arms.

"Maybe someday Mason and Dalia will get married," Callia suggested.

"I love you Callie, but Dalia is getting locked in a tower," Gray growled. Callia giggled and glanced at Cooper who grinned back wickedly.

"I think that's what Luke said about Callie," Cooper said.

"I mean it. I'll build a tower and lock her in it," Gray threatened.

"Enough," Laura said with a laugh.

"I think it would be kind of sweet if Dalia and Mason got married when they are old enough," Laura murmured.

"She ..." Gray stopped talking at the look on Laura's face, sighed and shrugged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Daddy, wake up!" Cooper groaned and pushed his head up off of the pillow.

"What is it Mason?" Cooper asked.

"Mommy's sick again," Mason reported, his brown eyes wide. Cooper sat up and frowned.

"Mace, go into your room and play while I check on mommy," Cooper instructed. Mason nodded and ran to his room while Cooper padded his way into the bathroom. "Callie, what's wrong?" Cooper asked, crouching down behind her. He rubbed her back softly as she sat up and pulled away from the toilet.

"I didn't mean to wake you up," Callia said softly.

"You didn't. Mace did. What's wrong?" Cooper repeated.

"Nothing," she murmured.

"Bull. You're throwing up Callia," Cooper grumbled.

"Coop, really, I'm fine," Callia told him.

Cooper glanced at his watch. "Then why don't you tell me why you're up at seven in the morning puking your guts out," he challenged. Callia smiled, pushed herself up off of the floor, reached for something on the back of the toilet and handed it to him.

"I was going to tell you after your graduation ceremony later, but since you insist ..." Callia's voice trailed off as Cooper pulled her into his arms and held her tight.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Cooper asked. Callia was relieved that he sounded less anxious and she nodded.

"I feel fine, except for ..." Cooper closed his eyes when Callia retook her position in front of the toilet.

"When you're feeling better, rinse your mouth out and I'll make you some toast," Cooper told her.

"It's your graduation from law school Coop, I should be pampering you today," Callia protested.

"No way Callie, after that announcement, it's all about you," Cooper said with a chuckle.

"Good job Coop," Lucas said, shaking his son in law's hand.

"Thanks Luke," Cooper beamed.

"Where's Callie?" Olivia asked, walking over to her husband and son in law.

"She's probably getting more food. She's been cooking almost non-stop for three days," Cooper answered.

"Dinner is on!" Laura called out as she, Callia and Keely carried out trays of food.

"Are you feeling alright?" Keely whispered to Callia.

"Never better," Callia whispered back with a wide grin.

"What's up?" Laura asked.

"You'll see," Callia promised. "Oh, look at Mason and Dalia, they look so cute!" she squealed. Laura looked over at the blanket where the two kids napped together and laughed.

"Don't let Gray see," Keely warned.

"Yeah, he's very overprotective," Laura agreed; squealed when Gray walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"What are you ladies yammering about?" Gray asked.

"Nothing," Laura said with a laugh. Her eyes narrowed when Cooper walked over to Callia and gave her a gentle hug, as if he were afraid of breaking her. "Is everything okay?" Laura asked.

"Everything's fine," Cooper assured his friend. He waited for everyone to have food and drink before raising up his hand to capture everyone's attention. "I just wanted to thank all of you for your love and support while Callie and I worked our way through school. It hasn't been an easy road, there have been a lot of obstacles, but we made it. Callie's a teacher and I finally graduated from law school!" Cooper exclaimed. "When we started out planning, this party, it was a celebration of our success, and our future. This morning, the meaning of this party changed. It's no longer just a graduation party, it's also a celebration of the expansion of my family. This morning, we found out that Callie's pregnant," Cooper announced, reached for Callia's hand and squeezed it.

Laura let out a squeal and hugged her friend tightly. "Easy Laura," Callia groaned, paling a little as a wave of nausea swept over her. Cooper handed Callia his bottle of water and she took several small sips, handed it back when the feeling passed.

The rest of the party passed without incident and word of congratulations swept through the crowd, and when the last guest, Callia and Cooper's parents had gone back to their hotel and they sank against each other on the couch.

"That was exhausting," Callia murmured. Cooper laughed and looked at her in concern. "I'm alright Coop, just tired," she assured him.

"Have I told you lately how much I love you?" Cooper asked huskily as he lowered his head and kissed her gently.

"Not since this morning," Callia said with a saucy grin, gasped when he lifted her into his arms and stood up.

"I love you," Cooper said as he carried her into the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.

"I love you too," Callia murmured.

EPILOGUE

"Mr. Lee, my name is Derek St. Paul. I work for St. Paul, McGivins and Lawson. We would like to offer you a job," Derek St. Paul told Cooper. Cooper's eyes widened when the job description was given to him.

"What's the catch?" Cooper asked.

"No catch. You do as you're told, you don't ask questions and we'll get along great," Derek answered.

"May I talk this over with my wife?" Cooper wanted to know.

"You have forty-eight hours to make your decision," Derek answered and he handed Cooper a folder. "If I don't hear from you by noon the day after tomorrow, consider this offer null and void," he added.

"Mr. St. Paul, this is Cooper Lee. If the job offer is still available, I accept it," Cooper said.

"I'm glad to hear that Mr. Lee. We'll expect you in New York in two weeks for training and searching for a house," Mr. St. Paul told Cooper.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Cooper Lee has accepted the offer, Joe. We will have to be on our toes, he's a smart one, but controlling him should be easy enough if he becomes a problem. His wife and children will be key in keeping him in line," Mr. Cooper told his associate.

"Let's hope so Derek, because if he gets out of line or starts questioning the wrong people about the wrong thing, I will hold you personally accountable," Joe threatened.

"Understood," Derek said with a nod.



Thanks for reading Callia's and Cooper's story, I hope you enjoyed it. I encourage and welcome all comments, as long as they are constructive and not destructive. If you think my writing is boring, like anonymous commented on Fighting for Love (Jake and Jessica's story, please don't bother commenting, just stop reading.

I appreciate all of you that continued to read and support my work while my life has been going through this upheaval. Things are getting better. You guys rock! Thanks again for reading!

Ashira