Page 27 of Temporary Santa's Knotty Workshop

I went through it again, adding more detail. Percy squeed and said he would be right over.

“I think I’m missing something,” I said.

“I think we both did.”

Percy must have run all the way here, because he was walking through the door only a few minutes later, jumping up and down and announcing that it was baby time.

I didn’t believe him at first, but as the rest of the afternoon wore on and my cramps started getting worse, I saw that he was right. I didn’t have a stomachache. I was in labor.

When I first asked my bestie about how bad labor was, he told me it “wasn’t that bad.” Percy lied.

It was awful. I was in a constant state of not knowing if I wanted to be sick to my stomach or to curl in a ball and beg for sweet death. Minutes turned to hours, and it was the middle of the night when Percy finally announced it was time for the midwife.

Poor Campbell looked dreadful. I knew he wished he could do something for me, but he couldn’t. This was just how it was.

And then we got the news no pregnant omega wants, the midwife was on vacation. Apparently, my brother-in-law wasn’t the only person they’d found not taking their leave, and they’d been staggering vacations throughout the year.

“What are we supposed to do? What are we supposed to do?” I was panicking, but how could I not. It wasn’t like I could wait for them to return.

Campbell sat beside me, holding me in his arms. “It’ll be fine. Elves have been doing this for as long as time. I’ve got you.”

Percy swore he’d be able to guide me through, and thankfully, everything went quickly from there. I wasn’t even sure how long it took… time all blurry, pain going from strong with breaks to constant and intense.

Finally, Percy was telling me to push. I pushed, and I pushed, and I pushed so hard I saw spots. I didn’t think I could do this.

Campbell kept telling me how amazing I was and how he couldn’t wait to meet our little one. Without him by my side… I refused to think about what would’ve happened then.

And finally, just when I thought there was no hope, our dear sweet daughter was born. She was perfect with ten little fingers, ten little toes, eyes that were just as brilliant as her father’s.

When she snuggled onto me for the first time a sense of peace and love settled over me.

“Would it be too cliché if I called her Noelle?”

Campbell looked down at her face, beaming. “I think it’s perfect.”

I leaned into his side. “Absolutely perfect.”