Chapter 97
2177words
Los Altos | Solentra | Alonzo Voss-Sinclair Estate
Late Morning
The sun was warm, soft light spilling across the tarmac as Kristina, Lucian, and Eli stepped off the business-class cabin, a small sense of exhilaration stirring in Kristina’s chest. For the first time since the three of them had been together, she had insisted on flying commercially, letting herself be surrounded by ordinary travelers, carrying ordinary luggage, sharing ordinary smiles.
Ash, Vex, and Sebastian waited near the airport exit, all three in tailored casuals, eyes sharp and attentive. A quiet nod passed between them as they approached, a protective shield in human form, yet unobtrusive, letting the trio carry their own sense of independence.
“Welcome back,” Ash said lightly, opening the door to the waiting SUVs. “Solentra awaits.”
Kristina grinned, tugging at Eli’s and Lucian’s hands. “Let’s see if normal people drive like this,” she said teasingly, as they climbed into the backseat. The engine purred to life, and the convoy rolled toward the winding roads of Briarcrest Estates.
The drive was quiet at first, each of them savoring the ordinary sensation of being passengers, of being anonymous, of blending with the world outside their usual sphere of influence. Kristina’s fingers intertwined naturally with both Eli and Lucian, their grip a gentle reminder that no matter how ordinary the moment, their connection was anything but.
Lucian broke the silence, his voice low and teasing. “I see what you did there. Flying commercial. The world doesn’t know what hit it.”
Eli chuckled softly, brushing a hand over Kristina’s. “It suits you. Makes you… grounded.”
Kristina’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Grounded, yes—but not boring. I like this. I like feeling normal. Just for today, just for a little while.”
Vex glanced at Ash and Sebastian with a faint smirk. “She’s enjoying this more than she’ll admit.”
Ash’s grin was quiet, approving. “Let her. She earned it.”
As the car curved through the tree-lined streets of Briarcrest Estates, the silhouette of Solentra appeared ahead—majestic yet warm, the perfect balance between privacy and welcome. Its slate roofs caught the sunlight, and the sprawling gardens whispered the promise of a new beginning.
Kristina pressed her palms to the window, eyes wide. “It’s… real,” she whispered. “It’s ours.”
Lucian reached over, his thumb brushing hers. “Everything we fought for. All of it. And now, it begins.”
Eli leaned back, letting a slow smile form. “No ceremonies. No interruptions. Just… us.”
And for the first time since their wedding night, the three of them felt the kind of freedom that only comes from being truly together, in a place entirely their own.
Thursday | April 19, 2012
Los Altos | Solentra | Alonzo Voss-Sinclair Estate | The Eastside Garden
The estate was unusually quiet that morning, sunlight streaming across the manicured lawns and the newly finished playground that had become Kristina’s favorite landmark on her walks. Breakfast had been light, accompanied by laughter and the steady hum of domesticity—so different from the chaos of the years behind them.
Lucian and Eli had already retreated to the study for a virtual meeting, their voices low and steady behind closed doors. They had filed for remote duty a month ago, both refusing to let the business world pull them too far from Kristina in these final weeks. Only a few weeks earlier, they’d returned from Zurich, where they had gone to visit her parents’ ashes. Kristina had bristled at being left behind, had argued fiercely until Lucian and Eli gently persuaded her otherwise. She was simply too far along, and the risk wasn’t worth it. She had relented, reluctantly, trusting them to carry her presence in their hearts.
Now, with Sebastian at her side, Kristina walked slowly along the garden path. Her hand brushed over the curve of her belly as Sebastian spoke, his voice unusually light.
“The playground’s finally finished. Ash and Vex have been sneaking out there to test the swings at night,” he said, allowing the faintest smirk.
Kristina chuckled softly. “I’m not surprised.”
He glanced at her, the rare warmth in his expression lingering. “Everyone’s waiting to know if it’s a boy or a girl. They’re restless with curiosity.”
Kristina shook her head firmly, her tone calm but unwavering. “Not until it’s time. That’s mine to know first.”
“Lucian and Eli agreed?” Sebastian asked.
“They didn’t even argue,” Kristina said with a small, fond smile. “For once.”
The quiet moment stretched, filled with the sound of leaves rustling and the faint chirp of birds. Then Kristina stopped mid-step. Her hand instinctively pressed to her abdomen, her breath catching just slightly.
Sebastian turned sharply, scanning her face. “Are you okay?”
Kristina inhaled slowly, steadying herself. The ache wasn’t sharp, not yet. But it was unmistakable. She lifted her gaze to his, and her lips curved into a calm, almost mischievous smile.
“I think it’s time.”
She said it so casually that it took a heartbeat for the words to sink in.
Sebastian’s face drained. “Time—? Now?” He moved instantly, his hand hovering near her elbow without quite grabbing, guiding her carefully back toward the house. His strides were purposeful, every nerve in his body on alert, but Kristina only smiled at his tension.
They entered the living room, where Ash and Vex sprawled on the couch, their eyes glued to a soccer match on the widescreen. Chips on the table. Shoes kicked off.
Both men turned their heads at the sound of footsteps. Their gazes landed on Kristina, calm and glowing, and Sebastian, who looked ready to call a state of emergency.
“She’s in labor,” Sebastian blurted.
Ash choked on his drink. Vex shot upright so fast he knocked the bowl of chips onto the rug.
Kristina laughed at their expressions, shaking her head in amusement. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m fine.”
Neither Ash nor Vex listened. They bolted in unison toward the east wing, their footsteps pounding down the hall.
“They’re interrupting the meeting,” Kristina said with amusement, easing herself onto the nearest chair.
Sebastian, however, was pacing already, muttering under his breath about timing, routes, and traffic, as if strategizing a full-scale operation.
Los Altos | Solentra | Alonzo Voss-Sinclair Estate | The Estate’s Conference Room
Lucian’s voice was steady, precise, as he outlined their position to the board members flashing across the virtual screen. Eli sat beside him, adding measured commentary when needed, both men composed in their business armor despite working from home.
Then came the sound. Heavy boots pounding down the hall. A door flung open.
Ash burst in first, followed immediately by Vex, who nearly skidded on the hardwood floor trying to stop in time.
“Emergency!” Ash barked, chest heaving.
Lucian’s head snapped up, sharp as a blade. “What kind of emergency?”
Vex pointed at the screen with a dramatic flourish. “The baby’s coming.”
For a beat, silence. The board members blinked in confusion.
Eli muttered, “Kristina’s in labor?” and halfway rose from his chair, his face draining of color.
Ash nodded furiously. “Yes. Sebastian says it’s time. She’s too calm, which means it’s serious. Or maybe not. I don’t know—she said it so casually it freaked me out.”
Vex, unhelpfully, added, “She literally said, ‘I’m fine.’ Like she was asking for tea.”
Lucian slammed his laptop shut mid-meeting, cutting off the startled voices of the directors. His voice was all command now. “Sebastian is with her?”
“Yes,” Ash replied.
“Then get to the bikes. Clear us a path to Dominion.”
Ash and Vex exchanged a look, then sprinted for the garage without another word.
Eli turned to Lucian, his voice climbing. “We don’t even have the hospital bag in the car!”
Lucian’s expression didn’t waver. “Then grab it. I’ll get Kristina.”
Los Altos | Solentra | Alonzo Voss-Sinclair Estate | The Estate’s Main Hall
The echo of hurried footsteps filled the east wing. Lucian reached the main hall first, his usually composed stride giving way to something closer to urgency. He spotted Kristina on the settee, one hand resting casually on her belly, the other shooing Sebastian away with a teasing smile.
“Kristina,” Lucian breathed, his voice betraying the edge of panic as he dropped to a crouch in front of her. His hand brushed against her stomach, his eyes searching her face. “How bad is it? How far apart? Tell me—”
“I’m fine,” Kristina interrupted gently, her calmness disarming. “It’s only the beginning. First phase, Lucian. Breathe.”
He didn’t. He just stayed there, palm splayed across her belly, eyes sharp and restless as though he could will the child to stay safely inside a little longer.
From above, the sound of pounding steps grew louder. Eli appeared at the top of the grand staircase, shirt slightly untucked, hair sticking to his forehead with sweat. In one hand, he clutched the baby bag, which he nearly lost hold of as he flew down the last few steps. He landed hard on the marble, breathless, and dropped the bag with a heavy thud.
“Where is it? Did I forget anything? Do we have—Kristina, are you—how do you feel?” Eli rattled, crouching beside Lucian, his hand covering hers as though to double-check what Lucian had already asked.
Kristina laughed softly, the sound light even as another ache rippled through her abdomen. Her smile faltered just slightly this time, enough for Eli to notice. His eyes widened.
“Okay. That’s it. You’re not walking.” He didn’t wait for her answer. With careful strength, he slid his arms under her and lifted her against his chest, moving as though the slightest jolt might shatter her.
Kristina exhaled a soft laugh against his shoulder. “You two are going to give yourselves a heart attack before I do.”
Lucian was already scooping the bag from the floor, falling into step as they moved toward the grand entrance. Sebastian appeared at the doorway, crisp and efficient, holding it wide open for them with the SUV already idling outside.
The moment Eli lowered Kristina into the backseat, Sebastian was behind the wheel, hands tight on the steering wheel. By the time he pulled them out past the main gates, Ash and Vex were already waiting on their bikes, engines revving, hazard lights flashing—a convoy clearing the road ahead.
Sinclair Dominion Hospital | Private Emergency Wing
The drive from Solentra to Sinclair Dominion Hospital should have taken close to an hour, even on a good day. But with Ash and Vex cutting ahead on their motorcycles, hazards flashing, weaving through lanes like a moving barricade, the convoy made it in barely thirty minutes. Cars shifted aside as if instinctively sensing the urgency, the road opening for them as if it, too, knew their race against time.
By the time Sebastian swung the SUV into the private entrance, Lucian’s nerves were frayed, Eli’s knee was bouncing, and Kristina was the only one who seemed unbothered.
The moment the car stopped, Lucian was out, striding toward the startled staff. “Our wife is in labor,” he declared.
Kristina, ever the counterbalance, shook her head as Eli helped her out. “It’s not coming out yet,” she said evenly, her voice steady despite the ache beneath. “The pain’s still tolerable.”
“Everything is tolerable for you,” Eli muttered under his breath, half exasperated, half in awe, as he scooped her up and set her gently into the wheelchair a nurse had rolled forward.
They wheeled her swiftly into the private wing, where familiar faces were already waiting. Dr. Adrian Keller—Lucian and Eli’s longtime friend and trusted OB-GYN—greeted them with steady hands and a calm smile, his presence a quiet anchor against the storm brewing in the hall.
Questions came quickly, and Kristina answered with composure, describing the timing, the pressure, the rhythm of the contractions. Lucian and Eli hovered at her sides, torn between their instinct to shield her and their awe at her control.
Finally, Dr. Keller straightened, his voice professional but reassuring. “She’s progressing, but it isn’t time yet. We’ll monitor her closely here in the private ward. It could be hours before the labor reaches its true stage.”
Kristina simply leaned back, unfazed. Lucian and Eli exchanged a look—half panic, half relief.
Once inside her ward, Kristina settled back against the pillows, calm where the others were restless. Lucian claimed the chair beside her, his hand never leaving hers, while Eli paced the short span of the room, too restless to sit still. The contrast only made her smile deepen—she was the only one who seemed certain of her own strength.
The room itself was quiet, a rare kind of peace humming beneath the sterile lights and soft hum of machines. For now, it was only waiting. The ache would come, grow, demand—but not yet.
And so, for this fragile sliver of time, they were suspended between anticipation and reality, the three of them together, steady in the knowledge that the next time the tide shifted, their world would never be the same.
In the stillness before the storm, every heartbeat carried the weight of what was to come.
—To be continued.
