Chapter 11

Thirty-Eight Weeks Pregnant

Paige was exhausted.

Practice had already run nearly an hour longer than scheduled, and Geno still hadn’t let up.

“Again!”

The team groaned collectively.

Paige bent forward slightly, hands on her knees as sweat dripped down her face.

The final stretch of the season was brutal.

Everyone was tired.

Everyone was sore.

But Paige pushed anyway.

That was who she was.

Across the gym, Nika muttered something dramatically in Croatian while Azzi laughed beside her.

KK Arnold wiped sweat from her forehead.

“I can’t feel my legs anymore.”

“That’s a good sign,” Geno replied immediately.

The team collectively groaned again.

Paige laughed despite herself before jogging back into position.

Her phone sat forgotten in the locker room.

Which normally wasn’t a big deal.

Except today-

Today mattered.

Because you were thirty-eight weeks pregnant.

And Paige had spent the entire morning paranoid.

“You sure you’re okay?”

You had laughed from the couch.

“Paige.”

“I’m serious.”

“You’ve asked me that six times.”

“And?”

You smiled softly.

“I’m okay.”

Paige still looked suspicious.

At nearly nine months pregnant, you looked exhausted more often now.

Your movements slower.

More careful.

And although everything had been healthy so far, Paige worried constantly.

Especially when she wasn’t with you.

“You’ll call me if anything happens?”

“Nothing is happening.”

“Still.”

You smiled.

“I’ll call.”

Only now?

She wasn’t answering.

—

Back at the apartment, your contractions had started almost an hour ago.

At first you’d ignored them.

False alarm, you’d assumed.

Except they kept coming.

Closer together.

Stronger.

More painful.

By the time you realized this was real, panic had already started settling into your chest.

You grabbed your phone immediately.

Calling Paige

No answer.

You frowned.

Probably still at practice.

You called again.

Straight to voicemail.

Another contraction hit.

Harder this time.

“Okay.”

You inhaled sharply.

“Okay.”

You quickly grabbed your hospital bag before calling again.

Nothing.

At this point panic was fully setting in.

So you did the next best thing.

You called the athletic department.

—

Meanwhile, back at the practice facility, KK jogged toward the locker room muttering to herself.

“My water bottle better actually be in here.”

She pushed open the locker room door.

Silence.

Everyone else was still in practice.

KK found her bottle almost immediately.

“Unbelievable.”

Then-

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

She frowned.

A phone vibrated loudly from nearby.

Paige’s phone.

KK glanced over.

The screen lit up again.

Multiple missed calls.

Multiple texts.

Your name covering the notifications.

KK frowned immediately.

That wasn’t normal.

Especially not during practice.

The phone buzzed again.

Incoming call.

Hospital.

KK stared at the screen for half a second.

Then answered immediately.

“Hello?”

The second your voice came through the phone, KK straightened instantly.

“KK?”

Your voice sounded strained.

Panicked.

Another sharp breath interrupted you.

“Oh my God,” KK whispered.

“Paige isn’t answering and I think-“

You cut off with a pained sound.

And suddenly KK understood.

Completely.

Her eyes widened dramatically.

“No way.”

Another contraction hit you hard enough that KK could hear you struggling to breathe through it.

That was enough.

KK took off running.

Full sprint.

Still holding Paige’s phone.

The locker room doors slammed open so hard they echoed through the gym.

Every player turned instantly.

KK sprinted onto the court yelling before anyone could even ask what was wrong.

“SHE’S GOING INTO LABOR!”

The gym froze.

Complete silence.

Paige blinked.

“What?”

KK pointed frantically with the phone.

“YOUR WIFE!”

Paige’s face lost all color.

“WHAT?”

“THE HOSPITAL CALLED!”

Paige was moving before KK even finished speaking.

The basketball rolled straight out of her hands.

“Paige-” Geno started.

“My wife is in labor.”

That was all she said.

And immediately every single person in the gym shifted from confusion to panic.

“Oh my God.”

“Go!”

“Why are you still standing here?”

Nika physically shoved Paige toward the sideline.

Paige nearly slipped trying to grab her bag.

Her hands were shaking so badly she almost dropped her keys.

KK hurried over and shoved the phone into her hands.

“She called like five times.”

Paige looked horrified.

“Oh my God.”

Then she immediately called you back while rushing toward the exit.

You answered almost instantly.

“Paige.”

The second she heard your voice, her entire chest tightened.

“I’m so sorry.”

Another contraction interrupted you.

Paige’s panic skyrocketed.

“I’m coming right now.”

“Okay.”

“I’m on my way.”

She was already halfway out the doors.

Behind her, the team stood frozen.

Some excited.

Some shocked.

Some panicking almost as hard as Paige.

Aaliyah looked stunned.

“Paige is having a baby.”

Azzi laughed nervously.

“Like right now.”

KK looked genuinely overwhelmed.

“I answered the phone thinking someone died.”

Nika pointed dramatically toward the doors Paige had disappeared through.

“NO.”

She turned toward the team.

“Today?”

Everyone started talking at once.

Meanwhile Paige flew through the parking lot like her life depended on it.

Her heart pounded so hard it hurt.

Maya was coming.

Her daughter was actually coming.

And all she could think about was getting to you.

Nothing else mattered.