Without another word, Pesh dug into the bag at his side. He took out a bottle of pills and tossed it at Aidan. “What the hell is this?” Aidan demanded.

“Valium. It’ll help you relax during the flight.”

Aidan smirked at Pesh. “Isn’t that kinda illegal for doctors to just have drugs lying around to push off on people?”

“I’m not a pill pusher,” Pesh snapped. Pain washed over his face. “The pills belonged to my late wife. She always got nervous flying commercially or in my plane. They’re expired, so they won’t be as potent, but it should be enough to calm you down.”

Aidan opened his mouth, but Pesh started around the plane. “Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. He had just been a major dick to a guy who was just trying to help him get back home to see his child be born. Popping open the bottle, he threw back two of the pills since they were expired. He swallowed them down and then shuddered at the remaining taste in his mouth.

Putting one foot in front of the other, he walked over to the plane and climbed inside. Pesh already had a head-set on and was flipping switches. “Hey,” Aidan said. When Pesh didn’t reply, Aidan reached over and touched his arm. “I’m sorry. That was a real ass**le thing for me to say to you. I mean, you were only trying to help me—in more ways than one.”

Pesh shrugged. “It’s all right. You’re just stressed.”

“That’s no excuse for me to act like such a dick, especially about your late wife.” Aidan drew in a ragged breath. “Emma never told me you were a widower. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you,” Pesh replied. He gave Aidan a genuine smile before turning back to the cockpit and controls. When they lurched forward to start their descent down the runaway, Aidan gripped the side of his seat.

Pesh handed him a set of headphones. “Here, this will help with the cabin noise.”

Aidan reluctantly put them on. He heard a voice ringing in his ear. “Flight 33, you are now ready for take-off.”

“Roger that,” Pesh replied.

Aidan closed his eyes tight, hoping the expired Valium would start taking effect. He focused his thoughts on Emma, wondering how she was doing. He hoped and prayed that Noah would wait to come until he could be there. Aidan wanted nothing more than to see his first born take his first breath.

The next time he opened his eyes they were climbing altitude. Darkness enveloped the plane as they careened through the wispy strands of clouds. Once they had leveled off, Pesh reached for his phone.

“Dude, what the hell are you doing?”

“I need to make a quick call.”

Aidan shook his head wildly back and forth. “Uh-huh. Watch the skies or something. You don’t need to be distracted and make us crash!”

Pesh chuckled. “Calm down. I’ve got this covered.”

Aidan grumbled under his breath. He would have given anything if he had his rosary with him. Of course, he would probably have to dig through several of his drawers to find where it was. God, I will totally and completely go to Mass every day…well, at least every week, if you will get me safely out of this death trap and safe and sound to Emma’s side.

Pesh’s voice snapped Aidan out of his thoughts. “This is Dr. Alpesh Nadeen. I’m requesting to be kept in constant contact on the condition of Emma Harrison, 4th Floor Maternity. Anything and everything on delivery status should be called in.” After a beat, Pesh nodded. “Thank you.” He turned his phone off and handed it to Aidan. “Now you’ll know everything that’s going on.”

Aidan arched his eyebrows at Pesh. “Wow, thank you.”

“No problem. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you.”

With a snort Aidan replied, “Whatever emotional hell it might be on me, I don’t even want to think about what Emma’s going through.”

“You can rest assured she’s getting the best physical care.”

Aidan grimaced. “Shit, I don’t even want to think about the physical part…especially the pain she might be in. I wanted to be there for her through all that.”

“If there’s one certainty about Emma, she’s as strong as nails emotionally and physically. She’ll make it through.”

“You think?”

Pesh turned to him and grinned. “After the epidural takes effect, I’m sure of it.”

They were interrupted by the ringing of Aidan’s cell phone. He snapped it out of his suit pocket. “Hello? Em?”

“No, it’s Casey. Emma wanted me to call and make sure you were okay and in flight.”

Aidan’s heart melted at the thought that even in her condition, Emma was still her usual compassionate self and worrying about him. “Tell her I’m fine, and to not give one more thought of me.”

Casey started to relay the message and then Aidan heard a shriek. “Damn, Emmie Lou, lighten up with the squeezing! I’d like to be able to have feeling in my hand again,” Connor screeched.

“Um, so how are things going?” he asked hesitantly.

“You don’t want to know.”

“Well, Pesh has the hospital keeping us posted on her condition too.”

“Good because right now she’s giving me the evil eye for being on the phone.”

“Hey, Em, we could put you and Aidan on Skype if you’d like?” Connor suggested.

“I do not want my vagina Skyping! I just want Aidan here, okay?” Emma shouted with a rage that Aidan hadn’t experienced very many times.

“See what I mean?” Casey asked.

“Shit, that’s intense.”

“Oh thank God. The anesthesiologist just walked in. Be careful okay?”

“I will. Give Emma my love.”

“Will do.”

Aidan hung up the phone and squirmed in his seat. “Things are pretty rough at the moment, huh?” Pesh asked.

“Yeah,” he murmured.

“It’s going to be fine, Aidan.”

He turned to see Pesh’s reassuring smile. “She’ll still love you after this, too. You’ve made all her dreams come true. The moment she holds Noah in her arms for the first time any of the pain and suffering she experienced will just evaporate in an instant. And you will be the one who gave that to her.”

“Damn, you really are a decent guy, aren’t you?”

Pesh chuckled. “I guess I am.”

The cockpit seemed to start spinning around, and Aidan had to close his eyes from the dizziness. “Is that you doing that or the drugs?”