Love Survives (52 page)

“My bag is still in your car, right?”

I leaned over and kissed her. “Kat, calm down. We’ve got this. I have a nine o’clock presentation and then I’m coming home. I’m using my two weeks vacation as soon as you give me the order to report to the hospital.”

“I don’t want you to miss anything.”

“I won’t. I promise. Our son or daughter is going to see my face first. Stop worrying. Stay in bed and wait for me to get home.”

Kat agreed and told me goodbye before I walked back downstairs. It was a good thing B was still asleep, otherwise I’d have to go through a whole ordeal with her before getting out the door. What my girls didn’t understand was that the sooner I got to work, the earlier I could get back home. I wouldn’t miss this delivery for the world.

Two blocks was as far as I got before I stopped the car and pulled over to the side of the road. The phone rang twice before she answered. “Did you forget something?”

I clenched my jaw and considered what I wanted to say. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“What? Is your mom asking?”

“No, I am. Do you want pancakes?”

“Brooks, why do you want to know? I thought you left.”

While she spoke I turned the car around and started driving home. “I did. Now I’m coming back.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Kat, I’m not missing a single second of this. I want to be there for every contraction, every scream, and all of the pushing. Nothing is more important than that.”

“What about the security presentation?”

“I’ll email it to my boss and let him give it. We’ve already gone over the software several times. It’s not a big deal.”

I was already home before we ended our call. After kicking off my shoes, and changing into something more comfortable, I called work and let them know my wife was starting to go into labor. I forwarded my calls to my boss and emailed him the information he needed. My last stop was crawling into my warm bed with my beautiful, expecting wife. “I’m back.”

“I can see that.” She leaned over and closed her eyes. “How comfortable are you right now?” she asked.

“Why?”

“I have to pee and I need help getting out of this bed.”

I’d never been so happy of a choice I’d made before, because when Kat stood up and soaked the floor I realized that coming home was the best decision I’d ever made. We both looked at each other in shock. “Tell me you peed yourself.”

“I don’t think that was pee, Brooks. My water just broke.”

I smiled. “So the baby’s coming today?”

“I guess so.”

Standing in the door way was a very ornery toddler. She had a doll shoved up in her shirt. “I have a baby too.”

I rolled my eyes and started undressing my wife from the waist down. “Go put your baby back to bed, B.”

I couldn’t let Kat go out soaked. After I helped put dry shorts on her, we sent B over to stay with my parents. She cried that she couldn’t go with us, but that would have been a catastrophe.

While in the car, Kat started having heavier contractions. I tried to keep her focused on breathing, but apparently it hurt too much for her to concentrate. In all honesty I was scared for her. I had no idea what to expect even though I’d been reading books on childbirth since we discovered we were having another child.

“What can I do, babe? Tell me how to help?”

“Shut up and drive,” she announced in a demonic voice.

I was in shock. I pushed on the gas pedal praying I’d get her there before the next contraction. Ten minutes later we were walking into the hospital and immediately led up to the maternity ward. She’d messaged her doctor, and called Melissa all while suffering from a second contraction in the car, while I clung to the steering wheel, feeling the worst fear of my entire life.

When we got into a room, they hooked Kat up to monitors and checked between her legs to see the progress. “As soon as the doctor gets here you’ll probably be pushing. This baby wants to come out already. You’re lucky.”

I didn’t feel lucky. I felt as if I were going to pass out. Kat took one look at me and pointed to the chair. “For someone who is trained for combat, you’re looking pretty pathetic. Snap out of it, soldier. I need you to keep me strong.”

I rubbed my face with my hands. “I’m freaking out. I just watched her look at your vagina and it’s huge. I’m not talking like a little stretched. It’s gigantic. I could almost stick my head in there.”

Kat shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Brooks, seriously?”
I threw up my hands. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just so swollen. I hate seeing you in pain, and THAT has to hurt.”

“I’ve done this before, and back then all I wanted was to have you by my side.” She started crying. “Brooks, I need you here with me, really here, holding my hand and cheering me on. I’ve dreamed of this day since I found out I was pregnant with B. Please be my anchor. Help me bring our baby into this world.”

I nodded and rested my lips against her head. “I’m sorry. I’ve seen all kinds of crazy things, but this is you. I’m afraid I can’t handle seeing you like this. It’s creeping me out.”

At that exact moment, Kat had another huge contraction. She grabbed the railings on the bed and scrunched up her face. When I saw the determination in her eyes, I knew I had to stick it out. I wanted to witness this even if seeing her in pain made me uneasy. “I’m not going anywhere, Kat.”

I grabbed her hand and held it as she squeezed, harder and harder. “We’re in this together.”

About thirty minutes later the doctor came in. I stood back and let him examine Kat. He ordered an epidural, and for part of the procedure I left the room. I’d already seen enough to make me want to pass out. Watching a giant needle go into my wife’s back wasn’t going to happen.

When I knew she’d been taken care of, I headed back inside to tend to her. Another hour went by before he checked on us again. She was ready to start pushing. In no time at all, our little bundle would be with us. Since we’d waited to find out the sex of the baby, I couldn’t wait to make the call to announce if it was a girl or a boy. I didn’t care what we had. Kat and I planned on having at least three kids, so if it was a girl we could always be hopeful that the next child was a boy. Either way I’d love them all the same.

I held onto my wife’s hand as she pushed until her face turned red then relaxed. She had to keep doing it, over and over again, unlike the movies portray. Each time the baby’s head would come out a little and then go back in. I was starting to wonder if maybe it just wasn’t ready to be born. Then, like a slippery noodle, I watched it sliding out, head to feet.

In those moments, I don’t remember being freaked out, or dizzy. All I saw was my beautiful child coming into this world. Then I was asked to cut the cord of my newborn son. After that, everything seemed like it was easy. I held him first before Kat. She’d insisted on it, claiming that it was only fair since she had B to herself for so long. I couldn’t stop staring down at him. He was so tiny and fragile. I was in awe of him, feeling another unbreakable bond with Kat. I held him close for her to see. “We have a son.”

“He’s perfect, just like his daddy,” she announced.

“You were so brave,” I said as I leaned down to kiss her. “I love you so much.”

“You were brave too, Brooks, after you stopped freaking out.” I could tell it hurt her to laugh. The doctor was still fixing her up,  making it difficult for her to get comfortable.

“You were right. It was worth it. I’ve never been so happy.” Tears of joy streamed down my face while I stared down at my beautiful son.

“Are you sure about the name you picked?”

I nodded. “I am. Are you sure it’s okay?”

Kat reached over and touched my shoulder. “Of course it’s okay. I think it’s a beautiful idea.”

I ran one finger over his tiny hand. “Welcome to the world Trevor Michael. You’re named after a brave soldier that daddy used to know. I’m sure he’s looking down smiling today.”

A little later, I heard the door opening and little feet running inside. Kat had been resting after nursing Trevor for the first time. He’d been back in my arms as soon as she was finished.

I put my finger over my lips to signal for B to be quiet. “Shh, the baby is sleeping.”

She peeked at him and smiled. “Is that my brother?”

“Yes. Isn’t he perfect?”

She nodded, but never took her eyes off him. I patted the seat beside me, noticing how my mother already had her camera out. She focused it toward us and snapped the first picture of me with my two children. Then gently I helped B hold her brother. Kat opened her eyes and looked over to see the sight for herself. It was  that moment that I mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to her. She’d given me everything I could ever want, and I knew our life together was just beginning.

If someone would have asked me where I’d be on this day a few years back I would have probably answered them simply by  saying dead. I thought I had nothing to left to live for. Through the hardships and the pain, I found my way back to her. Maybe I always knew I would. After all we’d been through, we finally had everything we could ever hope for, and even more.

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www.jenniferfoor.com