Come In With The Rain

Chapter seventeen

She let out a heart breaking groan gripping my hand tighter. "Sounds like we're almost ready," a doctor came marching in, his coat tails flapping behind him. He set down his clipboard repositioning Ariana's legs so he could get a look. I stared down at my feet awkwardly and noticed Louis was doing the same. I didn't like the idea he was in here, this was my baby not his, he had no right. I guess I was scowling because Ariana's soft tiny fingers reached up as if to smooth my face. How could she be like this, so calm, at this moment? "Ah yes, we should be getting along shortly." The doctor peered over Ariana's legs and it uncomfortably made me think of how I probably looked from where she was so many months ago in the winter. I ruffled my hair, straightening my shirt in an attempt to look less awkward standing there helpless. "Ah, here we go," the doctor faced towards the door, "can I get a nurse." A woman with curly, red hair, strutted in the room on unreasonable tall heels. "Yes, Mr.Payne?" "Can you help her with the breathing and pushing," he gestured at the obvious Ariana who was practically wheezing at this point. "Oh, um, yeah," she looked at the ground in air headed embarrassment as she strode over opposite of me to Ar's side. She spoke to her for a moment then placed her focus on me. I guessed she was about 19 or 20, around my age. She tried to be subtle about pulling her shirt down a tad and pretending she dropped something on the ground. I glanced away in distaste and when she rose again she didn't seem pleased with my reaction. "Okay now," he looked at the nurse with clear unsaid instructions. The nurse instructed Ar to lift like a sit up. It resulted in her screaming and letting out a string of curse words I didn't know she knew. I had forgotten she was holding my hand until that moment when I too was crying out in pain. They told her to relax a moment and she released small whimpers laying back. We went through forty-five more minutes of this until a cry rang out across the room. My heart nearly stopped as a little bloody body lay thrashing in the doctor's hands. She was beautiful, I knew in that moment there's be no way I could ever do anything but call her mine.

"What's her name? Come on then," I had to goad her into conversation because her eyes had shut and she was breathing hard.

"Sutton Louann Styles," she panted, she opened her eyes peering at me, eyes bright and dark at the same time, holding out her arms. I generally handed my beauty over, it was strange as I watched her snuggled up to her beautiful as always mother, she didn't look a hint like me. Not even a tad. She had deep ocean blue eyes, like she knew a secret, something lovely and dark. Neither one of us had blue eyes so I was oblivious to where those came from. Her skin was pale and unmarked, like an angel. I placed my finger slightly against Sutton's chubby arm as she reached up with her left clinging onto me, looking up in some recognition. She was truly beautiful. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Louis, he was just standing there in the middle of the room, his mouth hanging agape and tears clogging the corner of his eyes. I turned a full glare at him, like he was an intruder. He noticed me and quickly looked down examining the specks on the tiled floors. "Louis," I turned to see Ariana gesturing him to come over. His head lifted like a spark in a dying fire. "Would you like to hold her?" She held out the child and Louis carefully examined both of our faces before holding out shaking hands to cup Sutton, she was so little, I guess I hadn't noticed against the also smallish frame of her mother. Louis became emotional again and glanced up to Ariana and she nodded. "I want you to be the god father..in case something should happen to us of course." I couldn't say I was surprised, Louis didn't look taken by the statement either he only smirked like he knew the same secret the ocean blue eyes of my daughter held.

Ariana' POV

I was taken aback by the jealousy clouding Harry's face in this so intimate moment. My emotions and physical structure were reeling, trying to catch up but always staying a meter behind. I'm not sure how long we sat there in the wee morning hours loving the child that belonged to both men standing before me in so many different ways. The sun had come up long ago and someone had opened the shades to let a little but of life into the chilled air of the hospital. The light coming forth from the slatted shutters made stripes across both boys leaving them sparkling and angel like in their fragile state. I gripped both of their hands feeling the warmth spread throughout my body and as each smiled down at me and the tiny sprig of life gripped to my chest in the frail unreality of sleep I knew we were going to be alright.