St. James

CHAPTER 69

By the time everything had calmed down, everyone's questions were answered and the baby was released from the nursery, it had been a little over an hour and I was anxious as fuck to go see Callie. The doctor explained in medical terms what had happened to her but it was all swimming in my brain as I made my way quickly down to her room, Jimmy pushing the baby's bassinet behind me.

I reached her door right as a nurse was coming out and was greeted with a hopeful smile. "She's been asking for you." I nodded silently, pushing the door open and walking in, breathing a huge sigh of relief as I spotted Callie sitting up in bed with a tired smile on her pale face. I swallowed hard as my eyes landed on the bag of blood hanging next to her. The doctor had said she needed a couple units of blood to replace everything she lost but it still made me queasy to look at it, thinking of how close I was to losing her.

"Brian"

Just hearing her say my name was enough. I quickly closed the gap between us, leaning over to kiss her forehead tenderly. "Hi Georgia" I groaned out emotionally, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I had long since used up my quota for crying but my eyes ached just the same. I perched cautiously on the side of her bed, raised her hand to my lips and kissed her cold skin while I silently reigned in my emotions.

A tiny squeak from behind me reminded me that Jimmy had followed close behind with our daughter and she was probably hungry by now. Callie smiled tiredly as she reached out her free hand to Jimmy, pulling in him close to her other side as soon as their hands touched. "Thank you for everyhing Jimmy" she stated tiredly, her grip on Jimmy just as tight as her grip on me. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there." Jimmy was clearly uncomfortable being in the hospital this long but leaned down and gave her a hug. "Don't ever do that to me again Georgia...we couldn't stand it if we lost you."

I sat by silently, holding her hand while her and Jimmy talked, just relishing in the fact that she was alive and was going to be okay. The other bad news could wait until well after she was better and back home with me.

"Brian...what is it?" her soft voice snapped me out of my trance and I shook my head, clearing the dark thoughts out as I gave her a smile. "Nothing baby...I'm just trying to process everything. Would you like to meet our daughter finally?" I gave her a big smile as I got up and walked over to the bassinet before stopping, I realized that I hadn't even held my own daughter yet and the thought of trying to figure out how to pick her up utterly terrified me.

I looked up at Jimmy and Callie both, expectant looks on their faces as I nervously reached in and scooped this tiny bundle up. "Make sure you support her neck and head Bri..." Callie was talking so softly I almost didn't hear her but I saw the raw need written across her face as she reached for the baby.

I somehow managed to successfully pick the baby up and placed her safely in Callie's arms, stepping back to take in the scene before me and man what a sight it was. I felt something shift in my heart and I realized just how close I came to losing my wife and how much stronger my love for her had suddenly grown.

I watched silently as Callie cooed over our daughter, her fingertips caressing her little cherub cheeks while she talked quietly, her words too soft for me to hear. I looked over at Jimmy and gave him a shit eating grin, he was just as smitten as I was by the scene in front of us.

The rest of the evening we all spent together, clustered in Callie's room as everyone took their turn holding Madison, everyone except Jimmy who I knew was absolutely terrified of holding such a small human but the second he was sitting down and unaware, I gently placed Madison in his arms and backed away.

"Dude...what the fuck!" Jimmy stated frantically, sitting so completely still that he could have passed for a statue. Everyone chuckled as Jimmy looked around in a complete panic. "Someone take her please! I don't want to drop her on her head!"

I watched as Callie's mother coached Jimmy into holding her in a more secure manner till he finally looked like he was at ease. He shot me one of his typical Jimmy grins and bent down to kiss the top of the baby's head.

"Georgia you made one adorable ass baby you know that?" he chuckled. Callie blushed at his compliment and looked over at me. "I had some terrific help" she stated lovingly, looking back at me in an entirely different way.

"Well hopefully she gets your looks and not Gates...poor little Maddy bear" Jimmy cackled in my direction, earning the flip of my middle finger before I leaned over and kissed Callie's full lips.

"I love you Bri" she whispered

"I love you too baby girl...more than I could ever express."

                                                           
  TO BE CONTINUED...

Be sure to check out "Last Call Will Find Us All" for the continuation of Brian and Callie's story.