Second Chances

Chapter 47

“Baby girl Duffy, born at 9:05pm.” Dr. Smith said as he placed my squirmy, screaming daughter on Maddie’s stomach and started cleaning her.

“Fallon.” She corrected, making my heart skip.

“Oh Maddie, she’s beautiful.” I said, my voice raw as I let the tears run down my cheeks.

Maddie lifted her head and looked at our child for the first time and let out a sob as she touched her tiny head. “She’s perfect.”

“Congratulations Mom and Dad, do we have a name?” The doctor asked.

“We do.” Maddie said as she smiled at me for a second before she looked back at our daughter. “Riley Nora Fallon.”

“Well then, Happy Birthday Miss Riley Nora Fallon.” Dr. Smith said as fireworks started in the distance outside the hospital room window. “Looks like America is throwing you a party.”

I leaned over and kissed Maddie’s temple softly. “I’m so proud of you babe, you’re amazing. I love you.”

“I love you too.” She replied before yawning.

“Want to cut the cord, Daddy?” Dr. Smith asked me.

I looked at Maddie, who smiled and nodded at me, then at the doctor. “Um… yeah, yeah of course.”

I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants before reaching for the scissors that she was holding out for me. “Right between the two clamps, and don’t be nervous she won’t feel anything I promise.”

“You’re sure? I uh…” I let out a nervous chuckle. “I don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to stupid injuries, so I’m not sure if I’m the best choice for this.”

I felt Maddie’s hand on my back and glanced back at her bright green eyes. “You’ll be fine babe. Ry will be fine too.”

I bit my lip and nodded before turning back around and taking a deep breath. I brought the scissors up to the umbilical cord and closed my eyes and said a brief prayer before I started cutting. It was a little tougher than I thought it’d be, I wasn’t able to cut Winnie’s cord so I didn’t expect it to feel like cutting through thick rubber. “There… not the cleanest cut but I didn’t stab my child five minutes after she was born so I’d call that a success.”

Dr. Smith laughed as she took the scissors back and placed them on the tray next to her. “I’ve been delivering babies for over 35 years and that’s never once happened.” She lifted Riley off of Maddie’s stomach and handed her to a nurse who had a clean blanket waiting. “Sandy is gonna get her all cleaned up and weighed while I finish up with Maddie, then she’ll bring her back and we’ll give you three some family bonding time.”

I nodded and took Maddie’s hand as I watched the nurse take Riley over to the other side of the room. “Yeah, clean her up so I can kiss her, I want to kiss her.” I brought my free hand up to my mouth and started chewing on my thumb when I felt Maddie squeeze the hand she held. “Go on,” She started when I looked down at her. ”I’m fine here. Our little girl needs her Daddy.”

I glanced back towards Riley for a moment. “Are you sure, love?”

“I’m sure, go.” Maddie replied.

I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers, kissing her softly twice. “I love you. If you need me let me know.”

“I’ll be fine I promise.”

I nodded and kissed her forehead before I made my way to the other side of the room, Maddie’s fingers not slipping out of mine until I was too far away to still reach her. I reached my hand into my pocket for my phone as I stepped up to the side of the tiny crib they had her laying in. I unlocked it with a shaky hand as Sandy pressed Riley’s itty bitty foot into an ink pad to take her footprints. 10, good. I opened my camera and held the phone up and took a few quick pictures. I turned the phone to get a different angle when it slipped out of my hands and landed on Riley’s little pink belly. “Oh shit.”