darkest hour

blessed

A few weeks later
Carinas pov

My phone rings in surgery, "it's your wife" my scrub nurse says. "Answer it" I reply as I stitch up my patient. "Maya? I'm in surgery right now, you're on speaker." I say. "Hey, yeah, umm I think I'm in labor. Andy is here, she's going to bring me to the hospital. I'll see you there." She says.

Oh my god. My wife is in labor and I'm not there. "Okay Bella, remember to breathe. I'll be here waiting for you." I reply. I finish my stitching and scrub out. We're having the baby.

"Here" my phone buzzes, a text from Andy. A head out of the ER and over to her car. "Carina" I hear Maya say, I'm relived to see her. I grab her hand and help her out of the car. "Thank you andy." I say, smiling at her. "Of course. Goodluck!" She says.

We slowly head into the hospital and get Maya admitted so Jo can check her progress. "How long have you been having contractions?" She asks, "since last night, but they're getting closer together." Maya replies. "Bella! And you didn't say anything?" I say to her.

"I thought maybe they were Braxton hicks, I didn't want to worry you." She replies. Jo laughs, "have you been timing them?" She asks.

"Yeah, they're about a minute long, every five minutes or so." Maya says. I feel her squeeze my hand as another one rips through her body. I'm thankful that I know how she's feeling from experience , I know how I can help her.

Jo checks her cervix, "you're about 5 cm dilated, if you stay at this rate you'll have your baby in your arms in a few hours." I can't help but smile.

Jo head out and leaves us alone. Another contraction hits Maya, she squeezes my hand. "Bambina, let's get you out of bed and walking around, I can help with the pain." I say, holding her hand as she gets out of the bed.

We do a couple laps around the room. I tell her to put her hands on the bed, so I can put pressure on her hips at her next contraction. I can feel her body tense as the next one comes, so I apply that pressure. "Holy shit Carina, that really does work." She says, laughing. "It's almost like this is my job." I reply.

After about an hour of the same thing, her contractions get stronger and it's not helping as much. "No meds right?" I ask as she basically breaks my hand. "Yeah" she replies, "but I'm kinda regretting that now." She adds.

"I could give you some natural oxytocin?" I say, "please" she replies. I pull her in for a kiss, my hands wandering gently over her body. I start at her boobs, gently circling her nipples. "God, Carina don't stop." She says. "Is it helping?" I ask. "Yeah" she replies.

I move my hand down her body to her clit, and start making gentle circles. "Oh my god" she says, her head resting on my chest. I bring her to her climax gently, and help her through it with soft words of encouragement.

She places a few kisses on my chest before sighing. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you had Luna." She whispers. "I know Bambina, it's not your fault." I reply, running my fingers through her hair. "How did you do it by yourself?" She asks.

"Let's not talk about that right now, let's focus on you. How are you feeling?" I ask. She just glares at me. I smile, "can I get you anything?" I add. "No" she replies.

Jo comes in after another hour to check the progress. "Maya, you're at 9cm. Im going to grab my cart, and then I'll be back to help you deliver this baby!" Jo says.

I'm seated behind her, which is what Amelia did for me. I can't help but draw parallels to Luna's birth, and how I was screaming for Maya.

"It's not fair. I want my wife, She was supposed to be here with me." I say through pain. We had this whole plan for our baby, even though we didn't know we were pregnant. "I'm sorry Carina, but you need to push." Jo says.

I start to cry, I want my wife. I want Maya. She would be holding my hand and telling me everything's okay. She would be here for her daughter's birth, and helping me raise her. Instead I'm on my own, again.

"Alright Maya, on the next contraction I want you to push, okay?" Jo says. "Carina I'm scared." Maya says. "I know Bambina. But I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. You can do this." I say, kissing her head.

"Congratulations Deluca-Bishops, it's a boy!" Jo says. I cut the cord, and Jo does the rest before handing him back to us. She lays him on Mayas chest. "He's perfect." Maya says, tears in her eyes. "He looks just like you." She adds. "He looks like Andrea." I reply, his tiny hand gripping my finger.

"I'll be back in a little bit to take him for a checkup, Congrats again you guys." Jo says before heading out.

There's something so beautiful about this moment, something so simple. Holding my wife in my arms, as she holds our baby in hers. It's weird to think we're even here, if you asked me a few years ago when she was in her coma I would've said you were crazy.

"Carina I.. I love you so much. I love you and our kids, I love our life." Maya says. That brings tears to my eyes. To see her be so happy, especially with a life I know she never saw herself in. She was so afraid of having kids, so scared she wouldn't be a good parent. I kiss her gently, "I've always loved you Maya, and I always will. I love our family, it's perfect."