Fatal Wounds

49

Valentina

Sweat lines my forehead as I get ready to push. I grip my dad and Camilla's hand tightly as Brooke pushes back my hair.

Brian brought my ice chips then had to rush back down to meet with the doctor along with Oliver to get Theo's results. I'm not sure if I want to know before or after giving birth.

"What if it's bad news?" I gulp, nearly cursing at the doctor when my daughter decides to kick the air out of my lungs.

"Let's focus on getting this baby out of you, how about that Mija?" Dad smiles down at me, "as soon as you're done we'll get you that update."

Not even Camilla has gotten the update because she insists on being here for me whenever I need her.

There's a team of doctors and nurses, having everything ready. All that's left is for me to put my big girl pants on and push her out. Which is harder than it sounds. I close my eyes and prepare to push on the next contraction as instructed.

I push as hard as I can for ten whole seconds feeling like I'm being torn apart. My strained scream pierces my ears and when I finally slump back, my head falls against Brooke. I take as many calming breaths as I can till I'm back at it again. Screaming and crying in pain as I squeeze the life out of dad and Camilla's hands.

"Alright mama," the doctor mumbles, "I see her head. One more push and I'll be able to grab her. Can you do that for me?"

I nod dazedly and sit up straighter with a determination to see my daughter.

My body trembles with the force I'm using to push. I let out a startled cry when I feel her slip out, the pressure in my stomach disappears and a burning fire is left between my legs.

I her my daughter's cries ring out and only then do I let myself sob as she's placed on my chest and cleaned up.

Her hands widely reach for my chest and when they reach up my cheek she settles down and tries peering her eyes open. Her little cloudy dark eyes meet mine, the world stills around me.

I hadn't thought it possible to ever fall in love again but staring into the eyes of my daughter proved me wrong.

They hold such love for me and such familiarity. She sticks her tongue out slightly and scrunches her nose as she slaps her lips together.

I laugh at the purity of it and glance up as dad who's begun to cry. "She's a spitting image of you when you were born." He says thickly, emotion clogging his throat.

I look over at Camilla who gazes down at me with pride. "You did it darling." She then looks over at her granddaughter, her eyes go watery, "she's beautiful, just like her mother."

Brooke sniffles over my shoulder and presses a kiss to the side of my head. "You did amazing. You were perfect."

Catalina is wide awake, her eyes are so big and curious as she gazes up at me as if trying to memorize my features. Tears fall from my eyes and down my face at how precious she is. "My baby," I whisper, her eyes flicker at my voice. "My precious baby." I sniffle with a small laugh. It's unreal that this little perfect baby is mine. She's mine and Theo's, something we created together out of love. I close my eyes and press my lips to her head, "mommy loves you so much."

I tell the doctors that I want to put on her diaper and clean her up before they make sure we're both okay and stitch me up. Once the doctors are done with tending to the both of us— delivering my placenta and taking footprints for Catalina and filing a birth certificate— I tend to her. I'm gentle as I touch her, she's so small and soft that it comes naturally to me when I change her.