stand here with me || h.s

Epilogue

Epilogue

The sound of my Nike trainers flapped against the beige tile of the hospital. Nurses and patients and visitors all watched me run frantically down the busy corridors, panicking as each second passed. If I wasn't there-if I didn't make this-I'd be getting worst husband of the year award. The closer I got to room P305, the louder her screams became and the more I began to sweat. A nurse outside practically chucked a gown and a mask my way and I hurriedly put them on before she let me inside. Immediately, Hallie's hand reached for me and I let her pull me to her side, with much more force than I had ever imagined. "He's coming, dad..." One of the nurses said to me. I just kept my eyes on my wife. I watched the veins in her forehead protrude and I watched her clamp down on her jaw and I continued to kiss her before she finally yelled a very loud and angry 'stop, stop kissing me'.

"Hallie, angel, you're doing so well...you're so good, my love...just a bit more, yeah? Just push a bit more, you've got this-we've got this. I'm right here, I'm right here, baby." My words of encouragement seemed to do wonders, but we still had a long way to go and I could tell that she was still in a ridiculous amount of pain.

"It hurts-oh, god, it hurts so bad, Harry!" Tears squeezed from her eyes as she shook her head, clearly wanting it all to stop.

"Just a bit more pushing, monkey, come on. You can squeeze my hand as hard as you want, yeah? But I need you to push, Hallie, push for me." She did as she was told and after much encouraging, relentless pushing and a searing pain being thrusted into my hands, the cries of our son were finally echoing against the walls of the delivery room and he was being wiped clean. I watched as one of the male nurses cut the umbilical cord while the other swaddled him in a light blue blanket, then he was handed to me. The female nurse attending to Hallie smiled at us both.

"You both should be proud. He's absolutely perfect."

"How is he, is he okay? Is he healthy...is he okay?" I watched as Hallie's eyes filled up again and I nodded. My smile too joyful to even attempt to contain.

"He's alright, Hallie...he's better than alright, he's beautiful. He's so, so beautiful." I delivered a tearful kiss to my son's forehead and then my girl reached up for him.

"Can I hold him?" I handed him down to her, carefully. Her slender fingers traced softly down the smooth skin of his newborn face.

"Hi handsome boy..." She cooed gently. I fell in love with her all over again. To think that only a little over a year ago, we were saying I do in the middle of her family's Napa vineyard, and now here we were, welcoming our first born child to the world. "Oh, Harry...he's perfect...he's so perfect."

"We made him, Hal...we made him."

"I love him so much, I just want to hold him forever." I bent down and brushed the sweat-coated wisps of hair away from her face.

"I love you, Hallie...and I love our son."

"Lucas Desmond Styles..."

"Has a nice ring to it, I reckon." I kissed her flat on the mouth and she hummed into it.

"How bad do I look, be honest." I chuckled and shook my head, admiring how incredibly pretty she was.

"You're a right bloody mess, my love. But I wouldn't have you any other way."

"You have what appears to be a little spinach leaf in your teeth..." She squinted her eyes while peering up at my mouth.

"It's kale." An amused giggle fell from her wondrous lips.

"Of course it is."

The ACTUAL end

you are welcome.
haha hope this was a surprise enough xo
now....in return for this super nice gesture, you should feel obligated to go and read Fortresses
I love you and stay nice xo