Do I Know You?

Chapter Twenty-three

*October thirty-first, Halloween*
  Today, is October thirty-first, and my belly is huge. Ben jokes that I should go to Andy's party tonight as a pumpkin. Little does he know, while he is in the shower I am making him a cake because it is his birthday today. At my doctor's appointment, they told me when Ben went to the restroom that they think there's a possibility the baby might come today. That would mean that our baby would be born on Ben's birthday. I had just finished putting the finishing touches on Ben's cake when his tattooed arms snaked around my belly. I gasped and jumped. He chuckled and nuzzled his face into my neck. Over the past month, me and Ben have gotten stronger. Our relationship has gotten ten times better and we tell each other everything. My eyes widened when I felt a trail of liquid rush down my leg. I gasped and held my stomach when the first contraction hit.
    "Whats wrong, love?"
He questioned.
    "Ben, it's time."
I said, through gritted teeth.
  His eyes widened and he helped me sit in a chair and rushed to our bedroom. He came back a few seconds later with a new pair of jogging pants and my hospital bag. Ben helped me change into the new jogging pants and then helped me into the car. He was on the phone yelling into it. He was talking so fast, I couldn't keep up with what he was saying. We finally made it to the hospital and Ben helped me into the hospital. I had everything set up so there was no paperwork.
    "I need a wheelchair. My girlfriend is in labor!"
Ben yelled.
  They rushed over with a wheelchair and Ben helped me sit down. They wheeled me to the room I had set up and Ben followed closely behind. Ben helped me into the hospital gown and onto the bed. The doctor who took care of me during the course of my pregnancy came in. She placed a drip in my arm so that I could keep fluids in me because I was already sweating.
    "Hey there sweetie, how are you feeling?"
She asked.
    "I'm fine as long as the contractions are not present."
I say.
  Ben brushed my hair back out of my face and kissed my forehead. I looked up when the door opened, in came the rest of Asking Alexandria, the boys of Black Veil Brides, and Danny. They came and stood around my bed.
    "How are you feeling?"
Danny asked.
  I yelped and held my stomach as another contraction ripped through my body. Ben griped my hand and I squeezed it tightly.
    "Ben, if I make it through this I am going to hurt you."
I whined, tears falling down my cheeks.
  Ben gently wiped them away with his free hand. He didn't say anything. He knew that it was the pain talking. Everyone stood gathered around my bedside until she said everyone but Ben had to leave because she had to check how dilated I was. She had Ben help hold my legs apart and she measured.
    "You are about four already. How long has she been in labor?"
She asked, looking at Ben.
    "Her water just broke about ten minutes before we got here. I got her here as quick as I could."
He says.
    "Her birthing process should be short then if there isn't any complications. I'll let the others come back in."
She says.
  They let me lay back again. The rest of the guys filed back in. Mrs. Harley came and put another iv into my back.
    "What's that?"
Ben asked.
    "Its an epidural. With as quick as she is dilating we need to go ahead and give it to her. It basically takes away some of the pain from the actual birth."
She explains.
  I gasped and griped Ben's hand when another round of contractions racked through my body. My breathing was rugged when it finally passed. Ben gently brushed my sweaty hair from my face.
    "Do you want me to pull your hair up love?"
He asks.
  I weakly nodded. He pulls it all up into a messy ponytail and ties it off with a hairtie he had on his wrist. I didn't question why he had it. Mrs. Harley ran everyone out again and checked.
    "Its almost time. I'd say another twenty to thirty minutes."
She says.
  I look at the clock and it is only 11 a.m., I have been in labor for about an hour now. She let's the rest of the guys in. Ben is gently rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb trying to somewhat distract me from the pain.
    "Did they tell you how much longer they thought it was going to be?"
Denis asked.
    "The doctor said she thinks Jacey has about twenty to thirty minutes before she has to start pushing. It shouldn't be to much longer before our little man is here."
He says.
    "Have you decided on a name?"
Andy asked.
    "Its either going to be Caleb Paul, Mason James, or Caleb Lee. We haven't decided yet."
I say.
  I then squeeze Ben's hand as another set of contractions hits. Another hand is offered on the other side. I take it and squeeze as I bring my body forward into an almost sitting position. I lean back and Ben gently strokes my cheek. I know he feels guilty for causing me all of this pain. I breathed in like I was shown at some classes that Jay had made me take. Ben looked down at me with love in his eyes. I knew that he loved me and I loved him just as much. I knew that our son would grow up in a good home and we would provide for him throughout his life.
    "Hey Ben, I just thought of something. We forgot to tell your mom."
I say with a small laugh.
    "I'm sure that Bex has already told her. When it is something like that she gets giddy and can't help but blurt it to everyone."
Ben said, pecking my lips.
  I whined slightly when another round of contractions racked through me. Ben gently brushed my bangs away from my face. I sighed when they finally let lose and my head dropped back on the pillow. The doctor came back in and I gasped when another wave of contractions hit. I grasped Ben's hand hard. He winced slightly. I felt bad because this were the worst ones I've had since this entire thing started. Then the doctor rushed the other boys out. She checked.
    "Oh it's time. You are definitely ready."
She says.
  My breathing speeds up. Ben strokes my cheek.
    "Calm down, my love. You can do this. You have made it this far. Our little man is almost here. Don't you want to see him?"
He reasoned.
  I nodded. He tangled our hands together and kissed my forehead. He nodded at the doctor. They got everything set up. It felt really awkward. Ben held back one of my legs like before, but kept a tight hold on my hand. The other was held back by Mrs. Harley.
    "Okay, Jacey. I want you to follow your instincts. When you feel the need to push, you push okay? Don't be scared, everything is going to go just fine."
She says.
  I nodd slightly. Thats when the need to push come over me. I squeezed Ben's hand and pushed as hard as I could. Pain ripped through my body. It hurt worst than the contractions. I sat back trying to catch my breath. Ben gently brushed my hair back again. I took a deep breath and pushed again.
    "He's crowning! Give one more like that."
Mrs. Harley says.
  I nodded and did as she said. As soon as I did a huge relief came over me and my baby's cry filled the room. Tears immediately raced down my tears. Mrs. Harley looked to Ben.
    "Do you want to cut the chord?"
She asks.
  He nods. She shows him were to cut and he does. She then hands him off to the nurses to get weighed and measured and cleared up. Ben pecked me on the lips.
    "You did it, my love. Our little man is here. Just wait until you see him. He is so beautiful."
He says, tears filling his waterline.
  I smiled, weakly. They soon brought him back. Mrs. Harley smiled and handed him to me.
    "Here is your little angel. He is beautiful."
She says, smiling.
  I looked down at him. He was so beautiful. Tears rushed down my cheeks and I gently stroked his cheek. I moved over in the bed a bit so that Ben could sit with me. He sat beside me. He gently ran his thumb over his cheek.
    "He's so beautiful."
He whispered.
  Mrs. Harley came back with the birth certificate.
    "So, what's the little angel's name?"
She asked.
  I looked at Ben. He just nodded.
    "Caleb Paul Bruce."
I say with a smile.
  She smiled and we both signed the birth certificate. The boys were allowed to come back in and Ben handed his phone to one of them. He climbed back into the bed and we both smiled. The photo was taken. He then took the phone back. He typed something. He showed it to me.
    '@benjaminpaulbruce:  Welcome to the world, Caleb Paul Bruce. You have no idea how much you mean to me and mommy. We love you bunches already. You truly brought us together.'
  I smiled and gently pecked his lips. The boys all awed.
    "Do you want to hold him?"
I asked Ben.
  He nodded slightly. I showed him how to hold his arms before lightly placing Caleb into his arms. Ben cooed at him gently. Denis snapped a picture. Ben's phone soon lite up on his leg, but he was too absorbed in his son. Soon enough Ben passed Caleb to Denis. Denis smiled.
    "He is truly going to be a handsome one, mate."
He said.
    "Well, he is my blood. Anybody that has my blood in their veins is going to be hot."
Ben said, cockily.
  I rolled my eyes. Caleb was passed around like a game of hot potato. When he got to CC he began to get fussy. So he was handed back to me. I calmed him down and his eyes opened. I gasped. He had beautiful light green eyes. I then looked up and saw Danny standing in the door. I knew he didn't want to come in because of Ben. He didn't want to upset Ben. Ben noticed and motioned for him to come inside. His eyes lite up and walked inside. He came and looked down at baby Caleb. He gently stroked his cheek.
    "He's beautiful."
He said.
    "You can hold him."
Ben said.
  Danny looked at him surprised. Ben showed him how to hold his arms and then gently took Caleb from me and placed him into Danny's arms. Danny was gently bouncing him in his arms. Ben gently wrapped his arms around me and kissed my temple. He watched Danny interact with the baby. Soon Danny handed him back to me. He had tears on his waterline. He looked at Ben.
    "Thank you Ben. I really needed that."
He said, with that he walked away.
    "I'll be right back."
Ben said, kissing my cheek.
  Mrs. Harley came into the room carrying at baby bottle.
    "Do you want to try and feed him?"
She asked.
  I nodd, excitedly. She handed me the bottle. I shifted Caleb gently so I was holding him with one arm and placed the bottle on his lips, gently rubbing it so that some of the milk would come out. He opened his mouth and latched onto the bottle. He drank from the bottle hungryily. I giggled lightly.
    "Was my baby boy hungry."
I asked.
  A few minutes later, Ben and a red eyed Danny walked back into the room. I gave them a smile.
    "Hey guys."
I said, with a smile.
  Danny sat in the chair where Ben had sat when I first got here and Ben climbed back in the bed beside me. The rest of the boys had piled onto the couch. My stomach growled lightly. Danny laughed.
    "Are you hungry?"
He asked.
  I stuck my tongue out at him.
    "Just because I had Caleb doesn't mean that I don't get hungry at the same times."
I say.
    "I think there is a McDonald's downstairs. Do you want me to go run and get you something?"
Ben asks.
  I nod. He chuckles and climbs off the bed. He grabbed his wallet from his hoodie and shoves it into his pants pocket.
    "I'll be back in a few minutes."
He says.
    "Okay."
Everyone chorused.
  The nurse came in with a bassinet.
    "We are going to take Mr. Caleb to the nursery so mommy here can eat and get some rest."
She says.
  I gently burp him. He does as intended and I hand him off to her. She gently placed him into the bassinet and covered him up. She rolled him into the nursery. Ben came back.
    "Where's Caleb?"
He asks.
    "They came and took him to the nursery so I could eat and get some rest. They are going to bring him back in the morning."
I say.
  The boys of Black Veil Brides hugged and congratulated me and Ben and had to leave due to the party tonight. So it was just the boys to Asking and Danny. Asking had to leave because they were helping Black Veil Brides host the party.
    "So umm... I asked Danny to be the godfather of Caleb."
Ben said, looking out the window.
  I looked at him shocked. I would have never thought. I hugged him tightly and tears filled my eyes. Ben chuckled.
    "I knew you would be happy. I figured Caleb could just call him uncle along with the rest of the boys. We talked everything out and there's no hard feelings. I want him to be in Caleb's life."
He said.
    "Thank you Ben."
I said, smiling happily.
  Danny smiled, looking genuinely happy.
    "Oh yeah Ben, happy birthday."
I said, gently pecking him on the lips.
  He grinned.
    "This has already been the best birthday ever. You gave me my son on my birthday."
He says.
  I giggle. We then sit there talking about baby Caleb and how we are going to tell Ben's mom. Ben's phone ring. He looked at it.
    "Oh, look it's mom. Wish me luck. I'm going to go to the hallway to take this I think."
He says.
  A few minutes later, he comes back with a smile on his face.
    "What is it mate?"
Danny asked.
    "Mom and them are coming to visit. They want to come see the little man. They should be here in the next few days."
He says.