In The Long Run

In The Long Run (26, Part 2)

My breathing was getting more and more laboured. Wayne was apparently on his way, but it felt like he would never show up. I hate to say it - and think it - but I had this stupid idea in my head that he'd decided he wasn't up for the commitment anymore. I tried shaking it, but I knew I wouldn't feel better until Wayne was there.

My parents were there, talking to each other and Curly. I wasn't so bad that they had to rush over every time I cringed. We were all just taking it easy until the big stuff came. Well, they were taking it easy. I was thinking myself sick.

I shouldn't have gone to the mall with Curly.

My mom was always right.

I owed my dad a father's day card.

Why in a time like this did I think of these things. Oh, that's right. Wayne wasn't here to distract me. I knew I still had some time, but what if he didn't make it? The rain was pouring outside, harder than it's rained in a while. Something bad could easily happen to him during a downpour like this, but I forced myself not to think that way.

After a rather mellow half hour, the contractions were back and with a vengeance. I stifled most of the grunts and squeals of pain, but eventually I just gave up and started cussing every time the pain struck. At first my mother scolded me, but she eventually gave up as the contractions became more frequent and much more painful. Dr. Gustavo and the nurses prepared themselves. Apparently I was almost ready to start pushing and it's when they told me this that the panic set in. I was almost giving birth to our child and he Wayne still wasn't here. When Dr. Gustavo sat down between my spread legs and I felt hot tears sting my eyes, the door to my room was flung open by a soaking wet Wayne, who was obviously very shocked by the scene in front of him. As soon as he recovered he rushed over and started apologizing.

"I am so sorry. The second your parents called me, everything started going wrong. I couldn't find my keys and then on the way here I ran out of gas and had to hike about a mile up the road and then back to fill up the car. Jamie, I am so sorry."

I could see the remorse in his eyes and he wasn't a fan of lying, so I knew he was telling the truth. Without giving him much of a chance to react, I pulled his head down and planted a firm kiss on his lips.

"It doesn't matter." I told him. "You're here now and that's all that counts. Now suit up."

He smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

My father and Curly left the room, afraid of being severely traumatized or something. My mom and Wayne stayed, Wayne for obvious reasons and my mom to help coach me through everything. It wasn't long before Dr, Gustavo told me that I could start pushing and that's when I started screaming. Wayne and my mother each sat on on opposites side of me, each holding one of my hands tightly.

"That's it, Jamie. You're doing good. Now push." Dr. Gustavo told me and I did what he said.

I've never been so loud in my life. Eventually, the more tired I got, the less I screamed and soon I was nothing but a grunting and groaning mess. I was seating like a pig, my brow and forehead shining with perspiration. My mother took notice and wet a washcloth in the sink to wipe my forehead. The cool sensation was such a relief, but not enough. The loose tendrils of hair that had come apart from the rest of my hairdo were plastered to my face and in a gently caress, Wayne wiped them out of the way.

"That's it, Jamie. You're almost there."

With that I came a solid push and suddenly regained my will to yell at the top of my lungs.

"I can see the head. Keep pushing."

I pushed and pushed and pushed.

The effort I put into it was becoming too much. I was utterly exhausted and felt like this would never end, but I kept pushing. The rain poured down harder outside, almost as though it was mimicking the intensity of my grunting.

"One more push, Jamie. Come on. You can do it."

I pushed and suddenly felt the relief I thought I'd never experience again. I heard a light smack and the most amazing thing I'd ever heard met my ears. I heard my baby cry.

"Congratulations. It's a girl." the doctor told us.

I saw my mother get up and Wayne's head turned toward me. His eyes glistened with unshod tears, tears of happiness, and I could see the definite signs of a grin under his surgical mask.

"We have a little girl."

Only when I heard those words spoken from his mouth did the reality of it all set in. I felt a tear roll down my face, but Wayne immediately wiped it away. I was a mom. I had a little girl. I turned to look at the screaming little gooey mess in the nurses arms as she went to get her cleaned up and felt my heart swell and clench at the same time. When the nurse was done, she handed the now pink little creature to my mother and she smiled.

"Oh, Jamie. She looks just like you when you were a baby."

Then my mother came closer and reached out to hand her to me. I instinctively reached out to take her, making sure to support her neck and then holding her to my chest tightly. She was so soft and so small... so magical. Her cries had been reduced to soft whimpering, but the thought that something still made her unhappy had my heart in a choke hold.

"Is this what it felt like?" I asked my mother.

"Like what?"

"Like someone's wrapped a rope around your internal organs and keeps pulling it tighter until you can't breathe, but somehow it's still a pleasurable sensation?"

She laughed. "Yes, something like that."

I cradled the little in my arms a little longer, then my mom left to give us some privacy. When I turned to Wayne he was looking at the baby with such a range of emotions in his eyes. From sparkling curiosity to absolute pride and joy and even a little apprehension. When I stretched out my arms to hand her to him, he flinched away and I was a little hurt. When my eyes met his I could see how afraid he was.

"What if I drop her?" he asked hesitantly.

"Trust me, you won't."

He carefully took her from my arms and brought her to his chest as quickly and as gently as possible. As soon as she was closed to him, pressed up right against his heart - right where she would stay for the rest of her life - his expression of fear turned to wonderment. He carefully took her tiny little hand and opened it with the tip of his finger, amazed at how tiny her own fingers were. He actually counted her fingers and toes to make sure there were ten on each hand and foot and then he did something I didn't expect. He stuck his nose up right next to her head and sniffed. I laughed at the sight.

"She smells like baby." he told me excitedly.

"Of course she'd smell like a baby. What else would she smell like? Duck?" I asked sarcastically, but he didn't answer or hit me with a snappy comeback. He kept looking at her.

"What are we going to call her?" he asked curiously.

I reached out for her and he handed her to me. "Nerissa." I said. "Nerissa McKenzie."

He nodded and then looked out the window. "How about rain?" he asked randomly.

"What?"

"Nerissa Raine."

I thought it through in my head and then said it to feel what it sounded like. "Nerissa Raine McKenzie. I love it!"

I scooted over and he sat down on the bed next to me. He wrapped one arm around my shoulder and stroked his finger along the sleeping little angel's cheek. We enjoyed the moment before everyone came in to bombard us with congratulations.

I'd worried for nothing. Everything turned out fine, in fact, everything turned out perfect.

Absolutely perfect.