Ryley's Child

My Son

**•**Ryder's POV**•**

"Ryder, honey?!" my wife's voice cried into the phone. "I need you to come home. Right. Now. Please."

I shot up from where I had been sitting, putting new strings on a customer's guitar at the music store where I worked. "The baby?" I asked even though I knew that was the reason for her desperate call, her due date was three days ago.

"Yes." Marley replied and then I heard her gasp. "Okay, come quick! I think my water broke."

•••

It was a mad dash to the hospital. I had no idea whatsoever what was the best thing to do as a husband who's wife has gone into labor for the first time in her life.

I comforted her while trying to weave through New York City traffic "safely". She went from periods of screaming to just thrusting her head back and groaning. Beads of sweat formed on her skin and she constantly clutched our soon-to-be born child. "Ryder, quickly! Hurry! Hurry! God... this really hurts...!!" she screamed.

I slammed a hand on the steering wheel, honking my horn. "We live in New York City, Marley!" I reminded her. "No matter how fast I drive we won't get there 'quickly'." At another darn traffic light I reached over and took her hand. "Breathe, Mar, breathe."

•••

When we finally reached the hospital, a team of nurses whisked my wife away and told me to wait in the lobby. I wanted to be by her side, but they said it was best I didn't get "in the way of their duties".

Instead I anxiously paced in the lobby, thoughts racing through my mind, a track course being run on by Olympic athletes. Questions like: Was the child okay? How was Marley? Was it a boy or a girl? Was it healthy? Then the realization that: Oh. My. God. I'm going to be a father! We're a family! I will be the best father to the best child. I will love it no matter what and teach it to love the arts with as much passion as his/her parents do.

When I started to panic again I stepped into a deserted hallway to call one of my friends. It picked up on the third ring. "Ryder? It's Blaine."

"Blaine, thank God, hi." I exhaled.

"Everything all right?" he asked.

"I think so. I'm gonna be a father." When I said this out loud for the first time I swear my whole face heated up with nervous joy.

There was a moments pause before I heard a loud whoop. "Whooo hooo!!!" Then a much quieter, "Is Marley alright?"

"I don't know. She should be okay. I just left he room to call you. It's just I want to talk to someone about it and you're experienced as a father so you know what this is like."

Another pause and then, "Well... Kurt and I adopted Leia when she was 18 months so I don't know what the hospital experience is like, the Mitchell's and the Evan's do, but yeah, I guess I'm experienced enough otherwise. Can I tell Kurt?"

Just then a man of Indian descent, wearing a white doctor's coat, approached me. His lips smiled, but his eyes did the opposite.

"Hold on, Blaine." I told my friend.

"'Kay, I'll wait."

I brought the phone down from my ear and turned to the doctor.

"Are you Mr. Lynn?" the man asked me with a thick accent.

I nodded, not sure of what to say.

The man extended a hand to me and I shook it in the polite business manor that I had been taught in high school. "My name is Dr. Boopalaam."