Chapter 33: Uh-oh 2.0
Aidyn disappeared up the stairs, and I let out a side of relief when Niall came sprinting down the stairs.
"Oh, Brooklyn. Are you in labor? What's happening? Geez, Brooklyn, you don't look good. Are you okay butterfly?" He was talking a-mile-a-minute.
"I don't know. Hospital. Now." I said through gritted teeth.
Niall looked at Aidyn, "Call Uncle Harry and get in the car." Then his eyes locked with mine, "You'll be fine, our baby is fine. I think you're just in labor." He gently lifted me, but a pain still shot up my spine and through my lower-region.
This feeling was vaguely familiar, though it felt different from the last birth.
It felt... wrong.
Niall hoisted me into the back seat, then helped Aidyn into the passenger seat. As Niall started to pull out of the driveway, Aidyn put his tiny hand in mine. I had to use all my being not to squeeze onto it too hard.
My vision felt like it was clouding over. I then realized that I had been crying.
"Hur-ry Ni." Was all I could muster.
"Don't worry, I will not stop until I am holding my son in my arms. I love you so much Brookie."
*
Inside the hospital, Aidyn cried when the nurse said he couldn't come with us. Which is when everyone arrived. And I mean everyone.
My parents, Sam, Rebecca, Maura, Greg, Denise, Theo, Harry & Hannah, the Tomlinsons, the Paynes, and the Malik's. Aidyn stopped crying and ran to his family.
I was wheeled in a bed through the halls to the delivery room. They said I was in labor, but something was wrong. For the first time in years I felt numb.
Niall was at my side, running with the doctors as I was swept away. His hand found mine, and I locked my eyes onto his blue ones. Everything seemed to fade away but his eyes.
In the delivery room, things were happening quickly. They began examining me while Niall put on his "surgery clothes". This included gloves, a hat and a light green suit that was too small for him.
"Brooklyn, can you give me a push?" The main doctor said. I was so drained of energy that I could barley push.
"C'mon, you have to try harder. Something is wrong." Then he began mumbling to the nurse and then Niall.
Niall looked horrified, but not because he was witnessing child birth.
Tears filled his eyes as he squeezed my hand, "Brookie, butterfly, you have to push harder. We don't have much time."
I nodded and bit my bottom lip. I was crying, pushing and unaware of what was happening.
The doctor's assistant let out a gasp, but quickly covered her mouth. Niall was watching, holding my hand. He was nibbling uncontrollably on his lip.
I pushed harder than any time before, and felt a wave of pain, followed by relief, then more pain.
"Brooklyn! Almost there! Hurry!"
I let out a sob, shoving myself past the breaking point as I pushed harder than ever.
The room filled with muffled cries.
Niall gasped and squeezed my hand. "Hurry, please doctor, hurry."
"Niall?" I asked, my lip quivering.
"He... he came out feet first." Niall quickly explained, kissing my lips, "But you did it. Just in time, babe." I felt a small bit of relief. I was afraid the baby wouldn't make it, or that something worse was happening.
A nurse walked over to me, "Mister and Misses Horan, I'm going to escort you to your room. Your baby boy will join you shortly. He is healthy, but he gave us quite a scare. Good job Brooklyn, congratulations."
*
In our room, Niall laid on the bed next to me, his hand on my cheek. His long fingers brushed a stray hair from my face. His eyes examined my face as if he hadn't seen it millions of times.
"I have never been more proud of someone." He whispered, sending a chill up my spine. A good kind of chill.
My heart fluttered, as it usually did while I was next to him. "It wasn't as painful as living without you."
"How did you manage this on your own before?"
"Well, I zoned out from the world, I guess. I just felt so... in depth. Like even though I was zoned out, everything was so close up." I chuckled, "That makes zero sense, but it makes perfect sense."
He nodded, "I can understand the zoned out part." I looked up into his eyes, a certain fuzzy feeling crawling inside my heart.
He leaned down, kissing my cheek, then my forehead, and then my nose. Before he got to my lips, a knock was placed on the door.
Niall practically jumped up, yelling, "Come in!"
A nurse walked in, carrying a small angel in her arms. I could see a small amount of brown fuzz peeking out from the yellow blanket.
"Here is your new Horan." She whispered, handing me my son.
Niall sniffled, a tear streaking down his cheek.
Our baby was beautiful. He had the smallest amount of brown hair. Light, pinkish skin. Eyelashes touching his rosy cheeks. A nose that was so small and skinny, like mine. A tiny pair of red lips that were closed tightly. A dimple in his chin.
He squeezed his eyes tightly closed, and then suddenly opened them. He yawned and I could feel his tiny arms restraining against the blanket.
His eyes were bright blue, gazing around his surroundings even though he couldn't see completely.
Niall's finger tenderly grazed across our baby's scarlet cheek. "We did it." He whispered. "Patrick is here."
Patrick closed his eyes again, making a gurgle noise from his mouth.
"I'll give you two your time with him, congratulations." The nurse, whom I forgot was in the room, said.
"Actually, could you go get our other son? His name is Aidyn. He's in the waiting room.
"Sure thing!" She then left, returning shortly with my other blue eyed boy.
He walked into the room smiling wide.
"Come here, your brother is waiting for you." I whispered and Niall gave him a reassuring nod. Aidyn slowly walked over and Niall lifted him into his lap.
Aidyn's eyes got very big, "He's so... tiny. But cute." He giggled. He reached his hand out and held Patrick's even smaller one.
"Aidyn, this is Patrick."
"Patrick... that's a nice name. He came out of your belly." He said, completely serious.
I examined Niall's face, worn out and tired, but glowing.
Then Aidyn, whose delicate features resembled Niall's so deeply.
We can't exactly see how much Patrick looks like either of us yet, but he is definitely ours.
Niall's eyelashes fluttered close against his cheek as he placed a kiss to Patrick's forehead.
Once his eyes opened, he didn't stop staring at our new creation.
"Wow..." Niall whispered. "I've never seen anything so perfect." He glanced at me, "And I've seen perfection."
***
Patrick Josiah James Horan was born at 2:58 on August 31st, 2022. He weighed 8.3 pounds and was 20 inches long.
