The Tattoo Guy (MCR FIC)

Chapter 26- Age 18

Chapter 26

Age 18

“Gerard I need you to stay calm but I need you to come to the hospital. Our baby girl is coming.” Lyn-z is on the other end of the phone I can hear her panting and the sound of the telecom of the hospital call out wards and numbers.

“What? Now!? Is something wrong? Will she be okay? Who’s with you?” I say as I try to move the phone with me to grab the labor bag full with more of her clothes and baby grows that was needed.

“Gerard please stay calm take deep breaths with me in and out… in… and out… now I’m with Sherry and our baby girl is doing just fine; she’s on her way though and isn’t going to wait for daddy so try to get here. Okay baby? Can you do that for me?” she says on the other end of the phone and with panic blind shock I agree before we hang up.

My baby girl is coming. I’m going to be a daddy. She’s going to be real- I can hold her in my arms and see the color of her eyes. What if she is a he after all?

I made it into the labor suite to see her lay on a bed. “Baby they’ve given me lets of drugs and now I can’t feel my lower half- look.” She pinches her leg with her red nails. “I can’t feel that can I?”

I chuckle at her behavior and look to see a woman I had only met a few times sat in a chair on the other side of her. “It’s nice to see you again Sherry.” I smile, she’s a shy girl who’s training to be a midwife, and she had gotten friendly with Lyn-z over the pregnancy as she had not long graduated from our high school where I remember her from a few basement parties.

“And you too Gerard, you know this baby is about to pop so I would move to by Lyn-z’s head, don’t be worried about her screaming or whatever she’ll be out of it till it all wears off tomorrow.” And with the introduction of doctors and Sherry’s famous last words I experience the most mentally scarring but beautiful thing in the world. My daughter’s birth. The little bump that I’ve watched grow finally with us. Finally mine to hold and have close forever and ever. The new form of poison in my veins- parenthood; because once I had her in my arms wrapped in a pink towel getting all the mush and gunge off of her pale skin I didn’t want to let go. She was tiny, no bigger two large palm’s; her eyes were dilated so all black which was normal, I wouldn’t see the color until a couple of days anyway. I could hear the clicks of a camera and feel the tears run down my cheek.

I look to Lyn-z and her head is turned away, the doctor is still between her legs; he calls for a cover and he covers her over rattling off some coded instructions before they begin rushing her out of the suite.

“Gerard, she’s going to need surgery, the placenta caused a hemorrhage. You can stay with baby girl but she needs to be weighed and measured before you can have her all to yourself.” Sherry says and I smile knowing she’s going to be a great midwife one day.

“I’ll give her to you, half hour so I can be there for Lyn-z but I will be back. After all baby girl needs a name.” I kiss my daughter on the forehead then each little finger and her cute button nose before handing her over.

With a nervous look I leave her to run after the bed holding the girl I love, I catch her hand just as she’s about to be rushed in through the doors. “Look after her.” She says as I kiss her knuckles and then she goes.

She goes, she heals and she leaves.

And here I am with my little Ivy, my little bundle so small and delicate. “Daddy loves you Baby V, I will always love you because you can never be sad when someone out there loves you.” I kiss my fingertips reaching into the clear cot amongst the sea of sleeping babies and pressing them to her forehead. I will never let anyone hurt you, I promise.