first american title | tenya iida

thirty-three

~*~

iida's pov

At dusk, I find Lydia sitting in the field, her legs crossed beneath her, and the sun streaming through her hair in streaks. She looks so peaceful. Her white linen dress hung low, and hugged the growing bump on her belly. In a short four months, there would be a child in her arms. The dead, golden strands of grass drifted back and forth in the wind. 

Making sure I was quiet, I approached her and sat next to her, the silence between us one that we had shared many times before- peaceful and centered. Her eyes are closed as she says, "I think it will be a boy."

"What makes you think that?" I ask softly, not letting my voice rise too high. 

Her hand falls to the bump, which over the months it has developed has become a large, swollen stomach. I found that the bump was beautiful. A demonstration of the two human beings I had come to love the most: my child and my wife. "The nature around us speaks to me. It says that we will have a boy." I look from the cascading fields in front of me and instead to my wife. "Sometimes, I can feel the slightest flick against my belly, and I know it's him." 

"He's kicking?"

"Sometimes," she says. "If I'm lucky sometimes he will." Subconsciously, my hand falls onto her belly. She places her hand atop mine. "Our anniversary is soon," she mentions. 

I nod. "It's tomorrow."

"I know."

And the next day we spent together, a year together. Not really because we did have a weird gap in which we weren't together. But we'd declare today as one year together, even if that wasn't completely accurate. The following days were well spent, embracing one another and waiting patiently until our child was born. We held a baby shower that went well, receiving gifts and laughter.

Lydia spent many days outside leading up to the birth of our child. Somehow, she had made the property shine so bright. The horses had started to look beautiful and she had begun working them daily. However, I hadn't seen her actually ride one of them. Starfire had three puppies, two of which went to our neighbor and one went to Jennifer back in San Fransisco. 

And then the fateful due date had come. 

I spent the entire day by her side, constantly asking if she was okay. Recently she had Braxton hicks and fatigue, but still no baby. The bump on her belly had become huge, and a lot of her body had swollen up, her breasts in particular. I paid little attention to that though, still frantic about the actual child inside of her and how she felt. For my wife, I wanted nothing more than for her to feel okay. We fall asleep that night feeling no need to rush to the hospital.

After a week of paying close attention, Lydia stops mid-sip from her water bottle and her hand goes down to her belly. "Tenya," she says. "It's happening," she tells me urgently. 

I rush to our bedroom and grab the duffle bag, which carries much of the care we will need in the hospital. "Tenya!" she cries. "Hurry up!"

After throwing the bag in our car, I take hold of Lydia's hand and support her to the car. "Are you sure?" I ask. 

She groans. "Yes! Please hurry up the contractions fucking hurt," she mutters. I take the hint and rush to the driver's side of the car. Soon enough we're on our way to the hospital. "Oh fuck." 

"What? What happened are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. My water broke," she mumbles. 

Once we arrive at the hospital, I rush to the lady at the front desk and explain that my wife is having a baby. We're rushed into a hospital room together, and of course, there's doctors and a nightgown and she's laying in the bed. 

"Stay calm," I whisper while squeezing her hand. 

A doctor stands over her, and a nurse stands to her side. The whole scene goes by too quick for me. "Push," a doctor says. As for Lydia? The anguish on her face is clear, she's sweating and grunting and breathing deeply. 

The first cry of our child is one I won't forget. I almost let go of Lydia's hand, but I didn't. However, my eyes went wide and the smile on my face was so wide. It takes her a while, but finally, the baby is out. The nurse takes hold of the child, wrapping them in a blue blanket. "It's a boy," she shouts out. After cutting the umbilical cord, the nurse hands him to Lydia, who immediately brings him close to her chest.

"Oh my god," Lydia mumbles. "I love him," she says softly. He cries for a bit, but after Lydia breastfeeds him and holds him close to her chest he stops. 

I fill out the birth certificate while he's latched to her breast. "Evan Tamaki Iida," I mumble to myself. 

Lydia smiles. "Wanna hold him?" she asks. 

When Evan is in my arms for the first time, it's a feeling I can't begin to describe. He's so little, so soft. I seriously can't wait to begin this chapter of my life with Lydia and our son. It may have taken me some time, but finding this life was so worth it. I'm so grateful for Lydia. We'll sit at a dining table with our children, we'll wake up beside each other every single day. And that is something I could never give up: our love.

The End

~*~