When I woke up Chis was still clutching my hand and he told me he called CJ about 15 minutes ago. He had been crying for a while, I could tell because his bangs were soaked and his cheeks were bright red and stained with streaks. "What happened?" I coughed wincing in pain. "The baby's okay Mel, you went into labor from stress and they had to take her C-section." I was in horror looking at my stomach. "Where is she?! Is she okay?!" I was in full panic. He stood up hugging me trying to calm me down but right then all I wanted was to see her. "Shhh Mel, you can go see her after the dooctor gives you an okay. Just breathe." Chris never let go of my hand as the doctor walked in checking my vitals on the monitor. "You will be in pain for a while, but you can go to the ICU. You were very lucky this man called us when he did. You could have died." After a silent pause in the air the doctor said a nurse would be in shortly to take to to see my daughter. He walked out and a few minutes later a nurse walked in with a wheelchair and Chris helped me out of bed and into the chair. Pain was right, my stomach hurt horribly, but I wanted to see my baby. The nurse wheeled me to the ICU and opened the door as Chris looked at me. "Do you want to go alone?" He gazed at me and I squeezed his hand. "Come with me." I reassured him as we headed into the huge nursery and I glanced around. The nurse motioned for us by an incubator with a lot of wires hooked to monitors and as we got close I peered in at a so small, fragile baby laid inside. My hand laid over my mouth as my eyes welled with tears and my chest hurt worse than anything. "T-That's her?" The nurse nodded and I reached my hand in and rubbed her little hand as the tears just rolled down my face. "I'll leave you two alone with her." She turned and Chris wiped my eyes. "I told you she would be beautiful like you." I couldn't take my eyes off of her, she was beautiful and so small.
A few days later the hospital discharged me to go home but my baby wouldn't be coming with me, and the thought of her being all alone without me broke my heart. Chris, CJ and I went to the hospital everyday to see her and as the weeks went by she was stronger and growing well. She was up to 5 and a half pounds when the doctor said next week she'd be coming home, I sat there in shock rubbing my little ones head day-dreaming about her when Chris leaned over to CJ and whispered inaudibly and nodded as CJ grew a cheesy grin. Chris kissed my head and smiled. "I gotta run some errands but I'll be home later okay?" I looked at him curiously and kissed him good-bye. "I love you." He smiled and I replied that I loved him too, and then he headed out with CJ behind. "You're leaving too?" I questioned. "Yeah, gonna help lover-boy." He chuckled as he left me his car keys. "See ya at home." Soon it was just me and my baby, a nurse walked in with some paperwork that she needed to put on file. She smiles softly and asked, "So what's the little angel's name?" Suddenly I realized I never thought of a name, what mom does that? I thought to myself for a moment when it hit me. "Miracle." She in fact was a miracle, and not just that she was my miracle. "Her name's Miracle." She jotted down the information she needed and left. Then it was just me and Miracle, soon another nurse came in and asked if I was ready to hold her for the first time. I admit I was nervous, she easily placed Miracle into my arms and she opened her eyes as I caressed the fingers of my daughter. Her tiny hand grasped my finger and instantly brought tears to my eyes. I felt like it was all finally sinking in and that I was a mother. The feeling over-whelmed me and I kept kissing her head, imagining the future ahead of us. I realized I had been holding her for nearly an hour when I noticed how late it was getting. I laid her back into her bed softly, kissing her head and tucking her in. "I love you Miracle." I whispered easing myself out of the NICU. The drive home was lonely, and all I could think of was how she held my finger and looked at me. I yearned to hold her again and look at her sweet face. I was driving past a church when I stopped in front of it. I pulled in and stepped inside as the smell of oak wood hit me. I sat in one of the booths gazing at the cross behind the podium. I wasn't very religious so being inside a church was unlike my character. I found myself folding my hands and bowing saying a prayer for myself and Chris and CJ and Miracle too, even for my friends. I had a peaceful feeling come over me and it dawned on me, this was God's plan for my life. CJ coming back, meeting Chris, and Miracle was a gift, no remorse of how it happened but I had the love of my life, my brother, and a beautiful daughter. I was blessed and that night changed my life. I ran out of the church and drove home anxious to see CJ and Chris and tell them about what happened to me and as I pulled in the driveway I was Chris's truck. I ran to the front door and walked inside seeing bags and boxes strewn across the floor. Banging and muffled talking were coming from upstairs. "CJ, Chris? I'm home." "Don't come in!" CJ yelled as I heard another bang. "You okay?" I asked. "Yep we're fine Mel, just uhh take a bath and relax. We'll be out in a sec." CJ yelled. "Okay?" I was confused but I did need to relax, so I ran a hot bath and amerced myself in the water taking in the smell of lavender and chamomile. I closed my eyes thinking about Miracle, then thought about Munro. For what reason I'm unsure, but I felt pain that he was gone. He left for no reason. I brushed past that thought and began thinking about Chris, he made me truly happy and feel love. I knew in my heart I didn't want him going anywhere. With that thought I climbed out of the tub laughing at the sight of my pruning fingers, wrapping my bath robe around myself. I dried my hair with a towel and slipped into my room looking for pajamas. I found some black sweatpants and a white tank top, and some socks walking out of my room as I tied a messy bun on my head and CJ popped out scaring me senseless. "CJ!" I gasped. "Sorry." He smiled wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "We got a surprise for you." He smirked as we walked to the room Chris and himself were in earlier. "What surprise?" I looked at him as he knocked on the door. "Okay Chris, she's ready." He leaned down and kissed my head as the door opened slightly. "Go ahead." I eased through the door and lit up with amazement as I gazed through the new nursery Chris and CJ had finished together. I began to choke up looking at everything. "You guys." I began sobbing and hugging them both. "I love you both so much, you two are so sweet. Thank you."
