Fighting For America

Part 9 (Chapter Forty-Seven-Chapter Fifty-Two)

Chapter Forty-Seven

Precious Child

It had been two days since Camdyn was born, November twenty-fifth, 2062.  My daughter would be two days old at five seventeen in the afternoon.  The twenty-third of November seemed like a lifetime ago, rather than just two days.  Sitting in the hospital bed was becoming tedious, and I was hoping that when the doctor meant two days, he meant generally, not two days to the hour.  It was seven thirty in the morning, Nathan had a shift, Dad had a meeting with Mitch and other Rebel leaders, and Mom had gone home to sleep.  Collin had been in with Camdyn for a couple of hours.  Collin couldn’t get enough of his niece.  When I was able to stay with her and he had to go back to work, I would have to text him pictures, he was so in love with her.  He would probably take it hard knowing he wasn’t going to be the only man in my daughter’s life.

Nathan and I hadn’t told anyone about our relationship yet, as it had blossomed from the ashes of a pretty traumatic day, but I was going to tell Meredith today.  She would be here soon, before her eight o clock shift in the hospital’s IT department.  No one had come in the night he told me he loved me, and when he came by to see me yesterday, no one else had come by.  I was okay delaying telling my family, but I needed someone to know, so I texted Meredith last night to tell her I wanted to see her before she had to go to work.

As if she knew I was thinking about her, Meredith walked in.  “Hey, Madi my friend, how are you doing today?”

“I’m itching to get out of this bed and into a wheelchair so I can go see my baby, but other than that I am fine.” I was too full of nervous energy to delay telling her any longer.  “Okay, I have something to tell you, and it is huge!”

“Okay,” Meredith said.  She was always one for a little bit of gossip.  “Out with it!”

“Your brother kissed me on Thanksgiving right before my water broke.”

“He what?!  And you waited until now to tell me?”

“Well, when else would I have told you? As I was leaving your apartment while having labor pains, or when both our families were here while the doctor was telling me about my baby’s surgery?”

“Okay, okay, I see your point.  So, what else happened?”

With a big smile I told her everything.  “Nathan came back two nights ago and told me he loved me.  Naturally I responded by telling him I too was in love with him.  That isn’t even the biggest part.  He promised to propose to me and told me that no other man could be a better father for Camdyn than he could.”

“Madi, that is so romantic, although I could kill my brother for not telling me.”

“If it makes you feel any better, you are the first person to know that he is my boyfriend.”

“Oh, come on the two of you have practically been dating since you met, or so I hear.  I missed out on that part, but I am so glad the two of you found me so I could be here for you right now!  Do you have any new pictures of my future niece?”  Meredith and I flipped through the baby pictures until she had to go to work and I was once again left alone.

I wasn’t on my own for too long, however, because the doctor came in soon after Meredith left.  “Madilynn, do you mind if I take a peek at how your incision is healing?”  I lifted the top of my pajamas Mom had brought me so the doctor could see my incision.  “That is healing nicely Madilynn and your vital signs are all great.  I think it might be time for you to pay a visit to your precious baby girl.”

“Really, are you sure?  Please don’t be getting my hopes up for nothing.”

“I brought a wheelchair with me this morning just in case.  The nurses will take you to the NICU so you can send your brother home to rest.  I will let Nurse Emily take you and any if the NICU nurses can explain what is going on with your baby.  How does that sound to you?”