Ten weeks later
TEN WEEKS LATER
“Jackson,” I wailed, panting. The contraction seized my body so hard that I couldn’t breathe.
Green eyes were fuzzy and then my vision cleared, and there he was. My husband. Letting me hold his hand in a death grip. He looked me in the eye. “Em, tell me what you need.”
“I can’t do this without you,” I said, knowing that I wasn’t making any sense. “Please, you have to do this with me.”
“I’m right here.”
“No, with me!” I wailed.
“Okay, sweetheart. I’m with you.”
He climbed into the bed and easily lifted me so that I was cradled in his lap. I lay back against his strong chest, sighing as his arms wrapped around me, his big knees on either side of my body. I felt his face against mine. “Better?”
“Yes,” I whimpered.
“Want to do some patterned breathing?” he put his hands on my belly.
“What?”
“Pant-pant-blow, come on, let’s do this together. ”
“That’s Lamaze breathing,” I said, shocked since Jackson had been deployed and I had attended our Lamaze classes alone.
“Youtube, sweetheart. I’ve watched every single Lamaze video out there.”
Another contraction hit me. I panted and blew with Jackson.
“That’s it,” Jackson soothed. “Breathe through it.”
I focused on surviving the next contraction and then fell back against his chest.
“You watched Lamaze videos?” I gasped. “What else did you watch?”
“How to change a diaper, how to give a baby a bath, how to take a baby’s temperature. How to burp a baby. How to use a breast milk pump. And about a hundred other videos.”
The nurses exchanged impressed looks.
“You did not.”
“I did.”
“Jackson.”
“Yeah?”
“I didn’t even think of that. I didn’t watch a single video. I don’t even know how to change a diaper,” I wailed in a panic.
“That’s why we’re a team. You do the hard part today, and I'll change the diapers.”
I gasped as another contraction hit me.
Jackson’s face nuzzled me. “Alien’s almost here. You can do this, Emily. I’m right here with you.”
Another contraction took my breath away, arching my body off his. When I could catch my breath, I spit out. “We are never having sex again. I don’t care how sexy you are lying in bed with your big sexy muscles and your swoon-worthy kisses. You need to understand that going forward, and I’m never having sex again. ”
I heard the doctor and the nurses laugh. “Don’t worry, Jackson. We’ve heard that one before.”
I raised my head and looked at one of the nurses. “Are you dating anyone?”
She smiled. “Between men.”
“Pick the shortest guy you can find,” I hissed. “They may not be as fun in bed but trust me. A tiny guy means a tiny baby.”
“Emily, one last push,” the doctor said. “The next contraction, relax your belly and then give it your all.”
I was exhausted. I lay with my back against Jackson. “I don’t want to do this anymore. I want to go home.”
I heard everyone laugh.
“Jackson.”
He held me so close. “Yes.”
“I can’t do this. I think you should take over. You’re the strong one.”
“Emily, no way. You’re way stronger than me. And you’re amazing. So unbelievable.”
“Tell me some good news.”
“Alien is almost here. It’s almost over.”
The doctor looked up at me. “Okay Emily, one last push, you just relax your stomach and push, okay? Alright, here we go. Push, push, push, push.”
Everything kind of went fuzzy for a moment. It was like the whole world went into slow motion. I could hear things, but not hear clearly. I could see but not really. I could hear my own heartbeat. I could feel Jackson behind me. Feel his breath. And then the most intense relief of my life.
The world came back in focus. And then they put a baby on my belly. Alien was wet and wrinkly and covered in blood. My baby was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life. I felt Jackson squeeze his arms tighter around me. His face snuggled against mine. “You did it.”
“What is our baby?” I asked.
“You two are the proud parents of a beautiful baby boy.”
“Alien is a boy,” I said in wonder, touching the tiny wet head.
Jackson’s big hand reached out and touched a minuscule foot. “He’s perfect. Just like his mom.”
I started to cry. “Hey. I’m your mom, and this is your dad.”
Alien turned his head towards my voice. My heart overflowed with love. I had everything I needed. A husband and a baby. My family was complete.
Jackson’s chin rested on my shoulder. “I love you, Emily Hunter.”
And with that, I thought my heart would burst.