Epilogue
Hazel
If I lived to be a thousand, I’d never forget the sight of Nigel straddling’s Mira’s body on that gurney… and I was sure the same could be said for Wes as he watched his wife being rolled through the doors.
“Noooo…”
I’d also replay that gut-wrenching plea again and again as I slid my arm around Wes when his knees threatened to give out.
I didn’t bother with platitudes. They wouldn’t be welcome and I feared they’d be nothing but lies.
I’d been scared that Mira might lose the baby, but never once, not even for a millisecond, had I ever considered that Mira might die.
Her face was so pale, her arm hanging so limply over the side of the gurney, and there was so much blood.
A cry jerked my gaze from where the gurney had disappeared to one of the attendants climbing down from the ambulance.
A movement had my heart clenching yet again.
The woman was holding a bundle and a tiny fist was waving in the air.
“Oh my god, Wes, look!” When he didn’t so much as turn his head, I slid my arm from his waist and grabbed his hand. “Wes, your baby,” I said softly. “Your baby needs you too.”
His tortured eyes found mine and then followed my finger to where the attendant was rocking the bundle in her arms on her way into the hospital. I tried to tug Wes forward, “Wait,” I called, gaining her attention. “This is the father.”
I felt such a wave of gratitude as the woman didn’t brush me off. Instead, she turned and waited while Wes stood frozen as if terrified yet another bomb was going to drop on him.
“Dr. Lake, come say hello,” the EMT said and when that didn’t have Wes reacting, she looked down at the bundle. “Are you ready to meet your daddy?”
The question snapped Wes out of his stupor and he joined us.
The woman folded back a corner of the blanket to allow Wes to see his baby’s face.
When a nurse joined us with a much smaller gurney on which an incubator sat, the EMT handed the baby, not to the nurse, but to Wes.
“And your wife is one hell of a fighter, Dr. Lake.”
“I know.” Wes nodded, his head bowed as he looked at his baby. “Your mommy is going to be holding you soon. We love you.” He pressed a kiss to the infant’s head and then allowed the nurse to take the baby.
“After we make sure everything is fine, you can come to the nursery,” the nurse said.
The EMT put her hand on Wes’ arm. “The baby may be early but seems perfectly healthy. We all wish your family the very best.”
Wes nodded again, and I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard. “Thank you, for everything.” He turned to me. “Thank you, Hazel, and no matter what happens, I know Nigel is doing all he can.”
“He is and so is Mira.”
He gave me a fierce hug and then disappeared through the same double doors where his child had just been taken.
I could do nothing but watch and pray. When Lawson and Derek moved to not only stand at my sides, but to then slip their arms around my waist, I let myself accept their quiet strength.
Quincy led us all to the waiting room before he too disappeared behind the double doors. It was only then that I gasped.
“What is it?” Derek asked.
“That’s just it, I-I don’t know. The EMT never said if Mira had a boy or a girl.”
“Then I suppose we’ll just have to wait for Mira to tell us herself.”
I nodded and felt a peace settle over me. “Yes, she’ll tell us herself.”
Over the next hour, the Ranch’s residents descended on the hospital to fill the waiting room to overflowing.
And they didn’t arrive without gifts. Not those for the baby or the new parents, but for the staff who didn’t get to spend their Thanksgiving with their own families.
To say the staff was surprised was an understatement.
As every flat surface was covered with casseroles and desserts, eyes widened and mouths dropped open.
The moment the double doors pushed open, every head turned to see not one, not two, but three doctors walking side by side. Words weren’t necessary as the smiles on the faces of the trio spoke loud and clear. I promptly burst into tears.
“Hey, don’t cry,” Wes said, stepping forward to hug me close. “Both Mira and our son are fine!”
I was rather surprised when the hospital’s roof wasn’t blown off by the cheer that went up.
“A son? You had a boy!”
“Well, Mira, did, but yes. A healthy boy, thanks to Nigel.”
“No, thanks to Mira,” Nigel instantly corrected. “That woman is one tough momma bear.”
An hour later, I was holding Mira’s son as she beamed up at me. “Isn’t he beautiful?”
“The most beautiful baby ever,” I agreed, already in love with what was really a miracle.
“Nigel, I can’t ever thank you enough for everything,” Mira said.
“You thanked me by proving that you were as tough as I knew you were,” Nigel said, smiling as the baby clung to his finger. “Seeing you and this little guy are all the thanks I’ll ever need.”
“Seriously, Nigel, I owe you thanks as well,” Wes said from where he stood beside Mira’s bed, his hand never ceasing to touch her hair, her shoulder, her hand as if needing to reassure himself that she was actually still with us.
Nigel looked over at me and smiled. “I’d say we’re even seeing as how you helped my Zellie fight as well.”
Another thought popped into my head. “I know his birthday is a little earlier than expected, but have you decided on a name?”
“We have,” Mira said with a smile. “I wanted to call him Nigel—”
“No!” Nigel said, his surprise obvious.
“Exactly what I said,” Wes said. “You’d not expect us to call him Nigel just because you had a hand in it—”
When Nigel barked out a laugh and I gasped, Wes looked surprised and then he rolled his eyes. “I’d worry that you’d spend the next fifty years reminding me of how idiotic that was except for one thing.”
“What’s that?” Nigel asked.
The baby let out a little whimper and Mira instantly reached for him.
After I’d placed her son into her arms, she laid him on her breast and stroked his cheek.
“What Wes is saying is that while we plan on calling him Danny, once he’s older he might want to be called Daniel or even perhaps go by his middle name. ”
“Which is?” I asked.
Wes grinned. “We named him after the man we hope will agree to be his godfather. What do you say, Nigel?”
“I say whoever that is should feel very honored.”
“Glad you think so,” Wes said, his lip quirking, “since that someone is you.”
“And Hazel, we’d love it if you’ll be his godmother,” Mira said.
I felt tears well and Nigel looked stunned as Wes said, “Meet your godson, Daniel Nigel Lake, and know that every day of our lives we will be thankful you were both there when we needed you the most.’ We hope that if something happens to us, you will be willing to protect Daniel with your lives and love him as your own. Will you do us that honor?”
Nigel’s eyes met mine and as one, we chorused, “Yes, forever and always, yes.”
The End