Chapter Thirty-Two
Six months later
L iam had seen a lot of animals in labor and helped quite a few through the birthing process. Horses, dogs, cats, even a pregnant Barbary sheep that Riley had found wandering on his ranch. But none of that compared to what he felt watching Val go through labor. There was nothing he could do but be encouraging and remind her to breathe. Until she threatened to slug the next person who told her to breathe. The doctor and the nurses took it in stride. Apparently that sort of thing was common with women in labor.
“I’m never having sex again!” she panted during a break between pains.
He hoped like hell she was exaggerating and a glance at the doctor showed her smiling, so maybe she’d forget about that once she actually had the baby. In the meantime, he’d lost all feeling in his hand that she’d been holding and squeezing.
“How are you doing, Val?” Dr. Young asked.
She had another pain just then so she didn’t reply. Probably a good thing.
“Let’s check and see what’s going on.” The doctor began doing something to her that he couldn’t see. Thank goodness.
“Good news. The baby is engaged and you’re fully dilated.”
“What does that mean?” Liam asked.
“It means I get to push.”
“All right, Val, the next pain I want you to push.”
Of course, it wasn’t that easy. There were several excruciating pushes and a lot of screaming before the doctor said, “I can see her head. Now push, really hard.”
Val strained again with a long, drawn-out sound of pain and stress.
“Okay, the head is out. One more big push for the shoulders.”
Val bore down again. “That’s it,” Dr. Young said. “It’s a girl!”
They knew that but it was good to hear it confirmed. “Liam, would you like to cut the umbilical cord?”
He cut the cord and the doctor suctioned the baby’s nose and mouth and wiped her off a bit before giving her to Val to lie on her chest. “Oh, she’s beautiful,” Val said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m just happy,” she sniffed.
The doctor took the baby, saying, “I’ll bring her back in just a minute.”
Liam leaned over and kissed Val. “You’re amazing.”
A short time later Dr. Young said, “Eight pounds five ounces,” and gave the baby back so she could bond ‘skin to skin’ with Mom for a while.
“Look at her tiny little hands. Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Just like her mama,” Liam agreed. “We still haven’t named her.”
“I think I’d like to give her my grandmother’s name,” Val said. “Vivian.”
“Vivian it is.” Liam kissed the baby, then Val. “I love you.”
“I love you too. We are so lucky.”
“Yeah, we really are.” Liam had never imagined he’d feel so blessed.
“Hello, Vivian. I’m your dad.”
Val started crying again.
“What’s wrong?” he asked with alarm.
“Nothing at all. I’m just so happy I feel like I’m going to burst. We have a beautiful baby girl, Liam.”
“Prettiest baby ever.” Funny how something that started out as a huge problem turned out to be the best thing that had ever happened to either of them.
The End