Chapter 30
The group of four rendezvoused outside the entrance to the National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street, where the ponytailed paramedic had informed them Roisin and Luke were being taken.
There was a brief comparing of notes about the pay-and-display parking spots, with Maureen declaring that Him Upstairs had been looking after them with the ease in which they'd slipped into a space.
It went without saying He'd been watching over Roisin too, ensuring Luke's safe arrival. Candles would be lit.
'Sure, we're only over the road there and Moira didn't even need to do the parallel parking.' Maureen made noises about how she didn't think her poor heart could have stood that on top of all the afternoon's excitement.
Aisling, however, who'd parked two streets away, had been parped at by disgruntled motorists as she'd manoeuvred forwards and backwards with great difficulty into a teeny-tiny space between two vehicles, wasn't feeling quite so blessed.
Moira shivered. 'Come on, let's go in and see how Rosi and Luke are. I'm desperate for a cuddle. Besides, it's a wind tunnel out here.'
'You're not wrong,' Bronagh concurred. She couldn't wait for a chance to hold the little baby either.
As the doors to the hospital shut behind them, they were met by the competing scents of disinfectant, coffee and flowers.
'Sure, you'd know you were in a hospital even if you were blindfolded,' Aisling remarked, stepping out of the way of a man toting a baby capsule as he hurried past. 'Do you remember how strange it felt leaving the hospital with your new babbies and driving home as first-time parents, Moira?'
'Babby in my case, and yeah, I do. Tom drove so slowly we got pulled over by the Guards.'
Aisling smiled. 'I remember that. Quinn was no better. Then, when we finally got home, we both sat on the sofa staring at Aoife and Connor with no clue what we were supposed to do with them.'
'We were the same. Realising this little babby was totally reliant on us was more terrifying than the labour.
' Moira shook her dark head before locking eyes with her sister.
They silently shared memories of the support they'd given one another during those early, sleep-deprived days.
It wasn't something that needed to be said aloud because, for all their bickering, it was what they did.
They looked out for one another, just as they'd looked out for Rosi that afternoon.
'Apparently Babby Luke's a wee celebrity with the staff, given his unexpected arrival,' Maureen said, beaming proudly as she returned to the fold. 'We'll find them up on the third floor.'
They jostled into the lift along with the man carrying the baby capsule, who was heading to the same floor. Once the lift juddered into life and began moving upwards, Maureen stated the obvious. 'You're off home today with your little one then, are you?'
'May the Force be with you,' Moira muttered.
Maureen stood on her foot. Whether it was accidental or deliberate remained to be seen.
'I am, yeah. He's our third.'
'Professionals then,' Maureen smiled. She was disappointed, though, when the doors slid open onto the third floor that she wasn't going to get the chance to share the story of her new grandson's dramatic arrival with him.
The corridor had private rooms on either side, and mewling cries drifted out from beneath closed doors. Baby-capsule man disappeared into one of the rooms, leaving the door open. As they walked past, trying not to stare, the smell of milk and talcum powder drifted out into the corridor.
Aisling scanned the name boards outside each door on the left while Moira checked those on the right.
'Here they are,' Aisling announced, her hand on the door handle just as a ward sister emerged from the neighbouring room and informed them rather sternly that it wasn't visiting hours.
'You're here for Roisin?' she asked in the manner of a woman with far more pressing things to be getting on with.
'We are,' they chimed together.
'Well, given the circumstances, you can have five minutes. Mammy and baby are going to need their rest. They've had quite the afternoon.'
'Tell us about it.' Aisling opened the door a crack and poked her head inside. 'Can we come in, Rosi?'
'Of course,' her sister replied, sounding remarkably bright and cheerful for someone who hadn't long ago given birth on a bathroom floor.
'Thank you, Sister,' Maureen said to the ward sister, whose lined face suggested she'd seen a great deal over her many years of nursing.
'You're Nana?'
'I am.'
'Well done.' She rewarded Maureen with a warm smile before padding away.
Maureen positively preened, mentally adding a midwife's feather to her cap.
'Five minutes, remember,' Sister called back over her shoulder without turning around.
Shay, sitting in the chair beside Roisin's bed, was cradling his new son in his arms. He looked up at the small group with a proud dad grin plastered across his face, making them all smile right back at him.
'He's sound asleep. Rosi's already given him a feed.
' Then he looked at Maureen. 'He's perfect, absolutely perfect.
Rosi's told me she couldn't have done it without you, Maureen—any of you.
' He looked around at them all, his voice thick with emotion as he added, 'Thank you for being there when I couldn’t. '
'You don't need to thank us, Shay. We're family,' Maureen said as he passed the sleeping bundle into her waiting arms. 'You got your home birth all right, Rosi.'
'Just not at the right home,' Moira grinned as she, Aisling and Bronagh crowded round to coo over him. 'Mammy, I haven't had a hold of him yet.'
'Hold your horses, Moira.'
'He's got your chin, Shay,' Aisling observed.
'And Rosi's nose,' Maureen added.
'Ah bless, would you look at that tiny hand,' Bronagh clucked.
'How're you doing, love?' Maureen asked Roisin rocking the precious bundle gently.
'Well, I didn't need stitches, which I'm happy about, but I'm sore, knackered and elated all at the same time.'
Despite her obvious weariness, Roisin was bathed in the unmistakable glow of a new mother.
'You look very well, all things considered.'
‘That’s what the doctor said too, Mam. She said I had what’s called a precipitous labour and, given Luke’s hard and fast arrival, we’re both doing grand.
He’s seven pounds, eight ounces—a good weight—and the doctor reckons I got my dates wrong because he’s not early after all.
We can go home in the morning.’ She smiled across at Shay, who reached for her hand.
There was a lot of love in the room, Maureen thought, her heart swelling as she settled her grandson into his eager Aunty Moira's arms.
'But Rosi, how could you not know you were in labour?' Aisling asked. 'It's not like you haven't done it before.'
'I thought I was after having the Braxton Hicks like I did with Noah, only they were the real deal. I'd no clue until they came on something fierce after I went to the loo back at the house.' Roisin pulled a face. 'Your poor estate agent man got more than he bargained for this afternoon.'
'Don't you worry your head about him. Jeremy will be dining out on that story for years to come,' Bronagh said. 'Besides, he got a good offer on the place for his efforts. Hopefully I'll hear later whether it's been accepted.'
'That's brilliant, Bronagh!' Aisling, Roisin and Shay all spoke at once.
Maureen and Moira had already been privy to the exciting news on the drive to the hospital but nevertheless nodded enthusiastically.
Aisling gave Bronagh a squeeze. 'You're to let us know as soon as you hear, one way or the other.' Then, moving around the bed, she bent carefully to hug her sister. 'I'm so glad you're okay, Rosi. You were amazing. Shay, she was incredible.'
'Yeah, she is,' Shay agreed, his eyes soft as they rested on Roisin.
'Me too, and yeah, you were, Rosi,' Moira added her adoration for her new nephew plain to see.
Bronagh waited until Aisling had stepped back before taking her turn. Planting a kiss on Roisin's cheek, she left a lipstick mark behind. 'You're Wonder Woman, so you are, and little Luke's the bonniest little babby I've ever seen.'
Hearing someone clear their throat behind her, Bronagh quickly amended, 'Aside from Noah, Kiera, Aoife, Connor and Babby Briana, of course.'
Laughter rippled around the room, though Luke slept peacefully through every bit of it.
'So, does that mean I'm entitled to unlimited Custard Creams whenever I swing by O'Mara's?' Roisin asked, making them laugh again. She looked over at Moira. 'Why don't you let Bronagh have a hold?'
Moira reluctantly transferred Luke into Bronagh's outstretched arms. 'Here we go.'
Hearts melted at the look of sheer wonder on her face as she gazed down at the sleeping baby.
'Hello there. I'm your Aunty Bronagh, and you're a little miracle, so you are.' She looked across at Roisin and Shay. 'He's a beauty all right. Congratulations to the pair of you. He's got a very special Mammy and Daddy.' Bronagh blinked back unexpected tears.
'Ah, thanks, Bronagh,' Shay said.
Roisin echoed the sentiment with a grateful smile. 'How's Noah?' Roisin asked, looking at Maureen.
'Donal, who sends his love by the way, is heading over to Becca's—she picked Noah up after school—to collect him and tell him the happy news.
We'll bring him in after he's had his tea, in time for evening visiting hours.
And I'll phone Pat and Cindy with the good news when I get home,' Maureen said.
'Five minutes is up,' a familiar voice instructed from the doorway.
'Yes, Sister. We were just off,' Maureen assured her before mouthing to the others, 'I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her.'
There were hugs and kisses, along with lingering looks at little Luke, who was placed back in his mammy's arms before the women took their leave.
Aisling, halfway down the corridor towards the lift, suddenly had to hare back to the room to hand Shay his car keys and explain where she'd parked. 'I hope he can get his car out all right,' she said, trotting back to where the others were waiting for the lift.
'He'll be fine. It's not him that suffers from a lack of spatial awareness,' Moira replied as the lift pinged and the doors slid open.
'I'll walk home from here,' Bronagh said as they descended to the ground floor. 'It's not far.'
'Are you sure? It's no bother to drop you off,' Aisling and Moira said over the top of one another.
'I'm positive. I'd like to clear my head with a brisk walk in the fresh air.'
'Fair play,' Aisling said.
'Okay, Mammy here’s the plan,' Moira instructed as they exited the lift and headed towards the main doors. 'We'll park Rosi’s car in their drive and walk back to yours. Then, when you and Donal come back into town later with Noah, you can drop us back at O'Mara's on the way.'
'That makes sense,' Maureen agreed. 'We'll get a takeaway for our dinner to celebrate.'
Saying goodbye to Bronagh, who tugged her coat tighter and set off at a brisk pace, the three O'Mara women crossed the road to the car, bickering over whether to have Chinese, fish and chips or pizza.
The great dinner debate raged all the way back to Howth.