30. Epilogue
Lightning shoots down my spine, and constricts my stomach, jolting me awake.
I lay in bed, trying to get comfortable when a few minutes later the lightning strikes again.
I shake Viktor awake. “Viktor, Viktor! It’s time!”
He shoots straight up in the bed. “What?”
“Baby is coming!” I swing my legs over the side of the bed as another contraction hits, halting any movements I was making.
Viktor is on the phone, calling William who insisted on being the one to drive us to the hospital.
“Okay, we need to pack, we need to call Joy and your parents, and my parents. We’ll need snacks, and do you want -”
I stand, stopping his crazed running around the room. “Viktor. The bags are packed, and we aren’t telling anyone until the baby is already born. I just need you to get the- aaahhhh!”
He reaches out to catch me when my knees weaken from the pain. “What can I do?” He’s switched from panic to care.
“I just need to get downstairs to William. And I need you to get the bags.”
He nods, grabbing the bags I have set by the door. I follow him, waddling to the elevator. Reaching for Viktor as another contraction hits, I’m grateful to have made it to the elevator before the doors closed.
“You are doing great, Skatten Min. Just a few more minutes.”
“Call… the… hospital…” I grit out through the pain.
Right as the elevator doors open I spot William pulling up to the curb. Thank god.
He rushes through the doors to the lobby, taking my arm as Viktor is on the phone with the hospital letting them know that we are on the way and has his hands full with the bags.
William makes it to the hospital in record time.
Aksel Karlsen makes his appearance after seventeen hours, and I couldn’t be more in love. His little button nose, and those tiny fingers and toes are just the sweetest thing I could have ever laid eyes on. And after seventeen hours I needed something sweet to pull me through that labor.
He was born at nine pounds, and six ounces, measuring twenty two inches long. He’s one hundred percent Karlsen in his size.
We gave him a strong Norwegian name, meaning unity of families. And it couldn’t be more fitting as all four of his grandparents dote on him. We were so grateful that Aksel’s grandparents were able to get on the next flight out of Norway to be here on the day we came home from the hospital.
His Bestemor has him outside in his bassinet, napping on the balcony in the fresh air. Another Norwegian tradition is to let babies sleep outdoors as much as possible. Something I think is beneficial to everyone, especially considering the touch of jaundice he was sent home with.
Before the pediatrician could tell us to sit outside for a few minutes a day, Viktor was already telling me that it would go away in just a few days sitting in the sun, a common practice in Norway.
I’m enjoying my protein shake from Joy on the couch while watching our moms love on this little boy, and my heart feels like bursting.
“Let’s get married while your parents are here,” I say suddenly .
“Where would you like to get married?” Viktor already has his phone out, ready to make any wish I have come true.
He has been the perfect example of a doting father and partner throughout this first week with Aksel home. I never do a nighttime feeding alone, and I never lift a finger if I have the baby in my arms. I’m stocked up on all my favorite books, and he created a list on each streaming service with all my favorite shows so I don’t have to search for them at three in the morning.
“Here. I just want us and our parents with Aksel. Is that okay?”
“If you’re my wife at the end of the day, I’m ok with anything you want.” He comes over to sit next to me, wrapping his arm around me. “We can go get the marriage license this afternoon, I’m sure Aksel will have plenty of willing babysitters.”
I cuddle into him, “I don’t think we’ll have a problem.”
Together we continue to watch our baby getting more love than anyone can hold.
A year ago, I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined how good my life could be. And now here I am, living a dream life I never saw as a possibility. Settling was the only thing I ever saw for my future, but now, I wish I could go back and tell young Calliope that the love waiting for her is so great, it’ll rival any love story she’s ever read.
And that she’s going to live a greater fairytale.