Epilogue Two
THEO
“You are so lucky there are no stairs in this house,” Caleb huffs out as he holds the other end of the box as I walk backward into the room.
“If it’s any consolation prize”—we set the box down with the others in the middle of the room—“I’ll return the favor when it’s your turn.” I point to him. “Remember, you have stairs.”
“Thanks for that,” he mumbles. “I’m assuming you want help putting all of this together?” He puts his hands on his hips, looking at the twenty or so boxes that need to be opened and assembled.
“I can do it.” I scan the room. “Of course, if you have time and want to hang around and help, I won’t say no.”
“I’m doing this for Collins, not for you.” He opens the nearest box. “How many things did you buy?”
“A crib, a dresser, a hutch, a bookcase, a rocking chair,” I tell him as he pulls out an assembly manual. “Oh, and one of those toy chests.”
“Should be easy enough,” he says, flipping the pages. I get started on the crib. “Where is Collins anyway?”
“She said she had to go run errands. I didn’t tell her what we were getting or that it was arriving today.”
“She didn’t choose this stuff?” He starts sliding out boards, organizing them in stacks.
“No, I wanted to surprise her.”
“You wanted to surprise her by choosing the nursery?” he asks, balking at me. “Dude, are you insane? That’s like, like picking out her wedding dress.”
“It is not.” I roll my eyes, and now I have to wonder if he’s got a point. “I told her I was getting something for the baby.”
“Yes, but did she say, ‘Hey, you should get the crib’?”
“No, she said she already bought a bassinet, and . . .” I trail off. “Well, she did ask where we should keep the clothes, but maybe . . .”
“He’s getting this now, that he fucked up.” Caleb laughs. “Good news is, it’s here, and we’ll have it done in no time.”
“Why didn’t she talk to me about a crib and stuff?” I ask nervously.
“Maybe she thought you didn’t want it in the house.”
I scoff at him. “Why would I not want it in the house? We had the baby shower, and we got all the other things.”
“Yeah, but the nursery set—I don’t know—it’s sort of a big deal.
” He’s already put together the frame on the dresser and slides the first drawer in before starting on the next one.
“Maybe I’m wrong.” He takes his phone from his back pocket.
“I’m calling Sierra,” he informs me right before she answers.
“Hey, baby,” he says with a smile, “quick question for you.”
“Great,” she retorts on speakerphone, sounding annoyed, “I love this part of the day.”
“On a scale from one to ten, how pissed would you be if I chose our baby’s furniture without you?” She immediately starts laughing. “That’s not even an answer.”
“Minus,” she snaps. “Whatever it is, it would be minus a thousand.”
“Thought so.” There’s too much glee in his voice. “Theo—”
“He didn’t!” she gasps.
“It’s a surprise,” I defend myself as I hear the front door open.
“Hey,” Collins calls, “we’re home.”
“Caleb,” Sierra whispers, “run!”
He disconnects the call and looks around. “Can I make it out the window? It’s not that high.” The contemplation is written all over his face. His eyes are moving from the door to the window and back again.
“Hello?” Collins says from the kitchen.
“In here,” I answer, and Caleb’s eyes go big.
“I’m going to hide in the closet.” He opens the doors, but there is so much clothing in there that he won’t fit. “This kid has more clothes than I do.” He looks left and right.
“Hello.” Our heads swivel toward the door, where Collins stands, wearing a pair of yoga pants and one of my big T-shirts. It’s the only thing she wears these days. She rubs her belly as she looks at the dresser, and then her eyes go to the crib.
“What is all this?” She walks into the room.
“I’m going to go,” Caleb announces, kissing her cheek as he slips past. “You look like you’re going to pop any minute now.”
“Thanks,” Collins mutters, “you are the fourth person to tell me that today.”
“Well, I’ll let myself out.”
Collins makes her way to the long dresser, and her hands roam over the maple-colored top.
“If you don’t like it,” I start, “we can—”
“It’s so pretty,” she whispers. “I just . . .” She walks to the crib that I just finished putting up. “I thought maybe you didn’t want to get anything yet.”
“What?” my voice rises. “Why would you even think that?”
“I told you we should get a crib, and you kept telling me there was time.”
I run my hands through my hair. “Fuck, I should have—” My feet move me to her. “I wanted it to be a surprise. I sent Carl the plans for what I wanted, and he was having trouble sourcing the right color.”
“You planned all of this?” she asks. “You aren’t having cold feet?”
“Having cold feet,” I repeat, and I want to kick my own ass. “Are you?”
And then it happens. The sound of water splashing on the floor.
“Oh my—I think my water just broke.”
I step back. “You think, or did you maybe pee yourself?”
“I didn’t pee myself, Theo. It’s . . .” She looks down. “It’s happening.”
“Okay.” The panic starts to seep through me. “Shit.” I look around. “The bedding isn’t here yet. I have to do the toy chest, but Carl wants to do the baby’s initials on the top.” I start to pace. “And the rocking chair isn’t done.”
“Theo,” she holds her stomach, “I think I’m having a contraction.”
“Oh my—” I pull out my phone. “I just downloaded the app. It’s a contraction tracker.”
“Theo,” she grits her teeth, “not now.”
“But this will tell us how close the contractions are.”
She turns and walks out. I follow her through our bedroom to the bathroom. She opens the glass shower door, turns on the water, and then looks down at her stomach.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to hop into the shower quickly, and then we can go.”
“What?” I shriek so loud my own ears hurt. “No!”
“Theo, my water just broke, and I’m a first-time mom. We could be at this stage for hours.” She closes her eyes.
“I’m going to start the timer,” I declare as she holds her stomach. “You need to tell me when it’s done.”
She opens one eye and glares at me. “I’m concentrating.”
“Can you concentrate and walk to the truck?” I pull up the text thread I created with my parents and Caleb, as well as with her best friend, Finley.
Me:
Baby is coming. Water just broke.
My phone rings immediately, and I put it on speakerphone. “Hey.”
“When did her water break?” my father asks. I can tell he’s running.
“About three minutes ago, and she’s had two contractions since then.”
“You logged it on the app?” I smirk at her as she peels off her shirt.
“Do not get in the shower. We have to go.”
“Why is she getting in the shower?” my father asks. He’s freaking out a bit more than I am. Which, on any given day, would make me laugh, since with his job, he stays calm, cool, and collected.
“Yes, let’s ask her,” I stare at Collins. “Why are you getting in the shower?”
“Okay, we’re on our way,” he states. “Should be there in a couple of hours.”
“Take your time,” Collins says as I disconnect.
“I don’t know how you’re so calm. I’m like one second away from having a complete freak-out.”
“Can you not? I’m trying not to freak out now.” Her voice is a whisper. “I’m scared.” The tears now fall from her eyes. “I’m so scared. I don’t think I can do this.”
I hold her face in my hands. “Baby, you’re the bravest woman I’ve ever met.” I smile at her. “You are kind and generous.” I kiss her lips. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.” My thumbs catch her tears. “I want our baby to have your eyes.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“I know you’re doing a lot for us right now. You know, carrying the baby and all that. But can you do one more thing for me?” I bite my teeth together. “Put your shirt on and let’s get to the hospital so we can meet our baby.”
“Okay.” I help her put the shirt on and get her outside. She has to stop twice for her contractions, and I don’t have any time to put it in the app.
When we show up at the hospital, she’s starting to cry out with each contraction.
It goes so fast; she’s five centimeters dilated when we get there, and they don’t have any time to do anything.
She’s in tears by the time the doctor comes in, and I’m one second away from tearing my hair out of my head.
I’m trying to calm myself down. The last thing she needs is for me to freak out and focus on myself instead of her.
“Time to push,” Dr. Louis says. “It’s going to be someone’s birthday soon.” She looks at me. “How about you get by her head?” She gets in between her legs. “Okay, for the next contraction,” she tells Collins, “I’m going to want you to push.”
“No.” She shakes her head, the pain etched on her face. “It’s too much.”
I grab her hand. “Look at me, baby.” I put my arm around the top of her head. “You got this. I would do this for you, but you have to do it. She needs you to do this for her.”
“I can’t,” she croaks. “Stop saying it’s a her when you don’t know that.”
Dr. Louis ignores her protests. “Okay, Collins, let’s get this baby out.”
Collins pushes for thirty-nine minutes. It’s the longest and shortest time of my life.
“One more,” Dr. Louis urges. “Her shoulders are almost out.” Collins bears down and pushes.
The next thing I know, I hear, “Meet your baby,” as the doctor places the tiniest, most perfect little one on Collins’s chest.
Tears are leaking down my face as Collins wraps her arms around the baby and sobs. “I love you so much,” she says to our child.
I put my head to hers and wrap both of them in my arms.
“I love you so much.” I kiss her head. “You’re a fucking rock star.”
“Well, you two,” Dr. Louis says, “you have a girl.”
“I knew it,” I declare. “And she’s beautiful like her mom. The best mom she could ever have.”
“Thank you, baby girl,” Collins coos softly, “for choosing me to be your mom.” She smiles as she cries. “I won’t let you regret it.” She kisses her forehead as our baby just blinks and looks at both of us. “Rose.” She turns to me, saying, “Can we name her Rose?”
“Whatever you want, baby,” I softly kiss her lips, “whatever you want.”
I always thought I knew what my purpose in life was. I was wrong. Standing here right now, looking at the woman who came into my life one night by accident and now has a hold of my heart so strong. I don’t think I could breathe without her in my life.
She has now given me the greatest gift that I will ever receive: our daughter.
“Rose,” I say her name, and she opens her mouth as if she’s about to answer me but then closes her lips. “My two girls.” My heart soars in my chest. “I’ll be falling for you two every day of my life.”