Epilogue 1
Leon
Several Months Later
Sharp, shattered cries echo around the white room—the best sound I’ve ever heard.
“You have a healthy baby girl,” Katya’s nurse announces, lifting our screaming and slippery daughter out from between my wife’s legs. She’s red and covered with white waxy stuff and tiny streaks of blood from being born, but she’s alive and she’s fucking perfect.
Katya sobs as the baby makes it onto her chest, wiggling a bit until her mommy’s arms are around her to keep her steady.
Her legs are shaking with adrenaline as she cries, sweat coating the hair that frames her face.
It was a long and painful labor for Katya, especially since her epidural provided her barely any relief.
A maddening reality that apparently can happen to some laboring mothers.
Still, she took it like a champ, bearing down and gritting her teeth through the worst bits while still breathing as much as possible.
It was horrifying to see her in so much pain, and yet incredible to see her be so strong.
I wasn’t in the room for Bastian’s birth until he came out and was wrapped in a tiny blanket, so this wild and raw experience of being here every step of the way is a first for both of us.
“Oh my God,” my wife croaks, tears streaming down her face as she looks from our baby over to me. “She’s so tiny.”
“Tiny and loud,” I chuckle, feeling my eyes sting as I take in the moment. Kissing her damp brow, I try to keep it together for her sake and for my own pride’s sake. “She’s got a set of lungs on her.”
“Kicking and screaming is exactly what you want to see and hear,” Doc informs us with a grunt.
We ended up opting for him to deliver our girl just like he delivered all three of Jade’s babies.
We’re in the hospital rather than at home, though, and we have a whole team of female nurses assigned to help take care of Katya and our daughter. “Want to cut the cord?”
He extends a small, sterile pair of scissors out to me and I take the offering, wanting to be able to do this for my girl.
Doc moves to the side of Katya’s bed, clamping the cord with a plastic clip to prevent any bleeding and shows me where to snip.
It’s over in seconds, and he nods, letting me know that it was done well.
“You’re going to pass the placenta in a minute here,” her nurse says, pulling me out of the moment. “We can wash her up and swaddle her right over there if you want.” Pointing toward the sink and table area of the room, she waits for a response without pressuring us either way.
“Should we?” Katya asks, looking unsure. “Rayna kept Vaughn unwashed for a while because the white stuff is good for their skin. But what if she’s cold?”
“Whatever we do is going to be okay, baby,” I tell her carefully, kissing her head again. “There’s no wrong answer.”
“We can rinse her off without rubbing the vernix, the white stuff,” the nurse provides helpfully. “And we can wrap her to keep her warm and after an hour or so we can clean her more thoroughly, if you prefer that.”
“Yes,” Katya decides quickly this time. “That, please.” Glancing up at me, she gives me a pleading look. “Go with her. Keep her safe so I can stay here without freaking out that she isn’t in my arms.”
“Of course, my love.”
Things happen pretty quickly from then on.
The afterbirth comes easily for my wife, no pain and only some slight discomfort as she passes it.
Our baby girl is placed back into her arms wrapped in a pink swaddle, and the nurses were able to weigh her and check her vitals before rinsing her off.
There were no concerns with her small checkup and the news is relieving for both me and Katya to hear.
“She’s six pounds exactly,” I report once Katya has gotten more comfortable, our little girl snuggled right on her chest. “A tiny little thing, but mighty.”
“Perfect,” my wife declares, gently pressing her lips to our daughter’s forehead. “She has the wispiest blonde hair, I wonder if it’s going to fall out.”
“It’ll grow back if it does,” I assure her, squeezing her hand in mine. “You did so fucking good, baby. I know I told you about a hundred times while you were going through it but I was too stunned to repeat it when you finished. I’m in awe of you, Katya. I love you so fucking much.”
Fresh tears squeeze out the side of her eyes and she licks her dry lips. “I couldn’t have done it without you. You made me feel so strong, being here with me for every second of it. Even when I yelled at that poor nurse to get her fucking hands off me. She was just trying to help, why’d I do that?”
Her lip juts out and she pouts, disapproving of her behavior.
Chuckling quietly, I shake my head. “Baby, I promise you she didn’t mind. She’s probably been cussed at way worse by laboring mothers. She was plotting your forehead with cold water when a contraction started, you just got overwhelmed.”
Still looking dissatisfied, she harrumphs. “Okay, fine, but we have to send her a gift basket to apologize.”
“We can send her three gift baskets if it’ll make you feel better.”
“Yeah, okay.” She perks up, looking back down at our sweet girl who’s beginning to scrunch up her face like she might fuss. “I can’t believe she’s finally here. I’ve been feeling her inside me for so long and now she’s just here. I think she might need to try some milk.”
Katya looks a bit unsure as she raises the point, looking at me for a confirmation.
“She’ll want a little bit within the first hour, so you can definitely try if you think it’s time,” I say with a nod. “Do you want the nurses to help?”
“Maybe just one?”
“You got it, my love.”
Twenty minutes later, Katya’s first time breastfeeding has been completed.
It was a little bit of a learning process to get her latched, but the anatomy was compatible and my wife’s supply came in without trouble.
We think we’re going to do breast milk and formula, but it all depends on how well things go as we get further along into the process.
Newborn days can be grueling in the beginning, and it helps that we have plenty of support around.
“She did so good.” Her praise is whispered, staying quiet as our baby girl falls asleep post-feeding. The nurse has left us again, but will be back to check on us soon, making sure to stay close by in case we have questions.
“You made that happen, baby,” I tell her fiercely.
“You created a whole fucking life with nothing but your body and then you fed her from your body too. Look at how healthy she is, all because of you.” I can’t help but marvel at the miracle that my wife is.
Growing a whole damn person in their bodies like some kind of magical creature.
Women as a species are too good for this world.
“How are you feeling? Do you want to eat anything? You said you were hungry at hour twelve.” Nearly seven hours ago.
“Ugh, food would be so nice.” She sighs, almost moaning as she thinks about it.
“I want to get cleaned up a little bit before we bring the boys in, though. Can you put her in the little bassinet and hand me my bag? I miss them but Bastian will probably freak out if he comes in here and finds me all pale and clammy.”
Good idea.
I think she looks stellar, like a fucking warrior queen, but Bastian worries so much for her and neither of us want him to be frightened for any reason.
Getting refreshed doesn’t take long with my help, and soon, she’s ready for visitors.
Just the bare minimum, of course. I refuse to let my big-ass family swarm us on day one, only an hour after she’s pushed a whole baby out of her vagina.
They can come by when she’s well rested, well fed, and comfortable enough to see more than a few people.
My dad leads our boys into the room, each of them holding one of his hands until they spot their mother and take off running.
“Mommy,” Leo whisper-shouts, likely watching his volume because my father told him to. “You have a baby? You all done now?”
Katya’s mother laughs at his question, dabbing the corner of her eyes with a tissue as she comes into the room behind my father.
Helping Bastian and Leo up onto her bed so they don’t accidentally hurt her, I watch with pride as they hug her as carefully and as slowly as kids their age can possibly manage.
“I did have a baby,” she finally answers, breathing them both in. “You two have a tiny baby sister now.”
“So we go home now?” Leo asks excitedly.
Smiling at his enthusiasm, Katya kisses his head before replying.
“No, sweet boy, not yet. Mommy and Baby Sister have to stay here for a couple days just to make sure we stay happy and healthy for now. Remember Daddy told you that having a baby is very tiring for Mommy? And hard work for the little baby too?”
“Ooooo.” He looks somehow floored by the information and like he’s recalling being told that before.
“Hi, Mama,” my wife says with a small crack in her voice, smiling as her mother sits by the side of the bed.
“How are you, my sweet girl?”
“Tired and hungry,” she quips, laughing a little at her own reply. “But so happy.”
“You okay, Mommy?” Bastian asks, holding her arm as if to ground himself in the moment.
“I’m amazing.” Kissing his head, she sighs happily. “Especially now that my favorite boys are here. I missed you both so much, did you miss me too?”
Of course, they both jump at the chance to tell her yes.
I can’t even complain that they don’t mention missing me too. They’re far too focused on their mother and I can’t blame them. Katya is the star of this show. And every moment of our lives, really.
“Do you want to meet your sister?” I ask, leaning over the small bed on wheels that she’s resting in. “You have to be very quiet because she’s been sleeping, okay?”
Both of them vow their agreement in a whisper, and Katya’s mom lets out a little gasp as I pick up our daughter. Passing her off to my wife, I let her hold our girl so the boys can get a close look, and she can be in the moment with them.