Chapter 4 #3
“Everything’s going to be fine, Sydney,” Victoria said, praying that was true. “Focus on breathing. Deep breath in. Hold it. Now let it out.” She walked her through several more deep breaths before Sydney tensed with the start of the next contraction. “Okay, let’s do it.”
She’d pushed twice by the time David and Katie arrived.
“We’re almost there,” Victoria told them. “One more big push, Syd.”
With Luke’s arms around her, Sydney screamed as she pushed her daughter into the world.
Victoria held her up for her parents to see.
“Oh, Syd,” Luke said. “Look at her!”
The baby let out an indignant cry, her face turning red with the rage of being disturbed.
Victoria quickly cut the cord and turned the baby over to David so she could focus on Syd.
“Is she okay?” Luke asked.
“She’s perfect,” David said. “What’s her name?”
“Lillian Alice Harris,” Sydney said as tears ran down her face, “after Luke’s mom and mine. We’re going to call her Lily.”
“What a beautiful name,” Victoria said.
“My parents are going to be so bummed that they missed this,” Syd said. “They’re in Wisconsin until next week. So much for their plan to be back for my due date.”
“They’ll be thrilled to hear she’s safely arrived and it all went well,” Luke said.
“Yes, they will.”
David brought the baby to her elated parents and put her in Sydney’s arms.
These were the moments that made Victoria’s professional life so very rewarding.
She found herself wiping away tears right along with Sydney and Luke, which wasn’t uncommon.
After spending nearly a year tending to her moms—and their nervous partners—it was always an emotional moment to welcome a new baby, especially one like Lily, who truly was a miracle.
“She’s so beautiful, Syd,” Luke said. “Just like her mother.”
“She looks like you,” Syd said.
“No way. God wouldn’t be that mean to her.”
Everyone laughed.
“She should be so lucky to look like her gorgeous daddy,” Syd said, gazing at the baby with amazement and joy that had been a very long time coming.
“Does Syd need to go to the clinic?” Luke asked.
“If you don’t mind if I stick around for a couple of hours to keep an eye on both your ladies, they should be able to stay here,” Victoria said.
“That’s totally fine with us,” Luke said.
“I need to get back to the clinic,” David said. “We’re having a regular baby boom around here.”
“We heard Tiffany and Jenny had their babies, too,” Luke said.
“I see a big first birthday party in our future a year from now,” Katie said.
“I can’t believe she’s finally here,” Sydney said, staring at her daughter.
Luke kept his arms around Syd as she relaxed against him.
Victoria left the room to give them a few minutes alone.
Katie had already left, but David lingered.
“Did you get a chance to talk to Shannon?”
Victoria shook her head. “It was so late when I got home. I didn’t want to get into it then. Hopefully, we’ll have time to talk later.”
“We should be out of the baby delivery business for a while now.”
“Let’s hope so. Three in twenty-four hours is a new record.”
“One I hope we don’t beat any time soon.” He squeezed her arm. “Call me if you need me—for anything.”
“I will. You guys will take care of my appointments today?”
“We’ve got you covered.”
Her absence would make for a busy day for David and Katie, but they could handle the extra appointments.
“Did Tiffany and Jenny have a good night?”
“The babies were up and down, but overall, everyone got some sleep. I’m going to send them all home today.”
“Sounds good. Tell them I’ll see them in six weeks or sooner if need be.”
“Will do.” He paused on his way out the door. “So this isn’t the time or the place, but Daisy will kill me if I don’t get this taken care of.”
“Get what taken care of?” Victoria asked, looking up at him in confusion.
“I was supposed to ask you two weeks ago if you’d be in our wedding.”
“For real?”
“Yes, for real,” he said with exasperation and laughter. “You’re one of my best friends and—”
Victoria hurled herself at him, taking him by surprise.
Luckily, he recovered and caught her before they landed on the floor. “Is that a yes?” he asked, laughing.
“Yes! I’d love to be in your wedding. You’re one of my best friends, too. Am I a groomsman or a bridesmaid?”
“Bridesmaid,” he said. “You’d look silly in a tux.”
“No, I wouldn’t. I could totally rock a tux.”
“I’ll let you work that out with Daisy,” he said, cuffing her chin on the way out the door.
“David?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for asking me. Means a lot.”
“Thanks for saying yes.”
Victoria smiled and waved as he headed for the driveway.
She was so happy for him and Daisy. After the guilt and recriminations he’d suffered through after his engagement to Janey had ended in dramatic fashion after she caught him in bed with another woman, David had worked hard to turn his life around.
He’d been so happy since he’d fallen in love with Daisy, and Victoria couldn’t wait to dance at their wedding.
While she was truly happy for her friends, she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever get to dance at her own wedding.