Chapter 59
Monica
T roy pulled my favorite plush blanket around me and the baby who was pressed against my chest sleeping. I smiled up at him as he tucked the sides underneath me like a cocoon. He was the one who had suggested we bring the blanket from home, the one where we had many pizza picnics and movie nights. I was so glad he did because it was a little piece of home, a place I was excited to get back to, now that our son had arrived in the world.
I looked down at him, sleeping on my chest, his perfect lips pursed as if he was about to coo. They were Troy’s lips. His hair was dark and thick and lay flat against his perfectly round head. His nose pinched up at the end, small and cute. My nose. I had never seen anything so perfect.
“We did good,” whispered Troy, rounding the hospital bed and laying his chin on my shoulder so he could admire our baby.
“We certainly did,” I whispered back.
“ You did good.”
He gently kissed my bare shoulder, and I closed my eyes at the warmth of the lips and the exhaustion that was now hitting me. It had been a long day, and when it started, I didn’t think I would end up here in the hospital. I wasn’t due for another three weeks, but clearly our baby had other plans, as he was eager to make his debut early.
After Troy had left for work this morning, I made a small cup of coffee and got ready for a meeting with my editor at the paper. As I pulled my go-to black maternity dress over my head and over my round belly, I felt a dull cramping, but didn’t think anything of it. I figured it was just the acidic coffee.
I left the apartment, which I still couldn’t believe was my home. When Troy had asked me to move in with him, I was shocked. We hadn’t been together that long, but that hadn’t stopped us from falling in love and having a baby. Things might have been a little backward, but I wouldn’t have them any other way. I eagerly accepted his invitation and somehow, he managed to have my entire life moved in the next day, without me even lifting a finger. That was the thing about Troy. He spoiled me, but even more so in pregnancy.
I greeted the doorman with a smile and a nod as he pushed the door open for me. I figured I would walk to the meeting. It was only a few blocks away, and my doctor had suggested light exercise to help with circulation. It was a beautiful fall morning, and the leaves were beginning to morph into deep shades of orange and red. I loved fall in New York. There was just something about it.
As I walked down the sidewalk, admiring other mothers who were pushing their babies in strollers, they gave me knowing smiles. It was as if to say reminiscently, “I used to be there.” I smiled back, rubbing my belly, knowing that would be me someday soon. It was everything I had ever wanted, but had pushed down because I was afraid it wasn’t going to happen for me. But then I met Troy, and all the things I used to dream about started pushing their way through the cracks of the shell I had built in myself.
I arrived at the coffee shop to find my editor already at a corner table, sipping on her usual caramel macchiato. I gave her a wave and began to make my way over, but suddenly winced at another dull cramp. She stood up, looking concerned and helped me to sit down.
“Are you okay?” she asked, studying my face.
“Mhmm. I don’t think baby liked this morning’s coffee.”
She nodded warily before sitting across from me. I ordered a glass of water and a raspberry Danish, hoping it would settle my stomach.
“Well, Monica…” my editor said with a slow smile spreading across her lips.
“Sarah…” I said curiously, nibbling on the Danish.
“I have some exciting news.”
“Really? What is it?” I sat up a little straighter in my seat.
“You’ve been writing for us for a little while now. You’ve built a hefty fanbase who buys our paper solely because of your short stories.”
“Mhmm…”
“And I know your previous publisher cut ties a few months ago.”
I nodded, remembering the call from my agent. I knew it was coming. I hadn’t written anything new in almost a year, and her patience, along with my publisher’s, had grown thin. They had to let me go. It had been a blow, but it was understandable.
“Well, there is another publisher, a big one, that wants to sign you.”
“Wh-what?” I exclaimed.
“They want to publish all of your short stories in a coffee table style book.”
“Oh, my gosh,” I squealed. “Sarah! This is amazing!”
She smiled at me. “I thought so, too.”
I pushed back from the table, and stood up, eager to give her a hug, but stopped short when I felt a burst of water between my legs, splashing onto the wood floor below me.
“Oh, my God!” I said loudly, putting my hands to my face as I looked down at the puddle below me.
“Monica! We have to get you to the hospital!” said Sarah, rounding the table and putting her arm around me. She threw cash on the table and led me outside to the curb. She shot up her hand and frantically waved down a cab. On the cab ride to the hospital, Sarah called Troy’s office to let him know what was going on.
Eight hours later, he was here with me in the low glow of the hospital lamp, the sky darkening outside reminding us how much had changed within a day. While we were in the thick of labor, it felt like time was moving slowly and quickly all at once. The nurse was coaching me as I pushed for what felt like the hundredth time, and Troy held my hand the entire time, stroking the back of my hand with his thumb. He had been so calm, so confident. My teammate.
It wasn’t until our son let out his first cry that I saw something beautifully break inside of Troy. I swore I fell even more in love with him in that moment. He was a father. I knew right then he would be a good one. All of his fears could subside, and I hoped they would. I hoped he could see himself how I saw him.
“So, what should we name him?” asked Troy, looking down at our baby in my arms.
His eyes fluttered open for a moment before he stretched his little arms out and settled back against my chest, making a grumpy little face. I laughed softly. We hadn’t really talked much about names. We had decided to wait and figured we could decide on a name once we officially met the baby. Now that I looked down at him, and saw so much of Troy in him, a name came to mind.
“What about Troy Jr.?” I asked, looking up at Troy.
His eyes widened slightly and he repeated the name back, as if trying it out on his tongue. Without saying anything, I knew it meant everything to him. I could see it in the way his eyes glassed over as he stared down at his son.
“We could call him T.J. for short,” I said.
All he could do was nod as he reached out and ran his fingers through the soft, dark hair of our beautiful baby boy.
“T.J.,” he whispered. “I love it.”
“Me too.”
He leaned in and kissed me, before giving T.J. a kiss on the cheek. We stayed there for a while, just admiring our baby boy, completely in awe of every movement, every facial expression. We were completely enamored by him.
At around midnight, my hunger caught up with me, and my stomach grumbled loudly. Loud enough for Troy to notice and for little T.J. to stir in his sleep.
“I’m hungry too,” said Troy with a smile. “Why don’t I go down to the cafeteria and get us some dinner?”
“Yes, please.”
“Be right back. I want cuddles from this guy when I get back,” he said, pointing at the bundle wrapped in blankets in my arms.
“You’ve got it.”
I watched Troy walk out the door and settled back into the hospital bed, getting comfortable as exhaustion joined my feeling of hunger. There was a soft knock at the door. I invited whoever was there into the room, assuming it was one of the nurses. I was happily surprised when I saw Heart standing in the doorway, holding a bouquet of flowers and a plush elephant.
“Heart!” I said in surprise. “How did you…”
“Troy called. He said you would want your best friend here.”
I smiled to myself. Of course, he did.
“Come here. Come meet T.J.” I said, waving her over.
She placed the bouquet and elephant on a nearby table and walked over. She looked down at him and put her hands to her mouth.
“Oh, Monica. He’s perfect.” Her eyes welled with tears.
T.J.’s eyes fluttered open and he looked up at her with his gray eyes. He stretched his legs and arms, but didn’t go back to sleep. I held him up for her to take him, which she did so eagerly. She cradled him in her arms and didn’t tear her eyes away from him for a long few minutes.
“I can’t believe you’re a mom,” she whispered.
“I know.” I shook my head in disbelief.
“And I can’t believe how freaking cute he is.”
“I know.”
“Who would have thought our lives would turn out like this?” she asked, looking at me as she rocked T.J. in her arms.
“Not me.” I laughed softly.
“Bridgette has a playmate now.”
“Or a boyfriend.” I winked.
“Are you already marrying off our son?” asked Troy from the doorway, holding a large tray of food.
We laughed as he brought the food over and set it on the hospital bed. He gave Heart a hug, and I realized they had never officially met until now. It was a special sight to see the man that I loved and my best friend embrace, especially at such a special time in my life.
“Now that you two have officially met…” I smiled between them before looking down at the tray. “What did you get me?”
Troy chuckled as he lifted the silver lids from the plates, revealing a cheeseburger and fries, two slices of pepperoni pizza, and a bowl of spaghetti. My stomach grumbled hungrily at the sight of everything.
“I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I kind of got a little bit of everything.” He shrugged. “There is a chocolate chip cookie buried in there somewhere.”
“This is perfect.”
I picked up a slice of pizza and took a big bite before handing him the other slice. Heart had no problem cradling T.J. while Troy and I scarfed down the entire tray of food. Between bites, we told Heart all about my water breaking and my labor and delivery.
Once we were finished, Heart said her goodbyes. She handed T.J. to Troy, who nuzzled T.J.’s soft head of hair before taking a seat next to me on the bed. I could hardly tear my eyes away from the sight before me. My two boys. They held my whole heart.
“Parenthood looks good on you two,” said Heart with a wink, before walking out the door.
I had to agree.