Chapter 35
Seven and a half months had flown by in the most beautifully painful way.
Business was thriving, gang business was moving smoothly, Remedy’s pregnancy had been healthy and full of joy but Ernie was declining.
He’d hired around the clock care, moved his bedroom to the first floor due to the falls because Ernie’s motor skills were starting to decline.
Some days all Erys had to look forward to was the birth of his son.
Fall was in full swing. The vibrant green leaves had turned hues of yellow, orange, purple, and red. The pool was covered and the heat lamps were out and stationed on the porch to keep Ernie warm while he sat in his wheelchair staring at the lake.
“You think I’m going to get in there one last time?” Ernie asked Remedy who was rubbing her belly and grunting softly.
“You know if I can find a way to get you in the boat, I will,” Erys spoke up, coming to Remedy’s side. “You good.”
“Just Braxton Hicks, I think. I’m going to use the bathroom and lay down. Good night, Ernie,” Remedy groaned, getting out of the patio chair with help from Erys. She kissed the top of Ernie’s head and he lifted a shaky hand and caressed her belly.
“My boy is on the way,” he muttered.
“Yeah, one of these days,” Remedy groaned, stopping to sway.
“Mrs. Moore,” the night aide said. “I think those are more than Braxton Hicks. Since I got here at four, those contractions have gotten closer.”
Remedy groaned. “I’m not due for another two weeks. I’m not ready. The nursery isn’t even finished yet.”
“We can handle the nursery. Erys, I’d call the doula if I were you,” she shared, observing how slow Remedy moved into the house and up the stairs. Erys followed her into the bathroom, helping her sit.
“My lower back is hurting and there’s so much pressure,” Remedy winced, resting her head on him. “I feel like I need to push.”
Erys had his phone pinched between his ear and his shoulder. The doula answered on the second ring. “Hey, Shelby, I think she’s in active labor. She says she needs to push.”
Remedy went to wipe herself. “He’s coming. I can feel his head.”
Erys put the phone down on speaker.
“Rem, you’re going to have this baby tonight. Remember what I said about getting comfortable,” Shelby’s voice was soothing.
Remedy nodded. “It hurts. This wasn’t the plan.”
“I know but babies have their own plan. And it’s okay. Erys, help her into the most comfortable position. I have most of the supplies already in the hall closet,” Shelby shared. “Clean, sterile, and comfortable.”
Remedy crawled off the toilet back into the bedroom. Erys rushed to the closet to get the mats and towels. Back inside of the bedroom, he set everything just how Shelby instructed.
“Agghhh,” Remedy moaned in pain, on all fours, rocking back and forth. “Erys, I need to push.”
Donning the gloves on his hands, he got behind her. “I’m right here, baby. Do what you need to do.”
“Remedy, I know you’re scared and that’s okay. Remember you’re strong and you’re powerful. Use that power to control your breathing,” Shelby coached.
Remedy bared into the pressure and pushed. Teeth gritting, sweat dripping and the pain of their baby crowning ripping through her body. Erys massaged her lower back while experiencing a miracle at the same time.
“You got this, Strawberry. You got it. Breathe,” he encouraged.
Remedy panted, letting the pain get to her for a moment. “I can’t.”
“You can,” both Erys and Shelby sounded off.
“Remedy, you can do anything you put your mind to. Our son needs you to lock in. I got you. I’m right here. Give me another push, baby. Can you do that for me?” Erys asked.
Remedy barely nodded, found her strength and bared into another push. “Ahhhh!!”
“There you go. Scream through it if you have to,” Shelby praised. “Erys, tell me what you see.”
“I can see the head,” he shared, assisting Remedy in her reposition. Her upper body resting on the cushions of the loveseat.
“Alright, Erys, her next push, help guide him out,” Shelby instructed. “Rem, baby, you push whenever you’re ready and not a moment sooner.”
“Where are you?” she half-whined half-cried.
“I’m ten minutes away. But until then, I’m going to need you to do what we talked about. You’re about to have a beautiful, healthy baby boy, mama. You’re in good hands. There is no one more capable than guiding this life into the world than your husband.”
Shelby’s comment hit Erys in the chest. For all the life he took, he was somehow rewarded with bringing in the next generation of the Moore lineage into the world. He looked up at his wife who was preparing herself for another push.
“I love you, Rem. You can do anything. I’ve watched you. You can do this. One last push with everything you got, okay?”
“Okay,” she whimpered. “Okay.”
Erys got as close as he could. “You ready?”
“Mmhmm,” she gritted, baring down and pushing with everything she had in her.
“Guide him, Erys,” Shelby called out.
“I got it. I got him,” Erys replied over Remedy’s loud gritting. With guidance, that was Remedy’s final push. Erys hurried and wrapped him in a sterile blanket as his cries filled the space. Erys couldn’t help but let tears of his own fall. “I got him.”
Tired, Remedy carefully turned her body around, preparing herself to receive her baby.
“Congratulations,” Shelby cheered. “Erys, keep them warm. I’m coming. Rem, you good?”
Remedy cried, holding her baby against her chest. “Yes, I’m good. I did it.”
“You did it,” Erys praised. “I’m so proud of you, baby. I’m so proud of you.”
“I couldn’t do it without you. He’s so beautiful.”
When Shelby arrived, she finished the process, cleaned up baby and mom and assisted them into the bed.
Erys stayed close, assisting Remedy with getting Heir to latch while making sure she ate some after birth soup the daytime aide made.
It was evident to everyone but Remedy and Erys that she’d been in labor and moving around the house for the last twelve hours.
“Thank you, baby,” she hummed tiredly.
“Don’t mention it. I got you.”
Shelby ensured their space was returned to normal. “If you need me at all tonight, I’ll be across the hall. Get some rest, you’ll need to feed him in another three hours, alternating breasts.”
She placed a blanket over Remedy and the baby and smiled. “You did a beautiful job today.”
“Thank you,” Erys replied, seeing that Remedy had fallen asleep. He took their son and held him close. “Hey, Heir, before you have my wife up all night, I have someone you need to meet.”
Erys carefully moved down the stairs and into Ernie’s room where he was sitting up in his chair waiting for an update. “Hey, Pop. I got someone you need to meet.”
“Is that my boy?” Ernie asked, holding his shaking limbs out.
“Yeah. Eight pounds, twelve ounces. All his fingers and toes and a set of lungs on him just like you,” Erys shared, kneeling so Ernie could receive his grandson without hazard.
Ernie looked down and grunted proudly. “I got something right. Tell your momma I’ll be up there soon. Tell her to wait on me.”
“I will,” Erys promised, watching his father hold his grandson and cry. The night time aide was sure to snap a picture of the three of them, unsure if they were going to get another moment like this.
Erys carried his son back to the bedroom, settled into the loveseat with the bassinet to his right, ready to handle the night shift so Remedy could get the rest she needed.
“Heir, you’re going to be amazing. You got a good momma, I’m cool too.
But that mother of yours, you’re going to see why her name is Remedy. She saved me. Now I know why.”