Epilogue 1
JAKE
Four months later
For the first time in my life, I felt nervous in front of others.
The people gathered in the living room were those closest to me.
Brian and Caitlin and their baby girl, Ella Rose, who’d been born just a month earlier.
Amy, Cal, and Henry were also here. And my mother and Julia’s were just coming in from the kitchen.
“Dinner’s about ready,” my mother announced to everyone.
“Before we eat, I’ve got something to say,” I announced. “Everyone have a drink?” People raised their glasses as they watched me closely. I noticed their gazes turning to Julia, standing next to me, as if anticipating where this was going.
In the four months since we’d committed to each other, I’d learned quite a bit about the woman I loved.
For instance, I knew she didn’t mind being the center of attention if it was a small gathering filled with people she was close to, which was why I chose to ask her a very important question in front of our families.
I turned to Julia, taking her hand in mine, and opened my mouth to speak. Before I could get a word out, she let out a cry and doubled over in pain. For a second I froze, unsure what to do, but Caitlin rushed forward.
“Are you having contractions?” she asked Julia.
Contractions? As in…the baby was coming?
“No, too soon.” Julia was struggling to catch her breath. “I think they’re just Braxton-Hicks. It’s been going on all day. That one was a lot worse, though.”
I saw Caitlin shoot a look at the other women in the room. They all moved forward, surrounding Julia and getting her to sit on the sofa.
“How many have you had?” Julia’s mother, Lisa, asked.
“I don’t know. Coming and going. It’s fine.” Julia’s voice sounded remarkably calm. “My water hasn’t broken, and I’ve got almost two weeks until my due date. This isn’t the real thing.”
Oh boy, if that contraction wasn’t real, I was frightened of what was going to happen during the actual birth.
“My water only broke with the twins, not with my other two deliveries,” Laura said. “That doesn’t always happen in advance of labor, you know.”
“I know. It’s the same with animals.” Julia was breathing easier and sitting up straighter. “See, it’s passed. We can go ahead with dinner.” She’d barely gotten the words out when another wave of pain hit. Her face turned red and sweat broke out on her forehead.
“How close together were those?” Amy asked.
“Not much more than three minutes,” Brian replied. “I don’t think there’s time to get to the hospital. I’ve been in on a few births in my line of work.”
“What?” I barked. The hospital was an hour’s drive. Surely we could… “You mean she’s going to have the baby now? Here? In the house?”
“Looks like it,” my mom said, her voice calm. “We need to get her to bed.”
I felt panic like I never had before. Julia was going to give birth at home?
I needed to take action. I yanked myself together.
“Right. Brian, go get Doc Billet. He’s the closest. And don’t drive like an old man.
Amy and Caitlin, get towels and other stuff we’ll need.
Mom, Lisa, help me get her to the bedroom. ”
I put my arm around Julia and got her to her feet.
The fact that she didn’t protest me giving orders showed how much things had changed.
We’d gotten better at reading each other.
She no longer minded when I stepped forward to take charge, if the situation called for it—and I was a lot more careful about making plans that would suit her.
“What about us?” Henry asked pointing to him and Cal.
I had no idea. I’d confessed to Julia that I’d been plotting contingencies, but this had never been one of them. “Uh, why don’t you follow me, in case we need help?” Henry nodded, his face solemn. He followed along next to us, his hands out as if he could catch her if she stumbled.
It felt like slow progress to the bedroom since we had to stop when another contraction hit her.
I wanted to carry her, but when I tried to lift her, she shook her head, and I didn’t press the issue.
When we reached the bedroom, Cal and Henry pulled the blankets back and grabbed a bunch of pillows while I got her settled on the bed.
I held her hand through another contraction.
This one was definitely more painful based on the death grip she had on my hand.
My mom and Lisa were quietly moving around the room getting things ready.
“Not what I had planned,” Julia said when she could speak again.
“It’ll be okay.” I did my best to sound reassuring, but she shot me a glance that said she knew I was faking it. “Lots of babies have been born at home.”
“That’s true,” Lisa said, coming to bathe the sweat from her daughter’s forehead with a cool cloth.
“Glad you’re here, Mom,” Julia said.
“So am I, sweetie. I can’t wait to meet my grandbaby. I just wasn’t expecting him or her to be so eager to enter the world.”
Over the next several minutes, I coached Julia on breathing through three more contractions like the classes had taught me, while my mother and hers tried to make Julia comfortable and reassure her. Finally, Brian returned with Doc Billet.
“Well, this little one is in a hurry,” the doctor said, putting down a black medical bag he’d been carrying for as long as I could remember. “Let’s take a look where we’re at.”
“You’ve delivered babies before, right, doc?” I asked.
Doc Billet eyed me. “It’s been almost ten years since my retirement, but I brought plenty of babies into the world before that, including you and your brother, young man.
” The doc adjusted Julia’s position and examined her.
I wanted to ask questions, but I kept my mouth shut, trusting in the doctor to know what was best. “Not long now. The baby is just about to crown. A couple good pushes and it’ll be over quick as can be. ”
I stayed next to Julia, rubbing her back, as Doc instructed her to push. I would have done anything to take on some of the pain she was in, but she amazed me by being totally calm and focused.
“Almost there. One more. Good, good,” Doc said, encouragingly. “And here…she is.” Just like that the baby was out, and he held up the crying infant for us to see before placing her in a towel that Lisa held open.
Doc reached for the scissors. “Okay, Dad, do you want to do the honors?”
I froze suddenly having no idea what he was talking about. Why would I need scissors? Brian clapped his hand on my back, startling me before mumbling, “Cut the damn umbilical cord.”
“Oh, right.” I took the scissors, my hand shaking, and cut where Doc pointed before Lisa stepped away with my baby.
“Is she all right?” Julia asked, showing her anxiety for the first time. I was still too stunned to say or do anything.
Doc Billet was busy checking the baby, who’d yet to stop crying. “This one has a good set of lungs on her.” He used some sort of suction on her nose that only made her cry harder, before turning back to Julia
“A bit small, but just fine other than that, I think. Grandma’s got her. So, let’s make sure you’ve passed all the afterbirth. You can hold her in a few moments.”
I had no idea how long it took or what was going on but the next thing I knew, the doctor was peeling off his gloves. Lisa placed the baby in Julia’s arms, and we got our first true look at our baby girl.
“She’s beautiful,” Julia whispered, staring down at our baby’s pink little face.
“Of course she is,” I said, recovering. “She’s ours.
” But I was bowled over by my first glimpse of my daughter.
The baby’s eyes opened briefly—they were bright blue—and seemed to look at me before closing as she snuggled into Julia’s arms. I’d thought I was prepared for this moment, but I wasn’t.
It was so much more than I’d ever expected.
I staggered back feeling as if I might pass out. “Is it hot in here all of a sudden?” I asked. Suddenly Brian and Cal were beside me, helping me sit down.
“Put your head between your legs,” Brian advised. “I had to do that after Ella was born.”
I didn’t want to do that. I needed to remain strong, but the room started to spin. Brian pushed on my back and I folded over, taking breaths that gradually got longer and steadier.
“Can we come see her?” Henry asked from the doorway where he was standing next to his mom.
“Yes, come meet Charlotte Louise Amelia Thorne,” Julia invited.
A second later, the room was crowded with our family as everyone gazed at the newborn. I had never felt such joy and pride before. One look at Julia told me that she felt the same.
Part of me wanted to put off the moment that I’d begun in the living room. I could wait and do it right, but I looked at Julia smiling down at our baby girl and realized that no moment would ever be better than this one.
I made a snap decision and pulled the engagement ring from my pocket.
A silence fell when everyone saw it, and I cleared my throat.
“I had a speech prepared, but someone stole the show. So I’m going to keep this simple.
” I took Julia’s hand in mine and focused on her.
“I love you with all my heart and will until the day I die. Will you marry me, Julia?”
“Yes,” she said, her eyes shining. “And I love you, too.”
I slipped the ring on her finger and then put my arms around her and our baby. I kissed Julia, barely aware of the congratulations from my family in the background. None of what happened today was how I’d pictured it, but it was more perfect than I could have ever dreamed.
When I looked around at the smiling faces gathered in the room, I remembered the tough times we’d faced in the past. Then I lifted my baby girl in my arms and knew that the future was bright for the Thorne family.