Page 84 of Do It Yourself
Standing, I wrap my arms around Mabel. Kissing the top of her head, I pull the ring out of the box and slip it onto her finger. It’s a simple sunburst diamond with a white gold band. “It’sperfect.” Mabel looks up at me in awe, a giant smile tugging at her lips. I can’t stop myself from kissing her again.
I need the reassurance of her lips on mine, her warm body pressed against me. It feels like this is all too good to be true.
I’m overwhelmed holding her in my arms, my ring on her finger and her family surrounding us. Warren Farms has always been my sanctuary but my heart, my soul, my home is in my arms.
“You’re perfect. Thank you for making my dreams come true.”
My hand lowers to rest on her growing stomach, our boy kicking in agreement.
Epilogue
MABEL
Ijump awake, gasping and doing my best to take a deep breath from the oxygen mask affixed to my face. Panic shoots through me and I start taking gulping breaths.
“Mama, you’re okay. You don’t have to play catch up.” Jude’s warm hand closes around mine and it’s like his touch returns all logic back to my exhausted brain.
My cheeks burn with embarrassment and I let out a groan of frustration. “Why do I keep doing that?” Jude, the useless brat, just chuckles at my annoyance with myself.
“Babe, your body’s doing so much work right now. It’s okay for your brain to take a second to catch up.”
Grumbling at his logic, I rub the sleep from my eyes. Jude presses a kiss to the side of my head and offers me some water. “Do you want a popsicle or some broth?” Stuck on a clear liquid diet has been hard. Correction, being in labor is hard.
“No, ugh, I think I need to reposition again.”
Not being allowed to lay on my back with the epidural in my back, I’ve had to routinely rotate which side I’m laying on. If I don’t, the pain killers start to wear off on one side and these contractions are a bitch.
Jude reaches out and presses the call button for the nurse, letting me know that I’m needing some assistance. Jude has been a rockstar throughout all of this. I definitely cursed him out before I got my epidural and his hand still has indents from my fingernails digging in.
The nurse joins us, helping me rearrange to a new, slightly less uncomfortable position and asks me the same questions they ask me every time they join me in the room. “Do you feel like you need to poop?” I take a moment before answering, doing my best to take an accurate account of how my body feels.
Achy.
The answer is achy everywhere.
I shake my head and take another sip of water, the nurse checks the machines and starts to walk out of the room when I’m hit with a new pressure that feels a lot like I need to go to the bathroom.
“Oh, wait!”
The nurse spins on her heel with a smile. I know she literally just asked me and has literally had her fingersinside of mebut it was hard to push down the embarrassment of admitting I could feel an intense pressure.
Bless this nurse for not making me say it. “How about I do another quick check to see where you’re at?” I nod and reach out for Jude’s hand. He gives me a reassuring squeeze, keeping eye contact with me as the nurse takes a look under the hood.
“Oh boy, ten centimeters. It’s baby time!”
My heart falls out of my butt, looking at Jude his face has paled. The look of shock on his face pulls me out of my own shock. The nurse starts to tell us about how she’s going to break down the bed and do some practice pushes while we wait for the doctor to show up. “Dad, you wanna hold a leg?”
Jude swallows hard but he nods, even though it’s pretty jerky.
Once I’ve assumed the position, the legs start a countdown and guide me to push just like I was going to the bathroom. “Deep breath. Ten, nine, eight…” I put all I can into pushing. Once we hit zero, I throw my head back and start to gag.
“Let’s go again. Ten…make sure you’re breathing Mama.” I grind my jaw to keep the snarky comment from lashing out. I’m sure she means well. I take a deep breath, a glance at Jude sends a jolt of worry through my body.
“Dad, are you doing okay?” A nurse walks over to Jude, who’s whiter than a sheet and swaying on his feet.
Jude offers a very shaky nod, “Uh, yeah, maybe I should have some juice or something.” He starts to take a step away from my bed but the nurse standing next to him stops him. “I’ll grab the juice, why don’t you have a seat by Mom’s head?” A chair materializes at my side.
Once Jude’s color has returned, we get back to the main event. Jude stays at my shoulder, pressing a cool cloth to my head between counts of ten. It feels like I’m pushing is never going to end, I’m exhausted and begging Jude to be done. My gentle giant whispers sweet nothings into my ear.
