“Go ahead.” Dom jutted out his jaw and tapped it. “I’ve seen you fight.”
“Are you two being serious right now?” Mia asked them. “In a hospital? When I’m about to give birth?” They muttered apologies to her before she settled back against the bed, a look of discomfort washing over her features before it passed.
“How are you feeling?” Lydia joined me by the wall, watching the three of them.
“Honestly?”
“Of course.”
“Scared,” I admitted quietly as Mia tipped her head back and laughed at something Dante said, her previous irritation vanishing as quickly as it came. I was grateful to my brother for easing Mia’s fears by helping to distract her from the fact that she was on the verge of giving birth. “There’s going to be a tiny human being here soon that will rely on me, Lydia. I don’t want to fuck it up.”
My own fears had been kept at bay by the fact that I wasn’t the one carrying our child. One step removed, I’d been able to let the excitement overtake any anxiety, but once Mia had been admitted, reality had hit hard. My responsibility had doubled. There would be two lives that were imperatively more important than my own and I feared that I would disappoint them.
“You won’t, Luc,” she said, placing a hand on my arm. “That boy is lucky to have you but none of us are perfect. You’ll make mistakes. Every parent does because it doesn’t come with a manual. We just do what we think is best for our children.”
I’d known Lydia long enough to know she wasn’t just referring to myself and Mia. “You’re talking about Mom.”
“I’m not saying what she did was right, but maybe you should try speaking to her again.”
There was a silence between us.
“Maybe,” I sighed eventually. Mom and I had not spoken since that day at the home. The more time passed, the more I could see her side of things. Thinking about my son, there would inevitably be decisions made by myself and Mia that would make him unhappy. I’d call her eventually, maybe even visit, but for now my family, Mia and the baby, were my priority.
As time passed, Mia started to get increasingly uncomfortable. The calm and ease she had possessed had left, and I replaced Dante on the bed, rubbing her back to try and subdue the pain. Our family left the room, and Dr Vega, who I’d only had the pleasure of meeting twice, guided Mia as the contractions came in wave after wave, to push with her chin to her chest. “We’re so close,” he told her, as if he was also pushing out a child. “Put everything into this next push.” There was a death grip on both of my hands as Mia did as she was told, screaming through gritted teeth. A few more agonizing moments of pushing, then cries filled the room as our baby boy was born. Mia collapsed back against me, breathing heavily, and I kissed her head.
“You did it, Mia,” I told her as she caught her breath. “You did it.” There would never be another moment in my life where I thought I was stronger than this woman. Watching what she’d endured to bring our son into the world had proven to me that Mia had strength beyond what anyone would believe her tiny frame could possess.
She lifted her head and held her arms out before a pink, screaming body was handed over to her and, immediately, Mia broke into tears. I shuffled out from behind her and stood next to the bed, allowing her to lean back properly and get comfortable as she cradled our son against her bare skin.
“He’s perfect,” Mia whispered, peering down at our baby. He was perfect. My entire world was in front of me, and watching them both I knew that I would tear the world apart if that was what was required of me to protect them. As he settled, Mia looked up at me. “Come and hold your son.” A wave of panic flooded my chest. “It’ll be fine,” she assured me.
She carefully passed the baby and he nestled into my arms. His mouth opened and closed, and I felt a tear slide down my face. “My boy.”
“He looks tiny in your arms,” she commented.
I sat on the bed, facing Mia but unable to take my eyes off my son. This small human was someone that I’d had a hand in creating and he was completely flawless. I hadn’t realized you could love a person so much until he had been placed in my arms.
Mia and I took some time together as a family, three people who would forever be linked by love. Despite the fact she looked exhausted she refused to sleep, just as obsessed with our son as I was. Eventually, I popped my head out of the room to see if anyone had survived the long hours of Mia’s labor. Lydia and Dom sat in chairs in the waiting room, both seemingly asleep after the wait. It came as no surprise to me that Dante was pacing along the hallway, on the phone. When he turned around, he cut the call quickly. “Everything okay?” he asked, rushing toward me.
“Everything’s great,” I replied, unable to keep the grin from my face. “Do you want to meet him?”
“Yes!”
I motioned at him to follow me and we walked back into the room where Mia was speaking in hushed tones to our sleepy child.
“Holy fuck,” Dante breathed when he saw them.
“D!” Mia scolded, looking up.
“Sorry! Sorry!”
I chuckled at Dante’s slip of the tongue. Toning down the language was going to be an adjustment and I wasn’t entirely sure it would be a promise that we could keep.
Dante left my side to join Mia. “Congratulations, boss,” he said, kissing her cheek. He then turned back to me and pulled me into a hug. A proper hug. “Charlie would be so fucking proud of you. Congratulations, bro. Next generation!”
“Would you like to hold him?” Mia asked, as we moved apart. Dante nodded eagerly and sat on the edge of the bed before Mia handed over our bundle of joy. His eyes became glassy with tears. “Baby boy,” Mia said, running her finger over his soft hair. “This is your Godfather, Dante.”
“Don’t listen to a single word he says,” I chimed in.
