Erin has not yet realized I’m here.
I take a chair in the corner and bring it to the
bedside. I sit and brush her hand over the sheets.
She jumps and whips her head up to look at me
with big dreamy eyes, confused and surprised to
see me.
“Here’s Daddy,” says the doctor, smiling at us
both.
“He isn’t…” Erin starts to say, and I squeeze her
hand hard.
“I’m here, sorry about being late.”
“No problem, we just started. I was just asking
Erin if you want to know the baby’s gender.”
“It’s up to you to decide.” I smile, full of
emotion.
“I don’t know … I think, yes.”
“Good,” continues the doctor, looking at the
monitor.
“Couldn’t be any healthier. This baby girl is
really active, I don’t know what you’ll have to deal
with when she’s born.”
The only thing I heard was the word ‘girl’
before every emotion I have invaded every part of
my body.
“A girl,” Erin whispers in a voice wracked with
raw feeling. “Did you hear that, Patrick?” she says
to me but I’m speechless.
“The father is a bit emotional, let’s give him a
moment to gather himself before we go on,” the
doctor says before leaving us alone in the room.
