“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 toknow 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 placedthe 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.
