Before Jade could find a nurse to hopefully get an update, Nick came bounding into the room.
“It’s a girl!” he announced with excitement as dark smudges lined the bottoms of his eyes.
Jade jumped from the chair. Lauren sprang awake and got up too.
“A girl. How wonderful.” Lauren congratulated and hugged Nick.
“Did everything go okay? How’s Ava?” Jade asked as she too hugged him.
Nick scrubbed his hands over his face and shook his head with an expression of wonder, like what happened had just sunk in. “They’re both great. Healthy. Perfect. Oh my God. The baby is beautiful. And Ava…” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “She was a warrior. I’m never gonna complain about the man flu again.”
“There’s another baby in the group. Congratulations, man,” Lauren’s husband Jack said as he walked into the waiting room, holding their son Ryan on his hip. He slapped Nick on the back with his free hand.
“What are you doing here?” Lauren rushed to their side.
“Mama, Mama,” Ryan squealed as he reached his chubby, little arms for his mother. She didn’t hesitate to take him.
“He woke up super freaking early and wouldn’t go back to sleep. I thought I’d come here and see how things were going.”
Lauren kissed Ryan on the neck, making him giggle, then placed a soft kiss on Jack’s lips.
“Can we see them?” Jade asked Nick.
“Yes, she’s been moved from the delivery suite into her room. But it can only be a quick visit. She’s exhausted.”
They followed him down a couple of corridors and entered Ava’s room. She was tucked up in bed, cradling her baby in her arms, beaming with love and pride as she gazed at her bundle.
They all rushed to her side, taking turns to get a closer look. A little, chubby face with thick, black hair slept in her mother’s arms with no idea how much she would be loved. Not only by her parents but by all the people in the room.
Jack carefully held Ryan so he could have a look at the newborn, then said, “Buddy, meet your new girlfriend. Her daddy’s rich, so you’re set for life.”
“You can forget about it. My little girl is not allowed out until she’s thirty-five.” Nick threw Jack a disgusted glare. “Point your kid somewhere else.”
They all chuckled.
“Do we have a name yet?” Jade asked.
“We’ve decided on Adriana,” Ava answered as she gently caressed the baby’s cheek.
After they all had a good look and a quick cuddle, Lauren wandered around the room. She opened the door that led to the bathroom and peeked inside, she looked in a cupboard, she even glanced under the bed.
“What are you looking for?” Ava asked.
“I’m searching for your glam-squad, because there is no way in hell you can look that good after hours of labor and giving birth,” Lauren grumbled. “After I had Ryan, I looked like crap. And you…” She waved a hand in her direction. “…don’t.”
Ava laughed.
Jack put his arm around Lauren’s shoulders. “You looked beautiful too. You always do.”
She smiled and pressed herself against him, tilting her face up for a kiss.
The room was so full of love, it smothered Jade until her lungs squeezed and she could barely breathe. This was what she wanted. What she’d never have. And even though she was happy for her friends and their new families, she needed to get out of there before she screamed it’s not fair!
“I’m going so you can rest.” It surprised Jade how calm her voice sounded while she shook on the inside.
“Yes, we better get going too and get Ryan back to bed,” Lauren said as she lovingly looked at her son who’d fallen asleep on Jack’s shoulder.
They said their goodbyes and left the room.
