Page 42 of For Her
“Sarah,” Mayzie barely squeaks out between puffs. “Wh-”
“What the hell are you doing in here?” I ask for the both of us.
“Well…” Sarah starts fidgeting, twisting her hands as the nurse approaches her side, offering her a box of gloves that she thankfully busies herself with. “Dr.Whitman got pulled into an emergency C-section so… ta-da!” She snaps on one glove and then another. “I get to deliver my nephew!” she announces, holding her hands out.
No fucking way.
“Wait… no! You? No, you can’t be getting down there, looking at my wife’s-”
“Oh grow up, Jack! I’m a doctor! This is nothing more than anatomy to me!” she cynically scolds. “Besides, you have no other options. It’s me or you!”
“Fine,” I huff out as my gaze momentarily shifts heavenwards. While I had thoughts of helping to deliver my child, I can’t bear the thought of not holding Mayzie through this… Which is damn hard on the outside of this tub…
Fuck it.
I stand up and immediately yank my shirt over my head while simultaneously kicking off my shoes.
“Uh… Jack?” Sarah frets with an unsure raise of her eyebrow, followed by an exaggerated cringe as her arm shoots up to shield her eyes when I push my shorts down. “Oh God! What are you doing? I don’t need to see that!” she protests at the sight of me in nothing but my black boxer briefs.
“Oh grow up, Sarah! You’re a doctor, it’s just anatomy!” I roll my eyes as I throw her words back in her face. After that, I waste no more time, climbing into the birthing tub next to my wife and reaching for her. Sarah takes Maze’s hands and gingerly guides her towards me as I take hold of her hips and guide her into my lap. She lets out a soft whimper that is laced with a tiny thread of relief as her head drops back onto my shoulder. My hands go to either side of her swollen belly, gently massaging as I whisper in her ear.
“Baby, you’re doing amazing. I’m so proud of you,” I tell her in a soothing tone as she tries to hang on to my words, gasping to catch her breath. “I love you so much. You’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met.” I say it because she is. The way she captured my heart, the beauty in her dance, her spirit, the things she’s done for my music, the bravery she’s shown… And how she’s turning herself inside out giving us a son. She’s my hero. My love; my forever.
I put my chin to Mayzie’s shoulder as she puts hers to her chest and bears down. A long, loud, screeching grunt comes out as she gives it her all. I keep my head resting on her shoulder, just giving silent support as I hold onto her. She gasps for breath between pushes and can never seem to catch up as the contractions come every thirty seconds, Sarah instructing her to push on each one of them. Thankfully, it only takes six, before my sister catches my son under the water and guides him straight into Mayzie’s arms.
She’s still breathless as we both gaze down at him, her arms around him, mine around her. My hand rests on his head that has a good amount of black hair. He squawks and fusses as Maze cuddles him close.
“Oh my God,” is all I can seem to say, but I don’t feel bad as Mayzie has very few of her own.
“Hi,” she whispers down at our baby.
And just like that, we’re a family.
Seventeen
Jack
Felix William Krasinski
Born June 21st2021
At 7:19 PM
6lbs, 11oz
20 ½ inches long
Mommy and baby are doing amazing.
The photo I posted on social media doesn’t show any faces, just my son’s hand wrapped around my wife’s finger in black and white.
I lay next to Mayzie in the big bed our birthing suite provides. I kiss the top of Felix’s head, and then her cheek, before laying my head on her shoulder, my arm around both of them. The love in my heart isn’t divided; there’s no need. It’s only expanded exponentially in a way I never thought possible. I’ve never been more inspired. Lyrics start floating on a light breeze in my head. I close my eyes and inhale my wife’s sweet flowery vanilla scent while running my hand over the soft hair on my son’s head, and let the song write itself.
Mayzie
“You certainly destroyed that one didn’t ya? Yes you did! Whoooo, Buddy!”
That would be the sound of Jack changing our son’s diaper after an evident blowout. I smile to myself as I finish putting my hair up in the bedroom mirror, my eyes darting to the photo on the dresser of Jack and me holding our newborn in the bed of the birthing center. There was no exclusive photo shoot for any celebrity magazine. The privilege of first official photos went to our favorite local photographer and best friend, Annie, who had to run to the bathroom after every few shots seeing as how she’s newly pregnant again. When it would happen, Tyler’s hand would go to his stomach and a look of concentration on his face.