“How much longer?” Nick asked anxiously. “This waiting
around is driving me insane!” He paced back and forth in the
waiting room of the hospital.
Just as Nick was losing his patience, a young nurse entered
the room.
“It’s okay now, she’s settled in, you may go back.”
Nick rushed past the nurse nearly knocking her over. He
bolted into the room to find Jess laying peacefully in the
bed. He quickly walked up the side of the bed, taking her
hands in his and kissed her forehead.
“It’s okay now, I’m here,” Nick softly spoke.
Jess giggled a little. “Nick, you worry too much. Honestly,
I’m okay.”
After she uttered her last sentance, her face knotted in
pain, she tightened the grip on Nick’s hands until the pain
passed.
“They’re getting closer, aren’t they?” Nick asked.
Jess shook her head yes. “Closer and stronger now,” she
stated quietly.
Nick placed his hand on her swollen stomach. He looked at
Jess and smiled. “I still can’t believe this is actually
happening! I mean, all the shit that’s happened to us over
the past two years with the accident and all I’m still in
shock to think we’re gonna have a baby!” Nick stated
excitedly.
“Well, that’s what happens when you fool around, Nick,” Jess
joked. She spotted the worried look that crossed over Nick’s
face. “What’s wrong?”
“I dunno, I just hope I’m a good father, you know?” Nick
mumbled.
Jess took his chin in her hand. “Nick, you will be the best
father ever put on this earth!”
As Nick kissed Jess on the forehead, a doctor and a nurse
entered the room. The nurse quickly set about tearing down
part of the bed Jess was on and attached poles on either
side of the bed.
The doctor looked at Jess and Nick and smiled. “Let’s have a
baby.”
Nick panicked. “It’s time already?”
The nurse put her hand on Nick’s shoulder. “Are you going to
be okay, Mr. Carter? If you don’t think you can take this,
you will have to go and wait out in the lobby with the
family because I don’t need you fainting on us during this
and I’m sure Jessica doesn’t need that either,” the nurse
asked.
Nick swallowed hard and nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
Fine? Oh god I feel awful, I’ve never been this scared in my
life. Hell, standing out onstage with total equipment
failure sounds like a hell of a better idea to me right now
than this! Nick rushed the thoughts in his brain. He looked
at Jess who was showing concern in her eyes.
“Mr. Carter, just stand up here by her shoulders, okay, you
can coach her through this and you’ll be fine,” the nurse
ordered as she patted Jess on the shoulder while she spoke.
“Okay, Jess, I want you to wait to push until I tell you
it’s time,” Dr. Johnson instructed.
Jess licked her lips and nodded quickly. She fought the
intense urge to push while the doctor was doing something to
her that she didn’t really appreciate.
“Alright, Jess, PUSH NOW!” Dr. Johnson ordered.
Nick fought off the wave of nausea he felt at that moment
and time. His knees felt like rubber. “Push Jess, comeon!”
Nick was shocked at how shakey his voice sounded, obviously
his nervousness was beginning to surface.
After nearly two hours of Nick coaching Jess, she was
starting to tire and wanted to give up. She burst into tears
and it was up to Nick to set her back on the path again. He
rested his forehead on hers.
“Honey, just a little bit more and you’ll be done,” Nick
softly spoke.
“I can’t anymore, I’m too tired!” Jess weakly exclaimed.
“I know, but I promise, if you give us six more pushes, it
will be overwith and you can rest then.”
Jessica’s eyes shifted back and forth, trying to grasp what
Nick had just told her.
“SIX MORE!”
“Okay, okay, how about three really big ones?” Nick tried to
compromise.
“Three big ones?” Jess whispered.
“Three and that’s it, okay?” Nick smiled.
Jess nodded and pulled herself up to a half laying, half
sitting position. She took in a deep breath and grabbed the
poles and pushed with all she had in her.
“Okay Jess, hold on a second, let me suction the baby’s
mouth and nose,” Dr. Johnson requested as he held the head
that was halfway out.
Nick was afraid to look down over the sheets at the baby
just yet, but the nurse pointed to the mirror that had been
set up at the foot of the bed behind the doctor so that
Jessica could watch the delivery.
“See the baby, guys?”
“Okay, Jessica, one more big push and you’ll be done,” the
doctor excitedly exclaimed.
Jess did as he ordered and the baby slipped out into his
hands and immediately began to cry. The emotions in the room
ran high and both Nick and Jessica were crying.
“You have a beautiful daughter! Congratulations!”
Nick kissed Jessica tenderly on the lips. “You did good,
she’s beautiful.”
The nurse wrapped the baby up in a pink blanket once she was
cleaned up. She handed the baby carefully to Nick and it
appeared that the infant was lost in his arms. Nick held the
baby gently, but seemed pretty comfortable with her.
Jess looked at the two of them together, Nick beaming with
joy.
“So?” She questioned.
“Huh?” Nick looked up at Jess, dazed.
“Names? What are we going to name her?”
“I dunno, what do you like?”
Jess sighed and laughed. “Nick, we talked about this for
months, you don’t know now?”
“Abigail Jane Carter, Abbey for short,” Nick questioned.
Jess smiled. “Abbey it is.”
Chapter 53
