Part 243

"So, do we know what this little munchkin is yet?" the doctor asked, donning gloves and checking the status of the anesthesia.

"Girl." "Boy." They both answered.

He laughed. "Well, I hate to disappoint you, but unless it's twins, only one of you will be right."

Nick laughed and Becca smiled for the first time in hours.

"You ok?" Nick whispered.

"Yeah, it feels funny, though."

"Not for long, Becca. A couple more minutes and we'll get started. Before you know it you'll be holding your son. Or daughter," he laughed at the look on Becca's face. "Be right back." One of the floor nurses had caught his eye through the observation window.

Nick and Becca could hear him speaking quietly, but could only make out a few words: 'unusual', 'not proper procedure' and 'liability'. Finally he returned and seemed ready to proceed. "Seems like we've had a slight change of plans."

Nick looked up and burst into a grin behind his mask. The only way Becca could tell was the way his eyes lit up and crinkled at the corners.

"Nick?" she asked, confused.

"You don’t really think I'd let you have this baby without me, do you?" Sarah slipped into the seat that was hastily pushed into place opposite Nick.

Becca was dumbfounded. "Sarah?! Oh God – " she began cry.

"None of that, you sap, let's get on with this show!"

"Sarah?" she asked again.

"Later, baby, just concentrate now, ok? We'll have all the time in the world to talk." She brushed away the tears on Becca's face and winked at Nick. "Hey Dad, you ok?"

"I'm great, Sarah, welcome home."

"Ok Bec, we're ready," the doctor said. "Just breathe normally. Nick, Sarah, you can watch if you want."

Sarah looked up at the mirror, but Nick turned green and chose instead to concentrate on Becca.

"Ok, we're in. You'll feel a slight tug, that's us bringing the baby out. Any last bets on the sex?"

"A hundred bucks says it's a girl," Sarah said.

"No way! Another hundred says it's a boy," Nick countered.

"Double that and you’re on, Carter!"

"Will you two stop it?! For God's sake, I'm trying to have a baby here," Becca said.

Sarah and Nick looked at Becca and then at each other.

"Testy, isn't she?" Nick asked.

"I'm sayin'!" Sarah laughed as a sharp cry rang out in the delivery room.

"All bets are final, you two," cracked the doctor. "It's a boy!"

"YES!" said Nick, before realizing what he'd done. A look of shock appeared on his face. "A son … God, Bec, we have a son." He sank back onto the stool as the doctor held their baby up for them to see.

"Wow," Sarah said, tears running down her face to be absorbed by the surgical mask she wore.

"A boy …." Becca said. Nick has been right, and there would be no living with him now.

"Come on, Dad, come cut the cord." The doctor motioned him over and showed him what to do. Nick cut the cord and after it was clamped, his tiny son was placed in his arms.

"C'mon, buddy, let's go meet your mom."

"Bec, he's beautiful," Sarah said tearfully.

"He's perfect, isn't he?" She smiled as Nick placed the baby in her arms and one of the nurses snapped a picture of the new family.

Suddenly Becca began to tremble and paled.

"Bec? Doc!" Nick took the baby, handing him to a nurse.

"It's ok. Just an after-effect of the drugs, and her pressure has dropped rapidly. She'll be all right in a couple of hours. Becca, we need to get you into recovery where we can monitor you for a while. This little one needs to be weighed and measured and cleaned up, too. You can have him with you once we get you to a room."

"Can I go with her?"

"Why don’t you go to the nursery instead, Nick. You can help get Baby Boy Carter settled in, and we have a disposable camera you can use to take some pictures for the baby book. Then we'll take you to your wife. She needs to rest right now."

"Nick, I'm gonna go tell the others, is that all right?" Sarah asked.

"Of course it is. God, I'm so glad you're here." He hugged her close, kissing her head.

"You know I wouldn't have missed this for the world, Nick. Now go on, be with your son."

Nick had removed his mask and had a goofy grin on his face. "Yeah … see ya later."

"God, spare me …" Sarah laughed, heading for the waiting room.

Part 244        The Dance Index(3)