“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
As it turned out, five minutes were actually more like ten, but Sierra stopped counting as soon as Cole pulled up to the emergency room doors, leaving the truck running as he practically leaped out of the vehicle while it was still in motion. Sierra tried not to laugh, which wasn’t all that difficult with the pain from the last contraction still fresh in her mind.
By the time they made it to labor and delivery, Luke was by their side, sweat dotting his forehead and his beautiful brown-green eyes appearing slightly dazed and confused.
It wasn’t until she was situated in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines that Luke and Cole both finally managed to calm down. Well, that was only partially true. It was after the nurse gave Luke a glare that pretty much told him not to push his luck, or she’d be happy to escort him right out of the room. Not that he would’ve allowed it, but Sierra knew Luke realized his hysteria wasn’t going to benefit any of them.
Ten long, incredibly painful hours later, Sierra was holding their baby girl against her chest.
It no longer mattered that the doctor had opted to get her rest in between checking in with the nurse on her progress, only having shown up twice during the long, drawn out process throughout the night.
All of the pain, both from the contractions and the giant needle they shoved in her back – an epidural they called it – were a thing of the past.
The fact that Luke had turned a not so attractive shade of green there for a few minutes or that Sierra had nearly broken Cole’s fingers during the last push weren’t important anymore.
The perfect tiny body lying against her breast was now the only thing that Sierra could focus on. She was beyond perfect. So tiny, yet she had her daddy’s temper and no qualms about expressing herself, and not at all happy about being extracted from her warm little cocoon.
Cole and Luke were both standing at the head of the bed, one on either side, each leaning over to peer down at their little girl. Sierra was pretty sure her heart wouldn’t be able to expand much more than it was already without bursting.
The next few minutes were a blur of movement, the nurse taking the baby, cleaning her up as the doctor finished the process of taking care of things down south. Cole and Luke both opted to follow the nurse, standing there like two kids in a candy store, eyeing the one thing they’d longed for more than anything.
With heavy lids, Sierra tried to stay awake, but the exhaustion was quickly pulling her under. The last thing she saw right before she gave in to sleep was Luke pulling Cole up next to him, their fingers cautiously linking between them. Sierra’s heart took a major tumble one last time before she fell asleep with a smile on her face.
~~*~~
Cole felt the breath rush from his lungs the instant Luke’s hand made contact with his. The last ten hours had been a complex mix of so many emotions, Cole wasn’t sure which way was up at the moment. Having Luke by his side suddenly helped ease some of the weight that had been steadily growing heavier on his chest for the last few hours. That and the fact that their baby girl was just as perfect as he imagined she would be and according to what he could tell, based on the reactions from the doctor and nurses, healthy as well.
He and Luke silently stood side by side, watching as the nurse handled the baby like she’d done it a million times, using random instruments to check her, suction her nose and mouth, as well as clean her. In truth, Cole wasn’t sure what he expected to see when the baby came out, but he had to admit, he felt a little like Luke looked for a brief second. That’s when reality broke through, and it dawned on him that their baby had officially made her presence in the world.
He remained right where he was, glancing over to see that Sierra had given in to sleep, and he couldn’t blame her. She’d been so strong, stronger than any of them probably expected. Then again, she had to deal with him and Luke. Cole smiled, remembering the way Luke had nearly launched from nervous father-to-be to neurotic in a few seconds flat.
That wasn’t the case now. He was pretty sure they were all a little shocked, sobered by the fact that they were parents, and the only thing that mattered from here on out was the baby girl with her little eyes closed, her tiny fingers and toes all perfect and entirely hidden from view inside the security that she had found nestled in a pink blanket right there in the bassinette.
“We’re going to take her to the nursery while mom rests for a few minutes. We’ll bring her back as soon as she’s awake. The two of you are welcome to come visit her,” the nurse told him after she finished putting the hospital bracelet on, checking Sierra’s, then Luke’s and Cole’s before wheeling their daughter out of the room.