She opened her eyes and grabbed the bottom of her belly. “Uh-oh.”
Harold jumped up and grabbed her shoulders. “Kelly, what is it?”
“My water just broke.”
Harold stood at Kelly’s side as the doctors performed the emergency C-section on his wife. Initially, they’d wanted him to stay out, but Harold wouldn’t have any part in it, and when Kelly also voiced her desire for him to stay with her, the doctor had finally relented.
He kissed the top of Kelly’s forehead. “It’s going to be okay.”
“It’s too early.”
“Only five weeks early.” Harold tried to sound confident.
Tears streamed down Kelly’s temples. She was so scared, more scared then he’d ever seen her. He wanted so much to take her fear away, to do whatever he had to do to make sure that Kelly was safe and felt secure. Right now, all he could do was whisper words of comfort in her ear.
“Pray for me,” she whimpered.
“Okay.” Harold gently rested his forehead against Kelly’s. “Please, dear Jesus, wrap Your arms around Kelly. Give her peace. Let our babies be okay. Bring them into the world strong and healthy. Let them thrive. Help us be good parents to them. You have given them to us. Be with Kelly, Lord. I love her.”
He lifted his head and kissed her forehead again. She whimpered slightly then murmured, “Thank you, Harold.”
Harold kept his gaze focused on his wife. He was too nervous to look at the doctor and nurses. There were so many in the room. He didn’t look up, but he could feel the people who stood beside tiny baby beds, ready to whisk his children away if necessary.
A moment passed and he heard a baby cry. Excited, he looked at the doctor. The tiny, red child squealed at the top of its lungs. “One girl.”
Before Harold could fully focus or even respond, the doctor handed the child to a nurse, reached down, and pulled out his second child. This one was smaller, but the wails were just as strong. “A second girl,” the doctor said.
Kelly’s sobs of joy forced his attention back to her. He brushed her hair away from her face and looked back at his babies. “Kelly,” he whispered against her ear.
Her laugh was hesitant and filled with emotion. “I told you we could have girls.”
Worried for his wife, Harold stayed close to her side. He watched as the nurses wiped off his daughters, cleaned out their throats, and weighed them. He thought of flighty moods, the crazy hormones, the tantrums, the arguments, the hairspray and makeup, the outfit checks, and phone calls from boys. He thought of the gray hair that had formed since marrying Kelly. The proof that he loved and lived with a crew of women.
“You said for better or for worse.”
Harold gazed at his wife, then looked back at his two daughters. He’d have five daughters now. When Zoey came home to visit, he’d live with six women. He turned back to Kelly. “Two daughters.” He wiped the tears from her temples with the back of his thumbs. He thought of soft kisses, sweet hugs, and adoring gazes. Daddy’s girls. He smiled. “I can’t think of anything better than a home full of girls.”
This book is dedicated to my mother, Susan Miles. I am thankful for her love for God and desire to always be in the center of His will. Mom, I will always be thankful that you were such a good mom during my “Zoey” years.
A note from the Author:
I love to hear from my readers! You may correspond with me by writing:
Jennifer Johnson
Author Relations
PO Box 721
Uhrichsville, OH 44683
JENNIFER JOHNSON and her unbelievably supportive husband, Albert, are happily married and raising Brooke, Hayley, and Allie, the three cutest young ladies on the planet. Besides being a middle school teacher, Jennifer loves to read, write, and chauffeur her girls. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Blessed beyond measure, Jennifer hopes to always think like a child—bigger than imaginable and with complete faith. Send her a note at [email protected].
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