by C. M. Steele
“Oh shit,” he said before scooping me into his arms and down to the first floor.
We got to the hospital in record time because there wasn’t much traffic on the road at eleven on a Tuesday morning. The entire way, I tried to be calm and breathe like I was supposed to so that Nate wouldn’t freak out, but he was more in control than I’d expected.
While I pushed, Nate contained himself, but I could see the strain in his jaw. He was doing all he could to stay strong for me. Little Nate the third was born within an hour of our arrival.
Nate
She had no damn idea how hard it was to hold on to my mask. I was ready to lose my shit over and over again, but she needed me. When she’d screamed for me, panic struck. I knew why she was calling. The minute I saw her hunched over, biting her lip and looking for relief, I knew I had to be her rock.
Throughout the entire process, I did everything I could to ease her pain and be the strength she needed. All the while, I was losing it internally. Jessica was my world. I had to think about the future every time a contraction hit her and she cried out. I thought about how amazing a mother she would be and how hard we’d work to show our child everything we knew.
I held her hand and whispered how much I loved her as she pushed our baby out. When the pain finally ended and a cry came from between my wife’s legs, something in me changed. I felt different. Strangely, that little kitten cry warmed my heart. The pudgy thing placed on Jessica’s chest held a special place inside me. Like a flash, all the love I’d had for Jessica spread to this little man.
I smiled at her and whispered, “Thank you, my soul.”
“He’s beautiful, Nate. Perfect. Isn’t he?”
I couldn’t stop the stream of tears falling down my face as I looked at my new family. How my father could ever abandon us, I didn’t know. But I knew at that moment, I would never be my father.
“My son,” I murmured. “My son. Yes, Jessica, he’s perfect. Thank you for proving me wrong.”
Just loud enough for me to hear, she whispered to the little man, “Take note. Your father thanked me for showing him he was wrong. I bet that won’t happen again.”
“Not likely. But I don’t care. I love the two of you so much.”
The nurse came and took him from us to clean him up. While she was away, I leaned down and kissed my first love.
“I worship you, and I love him so much already. I’m forever grateful for the both of you.” I kissed her again.
“Hey, you have to wait six weeks,” the doctor teased, breaking up our moment.
“Did you have to remind me?” I sniped.
“Apparently I did.” He chuckled then tilted his head pointedly at my crotch.
Yep, I was hard as fuck and it was unmistakable especially since the doc was still in the process of cleaning her up and at eye level with my junk.
“Can you blame a guy?” I shrugged and kissed her again. When I pulled back, I gave him a glare. “I know, I know, six damn weeks.”
Jessica busted out laughing, and I felt all was right in my world. Well, in six long weeks it would be perfect. The nurse brought back my baby and handed him to Jessica. She selfishly hogged him, then he wailed.
“It’s time to feed him,” the nurse said.
She helped Jessica get the baby to latch on, which didn’t seem hard because that boy was thirstier than I was. Despite how bad I wanted a taste, I watched in amazement at the woman I married. She looked radiant and sunny, as if she hadn’t just gone through hell.
As I stared at her, she felt my gaze and looked up. With a bright smile and a few tears, she said, “Nathaniel, I want to you know that you’re the best thing to happen to me. You gave me the greatest gift besides your love—our son.”
I was the luckiest man in the world.
THE END
