‘Let’s take him home.’
EPILOGUE
‘YOU told me it wouldn’t hurt!’ Coming out of the lift, Ally leant against the wall and groaned as another pain hit. ‘You told me that I’d be having a planned Caesarean, you promised that I wouldn’t feel a thing!’
She’d dreamed of this moment, dreamed of walking down the corridor, perfectly made up, smiling at her colleagues and completely in control, such a contrast to the screaming banshee Rory was bundling into a wheelchair and whizzing down the corridor.
‘Morning, Ally!’ Win’s voice was preposterously cheerful as Ally sailed past, clutching a vomit bowl and hating Rory with venom.
‘This isn’t normal,’ Ally said, as Rory helped her into a gown. ‘It shouldn’t hurt this much.’
‘It’s completely normal.’ Rory smiled, taking her weight in his arms and holding her as she rocked through another contraction. ‘You’re doing wonderfully.’
‘Don’t patronise me,’ Ally snarled, scarcely able to comprehend she’d had the gall to tell a woman to breathe through the pain, deciding there and then that no woman should advocate natural childbirth until they’d been through it themselves. ‘Where’s the bloody anaesthetist.’
‘The bloody anaesthetist is here.’ Ralph grinned, breezing into the room and dragging his stainless-steel trolley along with him. ‘You might hate me now but in a few moments I’ll be your best friend.’
And he was, Ally decided as the drugs finally hit. It was like getting drunk in reverse, her mind incredibly clear while her legs tingled into numbness, the appalling pain that had gripped her so violently abating to such a degree that Rory had to tell her when she was having a contraction.
‘Let’s get you over to Theatre.’ Jess appeared. ‘Rinska’s ready for you.’
‘Are you sure?’ Rory smiled down at Ally. ‘If you want to try to have a…’
‘I want this baby out,’ Ally broke in, and her words were delivered so strongly she almost managed to convince herself that she meant it. But as they wheeled her past the delivery rooms she knew so well and down the corridor towards Theatre, Ally felt a pang of regret for what she was missing out on. But as Rory squeezed hard on her hand, any regrets disappeared. She focused on all she had instead of what she was missing—a Caesarean section a tiny price to pay for Rory’s peace of mind, knowing how scary this moment was for him.
And if she couldn’t have Rory deliver her then Rinska was her next choice. The very new consultant winked glittery blue eyelids at Ally, and told her that her baby would be there soon.
‘Ready?’
And even if it wasn’t the most natural of births, surely it was the most beautiful. All the theatre staff held their breath as Rinska delivered the head. Delicious rasping cries filling the room before the rest of the body was even out. Ally had a glimpse of her son over the dark green screen as Rinska held him up.
‘A boy,’ Rory shouted, thumping the air as if he’d just scored a goal. ‘Look at him, Ally.’
And she was looking! In fact, she was almost fainting at the sight of him. This wasn’t just a big baby—he was huge! Dark blue eyes that would surely turn green in a matter of days were staring knowingly back at his mother, fat fists flailing in the warm theatre air.
‘What a bruiser,’ Rinska called as the nurse called out his weight.
Any lingering desire to have had a vaginal delivery rapidly faded away.
‘You’re amazing.’ Kissing her forehead, Rory whispered those intimate words to her and she stared back at him, at a man who had endured so much just to give her this moment, who had faced his fears and conquered them. Ally knew then that she’d lied when she’d confronted him back on the beach all those months ago, lied when she’d told him she’d have moved on easily without him. Because no one could have filled Rory’s shoes. She’d have waited as long as it took had she known she’d have this moment.
‘I am, aren’t I?’ Ally smiled back, gazing at her son, scarcely able to believe that she had somehow grown a boy. But staring up at Rory, his huge arms wrapped tenderly around his newborn son, Ally knew there and then that she wasn’t the only one who had produced something amazing today. Reaching up, she captured his hand and closed her eyes as he kissed her tenderly on her cheek. ‘And so are you.’
ISBN: 978-1-4603-5871-9
THE MIDWIFE’S SPECIAL DELIVERY
First North American Publication 2006
Copyright © 2006 by The SAL Marinelli Trust Fund
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