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Life After the Storm a JOVAN story

Chapter 13     The Arrival

Evangeline needs my help to get out the bed so I stand in front of her and she rolls over towards me, puts her feet on the floor and I help her to stand.  I see her clothes laid out on the chaise so I help her to dress.  This is her last week at work.  She decided to take maternity leave a week before her due date because she wanted to make certain that she had everything ready for the baby and there was just not enough time in the day to do it and work plus she just didn’t feel like doing the back and forth to work routine just now. She had all of her work up to date so as to not burden anyone at work.  Her clients knew that she was taking off the time and assured her that they would not need her services before her return date.  I am so proud of her.  She has worked so hard these last few months to prove that she is still a hotshot attorney, even pregnant.  She doesn’t want anyone to think that she’s gone soft just because she’s pregnant.  That’s my girl.   Oh wait, she’s talking to me and I’m talking to myself.

“John, did you hear me?  I’m working late tonight on a case with my team.  I want to finish this case before I leave.  All hands are on deck for this one.  If I finish it then my calendar is clear until I return from maternity leave.  You’ll need to fend for yourself tonight.”

“That’s fine Evangeline I can handle it.  You do what you need to do.  I would rather that you finish up so that you don’t worry about it the entire time that you’re on maternity leave.”

“All right let’s get breakfast so that I can leave.  The car service should arrive in the next half hour.  I’m so glad that the office arranged that for me.  As big as I am I can’t fit behind the steering wheel of my own car and plus that saves me from having to put up with fussing at traffic.  My back has been hurting me for a few days so I have no patience with anyone anymore.”

“You didn’t tell me that your back was hurting you.  I could have given you a rubdown.”

“It’s probably nothing just a dull ache.  I’ll ask the doctor about it on Thursday.”

“Okay if you say so.  About the car service, yes that was very thoughtful of the office to do that for you.  I’m sure that they don’t do that for all of the staff there do they?”

“No John they don’t but I think that I deserve the perk.  Since I arrived I have drawn a lot of really high profile clients. They heard about my work on Todd’s case, even though I lost the case but still pushed for my client.  That’s the kind of attorney that they want representing them and plus the work that I did for Christian Vega.  I have a good reputation and it has paid off for me.  And then to think that my work with the battered women’s shelter got me this job in the first place just goes to show if you do good work people will notice.”

“Yes you do deserve it, now come on so that you can eat before the car arrives.”

We both go downstairs and eat breakfast and just as we clean the dishes the car arrives and Evangeline leaves.  I have a few minutes before I have to head out to work so I go back upstairs to take a peek at the nursery.  Since we don’t want to know the sex of the baby we decorated it in neutral colors.  It looks nice.  Evangeline and I picked out the furniture and we did a good job if I say so myself.  In the room we have the crib, the changing table, the rocker with a small table and lamp next to it, a bookcase already loaded with books, a diaper disposal bin and a dresser already filled with clothes.  The closet is full of clothes but still has room for more clothes as the baby grows.  I stand there and smile thinking about all the love that went into preparing this room and all the love that we will share with our baby in this room.  

It’s now time for me to leave so I head out and make my way to the garage and to my car.  I already have my car packed with our bags for the hospital and the car seat. I have an SUV and it is roomier than Evangeline’s Mercedes so we decided to us my car for the transport to and from the hospital.  I packed the car early because I don’t want to forget anything but still Evangeline has added and removed things from the bag since I packed it but I don’t care.  As long as she is satisfied then I am satisfied.

I too am trying to tie things up at the office so that I can go on paternity leave and not leave my coworkers in the lurch.  We have not investigated any new cases, just trying to finish up the ones we have started.  I ‘m glad that I haven’t had to go out of town.  My coworkers have handled that for me.  They volunteered to do that so I don’t feel so bad about it. We have a good team and I am fortunate. 

Today is Tuesday and Thursday is Evangeline’s last doctor’s appointment before her due day.  She is due on next Friday.  She and the baby are progressing well and the doctor doesn’t foresee any complications.  I am getting a bit anxious but I don’t want Evangeline to see that.  I just want everything to be over.  I want her to have the baby and she and the baby are fine, that’s what I want.  

My mother and Evangeline’s mother are coming in on next Wednesday. They will stay with us for one month.  They want to help us and they know that we know nothing about babies.  Evangeline and I are really appreciative.  They said that they would do the cooking, cleaning and laundry and help with night feedings so that we are not overwhelmed. That will be a big help because I can get overwhelmed just thinking about all that is involved in taking care of a baby.  I have read the books that Evangeline has and there is a lot to do but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  We are having a baby!

Wednesday comes and Evangeline has to work late again tonight.  She said again that her back was still hurting but she will see the doctor tomorrow so she said that she would not worry about it.  She did say that she and her team did make great progress yesterday and she thinks that they will finish up tonight.  I decided to work late too since Evangeline wouldn’t be at home. It’s mighty lonely there when she’s not there.  My team and I manage to complete some files and start work on others.  We conducted several phone interviews and made some headway on some items that we thought were dead ends.  All in all it was a very productive day.

Thursday is finally here and we’re on our way to the doctor’s office. Evangeline still says that her back hurts and really wants to ask the doctor about that.  We make it to the doctor’s office and go into the exam room.  Evangeline disrobes and we wait for the doctor to enter.  A few minutes later the doctor comes in,

“Well Evangeline and John how are you doing today?”

“My back has been hurting for the last few days.  It’s not a sharp pain or anything but a discomfort.  I knew that I would see you today so I waited until now to ask you about it.”

“Okay Evangeline, let me take a look at your back.  There is some tightness there.  All right lie down and let me check you.”

Evangeline reclined and put her legs in the stirrups and the doctor’s examined her.  The doctor stopped and looked up at us and said,

“Evangeline you are in labor.  You are 6 centimeters dilated.  We need to get you admitted to the hospital.  It’s a good thing that my office is in the hospital.”

“I’m what, how can I be in labor?  I haven’t felt any labor pains?”

“Those backaches were signs of labor.  Don’t worry you’re in the right place now.  We will get you admitted and move you to labor and delivery. Are you ready to meet your baby?

“Yes we are and I can speak for both of us.  John promised that he wouldn’t faint on me because I need him to keep me calm.”

“Evangeline I will not faint, thank you.”

The nurses come in and move Evangeline to the labor and delivery section of the hospital.  I carry a bag with her clothing and purse.  They hook her up to a fetal monitor and start and IV.  I surprise my self in that I am not anxious anymore.  I have to be strong for Evangeline.  I don’t want her to be afraid.  She looks at me and I can see the frown on her forehead but she smiles at me to assure me that she’s fine.  This woman is something else I tell you.  I move to stand next to her at the head of the bed.  I bend down to kiss her temple and whisper to her,

“You are amazing and I love you so much Evangeline.  I am here for you. We are in this together.”

“I needed that John, thank you.”

We can hear the baby’s strong heartbeat and are encouraged. The doctor assures us that everything is progressing well.  

An hour later the doctor returns to check Evangeline’s progress and she has fully dilated.  I know that means that it’s time for the baby to come.  The doctor instructs the nurse to get me ready with the gown, booties and cap and the doctor put on her own gown and gloves and mask and sat at the foot of the bed.  

By that time Evangeline is in pain and panting.  She didn’t want to take any medications because she didn’t want to introduce any medications into the baby.  I held her hand and she’s breathing hard. The doctor tells her that with the next contraction that Evangeline can push.  The next contraction comes and Evangeline pushes and pushes.  From the mirror behind the doctor I could see the baby’s head.  I told Evangeline to look up so that she could see it too.  She does and smiles but keeps pushing.  

So with each contraction Evangeline pushes until the doctor told her to stop pushing so that she can get the baby’s shoulders out. Evangeline relaxes for a moment and waits for the doctor to tell her again to push.  With the baby’s shoulders out another contraction hits and the doctor tells Evangeline to push again and she does until the baby is totally out.  “It’s a boy!” says the doctor.  The doctor suctions the baby’s nose and mouth and the baby cries.  I cut the umbilical cord and the doctor hands the baby to the nurse to take him to clean him up.

The doctor turned back to Evangeline to deliver the afterbirth when she gasps,

“What’s wrong Doctor,” I ask concerned that something is wrong.

“There’s another baby coming out,” she replies.

I look at the mirror and sure enough I can see another head. Evangeline looks at me but doesn’t have time to say anything because another contraction hits her hard. She bears down and pushes again and again going through the same routine as before and out comes the second baby, this time it is a girl.

“Why didn’t we know that she was there,” we both ask the doctor.

“Sometimes it happens.  Her brother was hiding her it seems.  She is all right though.  Both of them are fine.  They both have a healthy weight and with an APGAR of 9 we have no worries about them but we will keep them under observation nonetheless.  Now don’t you want to hold your little ones now that they are all cleaned up?"

“Yes we do. Thank you doctor and thank you nurses!”

The nurses lay the babies on Evangeline’s chest and I bend down to kiss each of them and to kiss their beautiful mother.  With a hand on each of the babies and my forehead to Evangeline’s forehead I say a prayer of thanks for our blessings.  I kiss Evangeline and thank her for making me a father and she thanks me for making her a mother.  Then we look at each other and say at the same time, “We didn’t call our mothers!”  

They move Evangeline to a room and take the babies to the nursery. When we arrive at the room we finally call our mothers.  They are excited and say that they will not wait until next Wednesday but will come this Saturday.  They will probably discharge Evangeline on Saturday so the mothers will be there to help.  While we have the time Evangeline and I bask in the glow of a successful delivery and two healthy babies.

“Well John since we didn’t know if we would have a boy or girl we had names ready for either so do we still want to use those names.”

“I think that we should.  You do remember how long it took us to agree on those two don’t you?"

“Yes I do. So you say the boy’s name and I will say the girl’s name.”

“No, we will wait for the babies and we together will say the names to them.  How about that?”

“I like that idea John.  You are so smart. You will be a great father.”

“You will be a great mother and we will be great parents because we had great parents.”

The nurses come in push the babies in the portable cradles.  We thank them and they leave.  I made sure to wash my hands before I pick them up and give them to Evangeline.  I sit on bed next to Evangeline and hand both babies to her.  They are still asleep.  We look at each and then look at our firstborn and say to him,

 “Hello Alexander McBain.”  We both kiss his forehead and then we turn to his sister and say to her

“Hello Chloe McBain.”  We both kiss her forehead too.

I never thought that I could feel this happy or this content but I do.  I have Evangeline as my wife and now we have two beautiful children.  This is my life.

I look at John and think, how did I get here?  I survived the storms that came my way and now I am on the other side of those storms.  I am happy and complete.  This if my LIFE AFTER THE STORM and I couldn’t ask for anything better.

The END