Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove #6)(94)

“Give her something for the pain,” he instructed the nurse.

His wife opened her eyes and lifted her head from the pillow. She’d grown so pale, so weak. “No,” she said in a surprisingly strong voice. “It’s not good for the baby.”

At this point, Jon was far more concerned about his wife.

Before he could try to convince her to accept medication, Maryellen groaned. Then, as if she couldn’t bear the agony another second, she tossed her head from side to side. Jon did everything he could think of to help her, but she no longer wanted him to touch her or massage her back. The most she’d let him do was count off the seconds, and that seemed so damn little.

“Excellent, excellent,” Stacy encouraged Maryellen, after checking to see if dilation was complete. “Everything’s looking good. I’ll get Dr. DeGroot for the delivery.”

Kissing Maryellen’s hand, Jon whispered, “It won’t be long now.”

His wife offered him a feeble smile. “I don’t think our baby is all that willing to be born.”

Jon remembered the elated feeling he’d experienced at Katie’s birth. The miracle of bringing a new life into the world had left him awed and humbled, although much of the labor remained a blur in his memory. How oblivious he’d been to the reality he faced now as he watched his wife struggle to give birth to his child.

He loved Maryellen deeply, but never more than he did just then. He laid a cool cloth across her brow and kissed her temple and whispered his love.

“Are Joseph and Ellen still in the waiting room?” she asked, looking up at him.

Jon nodded. Grace had called them, and as soon as his father and stepmother learned that Maryellen had gone into labor, they’d rushed to the hospital. The truth was, he didn’t want them there. All that prevented Jon from asking them to leave was his love for Maryellen.

“Have you talked to them?” she asked.

Although he knew he was a disappointment to her, Jon shook his head. “I’ve had the nurse give them regular updates.”

Her smile faded.

Jon leaned his forehead against the edge of the mattress. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept. But he knew the tiredness he felt didn’t compare to what Maryellen had endured during these twenty hours.

She moaned slightly, and her grip on his hand was punishing. Trying to help her, he softly counted off the seconds. The pain lasted a full minute and a half, and her contractions came so quickly now, there was barely a moment between them. When this latest one had passed, a tear rolled from the corner of her eye.

Dr. DeGroot arrived and nodded at Jon. “This seems like a good day to be born, don’t you think?” he said, as he took his position at the end of the birthing bed.

Everyone suddenly seemed to get busy. Several nurses surrounded Maryellen and there was a noticeable surge of energy now that the birth was imminent.

“Let’s see what we have here,” the physician murmured. “Okay, Maryellen, get ready to push.”

Jon felt a little extraneous, as though he had no real role anymore. There was some problem, but he didn’t completely understand it. Apparently the baby was facing up instead of down, which had contributed to the lengthy labor.

The pain that followed seemed to be the worst so far. Maryellen gritted her teeth and bore down with what appeared to be an excruciating effort. She half rose from the bed and groaned loudly.

“Good, good,” Dr. DeGroot said encouragingly.

Jon was mesmerized. He watched as the baby slipped free of Maryellen’s body and into the physician’s waiting hands with a lusty cry. The doctor smiled and turned to Jon. “Congratulations! You have a son.”

Jon smiled at Maryellen. “It’s a boy,” he told her unnecessarily.

“Is he all right?” she asked anxiously.

“He’s perfect,” Jon announced, although he couldn’t really see anything through the tears that clouded his vision.

“Welcome, little Drake,” Jon whispered. This was the name Maryellen had liked best. They’d discussed names a hundred different times, poring through baby-name books Grace had brought them from the library. Unreasonable as it seemed now, he’d assumed the baby would be another girl; if it was, they’d settled on Emily.

“We don’t have a middle name,” Maryellen said, reminding Jon that he’d promised to choose a second name. “Drake Jonathon has a nice ring to it.” She smiled up at him and he leaned forward and kissed her, putting all his love, all his pride in her into that kiss.

“There’s plenty of time to choose one,” he said, entwining his fingers with hers.

When he straightened, the nurse handed Jon his son. Maryellen was right; little Drake found the world the most irritating of environments. The baby cried until Jon rocked him gently, then placed him in Maryellen’s arms.

As if she needed to see for herself, she pulled back the receiving blanket and examined his fingers and toes. Drake gazed up at her and instantly settled down to sleep. Like Jon, his son had found his contentment in Maryellen’s arms.

“I believe your family’s waiting for the news,” Stacy Eagleton told him after finishing with Maryellen.

“Will you tell them?” Maryellen asked, her eyes imploring.

It was decision time for Jon. A part of him wanted to ignore the fact that his father and stepmother were even at the hospital. He’d vowed not to let them back in his life. He’d fought to maintain this promise to himself. He didn’t want to care about his father. The man had turned his back on Jon when he’d counted on his family to come forward with the truth. He’d lied. Even knowing his oldest son was innocent, Joseph had sent him to prison.