Against the Odds (Fighting to Survive #2)(31)

Angel asks teasingly “Whatcha waiting on?”

“We want something that goes with Jamie and Madison. It’s hard coming up with a girl’s name,” Leah admits, but she doesn’t admit she was afraid to name her.

“Figure out a name for your baby and we’ll be in the waiting room. If you need us, send out a nurse.”

“Thank you, Angel,” Leah says.

“Anytime.” Angel loops her arm around Mason’s and says, “Ready, Handsome?”

They leave and Leah smiles. I sit down beside her and ask, “Feel better after talking with her?”

“I do. It helped talking to someone who has been through it.”

Our parents walk in laughing. I smile and ask, “What’s so funny?”

“The waiting room looks like a big birthday party,” Sue says. “Here, see for yourself.”

She hands me her cell phone and I scroll through about a dozen pictures. Happy Birthday balloons are everywhere along with wrapped gifts in birthday wrapping paper. The waiting area is filled with our friends. I show the pictures to Leah and ask, “Who did that?”

“Your friends. They came here to celebrate the birth of your daughter.” I hear Leah cry and it makes me smile. I know that they are happy tears. She hands the phone back to me and says, “I think everyone we know is in the waiting room.”

We all talk about baby names and about our friends being here for support. “I wish we knew Madison’s middle name,” Leah says, again.

I reach for my phone to see if Dove has replied and she has. “Her name is Madison Grace.”

Leah looks up at me and asks, “Do I want to know how you know that?”

I shake my head and say, “No, just be glad I know it.”

She nods and says, “I do love the name, Grace.”

“I do, too. It’s a beautiful name for a little girl,” I agree.

Mom asks, “First name or middle name?”

Jamie’s name was Jamie Sue and the Sue was after my Mom. “What about Grace Joy and the Joy is after you, Margie?” Leah asks.

I watch as Mom puts her hand on her heart and a tear slides down her cheek. “Oh Leah, I would be honored.” She walks over and hugs Leah gently.

I repeat the name over and over in my head. Grace Joy Grether, Grace Joy Grether. “I like it. The names sound good together.” I smile when I realize my little princess has a name. Leah said I can’t call her princess because I called Jamie princess. A king can have more than one princess, right? “Grace Joy Grether it is.”


Leah makes a face, squints her eyes closed and says, “I feel pressure. I think she’s coming.”

The nurse comes in, checks Leah, and announces, it won’t be much longer. She says the baby is in the birth canal and it’s time to push. I ask her for a permanent magic marker and she leaves to find me one. Leah doesn’t laugh and no one asks why I need it. They already know. There is no way they’ll mix up this child.

Dad and Tim make their way to Leah and kiss her goodbye. Mom and Sue are next. I knew they wouldn’t stay for the birth. They turn white just talking about it. They leave and the nurse returns with a black Sharpie.

“Thank you.”

“Ace, something small to distinguish our daughter from the others.”

“Something small,” I repeat. “X marks the spot,” I tease.

Dr. Fouch and several nurses come in and set the room up for delivery. They slide the end of the bed out and slide in the stirrups. Suddenly a large mirror appears and it’s lined up correctly for me from where I’m standing. Leah squeezes my hand and I know this is all frightening. I am handed and instructed to glove and gown up. I even have boot covers that fit over my shoes. I snap a few photos of Leah and I even manage to get a selfie of her and me. She doesn’t look happy.

Another team of nurses and a doctor comes in and are introduced as the N.I.C.U. staff. Leah says, “Please do everything you can for our daughter. She’s so young.”

Dr. Murphy says, “We’ll do everything we can.” He pulls out three wristbands and places one on Leah’s wrist and one on my wrist. “This one we’ll save for the baby. It’s identical to the both of yours.”

Leah looks at it and smiles, “Thank you.”

“Rest assured, your baby is in the best hand possible.”

I nod, “Thank you.” He walks away to join his medical team.

“On the next contraction, I want you to push,” Dr. Fouch says as he scoots his stool closer to Leah.

I stand behind Leah, never letting go of her hand. I look down at my shirt and the marker is still attached to my pocket of my gray tee-shirt. A nurse is standing on each side of Leah, ready to call out instructions to her.

“Are you ready?” the doctor asks.

Leah only nods.

“Put your chin to your chest and push with everything that you have.”

“Bobby, count to 10 slowly for her,” a nurse says.

It’s all coming back to me from when Jamie was born. I get in as close as I can to Leah and begin to count slowly into her ear. I tell her how much I love her and how proud I am of her, in between numbers. When I say ten, I lower Leah’s head down so she can rest. I kiss away her tears and talk softly to her.

“Great job, do the same thing again with the next contraction.”