Page 148 of Feels Like Home

“No?” he asksme.

“No,” I answer with conviction. I try to sit up a little taller, even though it doesn’t really work with my feet in the stirrups and their hands wrapped around my legs, which only causes me to almost take out my poor doctor by nearly whacking him in the side of the head. “No. I can dothis.”

“Christine…” Andy looks like he’s about ready to throwup.

“I said, no. If she starts going into distress, I won’t fight you, but I promise you, I can do this. And Iwill.”

“Two more pushes,” he says, his brown eyes lighter than normal, looking up at me from his position on the stool. “Then I’m going to have to goin.”

I nod my head as another contraction threatens to rip me intwo.

Lisa grips my hand and pulls my leg up, Andy followingher.

“Christine, you can do this. Push, girl. Push. I know it hurts. I know you feel like your body is going to break, but you’re the strongest woman I know,” Lisa’s reassuring words cheer meon.

I look at Andy, and he nods, encouragingly. “We got this.” It’s been his motto since he suspected we were pregnant and he’s said it countless times sincethen.

“Yeah. Okay,” I grunt out as the contractionpeaks.

I close my eyes tightly and push, resisting the urge to use any of my energy in making the noises I reallywant.

When I don’t think I can take another second, Andy’s left arm wraps around my back, lifting me up farther off the bed, his right arm still holding up myleg.

“Keep going, Christine. You got this! You’re so strong. So incredible. Come on,baby.”

He’s chanting every encouraging thing he can think of. Tears are streaming down my face as the last of the contraction hits, and Dr. Matthews announces that her head isout.

“Lots of dark hair. Peek around, Daddy,” Lisa says after getting alook.

Andy stares at me for a moment before shifting to the end of thebed.

“Oh, my gosh. She’s here, baby. One more push. Come on. You can doit.”

He’s back by my side just as another swell hits, causing me to rise up and push with everything inme.

“Last one, Christine. This is it. Just one more big push and you’re done,” Dr. Matthews says, his voicecalm.

Andthen…

The most beautiful sound in theworld.

The tiniest of cries fills the small hospitalroom.

Andthen…

“Congratulations, you two. You have a daughter. Do you want to do the honors,Daddy?”

I collapse onto the bed and watch as Andy reaches around, taking the scissors from Dr. Matthews’s outstretched hands before cutting the cord that tied our daughter to me for nine months. I watch in awe as Dr. Matthews places our baby on my chest after quickly wiping her off. I place my hand on her back and Andy bends down to kiss her head. Tears spring to my eyes when Andy looks at me with glassy eyes of hisown.

“She’s the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen,” he says, a sound of complete wonderment in hisvoice.

Andy lifts Hazel from my arms so the nurse can finish everything she needs to. She takes measurements and pictures, bundling her in a blanket after cleaning her up a bit more, all while Andy hovers over her, watching. I wince as Dr. Matthews finishes everything up, pushing on my stomach and stitching meup.

Once Lisa is finished, she hands her to Andy, the sight of him holding her close making my heartswell.

My smile is watery as I hold my arms up for him to bring her to me. He bends down, kisses her on the forehead, then walks over to me, kissing me on the cheek and laying her against my chest at the sametime.

“Thank you for this gift. I love you. More than I ever thoughtpossible.”

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