A hand landed on my forearm. “Jett, honey, they’re talking to you.”
“What?” I tore my gaze away from the gleaming implements that looked more like torture devices set up on a tray at the foot of the bed.
“You okay?” My wife searched my eyes.
Swallowing roughly, I looked at where she lay, legs spread with a doctor sitting on a stool between them, and rasped, “Feels like I should be asking you that.”
“Hey.” Her hand slid upward from my arm, coming to rest over my racing heart. “I’m just fine. But I need you to take a deep breath for me before you pass out.”
“Can’t.” I shook my head weakly with the weight of an elephant sitting on my chest.
“Yes, you can,” she insisted. “Come on, we’ll do it together.”
My eyes slammed shut, but I heard her exaggerated inhale as she tried to coax me to do the same. A sound that could only be described as a whimper slipped past my sealed lips that refused to part.
Why was I so fucking weak? She needed me right now, and I was panicking.
“Wanna know why I’m not scared?”
That had my eyes popping open.
My wife stared back at me with a gaze full of tenderness and a love I wasn’t sure I deserved. Lips tipping up at the corners, she said, “Because I’m so excited we’re about to meet our baby. This is going to be the happiest day of our lives, Jett, and I love you so much for giving this to me.”
This woman. She could put a positive spin on anything, even when I was spiraling.
I dropped my forehead to hers, whispering, “I love you too, Daze.”
Her chin lifted enough that her lips could press to mine. “It’s time to see what that love made, don’t you think?”
Pulling away, I nodded my agreement.
“Good.” Turning to the nurse on the opposite side of the bed, she said, “I think he’s ready to listen now.”
The woman in pink scrubs offered me a warm smile. “You’ve got the best seat in the house, Dad, but I’m gonna need you to help me out.”
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “Whatever you need.”
“You’re gonna hold Mom’s leg back the same way I do.” She made a show of demonstrating how she hooked an arm behind Daisy’s knee and gently pulled it toward her chest.
Tracking the move, I mirrored her actions. “Like this?”
“That’s perfect. We’ll do this while she’s pushing, but in between contractions, ease off and let her rest.”
“Got it.” Though it seemed like an inconsequential task handed to me on such a monumental day, I would do anything to make this easier on Daisy.
The doctor between my wife’s legs clapped her gloved hands. “Let’s have ourselves a baby.”
Everything became a blur after that. There was pushing and counting and grunting. Words like crowning and sunny-side up and episiotomy were thrown around. Until finally, a garbled cry split the air. My lungs expanded with the first full breath I’d been able to take in what felt like days as the slimy, squirming infant was placed on Daisy’s chest.
In an instant, I fell head over heels in love.
Hands seemingly appeared out of nowhere with towels, vigorously rubbing the baby’s back, cleaning it of the afterbirth that clung to its bright pink skin.
Daisy’s head was thrown back, an expression of relief etched on her face. She’d done all the hard work in bringing our child into this world, and there was no way I’d ever be able to repay her.
I pressed a kiss to her sweat-dampened temple, my voice full of awe when I said, “I’m so proud of you, Daze.”
A shaky laugh spilled from her lips as her eyelids cracked open to reveal the glassy sheen beneath. “What is it?”
