Within thirty minutes the doctor returns. Faith has gotten more agitated, and he confirms what the nurses have told us. “She’s crowning now. You’re about to be a dad, Mr. Cartwright. Alright, Faith, now you can start pushing.”
“Thank God!” she screams.
I’m a mixture of concern, apprehension, and excitement as I look at Faith, stroking her moist cheek and hair and inadvertently leaving little bits of soot behind. “Almost there, sugar,” Iencourage as she squeezes my hand with another gut-wrenching shriek.
“That’s it,” The doctor confirms, and the next thing I know, a lusty baby cry fills the room. Holding up a robust, pink infant covered in little bits of white, the doctor declares, “Congratulations, Mr. Cartwright. You have a healthy baby boy. You better go wash your hands, so you can cut the cord.”
I head into the bathroom, washing up in the sink and leaving it looking like it’s been doused in ink. I make a mental note to come back and clean it up later.
After the doctor talks me through cutting the cord, the nurse bundles the baby and hands him to his mama. Faith’s eyes lock with mine as I come back to the side of the bed, crossing to a chair Birdie’s pulled out for me.
I sit down next to Faith, reaching my hand up to touch our son. His tiny, perfect little hand grabs my forefinger instinctively, and I laugh as I look at my wife in amazement.
“Can you believe we did this?” I ask, my voice thick with emotion.
Faith reaches out, resting her hand on my cheek. “He’s the best gift you’ve ever given me.”
“Shouldn’t I be saying that to you?” I ask, leaning forward to kiss her. I leave a trail of dark soot on her cheek and lips.Thank God I started stacking hay and grain sacks at the Jenkins Feed Store. Best fucking decision of my life.
Birdie stands up, excusing herself. “I’m going to go let everyone know the baby’s here. Good job, you two. He’s absolutely perfect.”
Faith’s voice catches as she says, “I don’t know how you managed to get here in time. But seeing your face enter the room was the best surprise I’ve ever had. Well, that and the plus sign on the pregnancy test.”
“I’ve been working non-stop since your first call this morning. But it took a while to get the handlines where I could leave because we couldn’t get air support in, and the fire kept jumping. Fortunately, we also got reinforcements from the Tahoe Hotshots. I wasn’t about to miss this for the world. I love you, Faith, and I can’t thank you enough for making us a family.”
I stare at our son, and he looks up at me, his dark eyes round and curious and his mouth pursed.
“He looks just like you, Trav,” Faith says, giggling. “Well, without all the soot.”
“Yeah, I need to wash up.” But instead, I sit there transfixed by my adorable baby and the breathtaking sight of Faith as a mom, the mother of my child.
Cocking my head to the side, I can see the resemblance in the shape of his tiny eyebrows and how dark his eyes are, even though they’ve still got the newborn blue hue to them.
I add, “I think he’s got my nose, don’t you?” Faith nods, her eyes aglow with love.
“But his lips are all yours, sugar. And those thick eyelashes, too. He’s perfect.”
Faith looks up at me, tears pooling in her eyes. “It wasn’t that long ago that I felt like my family was going extinct. With my dad’s death and my mom going into memory care, it felt like Birdie and I were it. And with the ranch about to go into foreclosure, I couldn’t bear it. The best day of my life was when you walked into the feed store, offering to help out. I couldn’t have guessed it at the time, but the joy you’ve brought me is immeasurable. You’ve given me the family I’ve always wanted. A huge family, and now our own little one, too. I love you so much, Trav.”
My voice catches in my throat as I stand up leaning over her and Ryder to plant another kiss on her face. “I love you, too,” I whisper wiping ash marks from her face. “Alright, I’ve got to clean up a bit because if I keep kissing you like this, you’re going to start looking like a Rough & Ready Hotshot,too. And as soon as we move to the maternity ward, you’ve got a ton of family to show our baby to.”
She beams at me, her eyes overflowing with love, and I know that everything I need in this entire world is right here in this hospital.
Epilogue
FAITH
THREE MONTHS LATER
Travis grabs the baby carrier out of the trunk of my Grecian Gold 1968 Mercury Cougar GTE 427 as I lean into the backseat, getting Ryder out of his car seat. It’s the first official road trip we’ve taken in my dream car since Travis got her running again, and I’m filled with exhilaration. She still needs a new paint job and plenty of cosmetic repairs, but she’s coming along.
Thank goodness Travis kept me from selling her in a moment of desperation. I couldn’t help but tear up when he later admitted the car was his gift to me, and he’d never had any intention of auctioning her off.
He was just looking for a way to get to know me better and keep me from making a huge mistake. He couldn’t have been more right. I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. She’s so much more than a beloved muscle car. She was my dad’s pride and joy, and I feel closer to him every time I work on her or drive her. Today, it feels like Dad’s smiling down on us.
Ryder’s already got a thick head of dark hair like his daddy and the same straight nose and inquisitive dark eyes. He fell asleep on the car ride over, and he looks none too happy to be awakened from his nap, letting out a mournful little cry.
I hear the trunk slam shut, and Travis heads around to the passenger side of the car, holding the baby carrier in one hand and Ryder’s diaper bag in the other. I put Ryder on my shoulder, rocking him gently and delighting in the feel of his soft, warm cheek and silky hair against my shoulder.
