“We’re going to do a regional anesthetic. You’ll be awake but numb. Depending on how Little Man does when he comes out, we may be able to briefly, verybriefly, bring him over to your face. Do you have any questions?”
I shook my head from side to side, and prayed that I would be able to see my baby before he was rushed off.
Everything was underway and it felt like they were pulling out my insides. I didn’t feel any pain, but the pressure was insane. The thought that I was awake while doctors had their hands inside my body was freaking me out.
It was all worth it, though. Because when they pulled my baby free, I heard his little squeaky cry. Then, there was a bunch of movement. But the entire time his little squeaky cries rang out, and that told me that my baby would be alright. At least I hope that’s what that sound meant.
“Jameela, meet your son. He’s beautiful and doing very well for a twenty-nine weeker. He weighs four pounds and two ounces.”
Saeed held my baby close to my face and I was able to see his little body. Tears immediately slipped from my eyes.
“We’re going to get him to the NICU and get you settled, okay. Congratulations, mommy.”
I wanted to saycongratulations, daddyin return. My head was a little woozy from the anesthesia, but I had enough sense to keep my mouth shut.
I must’ve been put under when they were finishing working on me, because the next thing I knew, I woke up in a recovery room, feeling like I had been hit by a freight train.
The nurse rushed to me and offered me some water.
“Welcome back, Ms. Moody.”
“My baby…” I croaked out.
“He’s doing really good. Dr. James is going to come in with the pediatric doctor, Dr. Abrams.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Not long after, my baby daddy, unbeknownst to him, walked in my room with another doctor who looked just as damn fine as he did.
I let that thought flash by because all I really cared about was my son.
“MiMi… I mean Jameela,” Dr. James quickly corrected.
When he spoke the name, I gave him during our one-night stand, the other doctor’s eyebrows damn near flew off his head. Then he burned a hole in the side of Dr. James' head.
“Jameela,” he repeated more confidently. “Everything went well. Your little guy was four pounds two ounces and measured at sixteen inches long. For a twenty-nine, almost thirty weeker, he is doing extremely well. He’s above average with his weight. And he is breathing on his own.”
His eyes were so bright with pride and his smile lit up. I knew his excitement came from the fact that he was the doctor doing the saving, but it also mimicked pride that a father would show after seeing their child being brought into the world.
You gotta tell him, Meela.
I inwardly groaned.
Now, with another doctor standing here, wasn’t the time to tell him that he fathered a son. Shit, he probably got other kids and a wife stashed away somewhere. I was probably just some new pussy to add to his cheating ass rotation.
I was pulled out of my thoughts, by his deep baritone.
“He’s doing so good. It’s always good to see the preemies come out fighting. And that leads me to this guy.” He turned and pointed at the other doctor. “This is Dr. Daran Abrams. He and I work together very closely, as I deliver the babies and he take full control over their care afterwards. He’ll explain in more detail about Little Man’s health… do you have a name yet?”
His flipped gears I guess once he realized he kept calling my baby… his baby… Little Man.I hesitated a bit, because I didn’t have a name. I guess it was hard for me to pick a name… I was always curious about his daddy’s real name, and when I would think about it, I would get distracted from picking a name, especially since I didn’t know if it were a boy or girl.
“No, not yet. I didn’t know the sex, so I was waiting to find out what I was having.”
“No worries Ms. Moody,” Dr. Abrams interjected. “You’ll have some time to think on it. While baby Moody is healthy, he is still very early, so we want to make sure everything is developing properly and that he at least reaches five pounds before leaving the hospital.”
Dr. Abrams continued to explain the process and treatment plan. However, I got stuck on the sentence,and when you get discharged.Everything after that sounded far away. The thought of leaving my baby in the hospital had me freaking out on the inside.
I did not want to leave the hospital without my baby.
