[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Chapter Nine – January 14

“I’m really sorry about this Kev,” I said.

“Don’t worry about it. What you’re doing is more important than set lists or choreography. How’s Liv?”

I was sitting in the hallway outside Liv’s hospital room, my knees drawn up and my head tilted back against the wall.

“The preeclampsia’s getting worse every day. We’re still waiting for today’s evaluation.”

“Nick, I’m so sorry.”

I sighed. “Just keep us in your prayers.”

“Absolutely. Love ya man.”

“Thanks Kev.”

I hung up and closed my eyes.

Liv and I had gone through three weeks of absolute hell. For the first few days, Liv’s vitals seemed to level out. Then things took a turn for the worse.

“How are you holding up?”

I looked up to see Dr. Tresher hovering above me. She gave me a little smile.

“I’ve been better,” I said as I staggered to my feet.

I followed her into the room. Liv was lying on her left side pretending to watch The Price is Right. I knew for a fact she didn’t give a rat’s ass about Plinko.

“Hi Liv. How are you doing?”

Liv sighed and rolled over onto her back. “I’ve been better.”

I stood there feeling like the most worthless human being in the world as Dr. Tresher checked Liv’s blood pressure. Even though she had tried to be as optimistic as possible during this entire time, there was no hiding the deep frown on her face today.

“Liv, we can’t wait any longer. Your blood pressure has been over 100mmHg for twenty four hours now. We need to prep you for a C-section.”

“Today?” I said. Liv’s eyes widened as much as they could considering her skin was so swollen.

“Today,” Dr. Tresher repeated. “The last ultrasound showed that the little guy should weigh about four and a half pounds. Once we get him delivered then we can get Liv stabilized and feeling better. If we keep going the way we are we’re going to put both of them at risk.”

Liv’s face crumpled up. I took her hand and squeezed it. Dr. Tresher handed me a consent form. I glanced down at Liv. Her eyes swam with tears but she nodded.

“Sign it.”

I quickly scrawled my signature across the line and handed the clipboard back to Dr. Tresher.

“We’re going to get you prepped and we’ll be in the OR within the next hour,” she said gently. “That’ll give you a chance to make any phone calls that you need to make.”

As she walked out I sank down in the chair next to Liv’s bedside.

“Call my mom for me, okay?” Liv whispered. I nodded and picked up the phone.

I called Liv’s mom and let her know that she was needed at the hospital. I called Angel to ask her to watch Brooklyn. I called Kev to give him an update and asked him to call the other guys. Then I called my dad.

“I’m coming down,” dad said as soon as I told him what was happening.

“Dad, that’s a long drive. You don’t need to,” I said warily.

“You’re my son and that’s my grandson,” dad said gently. “I’m coming.” He paused.

“Did you call your mom?”

I hadn’t spoken to mom since the night of my bachelor party. I sighed.

“No.”

“I think she needs to know.”

Coming from dad, this was a pretty big statement. I pursed my lips.

“I’ll call her.”

“Okay. I’ll see you in a few hours. I love you. And Nick?”

“Yeah?”

“Everything’s going to be okay.”

I felt tears prickle my eyes. “I love you, dad.”

“I love you too.”

I hung up and then picked the receiver up again. Liv looked over at me.

“Who’s left?”

I glanced over at her. “My mom.”

The phone rang several times. I was half-hoping that I’d roll over to the answering machine when I heard a click.

“Hello?”

I closed my eyes. “Hi, mom.”

“Nick?”

“Yeah. Listen…Liv’s in the hospital and she’s heading in for an emergency c-section.”

“It was so nice of you to call considering I had to find out she was pregnant from the tabloids. She didn't waste any time for round two did she?”

I didn’t need this…I really didn’t need this.

“Well, I just wanted to let you know.”

Mom sighed. “Do you want me to come to the hospital?”

“Dad’s coming.”

“Oh.”

There were several seconds of awkward silence.

“Maybe I’ll come up later. Afterwards…” she said, trailing off.

“Yeah. That would probably be okay.”

I paused, waiting for her next move.

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later today.”

“Okay.”

“Well…bye.”

“Bye.”

I hung up feeling worse than I did before I began the round of phone calls. As I had worked my way down the list, the anesthesiologist had come in and started Liv’s line.

“So much for doing this one naturally,” she said, trying to sound light-hearted. I smiled as much for her sake as mine.

“It figures my son would make a grand entrance into this world.”

Liv smiled.

“Definitely unforgettable.”

At that moment Liv’s mom ran through the door. She looked like she had been crying.

“Oh baby,” she said. Liv opened her arms and gladly welcomed a hug.

“Mom…I’m scared.”

I turned away. Liv was trying to be so damn brave for me. I knew that she was scared, but it killed me to hear her say it in that little girl voice reserved just for times when mom is needed the most.

“You’re going to be fine,” mom assured her. “I’m going to be in the waiting room ready to hold my grandson. Besides, Nick will take good care of you. Right?”

I turned back and nodded. “Nothing’s going to happen on my watch,” I said.

Dr. Tresher poked her head back in the room.

“Are we ready?”

Liv nodded; her mom squeezed her hand, hugged me, and walked out of the room.

Dr. Tresher stepped in and hugged Liv.

“Let’s go deliver another beautiful baby.”

---------------------------------------------------

I was surprised how well I had done when Brooklyn was born. I had been petrified that I would faint at the sight of the blood and…well, goo. To my surprise none of that mattered once I helped catch her and cut the umbilical cord. She was mine and all the goo in the world didn’t make a difference.

Now I was feeling that same trepidation. This was the unknown. Once we got to the operating room, nurses covered Liv with drapes. I stayed by her head. I knew the basic logistics of a c-section and the thought of them slicing her open like a cantaloupe seemed like the beginning of a bad horror movie.

“Alright, Liv,” Dr. Tresher said calmly. “I’m going to make the incision. From start to finish we should have a baby in about ten minutes.”

Liv was hooked up to tons of machines. I saw the nurses glance up periodically to check her vitals. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. She placed her hand on the side of my face.

“Making the incision,” I heard Dr. Tresher say. I looked down at Liv. She looked panicked, but not in any type of pain. A minute later I heard the sound of suctioning. I heard Liv suck in a breath.

“You okay?”

“Pressure,” she said.

Before I could ask her what she meant a rush of activity happened on the other side of the curtain.

“Head is out,” Dr. Tresher commented. I was really tempted to look, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I heard more suctioning.

And then there was a cry. Liv gasped at the sound. She grasped my hand and squeezed tightly.

Seconds later the nurse held up a tiny red wiggling gooey baby over the drape. My eyes hungrily tried to memorize every single feature.

“A beautiful boy,” the nurse said.

And just like that he was gone.

“Where’s he going?” Liv asked, her voice rising in panic.

“We’re taking him to a warmer and making sure we’ve suctioned all of the amniotic fluid,” Dr. Tresher explained from the other side of the curtain.

I craned my neck; sure enough two nurses had him over in the corner.

“So everything’s okay now?” I asked. I was in shock; there had been no contractions or pushing and everything had happened so fast. I was reminded of a jack-in-the-box where you cranked the handle for dear life and – BAM! – out comes the clown without any warning.

“Liv your blood pressure is already dropping,” Dr Tresher said. “We’re going to stitch you up and get you guys back to the room. Baby looks great.”

“Nick, can you see him?”

I looked back down at Liv and nodded. My face relaxed into a genuine smile for the first time in weeks.

“You’re amazing,” I said. “I love you, Livvy.”

She smiled up at me. “I love you, too. So much.”

One of the nurses came back over, the baby wrapped up tightly.

Liv held her arms out and the nurse handed him over.

We stared down at his small wrinkly face. His cries had faded and he squinted against the harsh lights of the operating room.

“He’s five pounds even. Seventeen and a half inches long. APGAR scores are great. He’s pinking up nicely,” the nurse said. She patted me on the back.

Liv ran her fingertips around the crowd of his head. A tear trickled down her cheek.

“He’s got blonde hair,” Liv said.

“He has your little pixie nose,” I said. She laughed.

"We said the same things about Brooklyn. But this time we can add in your third leg," she teased. I grinned.

“Yup. I’m claiming responsibility for that.”

We watched as he opened his mouth and yawned.

“Welcome to the world,” I whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead. As I pulled away I lifted my eyes heavenward.

“Thank you,” I whispered. My heart felt like it would burst from happiness.

He had been listening.