Ember
Excruciating pain has forsaken my body as I try to breathe.
They lied.
All of them.
They spit out bullshit and told nothing but lies.
I hate every single one of them.
“Breathe, baby. You can do this,” Noah coaches from behind me.
“Next time,” I pant heavily, “you push a damn watermelon out of your dick and see if you’re– Argh!” Why do I have to go through hell like this?
“Okay, take a break, Ember. We have another few seconds before you have to push again.” I glare at the doctor. He doesn’t know shit.
“Then, you do this,” I snap, and when he chuckles, I debate kicking him in the head. He must see my thought because he wipes the smile off his face and sits back until I’m in agony again.
“I hate you, Noah Brennan!” I scream as I push.
“I love you so fucking much,” he encourages in my ear.
“Don’t be sweet with me,” I grit out.
He kisses along my neck, whispering supportive words and reminding me he loves m
e. I just want to curl up in a ball and die.
“Here we go!” the doctor says, and the nurses crowd around him. “One last push, and we’re home free.”
“We?” I growl with more menace than I ever thought possible.
“Alright, you. Last one, Ember!”
Screeching through it, I feel a burst of relief and a higher-pitched wail as the doctor hands the nurse a little bundle of red and white goo that is absolute perfection.
Gripping Noah’s hands in mine, I cry. “We made that,” I whisper.
“We sure as shit did.” Kissing my temple, he releases my hands as the nurse brings the baby over.
“A little girl.” The woman grins from ear to ear.
“A girl,” Noah stutters, and I turn my head to see him with tears in his eyes. I’ve never seen Noah cry. Not on the day we got married, nor the one when I accidentally kicked him in the nuts. That happened a few days ago when I was miserable because I was two days past my due date and exhausted.
“You got her, Noah. You got your little girl.” I smile at him, loving the way he’s watching her already.
So much has happened these last few months, and with as much sorrow and heartbreak that I went through, I can admit now, it was worth it. Everything brought me, us, to this very moment where we became parents to the most beautiful little girl.
“Emilia,” I say, and Noah confirms.
“She looks like one, doesn’t she?” he murmurs, tracing a finger down her cheek.
“Perfect,” the nurse says. “Let me clean Miss Emilia up, and I’ll be back in a dash.” Neither of us takes our eyes off our daughter as the doctor finishes up with me, and Noah gets up from the bed as they bring her back over.
When the nurse goes to hand her to me, I shake my head no. “Dad, first.” So many would question my choice, but the woman beams and places our tiny bundle into Noah’s arms, and he sits in the chair next to my bed, staring at her. Watching as she sucks on her hand.
“Christ, how did I get so fucking lucky?” Noah looks up at me, and I can read everything he feels for us in that single look, and I ask myself the same question.