I wasn’t going to leave her side.
Not for a moment.
Tiana
“Push,” said the doctor, looking between my legs. The doctor was a dark-haired young woman with a serious expression. Her name badge saidKeera.
The problem was I was in too much pain to listen to her.
“I need pain medicine!” I shouted.
“It’s too late for that,” said Dr. Keera.
My legs were in stirrups, and Grant kept wiping the sweat off my forehead with a tissue. Tony and Sam were holding my hands on either side. I wasn’t sure where Wesley was right now. The pressure between my legs grew as I pushed again.
Ripping me.
I howled in pain, gnashing my teeth.
“I can’t do this!” I screamed. “Do the c-section. I need pain meds.”
“The baby is almost out,” said Dr. Keera calmly. “Take a deep breath and push as hard as you can.”
I braced myself and pressed down as hard as I could. It was like a basketball weighing down on me. I screamed.
The pain was overwhelming. Nothing I ever felt before.
“My mom, call my mom,” I said.
“I did,” said Grant. “Keep pushing, Tiana. You’re doing so good.”
“I can see the baby’s head!” shouted Tony as he rubbed my bare thigh.
That gave me the impetus to push again. My baby was almost out. But exhaustion pressed over me.
“Your mom is here,” said Grant, and relief washed over me. If I died during childbirth, she was there at least.
“Push, push, push,” encouraged Dr. Keera.
Tears streamed down my face from the glaring pain.
I couldn’t do this.
I was close to collapsing.
“Tiana, sweetie, listen to me. Push,” I heard my mom’s voice in my ear.
“I can’t,” I said, my eyes still closed.
“Push as hard as you can. You’re almost there,” she said. “You can do this.”
I listened to her voice. I took a deep breath and pushed again.
Then there was a gurgle and a tiny shriek of a newborn baby.
“Good job! It’s a girl, and it looks like she’s an omega,” said Dr. Keera, handing the baby to one of the nurses. I took in a deep breath.
But something felt wrong.