Remember Me.....

Seedlings

"Congratulations, you have a perfect little girl!" The midwife held the mewling new-born up and smiled from behind her mask.  Tom grinned like a Cheshire cat and kissed Eve on her sweat covered brow.  She'd spent the last eight - or was it nine hours? - crushing his now very bruised hand like her life depended on it. As he watched and prayed, she'd heaved and pushed their baby into the world. Pushed and sworn.  Oh, there had been such a lot of swearing. Looking back later, it made her blush to admit she even knew words like that!

"I'm so proud of you, darling, so VERY proud." He moved down, and under the midwife's careful gaze, cut the cord.  Instantly, Gracie - he had, of course, got exactly what he'd laughingly commanded - started to cry again.

"Seems she's got your singing voice, love!" he said with a smirk, and Eve, despite her fatigue, managed a weak laugh.  

"As long as she doesn't have your penchant for ruling the world, I think we'll manage." she held out her hands, and the midwife placed Gracie onto her chest, skin to skin. Gracie instantly calmed as she felt her mother's heartbeat and heard her voice. The little pink face suddenly serene, her tiny fingers clutching at the skin of the one woman in the world she could always depend on. Tiny blue eyes that didn't yet really work, looked blearily at the face of the father, who knew in that instant he was lost - her devoted protector.

"Welcome, Little One," Eve whispered. "Daddy - yes, that's him there with the goofy smile - and I will love you to the end of the world and then some." she looked over at Tom, who was in tears, speechless.  He gazed in rapture down at the two people he loved most in the world.  The two people he would give his life for. All he could do was nod, helpless in the face of his glorious purpose made real.

"Here Daddy, take your little Princess, speak to her." she kissed her daughter's tiny head and passed Gracie to him.  He took her in his arms as if she was made of spun glass and might break at any moment.  His eyes reflected his absolute joy and utter terror all in one look.  Eve smiled and lay back as the medical staff tended to her, making sure the last of the process went smoothly.  Delivering her daughter was just the beginning. She was exhausted, and it had, of course, been agonising.  But now, as she looked over at Tom as he cradled their baby girl, she felt a sense of peace, of love, and above all, belonging.

Tom sat down gingerly on the chair and held his daughter close to his chest.  He'd opened his shirt a bit too, so she could feel his heartbeat as well. What looked to him like a tiny smile - Eve never did have the heart to tell him it was too soon - passed over her little face, and he positively glowed.  "Gracie?" he whispered softly. "Gracie, it's Daddy.  I love you my little Princess, with all my heart - well, the part that doesn't belong to your wonderful Mummy." he looked over, and tears ran down his cheeks. "You will be loved and cherished and we will take you wonderful places and show you wonderful things and you will ALWAYS know that we loved and wanted you from the instant, no, even BEFORE the instant we knew you were coming to us.  We have loved you deep in our hearts forever and will love you deep in our souls long after you are grown and we have gone.  Gracie, you, my darling daughter, are our future.  We can't wait to share it with you."

"Oh, Tom!" Now the emotion overwhelmed Eve, and she too sobbed. "That... that was beautiful, darling.  Did you have all that planned?" Blown away by his eloquence and heart-rending emotion. she confessed. "That was everything I wanted to say and more, just I couldn't find the words.  Thank you, love." 

"No, truly, it just came to me.  Seeing you now with Gracie inspired me.  You, my darling girl, inspire me every single day." he looked at her, and there was almost silence in the room.  The midwife and the charge nurse, standing quietly in the corner, in tears themselves. Suddenly, a small mewl broke the silence, and there was a ripple of laughter.

"Well, eloquence has its place, but I think young Gracie here wants something a little more solid, Mummy!" The midwife walked over, and Tom reluctantly, but understandingly, handed her over.  A couple of minutes and a little bit of help later, she was feeding quietly from a radiantly smiling Eve.  Tom sat, watching, in awe of his wonderful girl as she nursed her for the first time.

"Tom?"

"Hmm?  Yes?"  he took his eyes off his daughter with  start, looking into Eve's face. "Sorry love, I was just..." 

"I know, darling, it's ok." she smiled, her heart swelling with love for the world's newest father. "I think we should let Mum and Dad know she's arrived safely, don't you?  I'm not going anywhere. You ARE allowed to pop out for a bit." she smiled and winked "Let's face it, nothing I could say will beat the scolding Gracie's Auntie Emma will give you if she discovers you didn't call her immediately!" she grinned, and he nodded.

"Ok, I know you're right, I just want to...." he stroked the little head and bent to kiss Eve. She smiled and reached up a hand to stroke his cheek,

"We'll be waiting... Dad." 

Tom smiled, wiping his face as he walked away.  As he reached the door, he turned and in two long strides was back, kissing Eve once more. "God, I love you so much," was all he said, then walked quickly out, his face crumpling again.

"Don't worry, he'll calm down," the nurse said with a smile as she placed a cup of tea at Eve's elbow.  "They're all like that to begin with, especially when it's a girl for some reason."  She took some observations of Eve's blood pressure and temperature, then nodded.  "All good, I'll leave you in peace for now, we'll pop you back up to your room in a little while.  If you need me, just press the buzzer.  Congratulations again. She's beautiful." 

"Thanks, I bet you say that to all the new mothers!" Eve laughed, and the nurse shook her head.  

"Oh, believe me, Eve, no, not every time.  Sometimes, all I can say is 'ooooh you had a BABY!'" With that, she winked, and to the sound of them both laughing, she left.

This, Eve knew was the start of forever. There was just one more thing she knew she wanted, and it was up to her to make sure it happened.  What she didn't know was that it would come with an added bonus she could never have imagined.