It only takes 10 seconds

Part Seventy Two

Jonathan's POV

I help Laura out of the car after parking it in the driveway. We're in Winnipeg for an early Christmas with my parents even though Laura is due any day. She insisted on making the trip for them, so we've brought the baby stuff with, just in case she starts going into labor. 

"Jonny!" My mom comes running out and hugs me and Laura. My dad is quick to follow her and hugs Laura and then me. They help us in with our luggage and their new puppy comes bounding up to us, jumping up and down on my legs. "That's Lulu," my dad says, making sure the little black lab doesn't run out the door behind them. "Hey buddy," Laura says, kneeling down and petting her behind the ears. She picks her up and Lulu gives her a lick on the nose, causing her to burst out in laughter. 

We spend the day making cookies with my mom and then decorating the tree together. My mom keeps showing Laura pictures of me when I was little. "Always so serious," she says with a smile and Laura grins at me as I blush. "Mom, you know I'm trying to lose the whole Captain Serious business," I say and she shakes her head. "Good luck." I place an ornament of myself on the tree, a gift from Andrew who seems to have an obsession with them. Then I take the one of Laura and put it right next to mine. "Looking good," I say, poking her and pointing to the ornament. She laughs and shakes her head. "Why would anyone need an ornament of me," she laughs. "Well I think it looks good," I say, giving her a little squeeze. 

I sneak one last cookie before settling in to see a movie with Laura. We're watching "Ten Seconds," which is about our Stanley Cup win this past summer. My parents decided to go to sleep already since they're driving us back to the airport tomorrow. We're having the team Christmas party at our house, so we have to fly back on Christmas Eve. Laura snuggles up against me, her stomach causing the blanket to bundle up around her. 

We're midway through the movie when she lets out a little "ow." "You okay?" I say turning to her. "Yeah, I'm fine," she says, giving me a little smile. "Just a little pain. Probably just the baby shifting." We've been really carefully throughout the rest of her pregnancy and the doctor's said the baby's chances of survival has gone up dramatically. I know Laura's been worried ever since that doctor's appointment where we were told the baby only had a nineteen percent chance of surviving. 

I can hear her doing breathing exercises, trying to be quiet. "Are you sure you're ok?" I ask again, nervously. "I think we need to go to the hospital," she says weakly. "Feels like contractions." "Ok, ok," I say, trying to stay calm. I help her off the couch and see that her water's broken. "Here, you go to the car and I'll grab your stuff and the baby's stuff," I tell her. I run upstairs and grab the two bags, then wake up my parents, telling them that we're going to the hospital. My mom gets up right away, but I tell her they can take their time. 

We get a room at the hospital right away, and the doctors say that Laura is indeed in labor. Her face is flushed as she lies in the bed, the doctors hooking her up to different machines. I squeeze her hand, trying to be reassuring and dab at her forehead with a cold cloth. "I love you," I tell her, unsure of what else to really say. "Love you, too," she says, before grimacing as another contraction hits her.

Somehow I manage to not get kicked out of the delivery room, even though Laura yells at me through her pain. I hold her hand the whole time, until the doctor hands me the surgical scissors to cut the umbilical cord. I watch as he takes my daughter and gently wipes her off, then wraps her in a little diaper and a blanket, and puts the tiny pink hat on her head. Laura is leaning quietly back in her bed, her eyes watching as the doctor takes the baby and places it in her arms. I look at my watch. December 23, 11:19 pm. Looks like we've got a little night owl on our hands.

Laura holds her for a while and then slowly reaches out to me. I take the baby in my arms, and peer down at her tiny face as I cradle her against my body. "Grace Elizabeth Toews," I whisper as she opens her eyes and looks at me. "Welcome to the world, little girl."