Torn [SHAWN MENDES]

~Epilogue~

"When you feel the next contraction, I need you to push," Doctor Lee directed from her position at the end of the birthing bed. "Shawn, when I give the word, I want you to join me so that you can catch this little guy as he enters the world."

"Got it," he replied. He was currently standing next to Taryn, holding her hand as she fought through her labor pains.

"It's starting!" Taryn exclaimed as she leaned forward slightly.

"Okay...here we go. Let's get through this contraction and push for ten. One. Two. Three. Four. Five," the doctor counted.

"Oh god!" Taryn cried out as she felt a huge amount of pressure at her vaginal opening.

"I see the head. Shawn, it's go time! Come down here. Taryn, take a breath and let's make it to ten while you keep pushing!"

Shawn rushed over to the spot Dr. Lee reserved for him and gasped when he looked between his wife's legs. The baby's head was right there!

"Six. Seven. Keep pushing! Eight. Nine. There we go! The head is out! Shawn, I'm going to ease your kiddo out while you hold onto the head. One more huge push, Taryn."

Taryn let out a primal cry as she focused every bit of energy left in her body on pushing as hard as she could.

"Oh my god!" Shawn shouted. "He's out! You did it, honey!" He then carefully lifted the slippery newborn so that his mama could see him.

"Is he okay?" Taryn asked.

"He looks very healthy," Dr. Lee assured her. "I'm going to cut the cord and then you can hold him or even try to nurse."

Moments later, Shawn placed the baby on Taryn's bare chest as tears streamed down his face. "He's perfect."

Once both the baby and mother had been checked out thoroughly, the family was moved to a private hospital room. Taryn was trying to get Eli to sleep after a fairly successful first feeding session, while Shawn texted everyone their happy news.

"I think he's falling asleep," Taryn whispered. "Do you want to take him so that I can eat?"

"Lemme take my shirt off so that I can hold him against my chest." He pulled his cotton T over his head before taking the newborn from her. "Hey little buddy. Close those eyes. You need your rest after everything you've been through."

As she ate, Taryn couldn't take her eyes off her husband and son. It wasn't long before she was a sobbing mess. "I'm so happy right now," she wailed.

It had been a stressful pregnancy from the start. Taryn had the procedure Doctor Kim recommended a few weeks after the appointment, and immediately following the recovery period, she joined Shawn on his abbreviated US tour. Piper and Rosie were with them for many of the dates, which was a nice distraction from their anxiety about whether the procedure had worked. They had to wait two full months to start trying to get pregnant, and initially they weren't successful, which was discouraging. Finally, in late February the pregnancy test was positive.

Dr. Kim referred them to Dr. Cory Lee for the remainder of Taryn's prenatal care, and the new OB/GYN was extremely sensitive and understanding regarding their concerns. There wasn't a moment that the fear of losing the baby didn't hang over their heads like a dark storm cloud, but once Taryn hit the thirty week mark, they began to feel hopeful that this time it would be okay.

Eli let out a whimper and Shawn soothed him by gently patting his back. "Happy doesn't even begin to describe it."

"You sent everyone a pic and his stats?"

"Yup. I started a group chat with Earl's fam and they responded right away. Jules sent a bunch of hearts, and Mina said she can't wait to meet Eli when we go home for Christmas. You heard my conversation with Aaliyah. She wants to talk to you later."

"What time are our parents coming by?" she asked.

Manny and Karen had flown to California two weeks before with plans to stay until the birth. Shawn rented them a house in Santa Barbara, close to Tricia's condo.

"In about an hour. They understood that Piper gets the first visit."

As if on cue, there was a soft knock on the door as Yasmin poked her head in. "Hello! Someone is super excited to meet her baby brother!"

Piper pushed past her mom and walked straight to her dad and Eli. "He's so teeny!"

"He didn't feel teeny to me!" Taryn laughed

Yaz gave her friend a hug. "I cannot imagine. Maybe my c-section was a blessing. You look gorgeous, girl. You're glowing!"

Shawn, Yasmin, and Taryn spent a lot of time together because of Piper, and any residual hard feelings dissipated as they got to know each other. By the time Taryn got pregnant, they were genuine friends.

"Thank you," Taryn said. "I feel pretty good. Where's Adam?"

"He's working but he sends his love. He's going to stop by your house to let Hendrix out when he's done."

Adam was Yasmin's boyfriend who she'd met through a dating app after a string of terrible blind dates. He was a high school physics teacher, which seemed like an unlikely match at first, but they were deliriously happy together.

"Can I hold Eli?" Piper asked as she stroked his fuzzy little head.

"Of course you can, princess." Shawn stood up and let his daughter take the chair. "You need to support his head, okay?"

"I know, Daddy! Mama taught me with my baby doll!"

He transferred the baby to her arms but stayed right next to her to be safe.

Yasmin took a hundred pictures of the siblings. "This is the most beautiful thing ever! Pippy you are such a good big sister! Can you give Eli a kiss?"

Eventually Piper started to fidget, as four year olds are prone to do, so her daddy took the baby back. Eli was now wide awake and staring up at his face. "I think he's going to have blue eyes."

"It's too early to know," Taryn said. She refused to even open a book on baby care until she was full term, but in the last few weeks she'd read at least six.

"Maybe, but I'm pretty sure he is."

That night after everyone left, Shawn sat next to his wife as she fed their son. "Everything that's happened, all the good and the bad, it's all been worth it to get to this point."

"I love you," Taryn said softly.

"I love you," he echoed.