WANT (completed)

ch. 68 | Oh Baby!

ASA'S POV

14 hours.

We've been here for 14 hours and I wasn't prepared for the worst of it. There's a lot of things that they warn you about having a baby, but they don't tell you how helpless you feel watching your wife go through it all.

We didn't expect to be here so long, but as it turns out, Cassandra's water broke while she was still only having Braxton Hicks and not actual contractions. Which is fine, because it happens, but after a few hours of only have false contractions, the doctors decided to induce her.

Even after being induced, the contractions weren't close enough, and here we are, in the middle of the night. I haven't been able to sit still, mostly because I know Cassandra is either uncomfortable or in pain, even after an epidural.

"Okay, Cassandra, I'll need you start pushing when I tell you to. Can we do that?" the doctor calls out from where she's situated on a stool, ready to deliver this baby. I'm nervous, but more so glad that we're finally at this stage. It's been hell seeing Cassandra go through all of this.

Cassandra nods weakly as they adjust her position on the bed, bringing her up slightly so she's more comfortable and angled properly. I'm already holding her hand, inching closer to press a kiss to her head.

"You've got this, love," I reassure her, knowing very well that she needs reassurance as she glances up at me with a terrified look on her face. But she's more exhausted than anything. Her hair is pulled up in a bun and she's got a few stray flyaway strands, but she looks gorgeous as ever. "I love you."

She smiles softly, but the smile is wiped right off her face when another contraction comes. Much like my own as she squeezes my hand so hard that I have to hold back a curse. It's fine — I'm not the one with a baby coming out of me.

I'm soothing her the best I can with kisses and words of encouragement as she pushes when told to. My other arm is sprawled above her head so I can hold myself up to be as close to her as possible without hovering over her at the same time. I'm pretty sure that it's the reason I'll probably be hard of hearing in one ear because of the scream that Cassandra just let out.

"It's okay, let it out," I try, kissing her again on her head.

"This is your fault!" she screams at me, tears in her eyes. I was totally warned about this and I'm so glad that I was, because she's kind of terrifying, in an oddly cute kind of way.

"Great! You're doing great, sweetheart. You're crowning, so I can see the baby's head. We're almost there. Just give me a big push!" the doctor chimes in, thankfully. It seems to distract Cassandra enough to stop screaming at me and pushing again instead.

The next few seconds fly by so fast, that I don't have any idea what just happened. We went from Cassandra pushing and practically in tears, to suddenly her letting go of my hand in relief and the sound of wailing filling our ears.

"Congratulations! Here's your sweet little baby girl," the doctor smiles up at us as she lays the baby on Cassandra's chest, while the nurse wipes her down and places a blanket over her.

I'm frozen for a second, completely in awe as I watch Cassandra hold our baby girl to her chest. The baby's crying softly, just like my wife, and I'm pretty sure that I've got tears in my eyes too.

"It's a girl," Cassandra chokes out with a small laugh, and I'm admiring the way that she looks holding our baby. The dark smattering of hair that covers her head, her wrinkly skin, and how she's got her nose scrunched up as she cries. I don't think I could ever feel as happy as I do in this moment — seeing the two of them together. "You were right."