Foreign Affair ›› n.h. mature

Ninety-Eight

Olivia Horan

This is actually the worst pain of my life but it's almost over. Sweat has beaded up all over my body and I'm exhausted.

"You're so close," the doctor encouraged me.

"Come on, Liv! You've got this," Niall said.

He fainted earlier in delivery and woke up thirty seconds later asking if he'd missed anything but I was in too much pain to find it very funny. He seems to have lost the queasiness though.

"One more push," Doctor said. "Here comes another contraction. Push!"

I did as told, wanting to scream and cry at the top of my lungs but keeping it as contained as I could manage. I pushed for a few beats, feeling like I was being ripped apart, and then as suddenly as it began, it was over. My head hit the pillow and I took in a deep breath.

"It's a boy!"

"It's a boy," I repeated, letting it sink in.

"It's a boy," Niall said like he couldn't believe it.

"Dad, you want to cut the cord?"

"Me?" Niall looked in a daze.

"No, the baby daddy."

"We talked about this, I don't like that joke," he kidded as he stepped forward.

"Joking around right after delivery? I'm pretty sure I kept telling my husband it was all his fault and we're never having another for a good half hour," the nurse said jokingly.

They immediately took our baby aside, saying they have to make sure all his airways are clear, and then I can hold him. A few seconds later, he started screaming. "That's a good thing," the nurse said.

"Are you ready to hold him?" Doctor asked.

"Yes! Please." I reached out for him. I don't care that he's still screaming, it's the best sound I've ever heard.

She gently placed him in my arms. Niall leaned over with an arm around me to get a good look at him.

I've never felt more complete.

Tears filled my eyes as I felt this sweet boy of ours in my arms. His tiny heart was beating against mine. His sweet little face was still scrunched up and the coloring in his skin wasn't all there yet but he was absolute perfection pressed against my skin. His eyes were wide and bright blue just like his father's. My tears started coming faster. I felt overwhelmed by my love for him.

Niall kissed my forehead and I let out a huge sigh. It's done. He's here.

I held him close and his screaming had gone down, first to low whimpers, then to nothing at all.

"I love him."

"Me too."

We just stared at our sweet little healthy baby boy. Our baby. This is more incredible than I ever could have imagined.

Niall was teary. The last time I saw him cry was our wedding day.

"Can I hold him?" Niall asked softly. I nodded and Niall gently took him in his arms. "Hi, buddy." He smiled at him. "Now I'm going to have someone to play football with, and share the man cave with, and watch Derby with," he said to him as if he could understand, "and we're going to do man things without Mummy," he whispered like I couldn't hear. His eyes were still wet with tears.

The nurse came back in.

"We're going to get him cleaned up and let you eat and rest," she said. When Niall was reluctant to hand him over she said, "I promise we'll bring him back. Do we have a name yet?"