American Woman: Book 4

Chapter 28

As soon as those harsh words fell from my mouth, I instantly regretted it. Even though I did feel that way to some degree, you should never tell anyone, especially someone you love, especially someone who has the issues he has, that they're worthless. I shut my eyes literally waiting for him to slap me or something but he didn't. When I opened them up, he was not in the bathroom any longer. I quickly wash the makeup off Devon's face and make sure she was ok. Her face was a little red from the water but she was fine. I got her a cool compress and laid her down in the living room and turned on her favorite show, Curious George. "Would you like a snack? Mommy will let you have anything you want!"
"Cookies!" She squeals.
"Ok." I laugh. I go into the pantry and fetch some Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies and put a couple on a plate with some strawberries, in hopes she would at least get some fruit in her system too. I poured her a sippy cup of milk and took it on a tray to her.
"Here baby girl. Eat, drink, and watch tv. Mommy is going to go talk to daddy. I'll be back to check on you in a few minutes." I tell her and kiss the top of her head.
I gingerly approach our bedroom door and go inside with my heart thumping rapidly. Prince was laying in bed with his back to me. I crawled in behind him and meshed my front to his back. "I'm so sorry honey. I didn't mean that. At all..."
"It's true." He said, clearing his throat. I could tell he had been crying.
"Baby, look at me." I beg and he hesitantly turns to face me. His eyes were bloodshot and his face stained with tear streaks. "You are not worthless...."
"I am. I've become that anyway. I mean I burned my own child bc I couldn't turn the water on to a correct temperature and then I didn't even remember what she was signing..."
"She's fine. She's in there scarfing down cookies. She's fine." I assure him. "Please forgive me for what I said. I was angry. Not that that's an excuse but..."
"You have every right to be angry with me Jensen. I...I...I...God baby I have something I need to tell you. Why I've been so out of it lately...." he stutters.
"Oh my god!" I shriek as I feel water seeping out from between my legs. "My water just broke!"
"What?!" He exclaims, rising up from the bed quickly.
"Yeah." I giggle. "She's coming today!"
"Oh my god! Do we have a bag packed?!" He panted.
"Yes. Well one for me and the baby. I never got around to doing yours." I replied, taking in a deep breath. "Oh my god! The contractions are already coming!!! They weren't this soon with Devon. We've got to hurry. Call someone to come watch Devon."
"Ok! Ok! Who?" He panics, fumbling with his phone.
"I don't care...anyone!" I scream as a violent contraction hits me hard.
"I think Maria went out of town, didn't she? Or was that Diana?!" He says aloud to himself.
"Prince! I don't give a fuck if it's Big Bird. Just dial someone!" I demand.
"Ok!" He responds, pushing a button on his phone. "Hello Amy?! Jensen's in labor. We need you and Shawn to come watch Devon please. And hurry!" He flips his phone closed and starts rushing around throwing stuff in a bag for himself.
"Why Amy?!" I whine as I grip onto the comforter trying to ward off an impending contraction.
"You said you didn't care! They live the closest!"
"Oh that's right! Good thinking baby!" I gasp. "I hope they hurry!"
As I let out another painful moan, Devon comes bursting in the door. "Mommy, nother one pease."
"Another one what, baby?" I pant out.
"Cookie. Pease mommy. I be good." She pleads.
"No, Devon. No more cookies." Prince says. "Leave mommy alone. She's about to have a baby."
"Me see, me see mommy!" Devon shrieks trying to lift up my shirt. "No. No baby. In mommy's bewwy. Daddy siwwy." She giggles.
I couldn't help but chuckle at her sweet innocence. "Baby just get her some cookies and make her watch tv. I don't want her watching me. I don't want to scare her."
Prince scoops her up and carries her back into the living room. Thankfully within half an hour Shawn and Amy were coming in and we started to leave. Prince remembered to call Dr. Thatcher and let her know we were heading to the hospital soon and that I seemed to be progressing fairly quickly. As I was giving Amy a few instructions, I heard Prince lowly say to Shawn "no thanks man I don't need that." I was in such a whirlwind that I didn't have time to ponder it nor what Prince was about to tell me before my water broke.
On the way to the hospital it suddenly hit me that we hadn't discussed anything about a look out person for entering and exiting the hospital like we did with Devon.
"So, baby, is Mark or someone going to meet us there and walk in with me?" I ask between gritted teeth as another contraction reared its ugly head.
"No. I'm over that. If people find out and are camped out and have nothing better to do with their lives then oh well. I mean I'm not going to be selling photos of our kids to magazines or sitting down and posing with them for any publication, but if people want to sneak shots I'm not going to fight it." He explained. "Unless you want to do it that way again?"
"No, no honey. I want you by my side. I need you." I respond, reaching out to grip his hand.
He raises my hand up to his lips and gives me some tender kisses on the back of it and my fingertips. "Jensen, I'm so sorry I haven't been present lately. Honey I started taking..."
"Ahhhhh!!!! Oh baby how much longer?! I almost feel the urge to push I swear!!!" I scream out.
"Don't!!! We are almost there! It happened way too fast this time! Honey I'm afraid you won't have time for the epidural." Prince winces.
"I know! I don't want to think about it! I've just got to do what I've got to do! Just get me there before I have her in the car!!!" I plead.
Several minutes later, Prince was ushering me into the hospital and demanding a private room immediately. Thankfully they were able to oblige his request and we were quickly taken into a room and I was hooked up to the monitor. Low and behold we had Desiree as our nurse again and she told us Dr. Thatcher was on the way. "Let's see how much you're dilated and see if epidural is an option."
She checks me and informs me I'm a 10 and can start pushing as soon as the doctor gets here. Epidural was out of the question.
"Baby, I'm scared." I say, looking up at Prince.
"I know, momma. Me too. But you're strong. The strongest person I know. You can do this."
Thankfully it wasn't too much longer before Dr. Thatcher was walking through the doors. "Goodness Jensen, you almost didn't make it girl. Waverly must be desperate to arrive. Even though, overall, she did wait longer than Devon. But once she decided it was time, she's not playing around." The doctor chuckled. "Your two little girls sound like they will have two distinct, strong personalities. Good luck with that, daddy." She laughs looking up at Prince.
"We are shooting for a boy next time." He jokes.
"No next time! I can't do this again!" I shriek, bringing them back to the topic at hand.
"Jensen you are going to do just fine." She assures me. "Are you feeling the urge to push?"
"Yes!" I exclaim impatiently.
"Ok, let's get started. Desiree you grab one leg, Prince grab the other." She instructs.
"No, no, no, wait!!! It's going to hurt! I don't want to do this! I can't!!!" I plead.
"Momma, you can do this. I'm right here. We are going to take care of you. Hold my hand." He offers me his hand to squeeze.
"Ok Jensen, you're about to have another contraction. Remember deep breath and hold it while you push. I'll count to ten. Ready...go." Dr. Thatcher commands.
I bare down and push as hard as I can. "Shit! Oh my god!!! My crotch is on fucking fire!!! Get her out! Get her out!" I scream.
That happened again several more times before she was finally all the way out. The doctor lays her up on my chest and I listen to her loud, precious cry. Of course Desiree whisks her away before I could get a good enough look to satisfy me. Prince follows her over to get the baby checked out. "She looks like Devon." He yells over to me. "But chunkier."
"Well she cooked a few days longer than sister did. She's 8 pounds even. 20 inches long." Desiree announces while Dr. Thatcher delivers and checks the placenta and sews me up. It's funny that now that the baby was here, I could put the pain out of mind. At least enough to tolerate. Finally Prince brings a bundled up Waverly over to me. "She does look like Devon." I giggle.
"And those looks are oh so deceiving." Prince teases.
"She's beautiful." I choke out.
"I knew she would be. I'm a lucky man. Now, we have got to give this gorgeous girl a middle name." Prince smiles. "Any ideas?"
"No, if I had any I would have suggested it by now." I laugh.
"I guess she could just not have one..."
"No. I want her to have a middle name." I interject.
"Let's see, she was conceived in LA probably on the night of the Grammys...."
"Are you suggesting her middle name be LA or Grammy?" I chuckle. "Uh no."
"Ok. We found out you were pregnant in NYC at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame..."
"Prince, I'm not naming my kid any of that..."
"At the Waldorf Astoria..."
"Astoria! Oh I kinda like that! Waverly Astoria Nelson. What do you think?" I smile at Prince.
"I love it momma! Sounds royal."
"Well her daddy is Prince." I laugh.
"So on a scale to 1-10, how bad was it without an epidural?!" Prince winces.
"Fucking 20! I never want to do it natural again!!! That had to be the fastest labor in history! What maybe a couple hours?!!! It's not even dark outside yet! But I'm ready for my pain pills. Get Desiree in here! I need some Percocet, stat!!!!" I command while bringing Waverly to my breast and attempting to feed her. "Oh shit I forgot how bad this is going to hurt too! Pain pills!!!!! Get them!!!"