Riptide: A Christian Yelich Story

Sixteen

January 20th, 2020

Amelia was so pregnant. So. Unbelievably. Pregnant. She wanted this perfect little boy out of her, and he wanted him out now. She was "technically" on bed rest due to low blood pressure, but the house was so dirty. She had to clean.

She waddled around the kitchen, wiping counters, purging the fridge, and washed all the dishes. Twice.

"Mils, please lay down. You've been cleaning all day and you're supposed to be resting," Christian said softly, holding Amelia's hips. "The house looks beautiful. And so do you."

"It's nasty in here... I need to keep cleaning," she frowned, a hand gently running over her bump.

"I'll have someone come in. I don't want you to hurt yourself. Lay down, Amelia," he said, voice far more firm.

Amelia nodded and laid down, closing her eyes for a moment before grunting in pain. The Braxton Hicks contractions she'd been having all day were getting more intense. She really wasn't due for another week, so she knew that it wasn't real labor. She thought, which is why she didn't say anything for a while.

"Christian?" Amelia called out, suddenly hungry.

"Yes, my love?" Christian was by her side instantly, laying a hand on her belly.

"I'm hungry," she whispered, another Braxton Hicks crashing through her and causing her to clutch onto Christian and let out a low hum.

"Babe. Are you in labor?" he frowned, brushing her hair back.

"No no. They're just Braxton Hicks," she gasped out.

"How frequent have they been?" He frowned, hating seeing his beautiful wife in pain.

"Like every 5 minutes or so. I'm really hungry, Christian... Please," she said softly.

"Okay. I'll get you something to eat. But then we're calling the doctor, okay?" he said softly, going to make her something that would fill her but not make her sick.

"I don't think we need to call a doctor... I think we should just go," Amelia said when he got back. "My water definitely just broke..."

"We're having a baby?" Christian said softly, eyes wide and petrified. He burst into action, grabbing Amelia's bag and Nathaniel's bringing them to the car immediately. "Can you walk? Do you need me to carry you?"

Amelia smiled weakly. "Just hold my hand," she said softly and leaned on him.

Christian helped her to the car and quickly drove to the hospital.

They were checked in settled, the doctor determining that Amelia was already 5 centimeters dilated.

Then they waited. And Amelia was in so much pain. It was torturing Christian, and he stayed by her side. He massaged her hips, brushed her hair back, and gave her the most gentle kisses. His wife was so strong.

10 hours in, Amelia got an epidural and it all took off from there. Within 2 hours of the epidural, she was ready to push. And at 4:57am on January 21st, a screaming baby was laid on her chest.

"Hi, baby. Hi. You're okay. I'm here... I love you," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks as she gave the slimy baby the most gentle kisses.

"He's so beautiful..." Christian whispered, not even trying to hold back his tears. Those tears just became more intense as he cut the cord. Their baby was here and he was perfect.

After an hour, Nathaniel was taken by a nurse and gently rubbed off, weighed, and measured. 7lbs 12oz and 22 inches of pure perfection.

Then he was laid in Christian's arms and the world faded away. He was a dad.

***

It had been one year since the best day of Christian's life, and everything had changed. He was now showing up to his home as a guest. He was a guest at his son's birthday party... How pathetic was that? He couldn't be mad. He knew he fucked up. He knew how horrible he'd been.

He just wanted his family back, and that want was even stronger as he knocked on the door and was met with his wife.

God she was so beautiful. The models and girls from the club had nothing on his wife. She was perfect. Her curves were effortless, not plastic. Her intentions were love, not lust.

"Hi," he smiled a bit, eyes sparkling with pure delight when he saw Nathaniel's bright grin. He'd been seeing Nathaniel at least twice a week since New Years Eve. He never wanted to experience the pain he did when Nathaniel didn't really recognize him again. It was like having his heart ripped out of his chest.

"DADA!" The boy squealed and reached out for Christian, much to the outfielder's delight.

"Buggy boy!" he smiled and blew gentle raspberries into his neck. "Happy birthday. Daddy loves you so very much."

"Come on in, Chris," Amelia said with a gentle smile. She was stressed out of her mind trying to get this all together, even though Nathaniel wouldn't remember any of it.

Christian smiled softly and followed, Nathaniel on his hip. "Is there anything I can help with? I tried to come early because I know you get really stressed with things like this and I wanted to help."

"Do you think you could hang up the streamers? Alex is running late and you're the only other one I know who could reach up there..." Amelia hated asking for help. But she was only 5'10", and couldn't reach the place on the wall she wanted them.

"Of course, ba-Mils," Christian barely caught himself in time. God he missed this.

***

The house got set up, cake and dinner were had, and Nathaniel was happily napping on his dad's chest.

"Amelia? Can we talk?" Christian asked softly. He'd been an idiot. He wanted this back. He wanted it all back.

"I can't right now, Christian. Maybe another time," she said softly. She was in a rush. She wanted to get all of Nathaniel's new clothes in the wash, sort out his old toys to be replaced with new, and she had to make sure her guests were happy.

She could tell that Christian was getting glared at by everyone, and she was trying to distract them all.

"Oh... Okay. Another time. I think I'm going to change him and put him down and then head out. Text me, okay?" He said softly and did it all, giving his son a sweet kiss before he left.

The shutting of the condo door felt far too final.