Ruby's

Chapter 30

Noel held his newborn son and looked on as nurses and doctors rushed around Claire. He was terrified and didn't know what was happening. A nurse took him and Claire's mom to a different room. 

"What's goin on? Is she ok?" Noel asked.

"The doctor will be in to talk with you shortly. Would you like me to take the baby to the nursery for a little while?"

He handed the baby to the nurse and she left. He looked at Claire's mom and she could see the fear in his eyes.

"She'll be ok, my baby is strong." 

Claire's mom gave Noel a hug to comfort him, but she was terrified herself. They sat waiting for the doctor to come, but minutes passed and nothing. Claire's dad arrived a little while later and went with her mom to see the baby in the nursery. Noel was left alone in the small waiting room. He stood and paced back and forth. He was really worried about Claire and couldn't stop thinking, "What if she dies?" How was he going to raise a kid alone? He didn't know anything about babies. He suddenly wished he could tell her how much he loved her. He wished he would have told her all the little things that he never did. He wished he would have told her how much he loved the sound of her laugh. How much he loved to see her smile. He wished he would have proposed like he had planned to in London. He still had the ring and was waiting for the right moment to do it, but somehow always chickened out. He thought back to the first time they had met at Ruby's. How there had been somethimg about her that made him keep returning to the store. He wished he could just hold her in his arms and kiss her beautiful lips. He didn't know how he was going to live without her. He kept pacing for what felt like hours. Finally, the door opened and the doctor walked into the room. Noel stopped pacing and took a deep breath. 

"She is stable. She lost alot of blood, but we were able to get it under control. She's sleeping, but you can see her now."

"Ok." He felt a huge relief.

He followed the doctor to the room Claire was in. 

"Thanks." The doctor nodded and walked down the hall and Noel went inside the room. She looked peaceful sleeping in the bed. His emotions took over and he burst into tears. He walked over to the bed and took her hand in his. He wiped his eyes and looked down at her beautiful face then he sat in the chair by the bed and held her hand. A few minutes later, Claire stirred and opened her eyes. She looked at Noel confused.

"Where's the baby?" I asked, worried.

"He's fine. Your parents are with him in the nursery."

I relaxed and looked at Noel.

"You gave us quite a scare." he said softly.

"What even happened?" I asked. 

"You lost too much blood. I don't know what I would of done if..."

I saw fear in his eyes and a quiver in his lips.

"I'm ok now." I smiled to try to reassure him. 

He looked down at my hand that he was holding.

"I was gonna ask you to marry me when we were in London."

His eyes moved to mine.

"Why didn't you?"

"I dunno. I wanted it to be the right time then I....I dunno", He shrugged, "I started thinking I wasn't even good enough for you."

"Why? You're amazing."

"I dunno. Maybe I was just scared."

"Scared of what?"

"That you'd say no."

"Never." I smiled.

"When I thought I was losing you, I kept thinking about everything I wanted to tell you but never did."

"And what's that?"

He let out a nervous breath.

"That you make me the happiest I've ever been and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone and I can't envision my life without you."

He paused.

"Will you marry me Claire?"

I smiled with tears in my eyes.

"Of course I'll marry you!"

He smiled and leaned over and kissed me.

"I don't fuckin' have the ring, it's at the house, but I didn't want to wait any longer to ask you."

"I don't care about the ring. I just need you and our son. What are we going to name him?"

"I dunno."

Just then my parents walked into the room with our son. They pushed his bassinet up to my bed.

"He's hungry." My mom said.

I scooped him up and started breastfeeding.

"How you feel?" She asked me.

"Ok."

"You have one beautiful baby boy."

"I know." I smiled.

"Ok, me and Dad are going to head home. We will be back in the morning ok?"

"Ok." I smiled.

My parents left and me and Noel sat in my bed staring at our son. He was perfect and we were both madly in love with him already.

"How about Donovan?" Noel said.

"Donovan?" I thought about it for a minute.

"I like it." I smiled.

Noel looked down at his tiny little son.

"You like that? Huh? Donovan?" He asked gently. The baby made a whimper.

"He fuckin' loves it!" Noel smiled at me and I smiled back.

"Ok. Donovan it is."

We looked at each other. 

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." I answered.

*Song Inspiration