Chapter 49
Charlie
I couldn't breathe.
Not for a second longer.
"Baby, you're doing absolutely great. Just keep pushing," Drew encouraged.
I had been in labor for over 37 hours and I was about ready to grab the baby out myself.
"You don't think I'm doing that?" I stated frustrated.
Drew had been refraining from laughing for the last 6 hours as I knew my tolerance for these contractions were hitting a peak.
I received the epidural, but these pushes every however amount of minutes were making me exhausted.
I was 10 centimeters dilated now, and I knew it was just a matter of time.
"This baby needs to come out now," I demanded.
I felt my neck trickle with sweat and the Doctor was enthusiastic with my response to pushing.
I was pushing hard, but this baby was stubborn as hell.
"This baby is already like their mama, stubborn and feisty." Drew added.
I grabbed Drew by the shirt, "You want more? You're going to have to wait a long, long time. Enough time to pass for me to forget the level of exhaustion and pain I am in."
"Damn Tiger, you're fine as hell when you're all pissed off. I forgot what it was like to see you get so worked up with me. It's sexy." He stated looking at my eyes intently.
Laughing sarcastically, I let go of the hold I had on his shirt.
"Alright Charlie, you're having another contraction, I need you to push for me." The Doctor said.
Grabbing my hand, Drew spoke, "Alright baby, let's do this. Come on."
Pushing hard until the Doctor told me it was fine to stop, I took a deep breath.
Relaxing for what felt like a second, the doctor told me to push again.
"Again? Already?" I asked in disbelief.
Nodding, she spoke "You're almost there. I see the head."
Drew rubbed my shoulders and spoke, "You've got this. We're right there. Just a couple more pushes."
Pushing long and hard, I felt this push be the most successful one yet.
"One more of those and your baby is here. Are you ready?" The Doctor asked as nurses flooded into the room, ready for my baby's arrival.
"I've been ready." I told her just as she told me I was having another contraction.
"Push hard, Charlie. That's it, that's it!" She stated as I continued pushing.
Feeling as if a huge pressure had been removed from my lower half of my body, I saw the Doctor lifting a crying baby in the air.
It was as if my world had stopped spinning.
"It's a beautiful baby girl!" She stated.
Drew kissed me immediately and whispered against my lips, "We have a daughter."
I felt tears streaming down my face uncontrollably.
"Oh my god," I muttered out as the Doctor placed her on my chest.
Nurses were cleaning her as she continued to cry.
I looked over at Drew who was right beside me, crouching down as we stared at the beautiful child on me.
"Drew," I stated as he was unbelievably quiet.
I made him face me and saw that he had tears coming down his face.
"She's gorgeous," he stated, barely making out his words.
"Dad, you want to cut the umbilical cord?" The Doctor asked.
Nodding, he did as told and I continued to cry at the events unfolding in front of my eyes.
"Shh, baby. It's okay." I stated as she continued crying against my chest.
The nurses took her briefly to take her vitals and to clean her as the Doctor finished cleaning me up.
Drew placed his forehead against mine as tears continued to fall down both of our faces, "We're f*cked." He whispered.
That caused us both to laugh, "She's so beautiful." I told him.
Within minutes, the nurses handed her back, leaving Drew and I with our new baby girl.
"What do we name her?" I asked Drew, as the nurses finished cleaning the area around us.
Drew laughed as I continued to cradle her, caressing her cheek.
She had stopped crying and just looked peaceful as she was asleep in my arms.
Kissing her nose, I couldn't get over that Drew and I had created such a perfect human.
She was so unbelievably perfect.
"I'm thinking Charlotte, just like her mama." He whispered kissing her forehead.
I laughed, "Next."
He looked at her closely before speaking, "She looks like a Noa."
"Noa?" I asked.
"Yeah but spelled N-O-A versus an H at the end. Make it a little more feminine," He half joked.
"You've always wanted unisex names for our babies. And she looks like it suits her." He stated lifting his thumb to her hand.
She immediately took hold of it and grabbed his finger with her small hand.
"I think she likes Noa." I stated looking at her.
Her face twitched so that her lips lifted upward in a smile.
"Noa it is, baby girl," I stated laughing.
"You like your name, baby?" Drew asked laughing beside me as she was cradled in my arms.
"Come up here," I told him, making room on the bed for him.
He climbed the bed easily, and sat beside me.
"This is for you," Drew stated handing me a piece of a paper.
I always got excited when Drew handed me these notes. My insides warmed at the gesture. He hadn't stopped handing me these at random times.
Handing over Noa to him, Drew immediately took her in his arms.
He cradled her just right, in awe of the child as well.
Resting my head on his shoulder, he stroked her cheek softly as I began reading the note to myself.
I stared at the interaction, knowing that our lives would never again be the same.
After a half hour, Drew broke the silence.
"They're waiting to hear from us," Drew said.
"I should go get them. They're all waiting outside." He said, handing me Noa.
Giving me a kiss before leaving, I admired every feature on my daughter's face. I wonder who she would look like more.
I hoped she looked like her daddy.
We would be in for a ride.
After a few minutes, Drew came in with everyone behind him.
"So, is it a boy or girl?" They all asked in unison.
Drew laughed, walking over to me and I lifted her up for them to see her.
"We have a girl," Drew stated happily.
"Yes, yes! I knew it. I knew it, I knew it!" El squealed jumping up and down.
"Aye! Clay has himself his first girlfriend," Ethan stated proud.
Drew shot him a look, "Don't you go there. No boyfriends until she's 30."
I looked at Drew and laughed, "Relax, Superstar."
"Get those ideas out your head Bradley, Clay is her older brother, my watch guard." He stated correcting Ethan.
Ethan laughed hysterically, "Nah, they're going to be you and Charlie or Blake and I. I'm calling it from now."
That caused us all to laugh but caused Drew's jaw to clench.
"Don't listen to them idiots, daddy isn't going to let you out until your 20." He stated kissing her nose.
"Finally, someone to take over my shoes with the over protectiveness." El stated sighing relief.
Drew shot his attention to her, "Oh don't think I don't know what's going on in that high school. Scott asked you to the Winter formal, huh?"
El's face turned bright red, "How did you find out?"
"I did go to that high school. I know people," Drew winked.
"You better tell Scott, I'm watching him," He stated lifting two of his fingers to his eyes.
El rolled her eyes.
"Let me see my granddaughter!" My mother squealed with Drew's mom right beside.
Everyone was up close and personal with her right now, with Drew and I watching the interaction in front of us.
Everyone was throwing comments left and right, leading Drew and I to completely zone them out.
The bickering and commentary would be never ending.
"Congratulations, bestie." Blake said as she came in for a hug.
"Thank you, B. I wish you prepared me better for how birth really is." I told her letting go of the hug.
"I could've talked all night long about what it's like but nothing will ever prepare you for that pain you feel when you're having contractions." She replied.
"Damn straight. The woman just about murdered me when she was pushing." Drew said shaking his head.
Ethan laughed, "That bad, huh?"
I shot him a glare, "I wish you guys experienced it, just at least once."
Shaking their heads in disagreement they each said something in unison like "No thanks" and "I'm good."
Laughing, Drew came to sit beside me on the bed and Ethan and Blake went to see Noa from our parents.
"And to think our little family has just started." He stated kissing my temple.
"Are you ready?" I asked, looking into his eyes closely.
His eyes beamed with excitement, "I've been born ready, Tiger."