He looked at his phone, turned pale, then quickly left the room. She watched him, smiling. He walked back in a minute later holding an overnight bag and a pillow.
"A pillow?"
"You never know. I want to be prepared."
"Must be all those years in the Navy."
"I'm not sure they prepared me for this." He said walking over to her and sitting gingerly on the couch next to her. As he sat, she gripped his hand tightly and then tapped the screen of her phone where she had an ap open.
He grabbed her phone and looked at it. "Three hours?" He said incredulously. "You've been tracking them for three hours? And you're just now TEXTING me? Text, Veronica?"
She breathed through her nose as she concentrated on the ocean outside the window. "I think I want to take a walk. Maybe go get some cheesecake." She said when she knew she could keep her voice steady. She tapped the her phone again.
"Are you serious?" Logan looked at her to gauge her snark level.
"Yup. Feeling like some Adam's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake. You feel like Key Lime, in case you were wondering. You can share. I need to pee." She swung her feet onto the floor. "No calls to anyone yet. It might be a false alarm." He grabbed her hands and helped her stand up., running his finger unconsciously over the flat band on her left hand, feeling the slightly rough channel set diamonds were. Mine.
She walked down the hallway towards the bathroom. Just as calm as always. His heart was pounding, but he was calm too. They could do this. Not that they had a choice at this point. It was go time. Or almost. After food, of course.
He went to put the bag and pillow (She was picky about them- even if she wouldn't admit it.) In the car, expecting her to be in the living room again ready to go. She wasn't.
"Veronica?" He found her leaning over grasping the sides of the sink with her head down and her eyes closed. "Veronica?" He reached out a hand to rub her back.
"Don't. Don't touch me right now." She ground out and he froze. After a minute or so she breathed out and stood up. "Sorry," as she reached up to kiss him, "I can't concentrate when you touch me. " He smirked and then ran his hand down her arm. "Cheesecake?"
"Yeah. It's my last chance to eat it without feeling bad." She started to move towards the door of the house.
"When has that stopped you before?" He inquired. She smacked his arm. "Ow. None of that, You have to be a role model now." She paused outside a doorway and looked in at the blue walls with turtles and fish outlined on them. He reached down to put his arms around her. "Ready?
"Probably not. But here we go." She said. Then she smiled. "You?"
"Yes. I am."
They walked around the outdoor mall for a while after they had eaten (She had eaten) the cheesecake. Every few minutes she would pause and tap her phone. Sometimes she would hold his hand, sometimes she would lean against him, sometimes she'd step away from him. He just tried to follow her lead and not be anxious. Much.
"Veronica. I think it's time to head in. They're getting closer. And you're having a harder time." Logan took her phone from her. "Veronica. We're at every five minutes or so. We're going now." He expected her to argue and decided that he was definitely right when she didn't.
"Keith? We're heading to the hospital." He looked at Veronica who had stopped again. "Yeah. I think so. Okay. I'll call you once we've been checked out." He hung up.
"Did we bring my car because you're afraid my water will break in your precious?" Veronica was able to talk once again. The pressure she'd been feeling wasn't letting up as easily now. He was right. It was time to head to the hospital.
"Yep." He helped her into the passenger seat and then jogged around to his side taking a deep breath before he got in the car. He eased out of the lot and then sped towards the hospital.
Fifteen Hours later
Flying jets wasn't as nerve wracking as this. Give him enemy fire any day. All he could do was brush hair out of her eyes and encourage her. He looked at the nurse that came in to check. The epidural had helped. A Lot. Thank God for that. She had lasted a long time before asking for it, which was exactly as they planned. Since the medicine had taken effect, she'd been able to rest a bit. He kept his eyes on the monitors and could see another contraction building. She looked exhausted, as well she should, she'd had almost twenty hours of contractions at this point.
"Logan?" He looked at her and she smiled at him. "I love you." And even though he'd been hearing her say it for three years, every time was a gift he never took for granted.
" I love you too, Veronica."
"Okay Veronica, it looks like you're ready to start pushing." the nurse said.
"Really?" Veronica and Logan spoke together. "Okay." Veronica took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Trying to remember what the midwife had explained about how to push. Then she mentally shrugged. That's what the nurses were for, right? To help her know how to do it right.
Logan grabbed his phone to text Keith, Mac and Wallace.
The nurse looked at them both and smiled. "It's still going to be a while." And then she started getting things ready and laying out instruments. When she turned on the baby warming bed, Veronica saw and commented.
"I'd really like skin to skin time immediately after he's born." She said
"Oh yes. That is hospital policy as long as everything is okay with you both." The nurse said. "This warmer is for afterwards when we clean him up."
93 minutes later
"Veronica. Look at this. Look at what you did." Logan's hand was resting on William (Billy)'s back as he nestled into Veronica's chest. The baby was still gross and sticky and it mattered not at all.
"We did. We did it. Together." Happy tears streamed down her face as she placed a hand on top of Logan's. "Thank you. Thank you for calling. For convincing me that we can do this." She gazed into the brown eyes that she loved so much and grinned at him through her tears.
Logan leaned over and kissed her. "Love you."
Six days later
"He has your appetite." Logan said as he rolled out of bed for the third time that night to change and get the baby ready for Veronica. "Hey buddy." He picked up the baby gently, still marveling at the tiny human they had created. Billy mewled loudly at him, his fists punching at invisible foes. "And my penchant for punching."
Logan had watched what felt like several hours of You Tube videos on the best way to swaddle, but it was the nurse at the hospital that really helped him with it.
"One burrito baby, ready for food. Do you need anything?" He said presenting the baby to Veronica, who was now nestled in a big cushy chair with a nursing stool at her feet ("what? it helps my nursing posture," she'd scoffed when she bought it after realizing that her feet didn't touch the ground when she sat in the chair.) and the nursing pillow already in place. He laid back on their bed, but didn't expect to sleep until Veronica was back in bed with him. He just watched them. His family. He'd never get enough of it. Something pinged next to the bed and he reached over and grabbed it. Who was texting him at 3am?
He looked at his phone, turned pale, then quickly left the room. She watched him, smiling when he came back with a Nutella and banana sandwich and a large glass of milk.
"Can't have you passing out from hunger now, can we?" He said indicating her text.
"Nope." she said as she adjusted the baby to a more comfortable position. It was still very new to both of them. As she looked down at their son, she couldn't help but think how lucky she was. They were a family. She'd never get enough of it.