Hello everyone! I just had this idea come to me and I just had to write about it. I hope you like the new one shot!
Lucky
I looked through that large window, and I still couldn't believe my eyes. I was the luckiest man on Earth. The most beautiful person was lying peacefully in front of me. Her angry little fists waved in the air as her little mouth and chin quivered. Those small eyes of hers stayed shut as she slept through the noise and whimpering of the others beside her. The little pink blanket over her shook and twisted as she moved her legs under it. Her chubby little cheeks were still red from her three hours of life outside of her mother's womb. She yawned in her sleep and moved her little fists around. It all hit me at once, that my life would be different now. It didn't make a difference when she was still in her mother's stomach. There were only a few room transformations and a bunch of new furniture items we had to buy, but that was it. Now I have something to protect and care for. I remember everything that happened upon her birth.
"Don't you just love to eat," my wife says. I am glad that her mood has changed from the cranky and angry one, to the loving and happy one. This pregnancy has been hard for her, especially since her due date has come and gone. She stuffs her face with an array of odd foods. Pickles smothered in frosting, cupcakes with cheese on top, cereal with chocolate milk, and a can of whipped cream. "This is the perk of pregnancy."
I only smile at her remark, and sit next to her on the couch. When we first found out, it was a huge surprise. She wanted to wait a little longer before trying for a baby, but 4 months after our marriage, she was with child. I couldn't have been more excited. She, on the other hand, was scared to death. Insisting that 25 was too young, she tried not to think about the next few months to come. I on the other hand, thought that 28 was a good age to become a father and became a constant reminder of her situation, but when she saw the first form of life in the ultrasound, she relaxed a little more.
Our OBGYN informed us of the do's and don'ts of pregnancy, and honestly, my wife was not happy. Some of her favorite foods were a big no no, and she became angry. "So what am I supposed freakin' to eat during this time?" she asks angrily. "I should just bite a carrot every day and all that shit? Huh?" Before we leave the doctor's office, I apologize for her rude behavior, but the doctor says that it's nothing she's never seen or heard before. I thank her for her time and understanding demeanor. When I get back into the car, my wife is crying hysterically because she won't be able to receive her coffee or sushi fix. Being the supportive husband and father to be, I comfort her saying that she can eat all the cupcakes in the world, which seemed to work.
We tell our friends and family on her fourth month and they couldn't be more excited to see how she's coping. We visit her family first, who couldn't be more excited. My sister and mother-in-law are both in the medical field, and can't wait for the new addition to our family to come. This helps my wife feel better about the situation, but it goes wrong upon a visit with my family. My father and brother's couldn't be happier that the youngest of the family is finally going to be a daddy. My mother, on the other hand, couldn't be happier to call my wife a bloated whale with legs the size of elephants. This obviously made my wife feel worse about herself, feeling like an unappealing pregnant woman, but I reminded her that she is the most beautiful woman in the world and she has never looked better.
Her fifth month came with a bang. She was constantly hungry and moody all the time. She ate and ate and ate, but I didn't complain. The doctor said that she was gaining a very normal amount of weight, and I couldn't have been happier to hear that if she keeps this up, the baby will be close to nine pounds. Not only does she continually eat, but she also has the most extreme cravings. She ate some food combinations that I would never have thought of. Her mood swings were also very back and forth. One minute, she couldn't get enough of me, and the next she wanted to stab me. I constantly reminded myself that it was the pregnancy and hormones talking, but sometimes her little remarks hurt. When she didn't fit in any of her pre-pregnancy clothing, she finally gave up on her "normal sized" clothing and started to sport maternity, which I think made her look more beautiful than ever. Her clothing accentuated her bump, indicating that she was carrying my child and will carry him or her for the next 4 months.
During my wife's sixth month, that baby was doing summersaults and flips in her stomach. I couldn't keep my hands off of her. Our baby's movements were so mesmerizing and amazing, but my wife didn't think so. She was first paralyzed with fear when it first happened, thinking that the baby was eating her. I only laughed at her crazy hypothesis, which led me to the couch for that evening. The little baby loved to kick and move at night, when his or her Mama wanted to sleep. I would help calm it down by talking or humming, even though my wife said that I'm a horrible singer. When we went back for another appointment, our doctor asked us if we wanted to know the gender. My wife immediately said "no", so that she could be surprised when the day comes. I agreed with her decision and didn't dare consider challenging her.
At seven months, we decided that it was major renovation time. We only had a few months left, and I don't want to bring a baby home without a proper room. We set up the baby's room that I painted green, a gender neutral color, with a small meadow in the background to help my wife relax when she spends time in there. Through the course of the month, we bought a crib, a car seat, a stroller, a baby changing station, a baby bag, a bunch of toys, pacifiers, and bibs, but we left clothing and blankets for the baby shower that my sister-in-law was planning. Although my wife was not completely certain that she wanted one, her sister insisted and so she gave in. What I was most proud of, though, was the large amount of diapers and wipes that we accumulated over the months. I believe that we have enough for a year, but my wife says that we wouldn't last three months.
Her baby shower at eight months was such a huge party. Her sister invited almost every person my wife knew, and we were covered in gifts. We were lavished with so many blankets, toys, bibs, diapers, wipes, money, but most of all, clothes. Her mother and sister bought a rocking chair for her to use and a breast pump so that I could feed the baby once in a while. What surprised both of us the most was what my mother, and only my mother, bought. She bought our baby a rocker to soothe him or her when he or she is being a little cranky. My wife couldn't thank her enough, but she acted like she didn't care. I personally thanked her, trying to get some feelings out of her and I did. She apologized to both my wife and I, and hoped to see the baby after birth. I insisted that she should be there, and she agreed.
Upon her ninth month, she just has the worst feelings ever. She constantly says that she's fat and ugly and that a whale looks small compared to her. I have to be the reminder that she isn't fat, but that she is carrying a new life. Still, my wife doesn't care about what I say, and still believes that she looks like a bloated puffer fish. When we near the time of her due date, we decide that it's time to choose names. Since our baby's gender is a secret, we choose boy and girl names, as well as some gender neutral. If our baby's a boy, he will be named Lark Rye Mellark after her father who passed when she was eleven. If the baby's a girl, we will name her Laurel Eliza Mellark, continuing the flower names for a girl born in the Everdeen family. As a gender neutral name, we choose Hayden.
I still sit on the couch, watching my wife eat to her heart's content. As she's spraying the whipped cream into her mouth, but she drops the can to get up. I stand up immediately and put my arms around her to keep her up. She squeezes my hands with a large amount of force and relaxes a bit after. She turns around to look at me, and I already know. Her face shows terror and fright, but I keep my composure. I don't want Katniss to freak out and panic. "Peeta we need to go to the hospital." I run upstairs to grab the overnight bag and car seat for the arrival of our new family member. Hastily, I drive to the hospital and we are given a room almost immediately. When we find out that Katniss is only 1 centimeter dilated, we slow things down to help her stay calm. A few hours later, we only figure out that she is 2 and half centimeters, but she's relentless. Her contractions are very strong, and her water hasn't even broken yet. Upon the arrival of her mother and Prim, she seems to calm down a little and starts to relax. They keep her company and help her with the bad contractions.
Our doctor comes in every hour or so to see how far Katniss gets each time. She comes back in to break her water, so her labor will speed up. I hold her hand and stroke her head as the doctor prepares. "Okay Katniss, you're going to feel a lot of pressure and it will be very uncomfortable. It will only be a few seconds and then everything will be okay." My wife nods and I continue to hold her hand. She yelps a little and almost cries, but once it's over, her panting becomes normal breathing. Once Katniss hits 3 centimeters, our doctor tells her that she qualifies for an epidural. Katniss, being stubborn as always, refuses the medicine and continues to tough it out.
Her contractions are continually getting stronger and stronger. She tries to lie down in different positions to relieve the pain in her back. She starts on her hands and knees, breathing deeply and strongly. Katniss instructs me to rub her lower back in circles and it seems to work for a little while, but the contractions soon get worse. When our doctor comes back, she says that Katniss is only five centimeters and has a long way to go. She moans and groans and screams and cries, and the only thing I can do is just rub her back and make her feel as comfortable as I possibly can. Her mother and Prim seem to do well as coaches. Prim continues to rub her lower back as I hold her hands as she whimpers in pain. "I'm so sorry," I say. Katniss whips her head to me with a feral look in her gray eyes.
"You're not sorry," she says angrily. "You wanted this badly and…AHHHHHHHH…I am the one to suffer." Her contraction almost broke every bone in my hand, so I let her grab onto my arm which has more support from the muscles. She lays on the side, breathing deeply as her mother instructed. "Ooooohhh!"
"Where does it hurt?" I ask. It pains me to see that she's uncomfortable and hurting. All I want to do is to take the pain away, but she doesn't want the Epidural.
"My back," she cries. "My lower back." She grabs onto the railing of her bed and grabs tight. I try my best to massage the pain out of her, but it doesn't help/ She's screaming and yelping.
"Deep breaths Katniss," her mom instructs. "Deep breaths in and out." Katniss does as she's told, not letting go of my arm in the process.
"Ow," I say as she grips my arm tighter. "Ow, ow, ow, ow." She shoots me the death glare.
"Feel my pain!" she yells. Her fingers dig in more to my arm as she goes through the last second of her contraction, and after she breathes normally. "That was bad. That was awful."
"I know," I say. "My arm would like an apology." I laugh at my own joke, but all three women give me the death glare.
"No, you should apologize to me," she says. "I've been here for fifteen hours, with no baby to show for it." Her mom and Prim tell Katniss to calm down and that it will be over sooner than she thinks. I live through those contractions, until our doctor says that she's ready to push. Katniss' face drains of all the blood and her eyes show pure terror.
"Don't worry," I say and kiss her forehead. "I'll be right here." She smiles a little, just before her contraction hits. The doctor gets her ready for the birth and I feel my heart racing. Katniss' feet go on the stirrups as Prim and her mother are on either side of the leg. I hold her hands and help her breathe throughout the process.
"Okay Katniss," the doctor says. "When I say push, you have to push as much as you can. Your body is already starting to push, but you need to help." Katniss nods before the doctor turns to me. "You need to coach and help count to ten."
"I'll do my best," I say. I might just faint from all the chaos in this room.
"Okay Katniss I want you to push," the doctor says and she does.
"AHHHHH!" she screams, as I count from ten backwards. She lays her head back to rest after, waiting for the next contraction. She constantly pushes for what feels like hours, until she's about to give up.
"I can't," she cries. "I can't do this anymore." I hold onto her and make sure she listens.
"Katniss, our baby needs you. You can't give up now," I say. She nods and the doctor tells her to push one last time.
"Okay Katniss you need to push," the doctor says. "Your baby is so close, already crowning." She pushes with all her might.
"I hate you Peeta!" is her mantra as she get's that baby out of her. Then we see our newest addition. Katniss lays back, leveling out her breaths. Her face and hair are drenched in sweat as the doctor holds her up.
"Here's your daughter," she says. "Your very healthy daughter." Katniss smiles and laughs.
"We have a daughter," she says. "I kiss her on the forehead as she relaxes." The doctor calls me over to cut the umbilical cord, and I do with so much pride as I see my daughter for the first time. She screams as loud as her mother, and has dark tufts of hair on her head, much like Katniss', but her eyes are all Mellark. The big blue orbs that seem to charm everybody.
Laurel Eliza born on October 22 was 8 pounds 5 ounces. She was 19 inches long, and basically fits from the crease of my elbow to my fingertips. When I bring her over to Katniss, her demeanor changes immediately. She's looks amazingly happy and exhausted all at the same time. "Hi there," she says as our daughter quiets down.
"Katniss, you should feed her," her mother says and she does. She brings the baby to her right breast and Laurel hungrily eats. I stare at my child in awe. When she finishes, Katniss is instructed to burp her, and a huge burp comes out of a tiny baby body.
"Well excuse you," I coo at my baby and Katniss smiles. Our baby is brought to the nursery for observation, just to see how she's doing.That brings me back to the position I'm in now.
As I look after Laurel, I realize that I have a future to plan for, and a lot of life lessons to teach. I need to show her the Mellark family recipes and how to scare her mother when she least expects it. I also have to make sure that she won't get hurt by anything or anyone, and that she can live a life that is comfortable for her.
I stand there running my hand through my hair, contemplating about the things we need to do when we get back home. A tall man with bronze hair and green eyes stood next to me as he held another child in his arms. "First time huh?" he asks.
"Yeah," I say. I'm still in complete shock that my little girl is here.
"First time is always the scariest," the bronze haired man says. Even though I don't know him, he looks oddly familiar. "The second is nerve racking, but you've already proved that you could take care of one." His son slept peacefully in his arms as he looked at his child.
"How old is your son?" I ask. The tall man shifts his son in his arms, careful enough to not wake the toddler up.
"Two," he says. "Kai is quite the ball of energy here." I laugh and continue to look at my daughter. "Which one's yours?"
"She's the closest one to me in the front," I say and point her out. Her little hands are still clenched and her feet are kicking in the air. "She's three hours old."
The man laughs at my observation. "The one all the way in the back corner is my second child. She is about 5 hours old." I smile at his remark. "I got to get my shotgun ready, if she's as beautiful as her mother, I have to scare the boys away."
"Same here," I say and we laugh. "Man, those were the longest 21 hours of my life." The man's eyes bug out of his head as I finish.
"21 hours?" he says. "Man I feel bad for your wife. Annie was in there for about 7." I explain how she wanted an all natural birth and didn't think that the medication would do good for her or the baby. "Dude your wife is hard core."
"Well, I'm happy that Laurel is here," I say. The man smiles.
"That's a beautiful name," he says. "Leilani is my daughter's name." I immediately know where this family is from.
"I'm guessing that you guys are Hawaiian," I say. The man nods. I can see it. Bronze hair, perfect tan and what not.
"My wife is," he says. "Born and raised in Kauai. Went there for a surfing trip and five years later, we have two kids. I'm from here. She moved here when her job transferred after we got married. Apparently, people love Marine Biologists in San Diego. As long as I got a pool to train in, I'm good to go." I get it. We are really close to the water and we have a zoo and SeaWorld.
"That's where I've seen you before," I say. I finally got my aha moment. "You're Finnick Odair, the Olympic swimmer." He laughs.
"In the flesh," he says. "Where are you guys from?"
"My family and I own Mellark's Bakery," I say. "We've had it for years, but I'm also a wrestling coach. My wife is from a small town in Oregon, and moved here to go to school, she's a Botanist now. I met her when she came into my bakery and I basically went head over heels. I'm Peeta Mellark by the way." We shake hands.
"My wife loved your bakery when she was pregnant," Finnick says. "She couldn't get enough of the Danishes."
"Thank you," I say. "And tell your wife she is welcome any time. My wife prefers the cheese buns." He smiles.
"I'll tell her that, she'll be happy," Finnick says. A nurse comes out to tell me that Laurel is ready to stay in her mother's room, so I say goodbye.
"It was nice meeting you," I say as I shake his hand.
"Same here," he says. "Good luck with your new born. God knows you'll need it." I thank him and follow my baby to the room.
Katniss just woke up and is sitting up in her bed. Her mother and Prim had to leave, but we'll visit them in Oregon soon. She's getting some clothes that we have ready so she can change Laurel. I walk over to her as she's opening up a little onesie that says "I'm a cutie." "How was your nap?" I ask.
"Fine," she says. "I'm a little sore." I kiss her and help get the other clothing items we need.
"I bet," I say and she smiles. Just as she smiles, the nurse comes in with little Laurel. "Hey look who's here." The nurse places Laurel in Katniss' arms for feeding. She wants to help us with the diaper, feeding arrangement, bathing, clothing, and everything else the baby might need.
"I think she's done," Katniss says and lifts her scrub up.
"You'll know," the nurse says. "If she unlatches and cries, she's still hungry, if not, then she's done." Katniss burps her and Laurel falls asleep on her mother's chest. "I'll be back to help you with her changing." I grab Laurel from Katniss and rock her as she sleeps. I place my finger in her little hand, and she grabs it. Her grip is strong for only being a few hours old. She then takes my finger and places it in her mouth as she sleeps. I continue to hold her until she wakes up crying a few hours later. The nurse comes back in when Katniss calls her, and she says that it's her first changing. We learn the basics and even give her a baby wipe bath. After, we change her into the cutest little outfit.
We stay for another day just to make sure that Laurel is doing fine, and then we get ready to go home. "Peeta can you strap her in?" Katniss asks.
"Okee dokee," I say. "Let's get little Laurel into the car seat." I pick her up and bring the car seat over. I place her into the cushioned seat. She fusses and cries as I put the little straps around her. "It's okay, it's okay. It'll be over in a minute." Once she's in, I place a yellow, polka dotted blanket over the top.
"Ready?" Katniss asks. I nod and carry the baby and the bag while she is wheeled out of the hospital. I carry Laurel as carefully as I possibly can.
"I'm going to get the car, can you watch Laurel?" I ask. She says yes as I quickly ring the car around the loop in the front of the hospital. I park and get out of the car to help Katniss and the baby get settled. I strap Laurel in the back, and Katniss sits with her to watch.
"I am so sore," Katniss says as I drive away.
"I am going to go as careful as I can," I say. I just got my baby, and I want to make sure she is as safe as she can be.
"I just want to go home and take a bath," she says and yawns after.
"Okay," I say. "I'll watch over the little one." Katniss plays with Laurel as she sits in the back. She plays with some of the toys over the top of the baby carrier to get her attention. We arrive home and I take the Laurel and the bag to bring it inside the house. "We're home."
I make sure that Katniss takes a bath and sleeps, reassuring her that I have everything under control. When Laurel gets hungry, I grab a bottle that Katniss pumped at the hospital to feed her, but she doesn't want any of it. I guess she can tell what's real and what's not. "Please eat," I say and I finally coax the bottle in her. I walk upstairs into the nursery and place her in the crib, making sure that the baby monitor is on.
We are met with a lot of visitors over the next few days. My family comes over one day when Katniss dresses Laurel in the cutest little dress and a little headband with a bow. My dad can't get enough of her. Both my brothers are married, but so far, they've only had boys. Since Laurel is the only girl, my father spoils her to death, buying her little dresses and blankets. My mother also seems to be pleased with Laurel. Everyone knows that she wanted a girl, but I was the result of her third try. Katniss and I both tell her that she can look after Laurel whenever we need it, and both of my parents seemed very happy with the arrangement. After they leave, we both fall asleep only to be woken up by Laurel's cries.
"I'll get it," I say, but Katniss comes with me. She bends over to pick Laurel up from the crib and she stops crying.
"I think she's lonely," Katniss says. "She's so used to hearing her daddy talking to her in her sleep." I smile and follow Katniss back into our room and we place her on a pillow where we both won't be able to roll over her.
"So now you want to hear my singing?" I joke playfully and she throws a pillow at my face. I stare at my baby girl and my beautiful wife and think, how could I ever be so lucky?