"Nick, come in here, hurry." Nick's wife Jackie called from the kitchen.
Jackie was just two days away from her due date with the couples' third child. Nick appeared in the kitchen immediately.
"What is it hon?" Nick asked.
"My water just broke." Jackie replied, sounding surprised and a little scared at the same time.
Nick's eyes got wide. "Ok, let's get you to the hospital, now." Nick said as he grabbed her arm gently.
Nick wanted to get her to the hospital as soon as possible because he did not want the baby to come so quickly that they didn't have time to make it to the hospital like what had happened with Houston's birth.
Nick loaded their two children in the car and then the family left. Nick sped to his in-laws house so he could drop the kids off. Once the kids had been dropped off he and Jackie headed to the hospital.
"You doing ok?" he asked as he glanced over at her from the drivers' seat.
"Yeah I'm fine, I haven't had a contraction yet."
She said. Not two minutes after saying that she grimaced.
"Contraction?" Nick asked as he extended his hand out to her so she could grab it.
"Yeah." She replied as she gratefully took his hand.
"It's ok, just breathe." He said as he looked over at her with a kind smile on his face.
She breathed through the contraction until it was over.
She had three more contractions in the car before they reached the hospital. Once they had got checked into a room Nick relaxed.
Six hours after arriving at the hospital Jackie was in hard, painful labor.
"Nick, remind me why I wanted to go through this again?" she said during one of her many painful contractions.
"Because you know that in the end you will have a beautiful baby." He replied softly as he gently massaged her back.
"Oh ok, that's a good reason" She said.
He smiled at her.
Two more hours passed.
"What is taking so long? I thought the third baby always came quick." Jackie said during what seemed like her one millionth contraction.
She was grateful that the baby had been patient enough not to arrive until they made it to the hospital but after eight hours of difficult labor Jackie thought this baby was being too patient.
"Each baby is different Jackie, don't focus on how long it's taking, just focus on getting through the contractions one at a time." Her doctor replied with a kind and sympathetic smile.
Another hour went by.
"My back hurts so bad." She moaned.
"You're doing a great job." Nick said as he rubbed her back.
He had not left her side but despite continuously rubbing her back she was still in agony. At one point he even rotated a tennis ball in small, gentle circles on her lower back, it helped a little but not much.
"Jackie, would you like to try the Jacuzzi, that may help ease your back labor a little." Her doctor asked.
Jackie nodded, at this point she was willing to try anything.
"Ok, it'll be ready in just a few minutes." Her doctor replied before leaving to go get the Jacuzzi running.
Jackie breathed through three more contractions and then the Jacuzzi was ready.
The second Jackie sat down in the soothing warm water she felt better.
Nick noticed she relaxed instantly.
"Feel better?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes." She replied.
"Good." He said sincerely.
"Of course, I haven't had a contraction in here yet so we'll see." She said.
She wouldn't have to wait long for that to happen.
Although the contraction was still painful it was not nearly as intense. Nick knew she was in way less pain then before because she just calmly breathed, and although she still held his hand, instead of squeezing it tightly she just lightly held onto it.
She had been in the Jacuzzi for an hour when she said
"Why in the hell didn't I get in here earlier, I feel like I'm on vacation compared to what I was feeling like." Nick chuckled.
Twenty minutes later her doctor wanted to check the baby's heartbeat but she was having trouble doing so while Jackie was in the water.
"Jackie, I'm going to have you get out of there just so I can get an accurate read on the baby's heartbeat, you can get back in as soon as I'm finished." She said.
"Is the baby ok?" Jackie asked worriedly.
"Oh yes the baby is fine, it's just difficult sometimes to get an accurate read while a mother is in the water."
"Ok." Jackie said.
With Nick's help Jackie got out of the tub and went to the bed and laid down. Her doctor checked the baby's heart rate.
"Baby is happy and healthy." She declared with a smile.
Jackie was relieved.
"You can get back in the tub now if you'd like." Her doctor said.
Jackie nodded so Nick helped her get out of the bed.
They had only made it a few steps when a contraction hit her.
"Owww." She moaned.
"Breathe sweetie, just get through this one and then you can get back into the water." Nick said softly.
After the contraction had ended Nick asked "Ok, do you want to get back in the tub now?"
"No, actually I feel like I have to push." She said.
"Oh ok, then come back to the bed and I'll check and see if you're completely dilated." Her doctor said.
The doctor did her exam which was very painful.
"Ow, ow, ow." Jackie said.
"Squeeze my hand." Nick offered.
"Jackie you're nine and a half centimeters." Her doctor said.
Jackie groaned because she knew that she had to be a full ten centimeters before she would be able to start pushing.
"Nine and a half is good." Her doctor said with an encouraging smile and then she added "Breathe through two more contractions with Nick and then I think you'll be ready to start pushing."
Those two contractions seemed like sheer torture but Jackie got through them and when her doctor did her next exam she said "Good news Jackie, you're completely dilated, you can start to push with the next contraction."
Jackie was relieved because even though she knew that pushing would be incredibly painful she was ready for all of this to be over.
"Jackie when you start to push do you want to hold your own legs or do you want me to put them in stirrups for you?" her doctor asked.
"I want to hold Nick's hand." She said.
"Ok that's fine, I'll put them in stirrups then." Her doctor said.
Her doctor put her legs in the stirrups so as soon as the next contraction began she could start pushing.
"Ok Jackie, when you get the next contraction what I want you to do is take a deep breath, hold it like you are going to jump into a swimming pool and then push down, try to hold your breath for around ten seconds. You'll push three times for each contraction. Your baby is nice and low so I don't think you'll have to push for long, this should go quick."
"I'm getting a contraction." Jackie said just a few seconds later.
"Ok take a deep breath, hold it, and push."
Jackie took a deep breath and bore down as hard and as long as she could.
"Good Jackie, just like that, go right back at it." Her doctor said once Jackie had let out her breath.
Jackie immediately took another deep breath and pushed down again.
"Good job honey." Nick said as he stroked her hair softly with his free hand.
Jackie let out her breath.
"Good, again." Her doctor said.
Jackie pushed down again for as long as she could.
"You're doing great Jackie, with just those few pushes you brought the baby down quite a bit more. Just relax until the next one." Her doctor told her.
When the next contraction came Jackie pushed just like she had before.
When she could no longer hold her breath she let it out slowly.
"Good do it again." Her doctor said.
So she pushed again.
"Owwww." Jackie screamed.
"Ok Jackie stop pushing, just breathe and listen to me for a second." Her doctor instructed.
"It burns so bad." Jackie moaned.
"I know, the baby is crowning, we call that the ring of fire because the baby is stretching you open, that's why it burns so bad. I know it hurts like hell but I need you to not push, just breathe or pant."
"Why can't I push?" Jackie asked, the pain was horrendous and the urge to push was overwhelming.
"I know it's hard not to push but because the baby started coming so quickly after you began pushing your body didn't have time to stretch and I'm afraid that if the baby's head comes out too quickly you'll tear, so as painful as this is I need you to just breathe."
"I can't, I have to push."
"Just breathe honey, you can do this." Nick said soothingly as he took his free hand and dabbed a damp washcloth against her forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat that had started to form.
She was crushing his hand, he thought that she might actually break his fingers, but he didn't say a word, if he had to sustain a couple broken bones to help her get through this then so be it, he didn't care.
"Ahhhhh." She screamed again in agony.
Never in her life had she been in this much pain, her first two deliveries felt like paper cuts compared to what she was experiencing now.
"You're doing great Jackie, the baby's head is coming out nice and slow and that's good." Her doctor said.
"I'm going to push, I don't care if I tear." She said.
"You will care if it happens." Her doctor promised.
"Nicky help me, please." Jackie begged as tears began running down her face.
"You're doing an amazing job, you are so close, the baby is going to be in your arms in no time." He said softly.
He wanted to cry too, seeing her in so much pain was absolutely terrible.
"Owwww." Jackie screamed.
"You're almost there sweetie." Nick said.
"Oh God, ow." She cried.
"I can see about a fistful of the head. Give me your hand so you can feel the baby, that will show you just how close you are to this being over."
"I don't want to feel, I just want it out." Jackie cried.
Her doctor smiled, "Just give me your hand." She said.
Jackie finally gave in and stretched her hand out to her.
"That's my baby?" she asked in amazement as her hand touched the baby's head.
"Yes honey, that's your baby." Nick said with a smile.
Jackie then removed her hand from the head.
"Owwwwwww." She hollered as she felt her skin stretch even more.
"You're doing great, hang in there, once the head is out it won't hurt nearly as bad, I promise." Her doctor said.
"Ahhhh." Jackie cried out.
"You're so close sweetie." Nick said encouragingly.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh." Jackie shrieked moments later, her blood curdling scream bounced off the walls of the delivery room.
"Ok Jackie the head is all the way out. Relax for now, you'll be able to push the rest of it out with the next contraction."
Jackie slumped back against the pillow behind her, she was grateful to have a little break. Her break didn't last too long though because her next contraction came quickly.
She took a deep breath and pushed down. At the end of that push the baby still wasn't all the way out so she had no choice but to push again. With that next push she finally felt the baby slide completely out of her and relief washed over her. She collapsed against the pillow in sheer exhaustion as the baby's cries filled the room.
"What is it Nicky?" she asked excitedly the second the baby was placed on her chest, the pain and exhaustion was instantly forgotten about.
Nick looked "it's a GIRL." He said as an ear to ear smile crossed his lips and happy tears welled in his eyes.
Jackie also began to cry happy tears, although she would have been equally as happy with a baby boy, it truly did not matter to either of them.
"I love you so much little girl." Jackie said to the infant as she leaned down and kissed the baby's head.
The happy parents stared at their new bundle of joy. She had a nice mixture of both of her parent's features. She had Jackie's nose, small hands, and small feet, and a cute dimple on the left side of her face, just like her mom. She had Nick's mouth, ears, and a lot of dark hair the same color as his.
"She's beautiful." Nick whispered in Jackie's ear.
Jackie smiled and nodded in complete agreement.
After Nick had cut the cord a nurse came over and took the baby from Jackie and carried her across the room so she could be checked out and weighed.
"You were incredible, I love you so much." Nick told Jackie as he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
Jackie smiled at him "I love you too." She told him.
Nick then went over to where the baby was. She was still screaming at the top of her lungs.
"She's doing great." The nurse told Nick with a smile.
Nick looked at his new baby girl and smiled, his eyes were full of pride.
The nurse picked the infant up and placed her gently on the scale. "5 pounds and 7 ounces." The nurse said.
She was a small baby, especially compared to Jasmine who weighed in at 6 pounds and 9 ounces and Houston who was a whopping 8 pounds and 8 ounces.
"Did you hear how much she weighs Jackie?" Nick asked as he looked across the room at his wife.
"Yeah, she's so tiny." Jackie said with a smile.
She may have been small but she was perfectly healthy which is all that mattered to Nick and Jackie.
Nick swaddled the infant and then carried her over to Jackie's awaiting arms.
"Welcome to our family Johnna Marie, we love you so much." Jackie said as she leaned down and gave the baby another kiss on her head.
Jackie looked up at Nick and gave him a smile which he returned.
Jackie had never before felt so blessed, she had a husband she adored and three children that were her entire world. She couldn't wait to go home in a couple of days and begin their lives as a happy family of five.
The End!