Marshall the Midwife: Chapter 7

This is it! I spent my weekend helping with the birth of a beautiful baby girl, so that's why it's been so long. Please review this and let me know if you liked it! I can't believe I'm actually finishing it! Thank you all!

"This is pretty amazing for a stand-in midwife." Erika said as she did her examination of the placenta.

"The placenta is intact, she didn't tear or hemorrhage, the baby is great. It almost makes me wonder why babies are born in hospitals. Great job, Marshall."

"Thank you, ma'am." I said nodding respectfully "In all honesty, it was your words that helped me do what I did. I just kept thinking of things you said."

"That sounds to me like someone else was helping you out, Marshall. Someone a lot bigger than me. A man listening to what I say, especially an expectant father, is a miracle."

"Oh you don't know Marshall." Mary said

"I'm not really the father…" I said awkwardly

"Well, you're probably the God-father, I mean you literally helped bring the kid into the world." She finished writing up some stuff on Mary's chart and turned toward Mary. "Once we've got you rehydrated with fluid, we'll move you up to postpartum. Once in postpartum, you can see your family and adoption facilitator."

A nurse went over to Mary who was filling out paperwork and asked "Do you have a name picked out for him?"

She looked at him as he slept in her arms and then looked up at me and smiled, "His name is Marshall."

"What?" I said swallowing in surprise

"You heard me." She said, something that almost looked like a blush was creeping into her cheeks. "Marshall James Shannon is his name."

"Wow." I said completely stunned. "Thank you."

Everyone left the room shortly after that, leaving the three of us alone. I sat down in a chair next to her bed and watched as the baby, Marshall, started to wake up a little.

"Do you want to hold him?" Mary asked.

"Yeah," I said gently taking him from her arms.

He looked up at me, his eyes wide open and I just looked right back at him. "Hey little man," I said smiling "The last time I held you, you were still wet and warm…now you're just warm."

He yawned and smacked his lips a bit fidgeting into a comfortable position.

"Thank you, Marshall. Thank you so much." Mary said, touching my shoulder. "I don't know what I would do without you."

I looked at her, locking eyes with her. I just wanted to kiss her right then and there and it took everything within me to restrain myself. Forcing myself to look away from her, I gave her back the baby that had already taken a special place in my heart. I pushed reality back into my hazy loving perfect picture. Mark was the father of this baby, not me. And it'd looked like he and Mary were close to reconciling, if they did, it wouldn't work to have the baby named after me.

"I know you're grateful Mare, but you don't have to name your baby after me. I mean, what's Mark going to think?" I said

She looked down at the baby, and I could see in her eyes she'd forgotten about Mark. I knew her too well. The wheels of her brain were moving and she was thinking, trying to cover up that vulnerable part of her heart she'd just opened up. Then she looked down at her baby again, and I saw for the first time in a long time, peace in her features. She wasn't going to run this time.

Looking at her son only, she said softly "I wanted to name him after the man I'm in love with."

"Oh," I said so tired that I was falling asleep. I replayed what she said again in my head and my eyes shot open. "OH."

"I love you, Marshall." She said her eyes now on mine. "I know it's bad timing with Abigail and Mark and all, but I had to tell you. Especially after tonight."

"Mary," I started the breath being knocked out of me. It felt like fireworks were being let off in my body. I turned to her and looked down to see her unsure smile and quivering lip. She was hoping I felt the same way. It was like that hard layer of her heart had just been uncovered in the release of those words, and I loved her all the more for it.

"Mary," I continued. "It's never been good timing. But that doesn't change the fact that I have been in love with you since the day we became partners. I will always be here for you, and for Marshall. I've been just killing time hoping that this would happen, that you'd feel the same way about me and be ready to take that step. I think you are the most beautiful woman on the earth."

"Well right now I'm not." She snorted, relief flooding back into her features as she tried to keep her cool.

"Especially right now." I replied, stroking her golden hair.

Then I kissed her and she kissed me, and I knew that tonight was not only the birth of Marshall James Shannon, but it was also the birth of a new family.

And just as life always had been since meeting Mary Shannon, things were messy. But, just like childbirth, the messiness was beautiful. And I knew that as long as we were together, that beauty would only grow and grow into something better than even I could imagine.

FIN