Loss of Time
Chapter 26
Mike and Christine barely made it to the hospital before she gave birth to their newest baby. She had him lying on her chest and looked absolutely beautiful despite being sweaty and with no makeup. Their little one was already nursing hungrily all while bonding with his mommy. The doctors and nurses had finished up with both of them so Mike sat down on the bed next to Christine and their new son, who gave him a very possessive look as he nursed.
"He is perfect. Just like his mom. You are amazing. Beautiful too." Mike told Christine as he leaned in for a kiss and put an arm around her and put his other hand on the baby's stomach.
"I didn't do this on my own. I have the perfect partner to make babies with. Just wish you were good at naming them." Christine teased as she returned the kiss.
"I am at a loss. I still like Nathan Thomas. What was your idea?" Mike asked as he got their baby boy to grasp his index finger. The baby was not nearly as interested in Mike as he was his mom.
"Well, we've had a Lucas Michael and Michael Sean, so no more Michael's. My dad's name was Todd and your dad's name was Samuel. I like Todd Samuel or Samuel Todd. Due to Tom having a Sam; it doesn't make sense to have two Sam's in the same neighborhood. I like Todd by default." Christine stated simply in a voice that left no room for argument, although Mike did like the name better than the one he had picked.
"Okay, what do you think of that, Todd?" Mike asked the baby as he leaned down and gave him a kiss on the head.
"He thinks it's a good name and he knows Mommy is getting tired. Have you called Court or Hannah to let them know?" Christine asked with a yawn.
"The disadvantage of going into labor in the middle of the night is that I really hated waking them up. Hannah apparently heard us moving around so she knows. I just got off the phone with her. Court will bring them by this afternoon after you've slept. Let me have him and I will burp him while you go to sleep." Mike told Christine as he reached for the baby who appeared to be detaching.
"Alright, but Mike? Can you stay here with me? On the bed? I hate sleeping alone." Christine asked as she handed Todd over and readjusted her gown.
"Of course. I love you." Mike leaned down and gave Christine another kiss before she settled next to him.
"I love you too. Remember, Mike, skin to skin contact. He needs it with you too. Take you shirt off; let him sleep on your chest." Christine instructed drowsily.
"Yes, ma'am." Mike agreed and gently laid the baby down in the bassinet as he pulled his shirt off. By the time he got settled again; Christine was asleep and Todd was well on his way. Mike cuddled the baby close with a blanket over him so that he didn't get cold. After a healthy burp; Todd rested his chin on Mike's chest and seemed to be studying Mike and he began talking to him quietly. "Hey, baby boy. I am so happy to finally meet you and I love you a whole bunch. It's just going to be me and you for a little while. Your mommy worked really hard to have you and she needs a nap but don't worry. She is a really, really good mommy. You'll meet your brother and sisters in a couple hours. They are really excited about you. You had another brother and a sister but they are in heaven now. I knew your brother but I never got to meet your sister. You getting sleepy yet?"
Todd gave Mike a sleepy yawn and put his head on Mike's chest. Mike somehow shifted both Todd and Christine around to where she was laying on one side of his chest with Todd on the other side. He gave the baby a kiss on the top of the head and watched him tangle his tiny fingers in his mom's hair. He was also sucking on Mike's chest, almost like he was trying to nurse. "Sorry, Todd, can't help you in that department. That's all on Mommy. I get the burping and diaper changes and occasional cuddles but I will let you do that tonight."
Todd went to sleep pretty quickly and Christine had snuggled in close. Mike even got a few hours in before the nurse came in to take both Christine and Todd's vitals. Christine woke up to nurse their son who was letting his opinion known when their doctor walked in and was assessing them.
"Alright, I honestly think you guys can go home this morning. Mom and baby are doing good. You are experienced parents so this isn't your first time around the block. Mom, how do you feel?" The doctor asked her.
"I feel good. Home does sound nice. Mike won't let me lift a finger once we get there." Christine stated. She obviously wanted to go home.
"Alright, well, Todd is perfect. He nursed okay?" The doctor asked.
"Yeah, he did good. Latched on good, got his fill and Mike, did he burp okay?" Christine asked.
"Yeah, good burp and then he tried to latch on to me." Mike told them. Both Christine and the doctor laughed.
"Well, that is good. Has he poo'd yet?" The doctor was full of questions.
"Yes and wet. What about a circumcision?" Christine asked. They hadn't found out if they were having a boy or girl so that was all up in the air.
"I will get you an appointment made for that. Will be done within a couple days. Alright, if you both will sign here and here, I can release you guys. I'll have the nurse come in and help you get dressed and get the baby in his car seat while Dad gets the vehicle." The doctor told them as she had them sign the paperwork that formally named Todd and released them. Within ten minutes, Mike was on his way out to get Christine's SUV while a nurse helped her get ready and helped her with Todd. He called Hannah as he walked to the SUV to let her know they would be home soon.
Mike drove as slowly and carefully as possible because Christine was sore. Todd was sound asleep in his car seat and Christine was in the back seat with him. She was exhausted despite the quick labor and easy delivery. He finally pulled into their driveway and heard her deep sigh.
"I am ready to hit that big, comfortable bed. This was a lot easier in my twenties with Court, Hannah and Lucas. Having the twins was rough but mostly because I missed you. This little guy has worn me out." Christine told Mike as he opened the door. Fortunately Tom appeared at his elbow and Mike decided to recruit him to get the car seat out.
"The kids came over to our house for breakfast. Figured I would help you all get settled and then have them come over. What do I need to do?" Tom asked.
"Can you get the baby out of his car seat and I will help Christine upstairs? She needs to lie down." Mike told him quietly.
"The baby comes upstairs with me." Christine told them as Mike helped her out of the SUV. She had unbuckled the restraints on the car seat and Tom had ahold of the sleeping baby.
Between Mike and Tom, they got Christine settled in the bedroom. As soon as Tom left, Mike helped Christine into one of her nightgowns and got her a glass of sweet tea and everything she would need for Todd. As she relaxed back into the pillows with the baby in her arms, she smiled over at Mike.
"Hard to imagine that a year ago we all thought you had died. Sorry I don't have the energy I had with the older kids. And I am kind of a mess." Christine gave Mike a kiss after she said it.
"You are absolutely perfect. I always thought you were especially beautiful after giving birth. You always radiated beauty." Mike told her as he leaned over her and their baby and gave them both a kiss. They both heard their older kids come in downstairs and up the stairs.
All four kids come in and jumped onto the bed with Mike and Christine. They all loved on their baby brother and mom. Within a half hour, all four of them were sound asleep in Mike and Christine's bed. He sat down next to Christine and wrapped an arm around her.
"Not exactly as relaxing as you had planned?" Mike asked her.
"No, but I also love it. I love when they all sleep in here with us. I know it isn't practical at all but I love watching them sleep." Christine said as she smoothed Hannah's hair back and kissed Todd on the forehead.
"Me too. They are sure beautiful, like their mom." Mike reached across and pulled the blanket over Mikey and Sarah Elizabeth.
"Mmm. They have some of you in them too. Only problem with moments like this is that it does make me miss Lucas. And I bet you miss not having Katie too?" Christine asked. Mike had begun seeing a therapist as a requirement from the Navy. It was something they encouraged all members of the Nathan James crew to do and Mike and Tom felt it would be good to show the officers agreed with the order. It made it easier for the enlisted to understand it was okay to seek help. The loss of his and Helena's child had come up in the counseling and his therapist had helped Mike name the child he had lost, with Christine's input. He had named her Katherine Anne after his mom and had called her Katie.
"It does a little. Mostly Lucas but a little with Katie too. It's hard not to think about her, what she would have been like?" Mike stopped himself before he said much more. The one thing he couldn't get past was the anger towards Helena. His biggest question was why she hadn't carried the baby to term, and then brought her to Mike if she didn't want to parent her. It would have been uncomfortable for Mike and Christine both but Christine had told him that she would have accepted and loved the baby, just like her own and in a lot of ways; Christine had grieved for Katie, right along with Mike.
"I imagine that she would have been this sweet baby girl with big blue eyes, a button nose and dimples. She would have had you wrapped around her little finger. Me too." Christine gave him a beautiful smile and leaned in for another kiss.
"You are amazing." Mike said as he gave her the requested kiss and then kissed Todd's head.
"I have an amazing husband and some beautiful kids." Christine said as she looked over their sleeping kids. She let out a yawn and snuggled up close to Mike, falling asleep within just a minute.
Mike looked over at the four older kids and smiled. Hannah had seemed to find her own in the martial arts classes. She had already competed several times and Wolf seemed to think she would have her black belt in no time at all. It had done her a lot of good. She was much more confident and had muscled up. She was still short but wasn't chunky. She also was doing much better with her school work since Christine had started home schooling her. Christine had worked with a tutor who had experience with kids who had learning disabilities and Hannah excelled with the curriculum and the one on one time with her mom. She and Mike were also much closer. Between the martial arts class and frequent trips to different restaurants in the city so Hannah could pick apart the recipes, they spent a lot of time together. She was also taking painting classes with Christine and she and Sam had struck up quite the friendship.
Courtney was in the middle of her first year as a pre-med student and loved every second of it. It had been a little harder for Mike and Christine to block out time with her but they both made a point to try and spend a few hours with their oldest. She was on the dean's list and devoted most of her time to studying. She wanted to maintain her perfect 4.0 GPA.
Mike had also made a conscious effort to connect with Mikey and Sarah Elizabeth. He wanted the same bond with them that he had with his other kids. Mikey had been easy because he loved sports and it was something Mike enjoyed. Sarah Elizabeth was all little girl but she did love cuddling with Mike and so he made a point to spend as much time as possible doing just that. It had been great until Sarah Elizabeth and Hannah had teamed up to paint Mike's fingernails pink while he slept on the couch. Christine mysteriously didn't have an ounce of remover and no one would get Mike any. He had to go to a really important the next morning with the polish on his nails. Fortunately Andrea had come up with some alcohol wipes that helped some but it didn't stop the laughs.
Mike and Christine had also spent a lot of time with together, frequently going for date nights and they had even managed a 'baby moon' when Christine was about four months along. It had been a couple hours south of the city and was a really nice location on a beautiful lake. They didn't see much of the scenery because they barely left their hotel room. It had been an amazing long weekend and when they got home; Tom had made a joke that if Christine wasn't already pregnant, she would have been after that weekend for sure.
Christine had also gone with Mike to some of the therapy appointments. It brought a lot of issues into the forefront where they needed to be. It had created a few arguments but had also led to some very passionate make ups and made their marriage even stronger. They talked about everything, Lucas dying, Helena and her resulting death, the fact that Katie would never be born, Hannah's issues and how to deal with them. Therapy had done them both some good and Hannah had even come along for a few of the appointments. She did most of her talking to Angel though.
Mike wrapped a blanket around the kids and Christine and made sure Todd was warm enough. He had a hundred things to do but decided to just cuddle up with his wife and kids. The laundry and cleaning would be there the next day, cuddling with the kids and Christine happened often enough but Mike still loved the moments.
A year before Mike had also thought his family was gone and had been with Helena. He had been miserable. As angry as he was at Helena because of Katie; he was thankful she had forced him to go to that dinner party where he found Christine. Because of that stupid dinner party; he had found his life again and he couldn't be happier.
Okay, that's it! Lots of ups and downs with this one and it went a lot longer than I planned. Hope you all enjoyed. Please review!