"This way, Mrs. Grant." The orderly said as Abby walked by the side of the wheelchair. Olivia held her stomach as it was pushed toward the maternity ward. She was doubled over in pain and some of her fellow astro wives also came with her for support . It was unfortunate that Fitz was off training for the upcoming mission and had been sequestered so he could concentrate on the task at hand. David carried her suitcase as they walked into the room.
"Someone get ahold of base operations!" a nurse screamed. "They will know how to get a hold of Capt Grant. " The whole ward came to life as they looked through manuals to find out the most secret departments of NASA.
In the meantime, Fitz was actually floating in the anti gravity chamber with his headphones on. He was controlling the ship in a simulator. The team was supposed to be simulated like they were actually in orbit . Fitz and Jake were actually having fun as they flipped over and over. Books flew by as they also tried to learn to eat and drink while in outer space. In the middle of the exercise, mission control turned off the simulator.
"Captain Grant?" the operator said. "They just admitted your wife. " Fitz tore the headphones from his head and ran to the booth to talk to the base hospital. "Hello? This is Captain Grant, I understand that Olivia has been admitted. Does this mean she is going into labor?" He stood holding the phone and nodding. "I am on the way." Still wearing his orange training jumpsuit with his name stitched on the pocket, he grabbed his briefcase and jumped into a jeep as it speeded toward the hospital.
"Capt Grant." The head nurse said softly. "Mrs Grant is in her room. We will take you there. You can stay there until she is in labor." Fitz was lead down the hall and past a wall of photographers. They were tipped off by Cyrus about the upcoming birth of the Grant baby. He couldn't help but smile and wave as they snapped pictures. Olivia was sitting up in her bed as Abby sat next to her. "Fitz" she smiled. He walked over to the bed and then leaned over for a kiss. "I was literally in orbit when they called me. We were in the anti gravity simulator for an exercise."
"Well, I am just waiting for this little one to come out." Liv said. "They say it may be a while."
"Well, NASA is outside ready to snap pictures of our baby. I barely escaped them when I was walking in here." Fitz said. "But I guess, I am just so used to being photographed by now. Smile and wave. Smile and wave. I feel like it is what I have heard my whole life from my father."
"Just getting you ready for that run, Mr President." Olivia cooed.
"Our baby is going to be as famous as Lucy's baby." Fitz crowed. "It's America's baby."
"I just wish that It would come , that's all. I was in the middle of a Memorial Day picnic and then the pain started." Olivia moaned. "I knew you would get home eventually."
"I am glad that they called me. " Fitz rubbed his chin. "I am also glad this baby will be born before we leave for Kennedy. I can spend a little time with you, but then I will have to fly to Florida. Now you and the baby can even fly and sit in the VIP section and watch his old man blast off."
"I'll go get some coffee." Abby said as she rose from the chair. "You can sit here." Fitz plopped down in the chair. "Ahhh" he sighed. "I need a rest." Sitting down in the chair , he threw back his head and then let his eyes close. Olivia just felt better that he was here now. The fetal monitor kept beeping so the doctor could check on the baby's process. Olivia just sat in the bed and watched some episodes of "Laugh In."
As the night went on, Fitz was awakened by Olivia's moaning. "Oh oh oh….." he immediately ran to the side of the bed. A whole slew of nurses and doctors disconnected the iv and rolled Olivia's bed from the room. "Captain, I am afraid you are going to have to go to the waiting room. You can join the other fathers there." Fitz walked over to the bed and kissed her before she was rolled down the hall. Fitz immediately fished the Lucky Strikes from the pocket of his flight suit and lit the cigarette. It was obvious he was going to have to wait for his baby to come into the world. Thank God , NASA had a private waiting area for him.
Several hours had passed and he had paced the floor in his heavy training boots. There was also a trail of cigarette butts and coffee cups. Finally a nurse tapped Fitz on the shoulder and then smiled. "Captain Grant, please follow me." Fitz stomped out the cigarette and then walked down the hall to the window. All he saw was an empty bassinette and a nurse holding up a little café au lait baby. "Here's your son, Captain." Fitz's eyes immediately filled up with tears. "Hi" he smiled. The baby had caramel skin and the bluest of eyes. He looked up at his daddy and then began to gurgle. "Hi there pal. Welcome to the world . Enjoy the ride. It's gonna be groovy."
