Chapter 37

5:55 p.m.

"Edit, sweetie, you should really try to put one of those ice packs on your face... your eyes are getting really puffy," Eva Janko cajoled as she stood next to her daughter's bed. "You don't want to look out of sorts tomorrow and don't forget not to strain too hard or you'll wind up breaking blood vessels in your eyes and that looks hideous for weeks." By early afternoon, Jamie had been forced to relent and have Kaylin dropped off with Henry so that his mother-in-law was free to come to the hospital. She had been a constant presence in the room since then and Jamie could tell that his wife had taken just about all she could. He was sitting in a nearby chair rubbing his temples and contemplating how to evict her. Subtle hints and outright asking her to take a break had not worked thus far. It was nearly six o'clock and Eddie had not made a lot of progress yet, despite added rounds of medication. The one thing she did want desperately… an epidural for the pain, had been refused to her because she was still febrile so she had to endure the increasingly painful contractions on her own. Whoever mentioned they were giving her other medicine that was just as good was an outright liar in her opinion.

"Mom, for the last time, I'm not worried about what I'll look like tomorrow!" Eddie gasped as the latest one hit. Jamie moved over to the bed and held her hand as he helped her breathe through it before she collapsed back against the pillow, exhaustion evident in her face.

"Well, I don't know why you just don't get on with this then," Eva remarked. "When I had you it took less than three hours. You've been at this since the morning. A little more willpower and we would have already found out if this is a boy or girl. I can't believe you were silly enough to wait this long. I mean what if the room is the wrong color now? You'll have to take half your shower gifts back."

"That's it!" Jamie finally snapped under the pressure. "OUT!" he ordered as he swung around to face Eva. She was taken aback by the sudden surge of anger her normally peaceful son-in-law was displaying.

"How dare you! She's my daughter Jamison Reagan," she spat. "And I'll stay here if I wish!"

"She's my wife now," Jamie met her challenge without hesitation. "Husband trumps mother! Can't you see she needs your support right now, not criticism? Now go before I call hospital security to escort you out and you won't see your grandchild at all!"

Eva shot one look at her daughter with her eyes flashing before spinning around on her heel with a huff and storming out of the room. No one ever dared to speak to her like that before. Jamie immediately turned around with regret for his actions when he heard his wife sob behind him. "Oh, Eddie. Please forgive me! I'm not sure what came over me," he begged as he picked up her hand. "I just couldn't listen to her say one more thing like that to you. I'll go apologize."

"Reagan," she cried with her other hand over her mouth and tears running down her face. She was shaking and there were no words for several seconds. He felt like a complete heel. "Jamie, I've wanted to do that all of my life," she admitted as she pulled her arm away and smiled back at him while she started laughing. "It was priceless! 'Out! Husband trumps mother!' Boy, you'll pay for that one for the rest of her life." She squeezed his hand again. "Thank you," she whispered. "I really needed that."

"Oh good," he sighed in complete relief that settled to the bottom of his toes. "We'll just try to fix it... later…" he trailed off.

"Sounds fine," Eddie said as her grip tightened once more while the next contraction rolled in. They were coming every four minutes or so now. "I just hope she didn't really leave," she managed to breathe out at the end.

"Nope," Jamie admitted as he flinched with an unspoken 'ow' at her vice-like grasp on his hand while he looked down at his phone as it buzzed for a new text message. "She's in the waiting room with everyone else. Pop said thanks, he won over twenty bucks in the pool with a guess of 6:10."

"Figures. He always wins," Eddie said as she relaxed back and Dr. Geisner entered the room for a check.

"You're still at six centimeters," she said after a few minutes. "You've stalled out a little bit. I'm going to break your water now and see if we can help speed things along."

"Do whatever you have to," Eddie sighed as she prepared for the next. She was feeling almost completely exhausted by this point and they weren't even close.

"Just keep the cold packs on her and make sure she's taking in a lot of ice chips," Dr. Geisner said as she pulled Jamie aside when she finished. "Try to keep her distracted. The next few hours are going to be hard." He sighed as he turned back to his wife. He knew Eddie was strong, but he wasn't sure how much longer even she could keep this up.

###

8:40 p.m.

"Seven! Only seven freaking centimeters!" Eddie wailed after Dr. Geisner left the room again. "What is taking me so long? Why can't I do this?"

"You are doing this Eddie," Jamie tried to reassure as he sat behind her rubbing her sore back. "You're almost there. She said that once you get to eight it starts to go a lot faster. In just a few hours you'll be able to relax and take the antibiotics you need to make you feel better."

"I want ice cream," she griped during her few moments of rest. "To hell with the damn ice chips! I hate them! Double fudge brownie blizzard with sprinkles on top. You owe me, Reagan! Remember when I had a craving for that and would make you run out in the middle of the night to get me one?"

"Yeah, and the next week you were drinking pickle juice straight out of the jar every day instead." Jamie's phone buzzed. "You won't believe this one," he laughed after he looked at it. "Erin just sent it to me. Look familiar?" he asked as he held the screen in front of her. It was Kaylin down in the cafeteria sitting in front of a big bowl of chocolate ice cream that she was obviously sharing with her uncle Danny, given the identical brown mustaches they were both sporting above their big smiles. "He's just jonesing for the ultimate uncle award," Jamie sighed.

"The ultimate what?" Eddie asked as her back arched and they started their breathing exercises again.

###

10:20 p.m.

"So we're set then with names," Eddie panted as she fell back down on the bed. She was at eight centimeters now and the contractions were lasting almost 60 seconds and coming every two minutes or so. "You're not gonna mess anything up are you?"

"Not a chance," Jamie assured. "Abigail Margaret or Kristopher Jamison… how could I mix those up? You haven't changed your mind have you?"

"No! But look at what your dad did! I mean he's the Police Commissioner and he was a freaking marine for God's sake, and he still screwed up under pressure because he was rattled when you were born. Not sure if I can trust you or not!"

"Eddie," Jamie said shaking his head. "After all that we've been through together, the last thing you should need to worry about is being able to trust me, right? I swear I will not screw this up."

"Better not!" she demanded as she closed her eyes. "Jamie, I'm not sure I can do this any more," she whimpered. "I'm so tired now."

"I know, Ed," he said as he stroked her forehead with a cool rag. Despite everything they had done, her temperature was still well over a 100 degrees and she was weak. "Dr. Geisner said you're going to be ready to push in another hour or so, okay? Then the baby will be here and you can rest. Just one more hour Eddie, I know you can do it, lambchop. You're the strongest person I've ever met. Please, honey, just keep fighting a little longer."

###

Tuesday, May 15, 12:05 p.m.

"Just one more big one, c'mon Eddie!" Dr. Geisner encouraged as Jamie sat behind his wife on the bed, holding her up and begging her to keep trying. She had been pushing hard for more than a half hour and the baby wasn't budging. The contractions were overlapping now, and she just didn't have any strength left it seemed.

"I can't!" she cried weakly through the oxygen mask as she let her head fall back against Jamie's chest. She was drenched in sweat and shaking like a leaf from her efforts. "It's too hard! I can't do it! Mom was right! I can't!"

"You have to, Eddie," he pleaded with her as he held her tight. "She's not right. You're strong. You can do this! I know you can... you have to!" he said with desperation as he looked up and met the doctor's eyes.

"Mr. Reagan, I'm afraid we're going to have to reconsider the C-section," Dr. Geisner said as she shook her head. "The baby is starting to show signs of distress and your wife is just too exhausted. Her contractions are not productive enough. We can't wait much longer."

"But I thought that was more dangerous for both of them?" Jamie asked in a panic. This was absolutely the most helpless he'd ever felt in his entire life. His wife and baby's lives were both in his hands. He found himself praying harder than he ever had before for help. Please God, Joe, Mom… someone, we need you!...

"Something's wrong with the baby?! Are you freaking kidding me? After all of this?" Eddie rallied suddenly. "Are all of you Reagans always this stubborn? Tell your kid to get out of there now!" she cried as she pulled on Jamie's arm. "One more time," she huffed as she sat back up determinedly. "Just give me one more chance!"

Knowing that the child was now at risk, Eddie reached deep and somehow found the strength to continue for another few minutes. After one final push the sounds of the baby's first cries echoed in the room. Jamie looked up in wonder and kissed his wife's forehead as she collapsed back against him, unable to even open her eyes anymore. She had given absolutely everything she had and was completely spent.

"Oh my God, Eddie, you did it! I can't believe it… our baby is here! So incredible..."

"Don't keep me in suspense, Reagan!" She moaned as she lay there, too exhausted to sit up and see for herself. "Who?... Who is it?... Kristopher or Abigail? A boy or a girl? Tell me!" she demanded weakly as she gasped for breath.

"Oh, Ed, honey, we need to talk," Jamie said with tears in his eyes as he looked up at the clock.

Ha! You guys knew I was going to add that ultimate cliffy, didn't you? I couldn't help myself. One more chapter to go and then an epilogue to wrap things up. I promise the full identity of the newest Reagan will be revealed next although maybe some of you have already guessed?