Chapter 11
Nurse Mary stood beside Amanda's bedside and began to arrange the pillows behind her, "Okay, Mrs. Stetson, this should help a bit. Which side would you prefer your husband on?"
"Whatever side he chooses," Amanda exhaled. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.
"What side does Dotty usually stand on?" Lee asked as he brushed her hair off her face lovingly.
Amanda pressed her eyes together tightly as she shook her head, fighting a wave of nausea. "It doesn't matter, she isn't here," she moaned through clenched teeth.
"She will be," Lee insisted. He looked at the nurse and asked, "Can we hang on for a minute before we start this?"
Nurse Mary gave him a laugh as she stated, "I don't think you understand how this works, Mr. Stetson. There is no stopping or pausing it once it starts." Lee blinked several times before he dropped a chaste kiss on Amanda's forehead. He took several long strides to the door and disappeared into the hallway. "Don't think I've seen that before. Usually, they give up after a few pushes," she commented to the other nurses in the room, drawing a chorus of laughs.
In the hallway, Lee walked briskly to the family waiting room. Francine immediately rose to her feet with a frown, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Lee smiled as he turned to Dotty and stated, "We're waiting for you."
Dotty shook her head, "Lee, you don't-" she began before Lee insisted, "Your granddaughters aren't going to wait much longer." Dotty placed her hand on her chest and gave him an emotion-filled smile. She silently stood and followed him back to the room where the nurses were getting Amanda situated completely. Dotty immediately moved to Amanda's left side and took her hand.
"Mother… what," Amanda gasped, confused.
Lee took her right hand in his and stated softly, "We don't want the girls to think we left their only grandmother out of this, do we?"
"Oh, Sweetheart," Amanda sighed. A tear tracked down her cheek as she kissed his hand.
"Okay, folks. Now that we are all here, let's meet your babies," Dr. Johansen announced. "Amanda, you remember what to do. Put all your energy into each push. Try not to hold your breath, but breathe as often as you can. Once the first baby is out, you won't have much time before you'll need to focus on the second one," he instructed.
Amanda nodded, took a deep breath, and held both Lee and Dotty's hands. She took several more breaths before she felt the contraction begin. She curled herself forward and began to push. From somewhere in the room, Amanda could hear the nurse counting to ten before she relaxed slightly, took a breath, and pushed again.
Lee, unsure what he should be doing, held her hand tight and began counting along with the nurse. When he reached ten, Amanda reclined against the pillows, panting slightly. "Breathe slow," he reminded her before he brought her hand to his lips.
"That was a great start, Amanda," Dr. Johansen assured her. "A few more like that, and she'll be here before you know it."
Dotty smiled at the doctor, "She was such a champ when the boys were born. Philip was only ten minutes… and Jamie… well, six pushes, and he was right there."
Amanda groaned softly, "It's been a long time, Mother."
"But there's no reason this shouldn't be the same, am I right, Doctor?" Dotty questioned.
Dr. Johansen laughed, "No, Mrs. West, this might be a little different. If baby number two decides to flip at all, this may become a little more difficult."
Dotty patted Amanda's rounded belly and stated, "My granddaughters are not going to be difficult. I just know it."
Dr. Johansen gave Amanda a sympathetic smile, "On the next contraction, Amanda, another good push, just like the last one."
Amanda exhaled several times before she gripped Lee's hand tightly and pulled herself forward. The nurse began counting immediately as Dotty loudly cheered her on, "You've got this, Darling. Just keep pushing."
Lee could feel Amanda's grip tightening more as the nurse began her second count. He watched as Amanda closed her eyes and dropped her chin to concentrate. He leaned forward and softly counted beside her ear. When she began to relax, he whispered, "I love you." Amanda replied with a gentle squeeze of her hand.
"Okay, I think it is time for me to get suited up," Dr. Johansen announced. "Call Dr. Sax." One nurse lifted the phone near the door as another of the waiting nurses held up a long-sleeved medical gown and helped him tie it as another nurse assisted slipping gloves onto his hands. He settled himself on the small stool at the end of Amanda's bed. "Her head is right there, Amanda, so on the next one, try to hold that push as long as you can," he instructed.
Amanda nodded once, looked up at Lee, and asked huskily, "Are you sure you're ready?"
Lee's eyes twinkled playfully as he replied, "Absolutely. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready to meet my first granddaughter," Dotty interrupted.
With a laugh, Amanda took several deep breaths, and as the contraction began, she closed her eyes once more and curled herself forward. "Good, good, good, good, good!" Dr. Johansen encouraged. Amanda inhaled quickly and tried to focus. "A little more… just a little more," Dr. Johansen stated. The nurse continued to count out before Amanda collapsed backward.
"You're right there, Mrs. Stetson," Nurse Mary smiled. "Do you want the mirror?"
"Mirror?" Lee squeaked. Before he could get clarification, a woman wearing a white medical coat stepped into the room. She began arranging the small examination table beside the isolettes.
Amanda shook her head. " No mirror. Sweetheart, would you… would you help me?" she requested softly.
"Help you? Amanda, how can I help you?" Lee stammered, confused.
"If you sit on the edge of the bed, she can lean against you. That'll help," Nurse Mary explained.
Lee propped his hip on the bed and asked, "Like this?"
Nurse Mary smiled, "On the next contraction, just lean forward with her. She'll do the rest."
Lee braced his left hand on the bed and took Amanda's hand with his right, "Ready when you are."
Amanda groaned once, inhaled, and began to curl forward. Lee shifted closer to her, keeping his chest against her back as much as he dared. He felt Amanda inhale sharply before Dr. Johansen called out, "Right there, Amanda. Hold that push!" Amanda's grip tightened on Lee and Dotty's hands as she began a low, growling sound that increased in loudness until Dr. Johansen stated, "She's almost here. One more will do it."
Amanda's entire body relaxed for a split second before she tensed up once more. Lee could do nothing but rest his chin on her shoulder and hold her hand tight. The sheet across Amanda's knees blocked his view of the doctor's hands. He knew something was happening as he could see the nurses handing him unseen items before he heard a small, mewling sound. Dr. Johansen rapidly shifted a tiny pink infant onto Amanda's chest as he stated, "Meet your first daughter."
Together, Amanda and Lee reached out to touch the baby as Dotty blinked her tears away, her hands now covering her face. A flash of light brought Lee's attention to a nurse standing beside him, taking pictures. Tears began to slip down Amanda's face as the small body in her arms cried louder. "Hello," she whispered before Lee kissed her cheek. "She's here, Sweetheart."
"Yes, she is," Lee smiled, his dimples deep. He touched his daughter with amazement, fascinated at how tiny she was.
"Mr. Stetson, we don't have much time before the next one, so, would you like to cut the cord?" Dr. Johansen held up a pair of sterile scissors.
"Me?" Lee asked as he looked around at everyone else.
"Yes, you. It's customary to let the fathers who braved this, do it," Dr. Johansen teased. Lee took the scissors and looked down to where Dr. Johansen pointed. "Don't worry. Neither one of them will feel this," he assured Lee. Lee squeezed the blades closed and was rewarded with a hearty cheer from the nurses.
Dr. Sax stepped forward and lifted the baby off Amanda's chest, to carry her across the room. "What's happening?" Lee demanded.
"It's okay, Mr. Stetson. Dr. Sax is just doing a quick examination of your baby; that's all," Nurse Mary assured him.
Dotty simply watched in silence, torn between wanting to get closer to her granddaughter and staying with her daughter. Amanda reached out and gripped Lee's hand tightly, an indication the next contraction was beginning. Lee made a quick decision, "Dotty, stay with DJ. Amanda and I have a little more work to do."
"DJ?" Dotty blinked back tears.
Lee smiled at her, "Dorothea Jennifer."
"Oh, my," Dotty gasped before she crossed the room to watch as the doctor weighed and measured her new granddaughter.
Lee scrambled to find his position behind Amanda again as she panted through the contraction. Dr. Johansen placed his hands on Amanda's stomach and nodded to the nurse. "She's right there, but if you can, help guide her," he stated. The nurse nodded and curved her hands around Amanda's belly. "Okay, together now. A nice solid push, Amanda."
Amanda closed her eyes and pushed as hard as she could. She could feel the baby shifting lower, and the pressure became almost unbearable. She took a sharp breath and began to push again. She winced loudly and began to pant quickly. "Pain… pain… pain…" she gasped.
"Almost done, Amanda. One more time," Dr. Johansen assured her.
Amanda shook her head, "I can't, I don't think..."
"Yes, yes, you can, Amanda. I know you can," Lee assured her. He dropped his chin on her shoulder and stated, "Look, DJ needs her sister over there with your mother." Amanda let her eyes shift to Dotty across the room, gently bouncing the crying infant. She inhaled once more and, with Lee's help, leaned forward. The nurse pushed at the same time against Amanda's belly, and after only a count of eight, Dr. Johansen commanded, "Stop! Hold it!" Again, Lee's view was obstructed, but he knew by the smile on the doctor's face, something good was happening. "Now, easy push, Amanda." Amanda squeezed Lee's hand again, and after several seconds, they were rewarded with the sound of another cry.
Dr. Johansen shifted their second daughter onto Amanda's chest and sat back to watch. Lee and Amanda held their daughter as the tears ran freely down their cheeks, and the nurse snapped several more pictures. After a minute, he held up the scissors again and told Lee, "You did good, Dad."
Lee cut the cord and allowed Dr. Sax to take the baby as he pressed his lips to Amanda's forehead and held her. "What's her name?" Dr. Sax asked before she turned away.