Chapter 47, enjoy!
April 6th
(Julie is 38 weeks pregnant)
"So what are we going to do today?" Shelley asked Julie in an enthusiastic tone. It was the start of their 2nd week at home together. During the past two weeks while at home together, they did everything from paint their nails to binge watching Gilmore Girls.
Julie had to admit, this one on one time with Shelley was great, but she couldn't help but feel left out when Tim came home and talked about everything she missed at school.
"We could rewatch season 3 of Gilmore Girls," Julie suggested.
"Your wish is my command," Shelley replied as she approached the TV to put in the DVD. She was catering to Julie's wants. Anything Julie wanted to do, they would do. They hadn't had this much niece-aunt bonding time since Julie was a toddler. "I've had a lot of fun spending my days with you Shelley told Julie as she placed the DVD in the player.
"It has been fun," Julie agreed with a smile. Suddenly, a pain shot through her body. Julie bit her lip and squeezed her eyes closed until the pain was gone moments later. Julie wrote it off as a cramp and didn't think about it again. That was, until is happened again nearly 30 minutes later. Once again, Julie sunk her front teeth into her lip, squeezed her eyes shut, and clutched the arm of the couch until the pain subsided.
"You ok Jules?" Shelley asked after noticing the pain evident on Julie's face.
"Yeah, she's just kicking up a storm," Julie answered. A little less than 30 minutes later, the same pain rushed through Julie's body. She gripped the arm of the couch as tight as she could and squeezed her eyes shut again, hoping the pain would leave.
"Are you sure you are ok?" Shelley questioning, once again noticing Julie's pain.
"Yeah, I'm just going to go lay down," Julie replied carefully standing up. She only made it halfway to her room before she felt a warm liquid between her legs. "Uh, Aunt Shelley can you come here?" Julie asked, stopped in her tracks. "I think my water just broke," Julie informed her aunt in a shaky voice once Shelley had arrived beside her.
"Ok, um let me call your mom," Shelley stated in slight panic as she guided Julie to sit in one of the dining chairs. She hurried into the kitchen where her phone was laying on the counter. She punched in Tami's number and held the phone uo to her ear, waiting on her sister to answer.
"Hey Shelley," Tami greeted.
"I think Julie is in labor," Shelley hurriedly informed her sister.
"I will be there in just a few minutes," Tami answered before hanging up.
"Your mom is on her way," Shelley informed Julie. A few moments later, Tami came barging in the front door. Tami hurried to her daughters side and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Shelley, go find a bag and put some of Julie's, Tim's, and the baby's clothes in it. Grab their stuff from the bathroom too," Tami instructed. "Julie, let's go change your clothes and we will head to the hospital," She told Julie as she helped her into her room where she changed into some fresh clothes.
Shelley got the bag packed and Julie got her clothes changed. They made their way out to Tami's car and began the drive to the hospital in the city.
"Eric doesn't know!" Tami exclaimed once they were halfway to the hospital. "Can you call him?" She asked turning to face Shelley.
"Yeah," She replied grabbing her phone from her purse and dialing Eric's number. "Eric, we are on our way to the hospital with Julie. Tami wanted me to call you and let you know," She informed her brother-in-law
"Ok, I will get Tim out of class and we will be there shortly," Eric replied, his voice staying relatively calm compared to Shelley and Tami's.
•
In class, Tim was working on a worksheet for Government. He twirled his pencil as he searched for the answers in the book. The room was quiet, all the students were independently working on their assignment and their teacher was working on his computer. The phone began ringing, interrupting the quiet. However, it didn't distract Tim as he scanned the page for answers.
"Riggins, go to the office and take your stuff," The teacher instructed after hanging up the phone. Tim shut his book and slid it in his bag which he zipped and slung over his shoulder as he left the classroom. He made his way to the main office of Dillon High where Coach Taylor was waiting for him.
"What's going on Coach?" Tim asked as he approached him.
"I'll tell you on the way, we've got to get going," Coach Taylor answered as he began exiting the school building. They both climbed in Eric's SUV which was parked in front of the school.
"We've got to go to the hospital, Julie is in labor," Eric informed Tim as he started the SVU and drove out of the parking lot. The rest of the drive to the hospital was quiet. Tim spent the drive anxiously watching out the window and thinking about how was about to meet his daughter.
When Tim and Eric arrived at the hospital, they made their way to the labor and delivery floor where they found Shelley in the waiting room.
"Tami is back with Julie," Shelley told them. "She is in room 324," she added. Eric led Tim to Julie's room where they found Julie sitting in the hospital bed and Tami seated in a chair beside her holding her hand as she suffered another contraction.
"I think this job belongs to you," Tami stated as she looked at Tim. "Here," She said as she let go of Julie's grip and got up letting Tim take her seat. "We will let you two be alone," she stated. "You're going to do great," she encouraged her daughter as she placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead and Eric did the same. They exited the room leaving the young couple, soon to be family, alone.
•
The next three and a half hours drug on. Tami and Eric took turns pacing the hallway. Eric and Billy, who showed up somewhere in the middle of that time period, chattered about football. Shelley and Tami shared some sisterly conversations, or more Shelley reassuring Tami that Julie would be fine.
In the delivery room, the next three and a half hours only drug on even slower. The time was filled with encouragement from the doctor, nurses, and Tim. Just a little past the three and a half hour mark, Julie did one last push and a cry erupted in the room.
"She is beautiful!" The nurse wrapping the baby in her blanket exclaimed. The nurse carried her towards Julie in what what felt like slow motion. She then lowered the baby into Julie's arms. Julie carefully took her daughter in her arms as a rush of emotion flooded over her. She was finally getting to meet her daughter.
"Hi pretty girl," Julie greeted her newborn daughter with a voice full of emotion.
"I'll let you three have some alone time, you can bring your visitors in whenever you are ready," The nurse stated as she dismissed herself from the room.
"Tim, she's so beautiful," Julie told her boyfriend who moved to sit on the edge of the bed beside. Tim then protectively wrapped his arm around Julie. Julie's eyes were glossy with joyful tears. In this moment, everything she had dealt with or sacrificed over the past nine months was worth it.
"Just like her momma," Tim stated as he rubbed his thumb back and forth over Julie's shoulder.
"She has your brown hair," Julie commented with a chuckle, noticing the little brown hairs peeking out from under her pink beanie.
"She does," Tim agreed with a proud smile. "Those Riggins hair genes are strong."
"I think it's your turn to hold our daughter," Julie told him as she looked into Tim's eyes. Tim carefully scooped the newborn from Julie's arms and protectively held her in his own arms as he moved to sit in the hard plastic hospital chair next to Julie's bed.
"She has your pretty blue eyes," Tim stated as he looked into his daughter's eyes which strongly resembled Julie's. Julie smiled at the scene before her: her wonderful boyfriend holding her newborn daughter. Julie could already tell Tim adored her, he wore a wide smile as he gently held the baby in his arms.
"Are you ready to meet your family RaeLynn?" He asked in a baby voice. "Jules, are you ready for me to get your mom and dad?" He asked in girlfriend in a serious tone.
"Yeah," She replied. Tim gently placed RaeLynn back into Julie's arms. "They can't wait to meet you," She told her daughter.
He walked down the hallway to the waiting room fighting a smile. Shelley was the first to notice him venturing down the hallway and got the other's attention.
"Do you all want to see her?" Tim asked, failing to hold back his huge smile. They all nodded and followed his back to Julie's room.
"Mom, do you want to hold your granddaughter?" Julie asked once they all entered the room. Tami, too emotion to speak. nodded and made her way to Julie's bed where she took her granddaughter in her arms.
"Julie, Tim, she's precious," Tami stated not looking up from the baby's face. "Here Eric, it's your turn," She said a little while later as she passed the baby to her husband.
"Did ya'll decided on a name?" Eric asked as he held the baby girl. Julie and Tim shared a look before Tim announced their daughter's name.
"Her name is RaeLynn Taylor Riggins," Tim proudly announced.
"Hi Raelynn," Eric whispered.
"That's a beautiful name," Shelley complimented.
"It is," Tami agreed. "So is Taylor her middle name or are you hyphenating her last name?"
"Taylor is her middle name. We were having trouble coming up with a middle name so we decided on Taylor to honor you and dad, but that way she can still have Tim's last name," Julie informed them.
"Aw Jules," Tami said as she pulled her daughter into a hug. "That's so sweet and thoughtful."
"Tim, she definitely thank you for her hair," Shelley joked as she looked at baby Raelynn over Eric's shoulder.
"Uncle Billy, I believe it is your turn," Eric told Billy as he passed Raelynn to him. After a few moments of being held by her uncle, she began to cry.
"Hey, there is no need for crying. I am the coolest uncle you'll ever have," Billy told her, which caused everyone to chuckle. "You want to go back to mom?" He asked when she didn't stop crying.
"Here, I'll hold this pretty baby," Shelley said as she took the crying baby from Billy's arms. "Yes, you are pretty," Shelley told her as RaeLynn stopped crying. "That made you happy." Shelley added as she gently rocked her in her arms. "Ok, you can go back to momma now," Shelleys said as she handed RaeLynn back to Julie.
"You two have had a crazy day, Billy and I will let you guys have some alone time," Shelley said dismissing herself and Billy. Shelley and Billy both gave Tim and Julie a hug before leaving.
"Congratulations guys," Billy said as he left.
"You two did good," Tami said as she gave Julie a hug then moved to give one to Tim.
"Congratulations you two," Eric commented as he also gave his daughter a hug and shook Tim's hand.
"I am so proud of you both, I know this hasn't been easy," Tami added.
"Thank you mom," Julie replied. "And thank you for choosing to support Tim and I though this."
"Yes, Mrs. Taylor and Coach, thank you for supporting us through this. You could have easily cut me out of Julie and my daughter's lives, but instead you gave me a home and family. I don't think I could ever thank you enough for what all you have done for me," Tim agreed.
"You're welcome, now we are going to go home and get some things, you two enjoy that beautiful baby girl," Tami responded as she and Eric left the hotel room leaving the young family alone.
"Who knew one beer at a party would lead to us becoming parents to this beautiful baby," Julie stated, lost in her daughter's bright blue eyes.
"If we could go back, I'd still get drunk at that party and spend the night with you. We just met her a couple hours ago, but I already can't imagine my life without her," Tim added.
So there it is guys!
Thank you to each and every one of you that have read this story. I appreciate all the amazing feedback and support, it all means so much to me. I'm sad that this story is over now, but it's been an amazing journey. I might decide to do a sequel because I still have several ideas with this storyline, but if I don't stop this here it won't ever end with a pretty ending like this, so who knows. (let me know if ya'll would be interested in a sequel in a review or PM)
I hope you have all enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it! This will definitely not be my last Friday Night Lights fic, the show may have been cancelled 9 years ago, but it won't ever get "Old" in my mind. (Early 2000s shows are the best afterall) I would also encourage you all to go check out my other FNL story, Anywhere But Dillon. It's definitely not my best work, but somehow it has almost as many reciews/favs/follows as this story does. Until next time...