It had already been one hell of a morning. Dr. Jason Bull and the team had met with their client who was planning to sue a building contractor after a piece of the building under construction landed on their loved one's car, killing them. All Jason could think about was Izzy. When he left that morning, she was full of energy. She was up washing their clothing along with the baby's bedding and onesies. She was so excited about being a mom and she was due any day now. Jason was excited but also terrified about what his daughter would think of him.
He listened to his team go back and forth about who was in the wrong, the building contractor or the car that went around the barricade and parked beside the building under construction. He was pulled from his daze when his phone rang. He looked down to see it was Izzy.
"If you need me, I'll be in my office. Izzy's calling." Jason said as he got up and strode into his office, closing the door behind him.
"Izzy, are you ok?" Jason asked as he heard Izzy breathing heavily and it sounded like she was crying.
"It's time." Izzy managed to gasp, although her voice sounded strangled.
"Are you sure?" Jason asked, already reaching for his coat.
"I'm sure. I have been having small contractions, but my water broke a few minutes ago." Izzy breathed heavily, trying not to let her anxiety and pain take over. The pain was getting intense now that her water had broken.
"Ok just stay there and try to get into a comfortable position. I'm on my way to get you. Just remember to breathe." Jason said as he rushed to get ready to leave.
Jason hung up the phone and ran out of his office towards the elevator.
"Bull, where are you going?" Marissa asked as he rushed past the team.
"Izzy's in labor." A wide smile spread across Jason's face.
"Wait, I'll go with you." Benny said, grabbing his coat and rushing after Jason.
On the way to pick up Izzy, Jason was nervous and couldn't sit still.
"Are you that nervous about being a dad, Bull?" Benny asked.
"It's just…I thought I had lost my chance at being a father. Now here we are, and sometime today, I will be holding my baby girl in my arms." Jason was almost to the point of tears.
"You and Izzy are going to make great parents." Benny patted Jason's shoulder.
"And you sir, are going to make an amazing uncle." Jason responded.
"I will always be there for my sister and my niece, no matter what." Benny smiled.
Once the guys got to the apartment, Izzy was in the living room, hospital bag already by the door. She was trying to practice her breathing that she learned in Lamaze classes. Jason wasn't going to let the mother of his child walk out to the car while in labor. He picked her up and carried her to the car, gently buckling her in. Benny was right behind them, putting the hospital bag in the trunk. The ride to the hospital was filled with cries and screams coming from the backseat as Izzy's contractions grew in intensity. Jason had Izzy lay down and put her head in his lap to try and relieve some of the pain from the contractions.
When they reached the hospital, the staff came out with a wheelchair and whisked Izzy off to Labor and Delivery. Benny agreed to stay in the Labor and Delivery waiting room and update the team as they came in. Jason went back with Izzy and comforted her. As the nurses worked to hook Izzy up to machines, the sweet sound of their daughter's heartbeat filled the room. It was a comfort to Jason. After losing the last baby, the sound of their daughter's heartbeat was like music to his ears.
"Ok Izzy, let's see how far along you are. If you are dilated enough, we will have you start pushing." The doctor explained before checking her patient.
"Are we close? Please tell me we are close." Izzy begged.
"I'm afraid not. You are only dilated to three centimeters. But not to worry. For first time moms, it normally takes some time. This little girl will make her appearance when she's ready." The doctor encouraged.
20 hours later
Izzy was still in labor and was exhausted. Jason had stayed up all night with her, trying to provide comfort and coach her through her contractions.
"I could really use some sleep. I'm exhausted." Jason mentioned while yawing widely.
"When you have been in labor over twenty hours, then come talk to me about being exhausted." Izzy snapped at Jason.
She was feeling weak, exhausted and beyond ready to have this baby. At this point, Izzy didn't know how much more her body could take. Overnight she had progressed to only six centimeters despite her doctor starting a Pitocin drip to try to speed up her labor and help with dilation. The only good thing is her epidural was providing relief from the pain.
"I don't know how much longer I can do this Jason." Izzy told him, tears running down her face.
Izzy started to cry harder as Jason's eyes met hers. She was exhausted and frustrated with her lack of real progress despite almost a full day of labor and the medical team's attempts to get her into active labor.
"Hey, it's ok. You are doing great. Our little girl is just taking her sweet time." Jason smiled as he rubbed her baby bump, trying to comfort his partner.
An alarm started going off on the baby's monitor that worried Jason. Nurses and the doctor came rushing in.
"What's wrong? What's going on?" Izzy asked, looking to anyone for answers as the chatter was rushed.
"Izzy, the baby is in distress. We are going to take you to the operating room and perform an emergency c-section." The doctor explained.
"But that wasn't the plan. I was going to give birth naturally." Izzy tried to protest.
"If we don't get the baby out right now then she may not make it." The doctor said.
"It's ok Izzy. I will be with you the whole time. It's going to be ok... we just want a healthy baby in the end." Jason cupped her face with his hands.
Through the tears Izzy managed to say "Ok, I just want her here safely."
"Alright people, let's go meet baby Bull." The doctor smiled.
Jason walked beside the hospital bed, holding Izzy's hand as they made their way to the operating room. Truth be told, he was terrified although he was determined not to let Izzy see that he was scared to death. All the things that could go wrong were running through his mind.
A nurse handed him some scrubs to put on as they prepared Izzy for the c-section. After he was dressed, a nurse rolled a stool over so he could sit next to Izzy. Izzy turned to look at Jason and chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Jason asked, very confused why she was laughing.
"You look like an actual doctor now." Izzy laughed.
"But I am an actual doctor." Jason replied with a grin.
"Not a medical one." Izzy winked.
"Well then, I hope our daughter has your sense of humor." Jason laughed before kissing Izzy.
A few minutes later the quiet operating room was filled with the sound of their newborn daughter's cries.
"We have a baby girl!" the doctor announced, holding the baby above the curtain for Izzy to see.
Izzy burst into tears.
"Daddy, would you like to cut the cord?" the doctor asked.
Jason was quick to get up and stand next to the doctor. After cutting the cord, a nurse took the baby to weigh and measure her, put a knit cap on her head and wrap her in a baby blanket.
"Here you go Daddy. Here's your daughter. She's 8 pounds 2 ounces and 21 inches long." The nurse said, handing the baby off to Jason after placing a numbered hospital bracelet on his wrist to identify the baby as his .
Jason's eyes filled with tears looking at his baby girl.
"Hi there pretty girl. I'm your daddy." Jason said bouncing his daughter.
He walked over to where Izzy was.
"This pretty lady right here, she's your mommy." Jason said. He couldn't keep the tears at bay any longer.
"Jason, lean down here. Let me give her a kiss." Izzy cried.
Jason did as he was told and Izzy placed a tender kiss on the baby's forehead.
"She's perfect." Izzy smiled.
"I will take her and get her all cleaned up. Once you are back in your room Izzy, I will bring her in." The nurse explained as she placed the matching numbered bracelet on Izzy as well so the hospital staff could identify the baby as being theirs. The nurse then took the baby from Jason's arms.
"You did good Iz. She's so beautiful." Jason said as he leaned down to give Izzy a kiss.
"I am sure Benny is going out of his mind in the waiting room. Go tell him that he is an uncle now." Izzy smiled.
Jason whispered "Ok" before making his way to the waiting room. He found his full team asleep. He looked at his watch. It was just a little after 7 a.m. The sun was going to be rising soon and filling the small waiting area with light. Jason walked over to Benny and shook his shoulder a little.
"Rise and shine Uncle Benny." Jason smiled.
Benny jumped up and saw Jason standing next to him.
"Do we have a baby?" Benny asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
This question woke Marissa up as she was asleep on the chair next to Benny.
"We have a baby." Jason confirmed. " She's 8 pound 2 ounces, 21 inches long and absolutely beautiful."
"Guys, I'm an uncle!" Benny said a bit too loudly, waking up the rest of the team.
"How are Izzy and the baby doing?" Marissa asked.
"They ended up having to do an emergency c-section." Jason said.
When he saw the fear in Benny's eyes, he continued.
"But not to worry, both mom and baby are doing just fine. They will be moving Izzy back to her room after they get her closed up. Miss Sophia Rose Bull is beautiful, just like her mom." Jason was beaming. "She's in the nursery right now, would you guys like to meet her?"
The team followed Jason to the nursery and looked through the window. A nurse was finishing cleaning up the baby. She wrapped her in a blanket and replaced the little pink hat on her head. When she saw Jason, she smiled and held the baby up so the team could see her. The nurse placed the baby in the bassinet and rolled her over to the window.
Placed above the baby's head in the bassinet was a sign that read 'I'm a girl' along with the last name 'Bull'. Her date and time of birth were also printed neatly on the sign.
A side of Benny came out that no one on the team, outside of maybe Jason, knew existed. He had a goofy grin on his face and was waving at the baby.
"Hey Sophia, I'm your Uncle Benny."
The team couldn't help but laugh at how cute the baby was or how adorable Benny was as he interacted with the baby.
After Izzy was moved back to her room, the baby was brought in. The nurse compared the bracelet on the baby's ankle to the ones Jason and Izzy wore to match the baby to her parents before leaving the room. Izzy was exhausted and had fallen asleep almost as soon as she was back in her hospital bed.
Jason sat beside her as she slept. He held their daughter and felt such a sense of pride. He never thought he would actually be holding his own child. Nothing else mattered, not being a psychologist, not having three ph.d's, not even owning his own trial analysis company. This...being a father was all he ever really wanted.