The second that her daughter was placed on her chest, any uncertainty and doubt Jade had felt about becoming a parent immediately melted away. The baby was screaming, her skin red and splotchy and covered in blood, but she was in love. This tiny human had been sent to her for a reason, whatever the fuck that reason may be, and she's going to spend the rest of her life making sure that she's loved and taken care of. It's almost like her mama bear instincts kick in immediately.
She looks over to her fiancé, who still has a look of astonishment plastered across his face. Jade can't read Andrew's expression to know if that's a good or a bad thing. He had really, really, been expecting the baby to be a boy...and while part of her really hopes that he takes his new role of 'girl dad' in stride, she knows his temperament. She knows how he can act when he doesn't get his way. It's only when a nurse takes the baby away to be cleaned up that Andrew finally speaks.
"This isn't at all what I was expecting." He admits
"Everything about this pregnancy has been unexpected, hasn't it?" Jade chuckles
"That's true." Andrew nods, shifting in his seat
"Will you go over there and check on her?" Jade asks him "Just to make sure nothing is wrong?"
"She's with the nurses, she's okay." Andrew assures her "They'll tell us if there's something we need to know."
"Okay..."
Jade wants him to kiss her, tell her that he's proud of her, hold her hand...something to acknowledge what had just happened. After nine months of pregnancy and four and a half hours of labor they have a daughter, that's something to be proud of. Or at least something someone should be proud of...Andrew looks like he just walked in on his parent's having sex.
"Andrew, are you alright?" Jade sighs
She can't believe she's asking him that. She is the one who just pushed a baby out of her body, he should be asking her if she's alright.
"Yeah." Andrew shakes his head, like he's trying to shake himself back to reality "It's just...everything happened so fast, you know? Your water breaks and then all of a sudden there's a baby, I thought we had a few more weeks still. I think it's just hitting me now that the adrenaline of the situation has worn off."
"You're sure that's all it is?"
"Yeah." He assures her, finally taking her hand "I'm good, baby. I promise."
The baby weighs six pounds and four ounces and measures seventeen inches long. She's a bit on the small side when it comes to the typical newborn, but is perfectly healthy. Ten fingers, ten toes, and a head full of soft, brown hair.
"We should probably talk about names..." Jade looks from the baby in her arms over to Andrew "I don't think Andrew John really fits her."
"I don't think it does either." Andrew admits as he sets his phone down "But I've been thinking...I didn't really give you much choice in the boy's name...so I think you should get to pick the girl's name."
"Are you sure?" Jade asks him
Naming a child is no small task, there's no way he doesn't want to have any input at all. This name is going to stick with their daughter for the rest of her life.
"Positive." Andrew nods "Just...don't name her Hashtag or Vagina or anything ridiculous like that."
"Dammit." Jade sighs "Vagina was at the top of my list of girl's names."
"I'm putting my foot down then." Andrew teases her
They both laugh and its the first time Jade has seen Andrew smile since the baby had been born.
"Think on it, okay." Andrew leans over and kisses her before standing up "So, uh...I was kind of in the middle of a workout this morning when your water broke and then I sat in a hospital all day so who knows what I fucking smell like. I'm going to go home to shower and change clothes and then I'll be back, okay?"
"Alright." Jade nods "Be careful."
"Of course." Andrew assures her as he makes his way out of the room "Love you."
"Love you." She answers him, then looks down to the baby "Just you and me now, huh?"
The baby yawns and shifts a little bit in her sleep, but remains peaceful otherwise. She's absolutely perfect, Jade decides. She'll have to come up with the perfect name to match.
"I'm sorry your daddy hasn't held you yet..." Jade whispers as she rocks the infant gently "He'll come around eventually, I think he's just a little freaked out about the parenthood thing. Not to mention we weren't expecting you for another few weeks still but hey, there's nothing wrong with doing things your own way. You're most definitely our kid..."
She sits in awe of her daughter for a few more minutes, then reaches over to grab her phone. With everything happening so quickly, they had really only told their parents what was going on. Now there's someone else very important for Jade to tell.
"Hey." Cat smiles when she answers the FaceTime call "How's it- oh my god are you at the hospital?"
Between the hospital gown she's wearing and the generic pattern of the wallpaper behind her, there wasn't much Jade could do to disguise where she is.
"Today has been a really crazy and really weird day, so I need you to not get mad at me, okay?"
"Okay."
"There's someone I want you to meet." Jade smiles as she flips the camera towards the baby "Surprise."
"Holy shit..." Cat begins tearing up as she looks at the baby "Robbie! Come look!"
"Look at wh-oh! That's a baby! Is that the baby?" Robbie asks as he appears on the screen beside Cat
"Is is..." Jade laughs, becoming a bit emotional herself as she watches Cat become emotional "My water broke at around ten-thirty and this little one arrived just after three. Sorry I didn't tell you what was going on, it just all happened really fast."
"It's okay!" Cat exclaims "I probably would have been a nervous wreck all day waiting for updates if you had told me. God, I have to be on stage in like thirty minutes, I've got to get it together!"
"Don't say anything tonight, please." Jade begs "We're not going to announce it until we're home from the hospital."
"Of course." Cat assures her "How many days do I have off after this?"
"Uh, two. I think." Robbie tells her "Why?"
"I have to go home and meet my nephew." Cat says, as if it's obvious "Tell Rick I'm going to need a plane back to LA as soon as the show is over tonight. I'll fly back Thursday morning."
"Cat you can't-"
"Nashville is only a four and a half hour flight from LA, Jadey." Cat informs her "Once you factor in the time change...it'll be late, but I'll be okay."
Cat's plane touches down in LA just after one in the morning. One benefit to being one of the world's biggest popstars is easy access to a private jet whenever you need it, and she had needed it. Her tour stops in LA aren't for another two weeks, and she can't imagine going that long without meeting her best friend's baby.
Cedars-Sinai is next to empty as Cat navigates her way through the corridors, following the signs to the maternity wing. For security reasons, there is a nurses station and a door that someone would need to be buzzed through before they can continue towards any of the rooms, and the woman sitting at the desk looks ready to turn her away...until she gets a better look at her face.
"You're...holy shit." The nurse gasps "You're Cat Valentine! I have all of your albums saved to my library! I love you!"
"I love you right back!" Cat grins "Listen, I know it's way past visiting hours but is there any way you could buzz me through? I'm here for Jade West."
"I shouldn't..." The nurse hesitates "But...alright."
"Thank you so much!" Cat thanks her as a buzzer sounds and the door next to her pops open
She hates using her fame for privilege, and rarely does, but this is a circumstance where it felt necessary. The nurse informs her of Jade's room number, and Cat finds herself practically sprinting down the hallway.
All of the lights are on in Jade's room when Cat arrives, but her best friend appears to be asleep. She is torn between wanting to wake her friend and wanting to let her sleep, but soon doesn't have to worry at all when Jade's eyes pop open.
"I can't believe you actually flew here straight from a show..." She smiles sleepily "You fucker."
"I couldn't go two weeks without meeting my nephew." Cat admits "I'm sorry it's late."
"Don't be, I won't be sleeping through the night for a long time." Jade chuckles, turning towards the plastic bassinet beside her bed "Are you in for one more surprise?"
"What else could there be?" Cat chuckles as she sets her backpack down on the floor
"Take a look." Jade gestures towards the name card on the bassinet
"Baby..." Cat begins reading the card out loud, but pauses as her voice catches "Oh my god, Baby Girl Powell?"
"Surprise." Jade smiles "Go ahead...pick her up."
"Hey little girl..." Cat grins as she takes the baby in her arms "Holy shit, I can't believe you're really a girl...your dad was so convinced otherwise. Oh fuck, how did AJ react?"
"He was definitely shocked..." Jade sighs "I dunno, Cat. I really don't. He seemed so excited until she was actually born and then he got all weird and distant. He went home to shower and change clothes claiming that he was coming right back, but he texted me like an hour later and said he was going to sleep there tonight and come back in the morning. He didn't even hold her before he left."
"I'm sure it's a lot to take in..." Cat tries her best to be comforting "I dunno, I've never had a kid before but I bet once he collects himself he'll be okay."
Or at least she hopes for Jade's sake and the baby's that he'll be okay. He's probably just overwhelmed and unsure of how to feel, once he gets a decent amount of sleep and collects himself he'll be all over the 'girl dad' thing...right?
"Did you come up with any names?"
"That's the other thing..." Jade shrugs "He told me since he basically chose the boy's name without consulting me, that I could name her...he and I texted a little bit before he fell asleep and he said he would go with whatever I chose so..."
"So...?"
"Cat..." Jade smirks "I would like to formally introduce you to Harper Caterina Powell."
"Harper Cat-Caterina?" Cat has to sit down on the edge of Jade's bed to steady herself so she doesn't drop the baby "Really?"
"I've heard it's rising on the 'Trending Baby Names' list."
"Jadey..." Cat brushes a tear away from her eye "I was joking when I said that."
"You've been my best friend for as long as I can remember and there hasn't been a moment since then when you haven't been supporting me in everything I do." Jade tells her "I am honored to have my daughter share a name with you. And it means a lot that you're here right now."
"Like I said..." Cat smiles "Two weeks is just too long."