House of the Bakers
2 months later
I didn't know what the cause was when I woke up all of a sudden in the middle of the night. Davis was sleeping soundly next to me, and a glance at the alarm clock showed that it was only three in the morning. Far too early to get up. I rolled onto my side, pushed my big belly over the edge of the bed and got up. It was no longer possible for me to get out of bed in other ways. But as soon as I stood upright, I felt a strong pressure on my bladder so that I hurried to get into the bathroom. I ignored that my belly felt hard and was cramping until I got back into bed again, only to discover that I couldn't find a comfortable position anymore. I tossed and turned until I couldn't bear it any longer. I rolled out of bed again and massaged my aching lower back and cramping belly. Although I had tried to be quiet, Davis suddenly sat up in bed and stared at me drowsily.
"Lydia?" He mumbled. "What's going on?"
I wasn't sure though. But the periodic cramps in my belly and lower back were possibly an indication that I was in labor. "Can you go and wake up Brooke?" I asked softly as I massaged my aching back again.
"The baby?" Davis asked alarmed, staring at me with wide eyes.
I nodded slowly. "I'm not sure, but this feels different than the Braxton Hicks contractions I had before," I said.
"I'll go and wake up my mom."
I watched Davis as he jumped out of bed and then hurried out of the bedroom. Sighing, I sat down on the bed and tried to breathe calmly. No reason to panic, I told myself. Having a baby was a completely normal process. Millions of women before me had already done that. I could do that too. My belly clenched painfully and I gasped in shock. Well, that's how real contractions feel like. Nothing I had read or heard was comparable to this pain. Maybe I was more sensitive to pain than other women, I thought, just as Brooke came running into the bedroom.
"Davis said you were in labor?" She wiped a tear from my cheek. "Don't worry, I already told Julian, he's getting dressed and we'll drive you to the hospital. Do you think these are real labor pains?"
"I don't know," I stammered helplessly as I held my hands pressed against my belly. "I haven't stopped the time yet."
"Does it hurt a lot?" Davis asked as he entered the bedroom again.
I saw the uncertainty and fear in his eyes and thought for a moment to lie. But he would soon realize that I was lying, so I nodded.
"Squeeze my hand when the pain gets too strong," he said, grabbing my hand. "Like we had exercised in the prenatal class."
They had lied to us, and especially to me, I thought, when we were on our way to the hospital half an hour later. Nothing helped against the unbearable pain that rolled over me in short intervals. I felt utterly helpless. Brooke talked to me reassuringly while Davis held my hand in his. I cried, begged, screamed that the pain should stop. And then we finally arrived at the hospital, and they took me straight to the delivery room.
"We're doing a CTG now, and I'll see how far the cervix is open," I heard the doctor say.
"Can she have a painkiller?"
Oh yes, I thought as I tried to lie still during the examination. I didn't know how much longer I could stand this pain. And from contraction to contraction, they seemed to become more painful.
"I'm sorry, but it's too late for that. The cervix is fully opened. The baby is almost there."
Did I have this right? I shouldn't get any painkillers? Sobbing helplessly, I propped myself up. "Please... pain medication...", I gasped out with my last strength.
"It's almost over," Brooke said soothingly, wiping my sweaty forehead.
"You can do it. We can do it together..."
I gripped Davis's hand as another contraction hit me. I was glad that they supported me, although they couldn't take away the pain.
"Okay, it's time now. Do you hear me, Lydia? Put your head on your chest and push hard," the doctor gave instructions.
Although I had barely any strength left, I did as she asked.
"One more time. Take a deep breath and push!"
The pressure grew stronger, and with the remaining strength I had, I pressed until I felt dizzy and ready to faint.
"I can see the head," said the doctor. "One last time, and then your baby is here."
One last time, I pushed down hard, then noticed how the pressure suddenly subsided.
"You did it, Lydia!"
It was Brooke's voice that I heard first, next the first cry of my baby. And then the words of the doctor, "It's a boy!" As Davis bent over me and kissed me, I could see tears in his eyes.
"A boy..." I stammered, sinking back exhausted.
"Congratulations!"
The doctor had wrapped the baby in a towel and now held him so that I could see him. I didn't know why I suddenly cried, because it was the cutest baby I had ever seen. Maybe it was just the relief that it was all over now and that my son was healthy.
"We'll do some tests now, clean him up, and then we'll bring him back to you," the doctor said, bringing the newborn to a table where he'd been examined.
"He's just perfect!" Davis said, and I could hear the pride in his voice.
"He's definitely a Baker," Brooke smirked. "He looks like all my kids when they were babies."
Although I had only caught a glimpse of my newborn son, I had to agree with her. The dark hair and brown eyes were clearly a particular feature of the Baker family.
"Now that he's born, you can tell me the name you've kept so secretly over the last few weeks," Brooke said, looking at me curiously.
"Benjamin," Davis said, grinning. "Benjamin Baker."
"Benjamin Scott," I corrected. "We are not married."
"Not yet." Davis gave me a meaningful look.
"Okay." Brooke smiled slightly. "You should discuss that in private. I'll go now and tell the others that everything went well. They're all waiting outside and can't wait to welcome the newest addition of the family."
The doctor brought Benjamin to us and put him in my arms. "I think he's hungry," she said smiling, showing me how to breast-feed my newborn son. "Incidentally, the little guy here is perfectly healthy, although he was a few weeks early. I leave you alone now. Later, a nurse is coming and takes you to the maternity ward."
As soon as she left the room, Davis took out his cell phone and took a picture. "For the family album," he said smiling. He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked down at us. "I can't believe he's really here now," he said softly, gently stroking his son's cheek. "And you were so incredibly brave."
I raised my head, smirking. "You really think so? I cried and groaned most of the time. What was brave about that?"
"Most women get painkillers or a c-section. You made it completely without it."
"Do you have that from the internet?" I asked, smiling.
He nodded. "That and a few other things. I just wanted to be prepared. And in the prenatal class, they didn't tell us much about the delivery procedure itself."
Ben had fallen asleep on my breast and I put him carefully on the pillow next to me. "He's a miracle, isn't he?" I asked softly as I stroked his head and then gently touched his lips. I had been so engrossed in my son that I hadn't noticed that Davis had suddenly knelt in front of the bed. He held the engagement ring in his hands.
"I don't know if that's the wrong time or not, but I've been waiting four months to ask you that again ... Will you marry me?"
I involuntarily smirked at his stubbornness. "It really means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
He nodded. "Especially now. Benjamin should bear the name 'Baker'. And you have no excuse anymore to reject my marriage proposal. You don't have to stay in front of the altar with a big baby belly."
"You're right," I said laughing, holding out my hand to him. "Okay, I agree. Let's make it official."
"Really?" He asked in surprise as he slipped the ring on my finger. "I didn't think you would give in so fast."
"I wanted to wait for the right moment. And I think this is it." I looked down at our sleeping son. "We are a family now."
Davis leaned down to kiss me, then kissed Ben on the forehead before getting to his feet. "Okay, I'll go see the others and tell them the good news."
"Do that." I watched him smile as he left the room and then turned back to my baby boy. "Benjamin Baker," I whispered, gently kissing his forehead. "Your daddy is right. You are just perfect.
