A/N: Shall I go on? Read and review if you want more (or don't.) =) ... This story is so incredibly mushy it's disturbing me. But it's a nice change of pace from my other fic....
Stage One: 9-12 hours
"How are you holding up, man?"
Mark put down his cup of tea and looked at Roger.
"I'm good." he said but his pale face gave him away.
He stared at the steaming beverage in front of him and Roger, Mimi, Collins and Joanne all looked at each other, worried.
"Mark, honey, you don't look so well." Mimi said soothingly. She reached out across the table and held his hand. "What's the matter?"
Mark's lips trembled and his blue eyes began to water behind his glasses.
"Nothing, I said I'm... I'm..." Mark's chest hitched.
Collins silently passed him a napkin.
"I'm scared!" he wailed and buried his face in his arms on the table. "Oh my God, I'm going to be a father!"
Roger stood and walked over to where Mark sat. He threw his heavy arm around the smaller man's shoulders and shook his head.
"Hey, you had nine months to think about this and now you're scared?" Roger said, grinning. "Jesus Christ, Mark, now is not the time to fall apart on us."
"Roger!" Mimi cried out. "Say something to comfort him, not freak him out even more!"
Mark sobbed into his arms and people began to turn and look at the blonde man who was crying loudly in the hospital cafeteria.
Roger noticed them and frowned.
"What the fuck are you looking at?" he snapped at some of them and Collins shook his head.
"Nevermind them, Roger." he muttered. He put his hand on Mark's arm and shook it gently.
"Mark?" he said gently. "Mark, come on. Mark?"
Mark sniffled and raised his head a little bit, peering at Collins with magnified tears.
"What exactly is it that you're scared about?" Collins asked gently.
Mark wiped his face and pushed his glasses up on his nose with one finger.
"I'm going to have a baby." he said in a shaky voice.
"Technically, Kara's the one who's going to have the baby..." Roger interrupted and Mimi glared at him.
He made a face but closed his mouth.
"Okay, so you're going to be a father." Collins said slowly as if he were talking to a child. "As crudely as Roger put it earlier, you've known that for nine months."
"But... now it's actually going to be... real." Mark said weakly. He slumped down in his chair and shook his head. "God, I'm going to fuck everything up. I know it. I mean, what the hell do I know about holding a baby? Or feeding one? Or..."
"Changing a diaper?" Roger said, smirking. Mark looked at him strangely and Roger stared back.
"I'm not in the mood for jokes, Roge." Mark said.
Roger stopped smiling and sat up.
"Okay, you want the truth, Mark?" he said seriously. "Maybe you don't know anything about anything. So what? Who really knows anything about being a parent before the baby pops out? And it's not like you and Kara didn't prepare for this. How much did you guys spend on those weird french breathing classes..."
"Lamaze." Mark muttered.
"Yeah." Roger said, rolling his eyes. "La-whatever. How much did you spend on those? On books? On baby stuff? Christ, I think the kid has more outfits than you have. You are prepared, Mark. Don't worry about it. Besides, didn't you have those doll things to practice on?"
"That's different." Mark said, sullen. "Those were plastic babies. You couldn't hurt them. And I...."
Mark's face trembled again and Roger motioned for Collins to hand over more napkins.
"I kept..."
Mark's eyes began to water once more.
"I kept dropping them!" Mark wailed.
He covered his face with his hands and sobbed.
"I kept dropping the stupid plastic dolls during class and Karalynn kept getting mad at me! Fuck, even the instructor got mad at me! They just looked so real and weird..."
Roger's mouth twisted up in a smile and he struggled to keep a straight face.
He looked at Mimi, afraid that she would notice and get mad at him again but saw that she was trying not to laugh either.
Collins looked down and covered his mouth, trying to hide the smile that was forming on his lips.
Joanne cleared her throat and looked away, grinning.
"They weren't moving or anything but it was so freaky!" Mark sobbed, not noticing them. "They were staring at me with those weird glass eyes and I'm such a fucking clumsy ass that I...."
Roger couldn't stop the wild burst of laughter that escaped his lips.
Mark looked up sharply, annoyed and Mimi, Joanne, and Collins began to laugh as well.
"Hey!" Mark exclaimed. "It's not funny! What if I drop my baby? My own son? That's not funny, guys!"
Roger's shoulders moved up and down and he wiped the tears that had formed in the corner of his eyes. His face was bright red and he was having a hard time breathing.
"We're sorry, Mark." Mimi said, giggling into her palm. "We feel your pain. We really do. It's just the idea of you dropping one of those plastic dolls..."
"Because you w-were s-scared of them!" Roger said, laughing out loud. "Oh God, maybe you are in trouble, Mark."
Mark crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, frowning.
"You know we're laughing with you, not at you..." Joanne began but Roger shook his head.
"No, we are laughing at you!" Roger said.
Mark's frown grew deeper. He stared at his cup of tea, now disgustingly warm and sighed.
Roger's laughter faded and he looked over at Mark who was once again, close to tears.
"Mark, dammit, come on." Roger said. He ruffled Mark's hair and smiled good-naturedly. "I'm kidding, man. Really."
"I tell you guys how I feel and you laugh at me." Mark grumbled. "I can't let Karalynn know how I feel. She's already scared and in pain. I can't unload all of this on her. And now you guys are laughing at me."
Roger glanced at his other three friends and they all slowly stopped laughing.
"Hey, it's only funny because it seems like you're worried over nothing, Mark." Collins said smoothly. "Roger's right. You and Karalynn have planned for this for months. You're just tired and stressed out which is only natural for someone in your position. I'm sure you won't drop your child, Mark."
Mark shook his head.
"It's not just that." he sighed. "It's everything else too. I mean, what if I'm not a good dad? What if I fuck him up? What if... what if..."
Roger snorted.
"What if the world ends and you're left standing in your boxers?" Roger said. "I mean, come on, Mark. You're thinking way too hard about this."
"Mark, honey, you'll be a great father." Mimi said. She tilted her head to the side and smiled sweetly at him. "You're kind, you're loving, you're patient. The fact that you're so worried about being a good dad shows that you will be a good dad."
"And Karalynn strikes me as the kind of woman who wouldn't stick with a man that wouldn't be a good father to her child." Joanne said, chiming in. "I'm sure she would have left a long time ago if she thought you were inadequate."
Mark looked at her, deadpan.
"Thanks." he said dryly. "I'll try to keep that in mind."
Joanne sighed.
"You know what I mean, Mark." she said. "Karalynn trusts you because she knows you'll do a great job. You'll be a wonderful father, Mark. You learn as you go along, that's all. You can't expect to know everything now anyway. You just feel your way along, I guess."
Mark nodded and stared at his hands on the table.
"Mark, cheer up, man." Roger said, slapping him on the back "If you mess this one up, you can always start over again with another kid."
Mark looked up at him slowly, incredulous.
"What do you mean, another kid?"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Karalynn, I think you just broke my finger."
"Shut up! It hurts!"
Maureen winced as Karalynn squeezed her hand harder. She was moaning loudly and her sweat drenched face was bright pink. Her legs twisted her sheets into a damp, wrinkled ball at the foot of her bed.
"Karalynn, maybe you should keep the blankets on..."
"No! Hot... flashes..."
"Uh, I thought that only happened during menopause..."
"You! Shut! Up!" Karalynn cried out. "Oh God... drugs! Drugs! I want drugs now!"
The doctor handed Maureen a towel and with one hand, she awkwardly patted Karalynn's forehead. Karalynn swatted her hand away and glared, bleary-eyed, at her.
"Touch me again and you'll be eating that tow...Oooooh!" Karalynn stopped midsentence and moaned.
"Karalynn, you're almost at stage two." the doctor said soothingly over her moans. "You're doing a great job. Just keep breathing..."
"OW!"
"...just keep breathing. Try to focus the pain inward..."
"You can take your focus and shove it up your..."
"... and relax."
Karalynn whimpered as the contraction faded away and she lay on her side, crying.
The doctor gently rubbed her lower back and Maureen took that space of time to pry Karalynn's iron fingers off of her hand. She stared with wide eyes at her crooked fingers and the bright red indentations Karalynn had made on her skin.
"Karalynn, how are you feeling now?" the doctor said, massaging her back. "Are you breathing okay?"
Karalynn sniffled and stared at the wall with wet eyes.
"When the next contraction hits, we can give you something to lessen the pain a bit. How does that sound?"
"A bit?" Karalynn said, miserable. "Can't you just knock me out and then wake me up again when he's out?"
The doctor laughed and Karalynn twisted up to look at her.
"I wasn't kidding."
"I know." the doctor said. "I can give you an epidural, if you'd like but..."
"No buts. Just do it." Karalynn muttered.
The doctor nodded. "Okay, I'll send for the anesthesiologist and we can begin the procedure immediately. However, I should warn you that it may take an hour for the anesthetic to take effect and you're already so close to..."
"Do it!"
"An epidural can actually slow labor down a bit and prolong the process. You're actually experiencing a quite normal birthing situation and..."
"Do it!"
"...and it might harm the baby. There's a slight chance that the drugs could cause problems in your newborn."
Karalynn whimpered and covered her eyes with her hand. Her chest hitched again and Maureen looked down at her, frowning.
"She's in a lot of pain, doctor." Maureen said quietly.
"I know. I'll give her an epidural but I just want her to know the risks involved." she said. "It's her decision. Many mothers do need drugs to help them over the pain hump but I always let the mother know the potential risks."
"Fuck it." Karalynn said, lowering her hand. She looked up at Maureen with tear-filled eyes. "I won't take the drugs. Not if it might hurt the baby."
Maureen bent down and looked into her eyes.
"Are you sure, pookie? I'm sure Mark doesn't want you in this much pain."
Karalynn shook her head and looked away.
"I'm sure. I don't want drugs."
The doctor nodded and then glanced at her chart on the table. "Karalynn, by the looks of things, you should be ready to give birth in about an hour and a half. Maybe two. You're at transition now. That's why your contractions are getting stronger. You're at eight centimeters. You're almost there!"
She took a step back and glanced at Maureen.
"Try to help her relax." she said. "If she wants the epidural in a few minutes, call the nurse. I'll have someone waiting by just in case. But in the meantime... try to help her stay calm."
Maureen gave her a blank stare and waved her crooked hand in the air.
"I don't think that's possible at this point." she said curtly. "Can I get an epidural for my hand? It really hurts."
The doctor shook her head and smiled, walking out.
"Where's Mark?" Karalynn said, after the doctor was gone.
"He's probably at the cafeteria, honey." Maureen said.
She hesitantly began to wipe the other woman's forehead again with the towel and sighed with relief when Karalynn didn't strike her.
"Do you want me to run and get him for you? I can get a nurse to stay with you while I...."
"I don't want to be alone." Karalynn said. Tears flowed down her face and onto the pillow. "I want Mark."
"I know, sweetie."
"I'm not ready for this." Karalynn said suddenly. "I thought I was but I'm not. It hurts too much."
"I know, pookie, but like the doctor said, you're doing a great job." Maureen said kindly. "I mean, you haven't jumped out the window or anything."
"Thanks." Karalynn said sarcastically.
"No, I meant that if I were feeling the kind of pain you're feeling now, I don't think I'd be able to handle it as well. You're doing great, Kara. I mean it. Aside from almost breaking my hand, I mean."
Karalynn rolled her eyes but her lips twitched.
"You're awesome for going through this." Maureen said. She put the towel down and stared directly into Karalynn's eyes. "And you're going to be an awesome mother."
Karalynn smiled. She sniffed and wiped her eyes.
"Stupid lamaze classes." she muttered. "I can't remember one thing I learned from those classes. Breathing exercises my ass. How am I supposed to do those stupid breathing techniques when I can't remember them because the pain is too...."
"I remember them."
Maureen looked up and smiled. She helped Karalynn turn over on her side and Mark walked towards them.
He smiled down at Karalynn.
"I'm sorry it took so long." he said. "But that's the first and last break I'll take from now on. Promise."
Karalynn smiled and nodded. He stroked her cheek and kissed her forehead.
"I ran into the doctor down the hallway and she told me that you're almost there, Kar." he said softly. "Yay."
Karalynn giggled and Mark looked up at Maureen.
"Thanks." he said. "For everything. You're officially off duty for the rest of the day. Everyone else is in the waiting room. Joanne bought you a fruit salad."
Maureen winked up at him and walked towards the door, her stiletto heels clacking loudly on the floor.
"No prob, Mark." she said lightly. She waved her hand at him. "If this falls off, I'll sue you. Superman has nothing over her when it comes to grip."
When Maureen was gone, Mark sat down on the edge of her bed and leaned down.
With one hand he played with her hair and with the other, held her hand.
"Okay, Kar, remember relaxing breaths?" he said quietly into her ear. "You have to breathe slowly, in and out. Half your normal pace, Kar. Breathe in through your nose. Slowly. Hold it... okay, let it go through your mouth. Yeah, just like that, Kar."
As Karalynn took deep breaths on her own, Mark pressed his lips against her cheek and closed his eyes.
"I love you, Kar. You're doing great. I love you."
Stage One: 9-12 hours
"How are you holding up, man?"
Mark put down his cup of tea and looked at Roger.
"I'm good." he said but his pale face gave him away.
He stared at the steaming beverage in front of him and Roger, Mimi, Collins and Joanne all looked at each other, worried.
"Mark, honey, you don't look so well." Mimi said soothingly. She reached out across the table and held his hand. "What's the matter?"
Mark's lips trembled and his blue eyes began to water behind his glasses.
"Nothing, I said I'm... I'm..." Mark's chest hitched.
Collins silently passed him a napkin.
"I'm scared!" he wailed and buried his face in his arms on the table. "Oh my God, I'm going to be a father!"
Roger stood and walked over to where Mark sat. He threw his heavy arm around the smaller man's shoulders and shook his head.
"Hey, you had nine months to think about this and now you're scared?" Roger said, grinning. "Jesus Christ, Mark, now is not the time to fall apart on us."
"Roger!" Mimi cried out. "Say something to comfort him, not freak him out even more!"
Mark sobbed into his arms and people began to turn and look at the blonde man who was crying loudly in the hospital cafeteria.
Roger noticed them and frowned.
"What the fuck are you looking at?" he snapped at some of them and Collins shook his head.
"Nevermind them, Roger." he muttered. He put his hand on Mark's arm and shook it gently.
"Mark?" he said gently. "Mark, come on. Mark?"
Mark sniffled and raised his head a little bit, peering at Collins with magnified tears.
"What exactly is it that you're scared about?" Collins asked gently.
Mark wiped his face and pushed his glasses up on his nose with one finger.
"I'm going to have a baby." he said in a shaky voice.
"Technically, Kara's the one who's going to have the baby..." Roger interrupted and Mimi glared at him.
He made a face but closed his mouth.
"Okay, so you're going to be a father." Collins said slowly as if he were talking to a child. "As crudely as Roger put it earlier, you've known that for nine months."
"But... now it's actually going to be... real." Mark said weakly. He slumped down in his chair and shook his head. "God, I'm going to fuck everything up. I know it. I mean, what the hell do I know about holding a baby? Or feeding one? Or..."
"Changing a diaper?" Roger said, smirking. Mark looked at him strangely and Roger stared back.
"I'm not in the mood for jokes, Roge." Mark said.
Roger stopped smiling and sat up.
"Okay, you want the truth, Mark?" he said seriously. "Maybe you don't know anything about anything. So what? Who really knows anything about being a parent before the baby pops out? And it's not like you and Kara didn't prepare for this. How much did you guys spend on those weird french breathing classes..."
"Lamaze." Mark muttered.
"Yeah." Roger said, rolling his eyes. "La-whatever. How much did you spend on those? On books? On baby stuff? Christ, I think the kid has more outfits than you have. You are prepared, Mark. Don't worry about it. Besides, didn't you have those doll things to practice on?"
"That's different." Mark said, sullen. "Those were plastic babies. You couldn't hurt them. And I...."
Mark's face trembled again and Roger motioned for Collins to hand over more napkins.
"I kept..."
Mark's eyes began to water once more.
"I kept dropping them!" Mark wailed.
He covered his face with his hands and sobbed.
"I kept dropping the stupid plastic dolls during class and Karalynn kept getting mad at me! Fuck, even the instructor got mad at me! They just looked so real and weird..."
Roger's mouth twisted up in a smile and he struggled to keep a straight face.
He looked at Mimi, afraid that she would notice and get mad at him again but saw that she was trying not to laugh either.
Collins looked down and covered his mouth, trying to hide the smile that was forming on his lips.
Joanne cleared her throat and looked away, grinning.
"They weren't moving or anything but it was so freaky!" Mark sobbed, not noticing them. "They were staring at me with those weird glass eyes and I'm such a fucking clumsy ass that I...."
Roger couldn't stop the wild burst of laughter that escaped his lips.
Mark looked up sharply, annoyed and Mimi, Joanne, and Collins began to laugh as well.
"Hey!" Mark exclaimed. "It's not funny! What if I drop my baby? My own son? That's not funny, guys!"
Roger's shoulders moved up and down and he wiped the tears that had formed in the corner of his eyes. His face was bright red and he was having a hard time breathing.
"We're sorry, Mark." Mimi said, giggling into her palm. "We feel your pain. We really do. It's just the idea of you dropping one of those plastic dolls..."
"Because you w-were s-scared of them!" Roger said, laughing out loud. "Oh God, maybe you are in trouble, Mark."
Mark crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, frowning.
"You know we're laughing with you, not at you..." Joanne began but Roger shook his head.
"No, we are laughing at you!" Roger said.
Mark's frown grew deeper. He stared at his cup of tea, now disgustingly warm and sighed.
Roger's laughter faded and he looked over at Mark who was once again, close to tears.
"Mark, dammit, come on." Roger said. He ruffled Mark's hair and smiled good-naturedly. "I'm kidding, man. Really."
"I tell you guys how I feel and you laugh at me." Mark grumbled. "I can't let Karalynn know how I feel. She's already scared and in pain. I can't unload all of this on her. And now you guys are laughing at me."
Roger glanced at his other three friends and they all slowly stopped laughing.
"Hey, it's only funny because it seems like you're worried over nothing, Mark." Collins said smoothly. "Roger's right. You and Karalynn have planned for this for months. You're just tired and stressed out which is only natural for someone in your position. I'm sure you won't drop your child, Mark."
Mark shook his head.
"It's not just that." he sighed. "It's everything else too. I mean, what if I'm not a good dad? What if I fuck him up? What if... what if..."
Roger snorted.
"What if the world ends and you're left standing in your boxers?" Roger said. "I mean, come on, Mark. You're thinking way too hard about this."
"Mark, honey, you'll be a great father." Mimi said. She tilted her head to the side and smiled sweetly at him. "You're kind, you're loving, you're patient. The fact that you're so worried about being a good dad shows that you will be a good dad."
"And Karalynn strikes me as the kind of woman who wouldn't stick with a man that wouldn't be a good father to her child." Joanne said, chiming in. "I'm sure she would have left a long time ago if she thought you were inadequate."
Mark looked at her, deadpan.
"Thanks." he said dryly. "I'll try to keep that in mind."
Joanne sighed.
"You know what I mean, Mark." she said. "Karalynn trusts you because she knows you'll do a great job. You'll be a wonderful father, Mark. You learn as you go along, that's all. You can't expect to know everything now anyway. You just feel your way along, I guess."
Mark nodded and stared at his hands on the table.
"Mark, cheer up, man." Roger said, slapping him on the back "If you mess this one up, you can always start over again with another kid."
Mark looked up at him slowly, incredulous.
"What do you mean, another kid?"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Karalynn, I think you just broke my finger."
"Shut up! It hurts!"
Maureen winced as Karalynn squeezed her hand harder. She was moaning loudly and her sweat drenched face was bright pink. Her legs twisted her sheets into a damp, wrinkled ball at the foot of her bed.
"Karalynn, maybe you should keep the blankets on..."
"No! Hot... flashes..."
"Uh, I thought that only happened during menopause..."
"You! Shut! Up!" Karalynn cried out. "Oh God... drugs! Drugs! I want drugs now!"
The doctor handed Maureen a towel and with one hand, she awkwardly patted Karalynn's forehead. Karalynn swatted her hand away and glared, bleary-eyed, at her.
"Touch me again and you'll be eating that tow...Oooooh!" Karalynn stopped midsentence and moaned.
"Karalynn, you're almost at stage two." the doctor said soothingly over her moans. "You're doing a great job. Just keep breathing..."
"OW!"
"...just keep breathing. Try to focus the pain inward..."
"You can take your focus and shove it up your..."
"... and relax."
Karalynn whimpered as the contraction faded away and she lay on her side, crying.
The doctor gently rubbed her lower back and Maureen took that space of time to pry Karalynn's iron fingers off of her hand. She stared with wide eyes at her crooked fingers and the bright red indentations Karalynn had made on her skin.
"Karalynn, how are you feeling now?" the doctor said, massaging her back. "Are you breathing okay?"
Karalynn sniffled and stared at the wall with wet eyes.
"When the next contraction hits, we can give you something to lessen the pain a bit. How does that sound?"
"A bit?" Karalynn said, miserable. "Can't you just knock me out and then wake me up again when he's out?"
The doctor laughed and Karalynn twisted up to look at her.
"I wasn't kidding."
"I know." the doctor said. "I can give you an epidural, if you'd like but..."
"No buts. Just do it." Karalynn muttered.
The doctor nodded. "Okay, I'll send for the anesthesiologist and we can begin the procedure immediately. However, I should warn you that it may take an hour for the anesthetic to take effect and you're already so close to..."
"Do it!"
"An epidural can actually slow labor down a bit and prolong the process. You're actually experiencing a quite normal birthing situation and..."
"Do it!"
"...and it might harm the baby. There's a slight chance that the drugs could cause problems in your newborn."
Karalynn whimpered and covered her eyes with her hand. Her chest hitched again and Maureen looked down at her, frowning.
"She's in a lot of pain, doctor." Maureen said quietly.
"I know. I'll give her an epidural but I just want her to know the risks involved." she said. "It's her decision. Many mothers do need drugs to help them over the pain hump but I always let the mother know the potential risks."
"Fuck it." Karalynn said, lowering her hand. She looked up at Maureen with tear-filled eyes. "I won't take the drugs. Not if it might hurt the baby."
Maureen bent down and looked into her eyes.
"Are you sure, pookie? I'm sure Mark doesn't want you in this much pain."
Karalynn shook her head and looked away.
"I'm sure. I don't want drugs."
The doctor nodded and then glanced at her chart on the table. "Karalynn, by the looks of things, you should be ready to give birth in about an hour and a half. Maybe two. You're at transition now. That's why your contractions are getting stronger. You're at eight centimeters. You're almost there!"
She took a step back and glanced at Maureen.
"Try to help her relax." she said. "If she wants the epidural in a few minutes, call the nurse. I'll have someone waiting by just in case. But in the meantime... try to help her stay calm."
Maureen gave her a blank stare and waved her crooked hand in the air.
"I don't think that's possible at this point." she said curtly. "Can I get an epidural for my hand? It really hurts."
The doctor shook her head and smiled, walking out.
"Where's Mark?" Karalynn said, after the doctor was gone.
"He's probably at the cafeteria, honey." Maureen said.
She hesitantly began to wipe the other woman's forehead again with the towel and sighed with relief when Karalynn didn't strike her.
"Do you want me to run and get him for you? I can get a nurse to stay with you while I...."
"I don't want to be alone." Karalynn said. Tears flowed down her face and onto the pillow. "I want Mark."
"I know, sweetie."
"I'm not ready for this." Karalynn said suddenly. "I thought I was but I'm not. It hurts too much."
"I know, pookie, but like the doctor said, you're doing a great job." Maureen said kindly. "I mean, you haven't jumped out the window or anything."
"Thanks." Karalynn said sarcastically.
"No, I meant that if I were feeling the kind of pain you're feeling now, I don't think I'd be able to handle it as well. You're doing great, Kara. I mean it. Aside from almost breaking my hand, I mean."
Karalynn rolled her eyes but her lips twitched.
"You're awesome for going through this." Maureen said. She put the towel down and stared directly into Karalynn's eyes. "And you're going to be an awesome mother."
Karalynn smiled. She sniffed and wiped her eyes.
"Stupid lamaze classes." she muttered. "I can't remember one thing I learned from those classes. Breathing exercises my ass. How am I supposed to do those stupid breathing techniques when I can't remember them because the pain is too...."
"I remember them."
Maureen looked up and smiled. She helped Karalynn turn over on her side and Mark walked towards them.
He smiled down at Karalynn.
"I'm sorry it took so long." he said. "But that's the first and last break I'll take from now on. Promise."
Karalynn smiled and nodded. He stroked her cheek and kissed her forehead.
"I ran into the doctor down the hallway and she told me that you're almost there, Kar." he said softly. "Yay."
Karalynn giggled and Mark looked up at Maureen.
"Thanks." he said. "For everything. You're officially off duty for the rest of the day. Everyone else is in the waiting room. Joanne bought you a fruit salad."
Maureen winked up at him and walked towards the door, her stiletto heels clacking loudly on the floor.
"No prob, Mark." she said lightly. She waved her hand at him. "If this falls off, I'll sue you. Superman has nothing over her when it comes to grip."
When Maureen was gone, Mark sat down on the edge of her bed and leaned down.
With one hand he played with her hair and with the other, held her hand.
"Okay, Kar, remember relaxing breaths?" he said quietly into her ear. "You have to breathe slowly, in and out. Half your normal pace, Kar. Breathe in through your nose. Slowly. Hold it... okay, let it go through your mouth. Yeah, just like that, Kar."
As Karalynn took deep breaths on her own, Mark pressed his lips against her cheek and closed his eyes.
"I love you, Kar. You're doing great. I love you."