Part 12
New Born Dreams
"Miiic… hael!!!"
"Here, here," Michael called quickly as he hurried into the labor room.
"Michael, Michael," Maria gasped, reaching out for his hand to pull him closer to the bed. "Michael, they have to take it out of me. It's all wrong, and it's early, and I'm not ready, but it… has… to… come… OUT… NOW!!!"
"Okay, okay, okay, breathe, breathe," he repeated, fighting to keep himself in the realm of sanity as he struggled to pull her back from the insane episode she appeared to be having. "It'll all be over soon, I promise. You're almost ready, maybe just a few hours…"
"A few hours!" she shrieked, writhing on the bed as another wave of unbearable discomfort washed over her. "I can't wait…"
"An hour," he corrected without thinking, knowing there was no way this whole ordeal would be over in an hour. "We'll be all done in an hour, better?"
"Mmm-hmm," she said softly, still pouting as she lay back against the pillows, suddenly satiated. "Epidurals are nice," she purred, smiling up at him.
The nurse standing by her side smiled at Michael and moved to exit the room. "She should feel good for a while, I'll check back," she said as she left.
Nodding in her direction, Michael turned back to watch as Maria moved to make herself comfortable on the bed.
Sliding her head along the pillow, her earring caught the fabric and she reached up to detach it from her ear. Holding the trinket in her hand, she stared at it for a moment before remembering why she was wearing pearl earrings at her delivery and immediately launching into a fervor again.
"Nooo," she moaned, holding out the earring to him as she reached for the matching piece. "Nooo," she repeated.
"What, what is it?" he asked, taking the earrings from her as confusion marred his features.
"My wedding dress," she continued, her voice falling to a low wail as she commiserated the apparent loss of the garment. "It's ruined."
"Oh, no, no baby, no," Michael reassured her quickly, massaging her arm as he spoke. "Liz took it to the dry-cleaners right away, make sure the stain didn't set or anything. It's fine."
"Li… Liz took it?" she mumbled, tears pricking her eyes as she looked up at him soulfully.
"Yes, she's taking care of it; your dress will be good as new, promise."
"But… b-b-but… I want Liz to be here for the birth!" she cried, shaking her head as she thought about her best friend missing this most important event.
"She will, she will," he rushed to soothe her, inwardly rolling his eyes at the roller coaster her moods seemed to have jumped on.
"But, but you said…"
"Maria… babe," he said softly but firmly. "What's going to make you happier? Your dress being clean or your best friend being here."
"I… I…" she said, stopping as she stared at the choices he placed before her and blushing at the impossible situation she created. "I want her here," she said softly, squeezing the hand that still held hers tightly.
"Good, then that's where she'll be, okay?"
"Okay," she echoed.
"Okay," he repeated. "So we're ready, hey? We're going to have a baby?"
"I guess… NO!"
"What! What is it?" Michael said immediately, sitting up in his chair at her side to reach for her shoulder. "Another contraction?"
"No, no, no, no, no," she moaned, shaking her head as tears poured forth from her eyes and she raised her hands to run them through her perfectly coiffed hair.
"Maria," he called, attempted to shake her from her reverie as he watched her freak out over apparently nothing at all. "Maria!" he said more firmly when she didn't respond.
"No, no, not this, anything but this," she mumbled, continuing to shake her head as she stared directly at Michael. "Our baby's name is going to be John!"
"What? John? Why, that wasn't on the list?" he asked, obviously confused.
"Exactly, we only have a list, no real name so now it's going to be John."
"Maria. Our baby is not going to be named John just because we haven't picked a name. We'll decide later, tomorrow, whenever, and then that'll be his name. We don't need one right away."
"I know," she wailed, her tears falling fast and furious now as she panted to catch her breath between sobs. "And if we don't give him a name they'll just call him John… John Doe!"
Michael had to lower his head to hide the smirk that spread across his face at her words. Biting his lip to keep his humor restrained, he slowly reached up to caress her cheek, urging her to calm with the gesture. "Babe," he whispered softly, wiping away a tear that fell from her eye as he soothed her. "They don't name babies John or Jane Doe before they have a name."
"Th-they… they don't?"
"No," he smiled. "We can take our time choosing the perfect name. Until then it'll just be Baby Guerin."
"Are you sure?" she whispered, lingering fear still evident on her face as she settled tentatively back into her pillow. "We won't have to call the baby 'Baby' for the rest of their life?"
"No," Michael laughed, unable to restrain himself any longer at her latest question. "No we get to choose whatever we want."
"Okay, good," she murmured, shifting her weight on the bed as she tried to make herself more comfortable. "But we should still pick one, right?"
"Of course, but we can do it later, it's fine."
"No, please?" she begged. "Can you get a book of names from the bookstore or something? I really want to choose now."
"Now?"
"Well you said we had a few hours, right?"
Smiling, Michael realized that his little lie about it only taking an hour wasn't even remotely believed by her, yet he had to smile at the way their relationship already worked—she freaked, he calmed; so far it was a pretty good balance.
"Okay, I'll see if I can get a book. Maybe someone will run down and get one."
"Someone?"
"They're all here," he replied nonchalantly as he stood from his chair.
Smiling, Maria watched him leave the room, glancing down at her hands as she said a silent thank-you for her friends and family being here. Her engagement ring winked up at her from its temporary position on her right hand, a reminder that she had removed it before the ceremony so that her wedding band could be easily added to her left. In the sudden excitement of going into labor and rushing from the makeshift wedding chapel for the hospital, it had remained there. Reaching out now, she lightly gripped it and removed it from her finger, moving to slip it onto her left hand, her wedding band glistening brightly under the harsh fluorescent lights of the room as it met its partner.
She was married. Her name was now and forever Maria Catherine Guerin.
"Guerin," she sounded out, testing the word as it passed her lips. "Mar-i-a Gear-in… Gwer-in… Gee-u-ear-in."
Smiling she settled back against her pillows and patted her impossibly expanded stomach lightly. "Mommy, Daddy, and Baby Guerin," she said softly. It had a nice ring.
Outside the room, Isabel looked up expectantly as she heard Michael enter, hearing him run his hand roughly across his shadowed face before she ever saw the action.
"Hey there Daddy," she said softly, standing to envelop him in a sisterly embrace.
"Hey," he mumbled, returning the gesture before pulling away to glance around at the expectant faces of their wedding guests all staring back at him. "It'll be a while yet, a few hours at least," he offered, receiving a sympathetic smile from Amy as she stood and crossed the room towards him.
"How's she holding up?"
"She's… she's fine."
"Darling, this is my daughter we're talking about, how is she?"
Michael winced, "Linda Blair a la the Exorcist?"
Stiffening her lips, Amy stared thoughtfully at the man in front if her, almost immediately breaking into laughter as she watched his face pale. "Relax," she soothed, rubbing his arm gently. "Women in labor can be ugly, ugly creatures, it's natural."
Michael sighed, raising a hand to rub it tiredly across his eyes. "Really?"
"Really," Amy confirmed. "Why don't you get a cup of coffee, let me check on her for a minute."
"Okay, but she wants a book of baby names, we still haven't picked," he finished lamely.
"Good Lord, I thought you were just keeping it a secret!" Amy exclaimed.
"It's okay, it's okay," Isabel said quickly, turning to reach down by her feet and retrieve an overnight bag resting there. "I brought her book, here," she said, reaching into the suitcase.
"What? That's my luggage!" Michael said in surprise.
"I know, and these are her clothes," Isabel continued, pointing to the stuffed bag. "You didn't think I was going to risk the baby showing up and ruining the perfectly planned wedding did you?"
Shaking his head, Michael shot an appreciative smile at his sister. "No, I suppose I should have figured," he said softly.
Handing the book to Amy, Isabel only smiled back at him and reached for his hand. Watching Amy leave the room to check on Maria, she pulled Michael towards a chair, forcing him to sit down.
"Now, you must be famished, Alex honey, pass the food."
"But this is my sandwh…" Alex started to object, seeing the firm look on his wife's face as he held the wrapped slices of bread protectively in his hands. Sighing, he passed it over to Michael, forcing a smile on his face to supplement his offering.
"Really…" Michael objected.
"Eat," Isabel commanded sternly, pushing the sandwich into his hand as she reached for a fresh coffee that she hadn't yet started to drink. "You'll need it, believe me."
"It's not that much longer, really," Michael muttered, stuffing his mouth with the tuna fish snack as he talked.
"Not much longer," Isabel repeated, smiling up at her husband as they shared a knowing grin. "Sweetie," she cooed as she massaged his knee lightly. "It's the rest of your life."
Michael had to force his mouth to close as Isabel made her last declaration, his heart suddenly refusing to beat as he realized that it was the rest of his life that would change; the rest of their lives.
Smiling, he grinned stupidly at the pair and accepted the hot cup of coffee they passed him. "I know," he whispered, obvious joy evident on his face.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Stepping back into her room minutes later, Michael watched as Amy stood from her daughter's bedside and bent over to offer her support in the form of a gentle kiss. Passing him on the way out, he smiled as she gripped his arm in reassurance and exited the room. Walking towards his about-to-give-birth wife, he watched her reach for the tattered and dog-eared copy of '20,001 Names for Baby' that had rested by her bedside for the past two months and hold it up for him.
"You know Isabel," he replied quickly, laughing as he watched her smile. "Who else would have thought to pack an emergency bag just in case."
"Of course, I should've guessed," she said, smiling. Flipping the book open to the front cover, she removed the folded piece of paper with their narrowed down list of names on it and scanned it quickly. "Okay, we've got Paige, Lauren, and Allison. Then Braden, Gray, and Eric." Sticking her tongue out at the paper while she made a sudden gagging noise, she crumpled it in her hand and tossed it towards the foot of the bed. "Yuck! What were we thinking?"
"What?" Michael yelped, reaching for the paper to unfold it. Smoothing it against the blanket resting on her legs, he read the names aloud again. "What's wrong with Paige? Paige Guerin?"
"Michael, the other kids will tease her and call her book, or worse, dictionary or something. No… loose leaf!"
"Maria," Michael frowned, unable to hide the smirk that spread across his face as he struggled to remain serious. Finally laughing, he still argued, "They are not going to call her loose leaf, or exercise book, or scribbler…" Pausing, he seemed to be thinking of the possibilities the name could bring. "Although they could call her paper, or sheet… all right, it's scratched."
Grabbing a pen to mark it off on the paper, Michael moved on to the next name. "Lauren Guerin?"
"No, it rhymes."
"How…"
"Laur-EN Guer-IN… close enough. And that goes for Braden and Gray too."
Shaking his head, Michael drew a line through Lauren and Braden for the rhyming reason, hesitating when he got to Gray.
"Initials are G. G., Gigi, think Michael, think."
Bewildered at his wife's logic but having absolutely no intention of arguing with her, he drew another line through Gray. "All right, that leaves Allison and Eric. Does Allison rhyme too?"
"No, because we'd call her Alli, but…"
"Here it comes," he mumbled beneath his breath, earning a sharp stare from her as she continued.
"I went to school with an Alli, she used to pick her nose. It's a scratch. And Eric, ugh, I don't know why we ever picked it."
"Because it was my grandfather's name perhaps?" Michael said quietly, raising his eyebrows at her expectantly.
"Middle name?" she countered, pleading with him silently not to force the issue.
"Fine, I don't care, but why? Why not Eric?"
"Would you believe a bad 'Days of Our Lives' crush?" she asked hopefully.
"Holy sh…" he breathed, balling the sheet of paper in his fist before shooting it across the room towards a garbage can. Missing by a good three feet, he stood up and walked over to retrieve the litter. "All right Maria, we don't have to use any of those names, but we do have to pick something, unless you really do like John."
"Well it is your middle name…" she started.
"And we agreed we wouldn't name him after us, so…"
"You keep saying him," she prodded, smiling as he retook his seat by her side. "It could still be a girl you know."
"I know," he said, grinning sheepishly. "And I don't care either way, it's just… well, I guess I'd just like the chance to raise a son, you know? Give him a good start."
"I don't think it's possible for you to do anything else," she said softly, reaching out to clasp his hand again as she handed him the book. "Here, why don't you look through it, see if you like anything."
Smiling, Michael accepted it from her and moved to rest his elbows on the mattress as he flipped it open. "Okay, Aaron?"
"You're starting at the beginning?"
"Well I could start with…" pausing as he thumbed to the back of the book. "Zuriel?" he teased.
Pushing him lightly on the shoulder, she suggested, "Think of a letter, like… R? You like R?"
"I like M."
"Obviously," she replied dryly.
"Okay," he said, thumbing through the pages to the 'R' section. "Umm, Ray, Rayburn, Razor—who would name their kid Razor?"
"You'd be surprised."
"There should be a book for people who want normal names, none of this River or Rainbow stuff."
"Well what about Laney?"
"I think it's taken," he mumbled quietly.
"No, I mean do you like it? Like, it's not normal, but you like it, right?"
"Well yeah, but…"
"Well yeah, but… you like what you get used to, it's always the way. Read some more, and try C after, I'm thinking Caleb."
"Ugh, religious?"
"Excuse me, Mrs. Guerin?" a nurse interrupted them, slipping into the room quietly.
"Oh, uh… yeah," Maria said blushing. "Mrs. Guerin," she repeated to Michael. "I guess that's me."
"The bride and groom, right?" the nurse asked while smiling at the pair. "Word travels," she explained.
"I guess you don't see too many women in here in a wedding dress, hey?"
"Oh you'd be surprised. And a lot of ceremonies aren't even over, the chapel minister performs quite a few last minute unions."
"Well, we won't be needing him," Maria said softly, turning back to smile at Michael as the nurse busied herself at the foot of the bed.
"Good to hear, and congratulations by the way."
"Thanks."
"Okay, so I'll just check you and…" the nurse started, bending down to lift the sheet covering Maria's legs. A few moments later she stepped away and smiled at her patient. "Not long now, you're at eight centimeters."
"What?" Maria yelped. "Eight?"
"That a good thing," Michael offered, patting her hand lightly.
"No, no, it's not, we aren't ready, we still need a name, and we have to paint the nursery and I need to buy another blanket, it's still cold and the baby will be cold… and have no name…" she finished, her lower lip trembling as she stared at her new husband.
"Maria, Maria, calm, remember, calm. Deep breaths…" he comforted her. "I'll get Max and Kyle to help with the nursery, I'm sure Isabel still has blankets from Laney, and we are getting a name right now. We're fine, just breathe."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, look, we can always use this one," he said, pointing randomly to the page in front of him. Looking down, he winced as he read the name, "Oh, Rath, maybe not."
~*~*~*~*~*~
"AAAHHH!!!" Maria screamed loudly, pushing with all her might as she felt Michael place his hand firmly on her back. Squinting her eyes as the powerful contraction raged on and she continued the driving push down and out, she somehow found the strength to lift her hand from the bedside railing and latch onto the free hand of her husband. Gritting her teeth, she bit down hard as she attempted to transfer all the pain she felt into him; it was after all his fault.
"Never," she panted, lying back against the pillows once the pain subsided, opening her eyes just a little to see a grimace of agony still painted on his face as she continued to squeeze his hand. "Again…"
"Okay, uh, sure, uh," he mumbled, gesturing pathetically with his head towards the vice-grip she held him in. "Uh, honey?"
"Fine," she muttered, releasing him as a wave of relief washed over his face. "But I'm serious, no more, ever."
"That's what Isabel said too, but now she…" he remarked offhandedly, rubbing his hand as he looked up to meet her stern gaze. "B-b-ut then," he stammered nervously. "M-m-aybe it's different for you…"
"Maybe," Maria echoed hollowly, turning away from him as another powerful wave of darkness crashed over her. "Oh Jesus, Jesus, JESUS!!!" she screamed, allowing herself to be pushed upwards by Michael and the nurse on her right side, fighting to find his hand along the rail before she noticed that he had tucked it away behind his back.
"I… can… still… make… you… pay," she grunted, sticking her elbow out from her side sharply to catch him in the ribs. "You… you… MAN!"
Watching his new wife transform into a demon worthy of slayage by Buffy, Michael had to smile inwardly that he had been trained well by his own child-bearing sister on what to expect. 'She'll scream bloody murder and then the baby will be here and it'll all be forgotten.' Those words were getting a little harder to remember as the night wore on, but he kept repeating them to himself like a mantra—just get through the delivery and you'll both have a baby to celebrate. She hadn't complained once in the six months he'd known her, he figured she was entitled to a scream or two.
"Good, good," he whispered in her ear as she lay back down after a particularly tough contraction. "Almost there, we're almost done."
"No, no," she moaned, staring up at him wide-eyed as she felt the fingers of pain release her mind for a brief moment of lucid thought. "We still didn't choose, we still didn't decide, we can't…"
"Okay, Maria, it's time to push again, just one more," the doctor delivering her baby prompted urgently.
"No, no," she repeated more firmly. "I can't Michael," she continued, looking up at him desperately. "I'm not ready; we're not ready!"
"I know, but we have to do this," Michael replied.
"No! I have to do this, not we, and I'm not pushing until we have a name."
"Maria, you must push now," the doctor urged. "It's time."
"Listen," she snapped. "Until you've tried pushing a watermelon through a hole built for a cucumber, I don't want to hear one more word! I'll push when I'm God damn good and ready, got it Doc?"
Staring at the women for a moment, her chastised doctor could only mumble, "But Mrs. Guerin…"
"Okay, okay," Michael interrupted quickly, bending down in front of his laboring wife to block the death rays she was shooting towards the helpless man at her feet. "I've got it okay? I've got a name, a good one," he said smiling.
"Wha… what is it?"
"In a minute, we have to see if it's a boy or not."
"A boy or not," she grunted, another contraction building even as she spoke. "Oh shit," she cried, screaming in protest as her body let her know that the baby was coming whether she participated or not. "I hope we don't have a not!"
One final push from the mother and a perfectly formed, if a little early, baby angel was added to the world. Working quickly to suction his nose and mouth, the first sounds of their new child's cry were heard by two sobbing parents as their brand new baby was placed on Maria's stomach.
"Congratulations," the new parents vaguely heard the doctor tell them. "It's a boy."
"A boy?" Maria cried, reaching towards his impossibly tiny head in awe.
"I have a son," Michael whispered beside her, his own body quivering beyond control as he felt his finger make contact with the softest newborn skin for the first time. "He's here," he breathed between soft sobs.
"Yes he is," the new Mom joined him, leaning to rest her head on Michael's arm as she reveled in the miracle that had just occurred. "But what's his name?" she asked quietly.
Grinning broadly, Michael turned to her and hesitated for a moment before sharing the name he had no doubt she would love as much as he did. "Well, I know we didn't want to name him after me or you, but he's already got Guerin, I'd like to give him Deluca too."
"Deluca?" she questioned, confusion obvious in her voice.
"Yeah, Deluca, well close enough—Lucas. Lucas Guerin."
"Lucas," Maria repeated softly, stretching out to place her hand on the squirming child. "Lucas Michael Guerin," she added.
"No, Maria, we don't…"
"Yes," she said softly, turning to stare into his eyes as she repeated the name she knew their son would bare. "Lucas Michael Guerin, it's perfect."
Wiping at his eyes as they filled up for the second time with tears, Michael could only lean into kiss her as words escaped him. He was a father, she was a mother, they had a son… sighing contentedly as he rested his head atop hers, he stared down at the baby lying on her belly and whispered, "Welcome to the world Lucas."
It was never supposed to happen; the man and woman were never supposed to meet, and the little boy that had just entered the world was never supposed to know his father. While Maria reveled in the miracle she had created with a man she didn't even know at the time, Michael mused on the oddity of their situation; some would call it luck; he could only call it life. Deep inside he knew that somehow he was destined to meet this girl and have this baby; that life may have taken them the long way around, but it always intended to drop them off in the same spot they were fated to arrive at.
The new Mom and Dad closed their eyes as emotion neither was capable of expressing reigned supreme. Both knew that there was only one thing missing from their life together—more of it.
The End.
