It was nearly midnight and Elizabeth was still awake. She had passed the exhausted stage of her day and now was too tired to even sleep. She stuck a tea bag in her mug and poured boiling water over it and a slice of lemon. Chamomile tea was usually successful in fighting her insomnia.
She sat down at the table, sipping and thinking. It had been a month since her parents moved to their new house on Truman. It had been a month since she had seen her mother. Her father came over in the afternoons to watch the kids while she slept, but not Grace. She knew she had inherited her mother's stubborn personality because she hadn't attempted to contact her either.
Elizabeth rubbed her barely there baby bump. At ten weeks, she hadn't shown with Syd or Liam. The doctor said that because it was her third, she would show faster and she had.
Syd, at twenty five weeks, glowed with youth and health. She walked every morning, even though it was cold and snowy outside. She never had caffeine and never had fast food. Her one craving, that she ate almost everyday, was meat. Hamburger, grilled on the stove, steak marinated and sautéed and then baked, or chicken, white meat only.
Elizabeth looked out the window by the sink. It was snowing big, fat, beautiful snowflakes. Eight to ten inches was the forecast and it was not uncommon for early January. Elizabeth loved winter. She loved sitting in her recliner, under a cozy blanket, drinking coffee, or hot chocolate, with a good book or Rylee on her lap. It was her idea of a perfect day.
"Snowed in'' were magical words and the next day she would be. It was Saturday so no daycare, Liam was at Ty's house, and Syd had to work at the bakery. Jack didn't have to work so he could snuggle with her and she may even talk him into a movie or two.
A FEW HOURS LATER
"Elizabeth?"
"What?" She didn't want to wake up so her response was maybe a bit grumpier than necessary.
"I brought you breakfast." She sighed and then smelled something heavenly.
"What is that wonderful smell?"
"Why don't you open your eyes and see?" She opened one eye and looked at the plate.
"Jack, is that one of Abigail's cinnamon rolls? With extra icing?"
"Yeah. I took Syd to work and grabbed us breakfast."
"I'm going to gain fifty pounds in a month if you keep spoiling me like this, Jack."
"Oh, I'll just take it away then…"
"No, no! Gimme." She sat up and reached for the plate, swiping her index finger in the warm, melty icing oozing down the sides of the roll. "Oh, my goodness," she said as she savored the sweetness.
"Good?" he asked, a smirk on his face.
Instead of answering she kissed him, giving him a taste. "See?" she whispered. "Perfect."
"Yes, perfect." He looked at her and then climbed over her legs to his side of the bed. "So, I figured, since you'd like to believe we are snowed in," he stopped talking because she squealed like a teenager, "and because we are alone until about three o'clock this afternoon, I believe we need to stay in bed all day. How does that sound?"
"Perfect," she mumbled, laughing because it came out more like "pfffct" due to the large bite of heaven in her mouth.
"Good."
"Are you going to eat, or just sit there and watch me?" she asked after she swallowed.
"I'd be perfectly fine watching you, but I'm hungry for my..."
"Cherry danish and vanilla cappuccino?"
"Precisely, my love."
"Can I have a bite?"
"Only if I can have a bite of.." He watched as she stuffed the last quarter of the roll in her mouth and smiled.
He just shook his head and laughed.
"Let's watch a movie, Hon," she suggested.
"Ok, like what?"
"Just pick something." She snuggled up to him and groaned when he picked X-Men. "Really, Jack?"
"You told me to pick."
"Yes, I did. You're right, but I was hoping we could watch something more romantic."
"This can be romantic."
"X-men is not romantic. The last thing I want to do is make out to the sounds of people kicking and punching each other."
"You've obviously never seen….wait. You want to make out?"
"Yes, please."
"Well, you know, there is a love story in X-Men. The characters…"
"Sweetie...I think you have a bit of cherry right there." She closed the short distance between them, pulling him into her kiss, thoroughly convincing him to shut off the television.
"If you'd just give it a chance, I think you'd…"
She put her fingers over his mouth. "Stop talking and just kiss me."
The day was perfect, just as Elizabeth wanted. Movies were watched, including X-Men, which he eventually convinced her to watch and she eventually admitted she liked. He tried to convince her to go with him to the bakery to pick up Syd, but she wanted to take a hot bath and read so he left her behind.
SWEETS AND STUFF BAKERY
Jack pulled up in front of the bakery at three o'clock and waited. After a while, he wondered if Syd had already found a ride home, so he went in to check.
When he walked in he found Syd talking to Abigail. Syd was sitting down, her hands on her tummy, tears running down her face.
"Syd? What's wrong?" He pulled a chair over next to her and waited. "Syd?"
"Gavin was here, Dad."
"Where is he? Did he hurt you?" Jack frantically looked around, but no one was in the bakery but them.
"Just my feelings, that's all." She wiped her cheeks and rubbed her tummy.
"What did that punk want?"
"He came back to see if I had had the guts to keep the baby or if I had done what he suggested."
"Well, at least he's gone."
"Yeah, for now." She stood up and put on a brave smile. "Let's go home, ok?"
"Sure, let's grab a pizza for dinner. It's just you, me, and Mom. Liam is staying at Ty's house."
"Ok. Let's get the Monster Meat Madness pizza. Yum. Barbecue sauce, pulled pork, bacon, and sausage. Sounds like heaven."
Jack chuckled and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Syd."
"I love you too, Daddy."
As they drove home with the pizza, Jack watched Syd. She was quietly watching the scenery pass by the window, wiping her cheeks. "Honey, are you ok? I mean, really?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"What did he do?"
"Nothing, he just hurt my pride a little."
"Jerk."
"Dad, I don't want to talk about him. I just want to go home and eat my pizza and go to bed."
"Ok, baby. Whatever you want. Just remember you can tell me if you want to."
"I know." She knew that if she told her dad what he had said to her, he would find him and Gavin wouldn't know what hit him.
AN HOUR EARLIER
Syd had just finished her shift and she was gathering the last of her tips from the tables. She turned and found Gavin staring angrily from a few steps away. "You kept it! Why would you do that to me?" he thundered as he grabbed her arm.
She yanked her arm away from him and stared. "I did nothing to you. I told you I was keeping him."
She attempted to walk off but he grabbed her again. "Gavin, let me go," she said, the anger behind her words very evident.
"I am not giving you one cent of my money."
"I don't want your money. I don't want you here in our lives. Please leave."
"The kid is probably not even mine."
"As far as I'm concerned, he stopped being yours the moment you left us."
The fact that he had even insinuated that she had slept around, hurt worse than the bruises that were sure to be on her upper arm. She had trusted him, had been naïve enough to get pregnant, and now she was a mother.
She didn't regret her precious son, not for a moment, and she would make sure Noah Thornton never thought she did.
THREE MONTHS LATER
Elizabeth knocked on Syd's bedroom door. "Come in," she called.
"Hey, sweetie."
"Hey Mom." She turned around in her desk chair to see what she needed.
"I was wondering if I could borrow that sundress? The blue one, with the white sweater?"
"Sure. It's in the closet."
Elizabeth and Syd decided that it made more sense for them to share maternity clothes than for Elizabeth to buy new ones. "Thank you. Your dad and I are going out with Lee and Rosie at Collin's. Call us if anything happens."
"I will but Dr. Rose says I'm probably still a week away, at least."
"I know, but things can change quickly."
Syd was three weeks from her due date and feeling it. Her back hurt, her feet were swollen when she stood too long, and she got heartburn from pretty much anything. She was ready not to be pregnant anymore.
"Mama's ready to meet you, baby. Come out whenever you want," she said tapping her belly, which got her a good strong kick in return.
She didn't have to wait too long for something to happen. An hour after her parents left, she felt the first contraction. It was weak but it still hurt. The second one, ten minutes later felt the same.
She stood up and walked around her room, humming, trying to figure out if she was just having Braxton Hicks or if it was real. The third one was a bit stronger but it was a good half hour before she felt it. She grabbed her phone and used the labor app she had downloaded to put in the times of the pains.
The next contraction started in her tummy, shot to her back and then around to her front again. It was strong enough to make her yell and double over. It had been ten minutes again.
She sat down and texted her mom. "Think I'm in labor." Five seconds later her phone rang. "Hey Mom."
"Syd, are you kidding?"
"Nope. Not kidding."
"How far apart are the contractions?"
Syd heard her dad talking to her mom.
"Syd! You're in labor? Are you ok? How far apart are they?"
"Dad, take a breath. I'm fine. I've had four contractions. They aren't really regular yet."
Elizabeth took the phone back from Jack. "Sweetie, put your bag by the door and walk around between contractions. We'll be home soon."
"Ok. Tell Dad I'm fine."
"I don't think it will do any good, babe. See you soon."
Syd walked around the house, pausing every nine minutes for a contraction, through which she breathed slowly and calmly, as she learned in her birthing class.
"Hey sis, whatcha doin?" He sat down on the couch and played with his phone, oblivious to her heavy breathing.
"Oh you know, just giving birth. Normal stuff."
"What! Why are you here? Where's mom and dad?"
"Chill, Liam. They are at dinner with Lee and Rosie. They'll be home soon to take me to the hospital."
"Cross your legs or something. I don't want to see anything gross."
"Good grief. I've got hours before I have him and believe me, I don't intend to have you anywhere near me when I'm actually giving birth."
"Good." He sat back down and stared at her. "Does it hurt?"
"Yeah, not bad yet." She gasped as another contraction bent her over and shot across her stomach. She breathed in and out for about two minutes while she waited for it to pass.
Another minute later and she felt warm fluid rushing down her legs, hitting the hard wood floor beneath her.
"Did you just pee yourself?"
"No, Liam. My water broke. Can you get me a towel please?"
"Uh sure." He watched her as he ran past to get the towel. She chuckled and took note of the time her water broke in the app. He walked back in and started wiping up the mess.
"I can do that, Liam."
"No, its ok. I'll do it." He was silent for a minute and then looked up. "What did you mean when you said your water broke?"
"The amniotic sac? Remember when Minnie had her puppies? They had a sac of fluid around them? It's the same idea with a human baby."
"Oh. Ok."
Syd walked in her room and changed into a dry pair of sweats, when her phone buzzed.
"B home in 10. How r u?"
"Ok. 9 minutes apart. H2O broke."
"Ok..C U soon."
Ten minutes later, Jack rushed in the door. "Syd!"
"Daddy! Please be calm. Look at me." He walked over and kissed her forehead. "I'm fine. I've got hours to go."
He forced himself to breathe slower.
He was a fireman and had been trained as a paramedic and had been in hundreds, if not thousands, of crazy, stressful situations, but never before, even when Elizabeth had been in labor, had he felt the kind of stress and panic that he felt when he found out his daughter was in labor.
"Let's go." He scooped her up in his arms, grabbed her bag, and rushed her to the Tahoe.
"I can walk, you know." She knew he wouldn't put her down until he was ready, so she let him do what he wanted.
He set her down, supporting her through her next contraction, and then opened the door for her to climb in.
"Thanks Dad," she said, rubbing her hard, swollen tummy.
Jack jumped in the driver's side and quickly drove off. "Jack, sweetie, please slow down," Elizabeth pleaded. "There's no fire or emergency to get to. Syd is doing just fine."
Jack didn't speak, he just took his foot off the accelerator, allowing the truck to slow a bit. He watched her in the rear-view mirror, worried about her and the baby. He loved her with every fiber of his being and even though there was absolutely no reason to think something would go wrong, he still did. If he lost her, he would not live. Plain and simple.
Tears rolled down his cheeks as he drove. Elizabeth grabbed his hand, not speaking, just supporting. Then she reached over and wiped his cheek. He continued to drive, letting more tears fall.
Syd could see his eyes in the mirror.
He was crying and she rarely saw him do that. Whenever he did, she did, so in addition to her labor pains, she now was crying her eyes out.
She gasped as another pain tore through her, setting her lower abdomen and legs on fire. "Oh my that hurts!" she yelled. She looked at the clock on her phone as she breathed. "Its only been six minutes," she mumbled as she entered the time into her app.
Twenty minutes and three contractions later, they pulled into the labor and delivery section of St. Joseph hospital. Jack hopped out and opened Syd's door, and then picked her up and carried her through the door with Elizabeth following behind.
"Excuse me! My daughter is in labor. Can someone get a wheelchair?" Jack said the words way louder than necessary but he needed someone to pay attention.
"Dad!"
"What Syd?"
"First, please put me down. It's good for me to walk." He sighed and set her feet gently on the floor. "Thank you. Now, please let the nurses do their job. Can you call Dr. Rose for me?"
"I did, sweetie," Elizabeth assured her.
A nurse showed up with a wheelchair a minute later. Syd sat down and smiled. "Daddy, go park the car, ok?"
She felt like she needed to give him something to do.
"The car! Right. Ok." He started walking away but Elizabeth stopped him.
"Jack!" She held up the keys in her hand and smiled at him. He walked over to her and grabbed the key.
"Honey, look at me." His eyes met hers and softened as he relaxed for a moment. "Everything is just fine." He nodded and kissed her forehead and then went to park the car.
THREE HOURS LATER
Syd was resting comfortably in her bed, her eyes closed. The contractions just felt like her stomach hardening. She was so grateful for the anesthesiologist who gave her the epidural, she thought she might kiss him if she ever saw him again.
Jack sat next to her on one side, rubbing her hand with his thumb and Elizabeth sat on the couch by the window, texting her family about Syd.
"Dad, can U bring L to the hospital when U come plz?" she asked her father.
"Yes, no pblm."
"Tyvm."
Next she texted Charlotte, who was staying with Tom and Julie. "Hey fyi, Syd in labor at St Joe. 6 cm. Plz let Julz kno."
"Will do. B there soon," Charlotte responded back.
"Mom!" Syd yelled.
"Yes, baby? What's wrong?" She jumped up and leaned over the bed.
"I feel pressure. It feels different than before. Something's happening."
Elizabeth pushed the button on the bed to call the nurse. "Yes? Do you need help?" a nurse's voice asked over the speaker in the room.
"Yes, I think my daughter is ready to push," Elizabeth responded.
Two minutes later, Dr. Rose, Nurse Carter and another nurse rushed into the room. "Syd, dear," Dr. Rose said cheerfully. "Are you feeling pressure?"
"Yes. I am. It's pretty intense."
Dr. Rose nodded and moved the blankets so she could check her progress. "Looks like Noah is about to make his appearance."
Syd smiled at her mom and squeezed her hand. "Dad? Will you stay? I need both of you."
"Of course. I'm right here."
Syd watched as the nurses helped her put her mostly numb legs in the stirrups and put masks on along with gowns over their scrubs.
Jack smiled and kissed her hand. "Ready to be a mama?"
"Yes, I am. I love him so much already." The emotion she felt was overwhelming. Finally getting to meet the little guy that had been kicking her and moving around for months was an amazing thought.
"Syd? Do you feel the contraction?"
"Yes. Can I push? I need to push!"
She started without waiting for an answer. Elizabeth counted to ten and then told her to take a breath and push again. Jack held her hand as she squeezed.
"You can do this," he encouraged. She took a few deep breaths and waited for the next contraction.
A moment later, she pushed again, listening to her Mom count. "Syd, I see the head," Dr. Rose told her. "Take a deep breath and push harder, sweetie."
Twenty minutes later, he was out, all eight pounds six ounces of him. Noah William Thornton was healthy and pink and screaming at the top of his lungs.
When Dr. Rose held him up, he peed all over, causing everyone to laugh. "Congratulations Syd. It's definitely a boy!" The nurses and her parents clapped and hugged her and Noah continued to cry.
The doctor placed him on her chest and scrubbed him, drying him with a towel. "Hi, Noah. I'm your mama," she said as she cried with overwhelming emotion. He stopped squirming and found her with his eyes. "Hi. I'm so happy you are here."
Elizabeth walked over to Jack and hugged him tight. "I love you, Papa Jack," she whispered as she kissed him.
"I love you too." He watched his daughter cuddle his grandson and felt like everything was perfect in the world.
A few moments later, Noah decided he was hungry so Jack left the room.
"Are you going to breastfeed, sweetie?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yeah. It's cheaper and better for him. I'm not sure what to do, though."
"I'll help you."
"Yes, please." She was nervous, but was anxious to take care of her son. Elizabeth talked her through it, but he seemed to know what to do. He latched on almost immediately and Syd seemed to be comfortable.
After about ten minutes Elizabeth suggested she nurse him on her other side. "How do I know if he's getting enough?"
"Well, for the first couple days he's only getting colostrum. After about three or four days, your milk will come in. He's going to want to eat every two hours or so and when we take him for his first checkup, if he's gaining weight, then he's probably getting enough."
"Did you nurse me and Liam?"
"I did. With you, I nursed you until you were about eighteen months but with Liam, I got sick and had to take antibiotics so I switched to formula."
"Mom?"
"Yeah, sweetie?"
"Eventually, I will need to go back to work. I know you will be really pregnant by then, but would you be able to watch him for me?"
"Of course, but I think I might need to hire a second person to help me though. I was thinking maybe you would want to work with me at Little Bee's."
Nurse Carter walked in to check on them. "How's everything going in here?"
"Hi, Faith. Everything is fine. He's eating well, I think."
Faith came over and peeked at him. "He seems just fine. How long has he been eating?"
"About twenty minutes."
"He's asleep, so now would be a good time to burp him."
Syd removed him from her breast and laid him gently on her shoulder. She patted his back and chuckled when she heard a good burp come out. "I don't know how I'm going to remember all this."
"You will because it's already in you," Elizabeth assured her. "You've helped me with the kids for a while and you know how to love them. He will tell you what he needs, you just have to listen."
