Winning the Race Chapter 13: Brother Let Me Be Your Shelter, a misc. movies fanfic

Authors Note: This is the final chapter.

Brother Let Me Be Your Shelter

March 3, 2018

"Hey, Zach," said Ginger.

"What is it?" asked Zach, sleepily. It was 2:00 AM.

"Zach," said Ginger, "I'm having contractions."

This caused Zach to suddenly pop up. "Contractions?"

"Yeah."

Zach suddenly was nervous. It was still a little over three weeks before the due date. Was everything okay?

"We need to go to the hospital," said Zach, calling his dad. They had planned for him to stay with Davey when the new baby arrived.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hey, Zach."

"Ginger thinks she's going into labor. We're headed for the hospital. Come meet us there and pick up Davey."

"No problem. I figured that was the case. Why else would you be calling at this hour?"

After Zach hung up, he told Ginger they had to leave. Since it was their second, they knew things would probably go faster than they had gone with Davey. They finally managed to get Davey up and in his car seat and were on their way.

At the hospital, they took Ginger into triage to be evaluated while Zach waited for his dad to arrive. Once he arrived, he took Davey, who quickly went back to sleep.

"Okay," said Zach. "You'll be with Grandpa for a little while, but you'll get to see the baby after he's born."

The doctor came back in and said Ginger was four centimeters and the baby was definitely coming today. They had a feeling that the labor would progress quickly, so Ginger was given a fast-acting epidural in a single shot rather than a continuous line.

Soon, her water broke and she was at seven centimeters. The baby was coming fast.

Once it was time for her to push, the doctor said, "There's a chance that the baby may need to go to the NICU because he is still a little early. But he may not need to, though. We'll know for sure after he's born."

"Okay," said Ginger. She seemed to only push twice before their second son came into the world. He was a lot smaller than Davey had been and was covered in goop. After Zach had cut the cord, the doctors brought the baby over to the warmer to weigh him and evaluate his breathing. Although he had given a lusty cry, the doctors still wanted to check him out.

"The baby does seem to be laboring a little with his breathing," said the doctor. "So we're going to bring him over to the NICU just to keep an eye on him and make sure he can breathe okay."

"But he's going to be fine, right?" asked Ginger.

"Yeah, he'll be okay," said the doctor.

Zach went back out in the waiting room and told his dad, Ginger's parents, Nanny and Davey, "It's a boy! 5 pounds, 14 ounces. Since he is a little early and small, they want to keep an eye on him in the NICU to make sure he can breathe okay, but he should be fine."

Everyone clapped.

Zach then announced the name. Since he had picked Davey's first name and Ginger had picked his middle name, they agreed that for this one, Ginger would pick the first name and Zach would pick the middle name.

"His name is Benjamin Brandon Truett." Ginger had picked the name Benjamin because she liked it, and they had watched the movie Greater about Arkansas guard Brandon Burlsworth. Zach had related to him because he had also been a walk-on, and he had taken seeing the movie while Ginger was pregnant as a sign for the middle name.

Zach brought Davey over to the NICU to see his brother. Although Ben was on oxygen, he looked good otherwise.

"Baby brother," said Davey.

"Yes, that's your baby brother," said Zach. "Baby Ben."

"When he come home?" asked Davey.

"Probably not for a few more days," said Zach. "He's going to need some special doctors to take care of him for a couple days, and then he can come home."

Later, after Zach's dad had taken Davey home and everyone had left, the doctors came in with an update on Ben.

"Your son is breathing much better now," said the doctor. "He's still on oxygen, but he's on the lowest settings. Hopefully, he'll be able to join the well babies tomorrow."

"That's great!" said Ginger, and Zach nodded in agreement.

After the doctor left, Zach suddenly made a realization. Today was March 3rd. It was six years since Dave's death.

"Wow," said Ginger, when he mentioned this. "One son born on Dave's birthday, the other on the anniversary of his death."

"I guess that's God saying he's still in control," said Zach. "Plus, now March 3rd will be a happy day for us, not a sad one."

"Sure will," said Ginger.

***
Four days later, they were able to bring Ben home. Davey was very excited to have his baby brother at home.

"This is it, Ben," said Zach, as they arrived home. "Welcome to your new home."

Like Davey, Ben seemed disinterested in the outside world. Zach wondered if that was the case for all babies.

"Baby Ben!" called Davey, running up to them.

"Yeah, baby Ben," said Ginger. "Do you want to hold him?"

"Yes."

"Okay," said Zach. "Let us organize things a bit and get everything out of the car, and then you can hold him."

Once they were ready they put Davey on the couch and showed him the right way to hold Ben before they put him in his arms.

"Love Ben!" said Davey.

"He's opening his eyes," said Ginger. "He's telling his big brother hi."

"Hi, Ben!" said Davey.

As Zach looked at his two boys, he thought of something. "Hey, Davey, there's a song I heard that I felt summed up the relationship between me and your uncle Dave. I know all the words and I hope it'll sum up you and Ben as well. Do you want to hear it?"

"Yes," said Davey.

"Okay," said Zach. He then started singing:

"Ramblers in the wilderness, we can't find what we need
We get a little restless from the searching, get a little worn down in between
Like a bull chasing the matador is the man left to his own schemes
Everybody needs someone beside 'em shining like a lighthouse from the sea.

Brother, let me be your shelter, never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call when you're low.
Brother, let me be your fortress when the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way, bring you home.

Face down in the desert now, there's a cage locked around my heart
I found a way to drop the keys where my failures were, now my hands can't reach that far
I ain't made for a rivalry. I could never take the world alone.
I know that in my weakness I am strong but it's your love that brings me home.

And when you call and need me near
Sayin' where'd you go? Brother, I'm right here.
And on those days when the sky begins to fall
You're the blood of my blood. We can get through it all.

Brother, let me be your shelter, never leave you all alone.
I can be the one you call when you're low.
Brother, let me be your fortress when the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way, bring you home.

Davey clapped as Zach finished the song. Zach was glad that he had seemed to like it. As he thought about his journey, he realized he had come full circle, now having two boys of his own. The past six years had restored his faith and his family, and he was so grateful. He said a prayer of thanks and knew that he was right where he needed to be. He had won his race, and would continue to win it in the years to come.

Note: Lyrics to Brother by Needtobreathe