"Your blood pressure's still too high." Dr. Barber's nurse frowned as she removed the cuff from Natalie's arm. She led the expectant mother into the examination room, where she undressed and waited for the physician's arrival.

He entered in a huff. "Your blood pressure's elevated, and there's also protein in your urine. I'm going to have to deliver you right away."

"But are you sure the baby's ready to come?" Natalie's voice shook.

Dr. Barber shook his head. "We'll just have to take that chance. I'm admitting you to the hospital and starting a Pitocin drip right away."

"Can't I at least call my husband first?"

"Of course you can!"

Natalie quickly called the dry cleaner's and spoke to Heidi, who told her that Ralph was running an errand but she'd let him know what was going on as soon as he returned. Disappointed, Natalie realized that she had no choice but to acquiesce to the doctor's orders. Once inside her hospital room, she was told to strip and don a flimsy gown with ties in the back, one of which had broken. She'd barely finished doing that when the nurse reappeared to insert the IV into her arm.

She'd been lying in bed staring at the ceiling for about half an hour when Ralph burst into the room with Claudia right behind him. "Natalie!" He embraced his wife. "I came as soon as Heidi told me. Are you all right?"

"I guess so. Just kind of scared, that's all."

"Everything's gonna be all right." He began to rub her back.

"I told you something like this would happen," Claudia whinged. "But did you listen to me? Do you ever listen to me?"

"Shut up, Mom," Ralph hissed.

"Humph." Claudia turned and stalked out of the room. Natalie heaved a big sigh of relief.

Ralph took a seat beside his wife's bed. "So, how long do you suppose this is gonna take?"

"Dr. Barber says first deliveries usually take a lot longer."

"How long is 'longer'?"

Natalie shook her head. After several hours of absolutely nothing happening, the nurse entered the room and switched off Natalie's Pitocin drip. "We'll try again in the morning," she promised.

"Good night, sweetheart." Ralph kissed his wife good-bye. "I'll come in the morning as soon as I can."

To Natalie's surprise, she slept like a log that night, and the following morning, the nurse returned to resume the Pitocin drip, as promised. After Natalie had a few sluggish contractions, she increased the dosage, and the next contraction went off the charts.

After that, everything seemed a blur. Vaguely Natalie was aware of her husband entering the room, of his hand on her arm as he encouraged her through wave after wave of the worst pain she'd ever experienced in her life. At last she heard Dr. Barber's voice telling her to push. She pushed and pushed, and after what seemed like an eternity, felt a burning sensation followed by a release. "It's a boy!" Dr. Barber exclaimed.

"He looks just like you, Ralph!" Natalie was appalled to hear Claudia's voice. How dare her mother-in-law intrude, uninvited, on one of the most intimate events of her life! Although possibly not uninvited, after all, the younger woman thought miserably. Ralph may well have invited his mother there himself.

Yet at this moment, as she watched her newborn son being cleaned, weighed, dressed, and wrapped in a blanket, how could she feel anything but pure ecstasy?A nurse handed baby Luke to Ralph, who in turn handed him to Natalie. "You did great, hon." She saw that there were tears in his eyes.

As she took the warm little bundle into her arms, Natalie felt an overwhelming love, such as she'd never experienced before. At that instant, it seemed to her as though she and her new son were the only people in the world. She slipped her pinky into his tiny fist, marveling at the velvety softness of his skin.

"Hi, Luke," she said. "Welcome to the world." The infant opened his smoky blue eyes and gazed into hers. She smiled at Ralph. "He's beautiful."

"He's perfect," Ralph agreed.

"Oh, let me hold him!" Claudia exclaimed. With reluctance, Natalie handed Luke to his father, who in turn handed him to his grandmother. "Oh, Stanley, aren't you a little dearie! Your father all over again!"

"His name's Luke, Mom," said Ralph.

"Oh, no, you're Stanley, aren't you, sweetie? I can't wait for your aunts and cousins to meet you!"

Ralph looked at his wife to see that she was no longer smiling.

"How could you have done that?" Natalie's eyes blazed. "How could you have let her watch?"

Ralph shrugged helplessly. "I honestly thought you wouldn't mind, Nat. She's been there for every other important thing that's ever happened to me."

"So you just assumed that I wouldn't mind her seeing me naked? Is that what you thought?"

Ralph heaved a heavy sigh. "I swear to you, Nat, if I'd known how much it was gonna bother you, I would have told her no..."

"Oh, would you have? Really?"

He could tell by the tone in her voice that she didn't believe him.