Chapter 15
Mark recovered first. "Get her to the truck! I'll grab her bag." Mark ordered, sprinting up the stairs.
"Come on Challie." Steve took her arm, guiding her out of the house and toward his truck. "Yer gettin' yer wish, the baby is comin' out." He said, trying to laugh when in fact he was dead serious. Mark came running down the stairs, almost tripping, still in nasty jeans. Though, he had pulled on a leather vest, looking like he was going to have a heart attack.
"Oh GOD!" She screamed out again, dropping to one knee as another contraction ripped throughout her body, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as the tears flowed.
The contractions were seven minutes apart from her calculations as she waddled to the truck and Steve helped her inside. Sweat was already rolling down her neck as Mark got in the passenger seat while Steve drove, knowing the father of her baby couldn't drive right now. He was a nervous wreck. Mark called ahead of time to let the hospital know they were coming, checking with Chalice to find out how far apart the contractions were. When she took his hand and started squeezing, he flinched, knowing she was strong, but damn she was hurting him!
"We're here!" Steve shrieked, driving over the curb on accident, and winced. "FUCK! Sorry Challie!"
"YOU ASSHOLE! MY BABY COULD HAVE BRAIN DAMAGE BECAUSE OF YOU!" She screamed, hitting her brother with her tiny fists, and screamed out in more pain when another contraction ripped throughout her abdomen as Mark pulled her out the truck. "Mark, its too soon! I'm only eight and half months along!" She cried, trembling from fear as he put her in a wheelchair, and Steve was right behind them, not caring if he ran over a handicapped sign. He was more concerned about his baby sister and his niece or nephew.
"It's alright, darlin'. It's going to be fine." Mark soothed, watching helplessly as a nurse took over the wheelchair, walking alongside of her, still holding her hand.
Steve was sweating bullets, asking a nurse a million and one questions, ignoring her heavy sighs and kept on barraging her. He frowned when he was informed he couldn't go in with Mark and Chalice. "THE HELL I CAN'T!" He roared, pushing right past her.
"YOU BETTER LET MY BROTHER IN HERE OR I'LL RIP YOUR FUCKIN' HEARTS OUT!" She bellowed at them, her eyes spitting blue fireballs in their direction, and cried out again as she squeezed Mark's hand, which had changed into a blue scrub outfit. "Stevie! God this hurts!" The tears were flowing down her cheeks as she gritted her teeth, crying out in more pain. "Never again! You're NEVER DOING THIS TO ME AGAIN!"
Mark personally agreed with her, thinking he wasn't going to be able to handle going through this ever again. "It's okay, darlin'. Steve is right here." He said as soothingly as he could, though he was scared to death.
Steve moved to the other side of her, now wearing scrubs as well, looking uncomfortable, but more concerned for her. "Want me to take him out back and fix him, Challie?" He only half joked.
She took her brother's hand in her own, smiling a little at him, appreciating he was trying to calm her down as the pain subsided for the time being. When the doctor asked her if she wanted drugs, she shook her head back at him, squeezing both of their hands tightly. "No, I have all the support I need right here. I don't want my baby having any side effects." She answered and growled when another contraction began ripping throughout her body. "Ice! GET ME SOME DAMNED ICE!"
Mark growled when the nurses just stood there, blinking at her like she was the dumbest person in the world. "GET HER SOME DAMNED ICE!" He bellowed, watching with grim satisfaction as they scattered.
Steve smirked when the women was back in record breaking time. "Damn Mark, so ya DO still have some of that authoritive shit left in ya." He joked, wincing when Chalice squeezed his hand. "I think my fingers are broken." He whispered.
"Would you rather fucking go through THIS pain?!" She growled at her brother, taking the cup of ice from the nurse, and started crunching on it, and nodded when she swallowed. "Mark, please tell me our baby is fine! Please tell me everything will be okay!" An ear piercing scream flowed throughout the room when another contraction completely overtook her.
Mark winced, waiting until she was done screaming before glancing down, watching as a doctor checked to see how far she was dilated. "Everything is going to be fine, darlin'." He assured her, stroking back her hair. "The baby will be fine."
She believed her husband as she stared up into his eyes and finally felt the contraction subside, chomping on more ice. Ice was one of the things that helped calm her down, according to the book, and breathed in and out slowly. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest from the pain. "Stevie, are you holding up okay?" She asked her brother, looking over at him.
Steve was staring down at his hand. "I'm fine." He squeaked out, slowly pulling it away and turning around, his shoulders hunching.
Shaking his head, Mark walked around to look at his brother-in-law. "Strong ain't she?" He muttered, taking Steve's hand and snapping his fingers back in place, ignoring Steve's half muffled curse. "Stop being a pussy. She's the one in real pain." He ordered and Steve just nodded in agreement, trying to get rid of the pain that was flowing throughout his hand.
"WOULD YOU TWO GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE BEFORE I GET OFF THIS BED AND BEAT BOTH YOUR ASSES?!" She screamed at them, anger flaring up in her eyes, and growled as she squeezed past another contractions, breathing in and out heavily. "You two have NO fucking idea what kind of pain I'm going through! So what if your fuckin' hand is broken! YOU DON'T HAVE TO SQUEEZE SOMETHING THE SIZE OF A WATERMELON OUT OF SOMETHING THE SIZE OF A LEMON!"
"I could stick my boot up your ass and you can try to feel the pain." Mark whispered, walking back over to his wife. He glanced at the clock, wondering how much longer until he could greet his son or daughter, feeling anxious. "You're doing great, Chalice." He murmured, taking her hand and raising it to his lips.
"How much longer till she pops that kid?" Steve demanded, not taking her hand though he did rub her arm for comfort.
Grabbing both of their hands, Chalice screamed out again, the contractions only three minutes apart now, but it'd been several hours since they'd been in the delivery room. She finally couldn't take it anymore, sweat pouring down her neck and forehead, and squeezed her eyes shut when another one followed. The baby was coming slowly, but surely, taking its sweet time. She growled, gritting her teeth, and released both of their hands. She didn't need them to get through this as she chomped on more ice.
Mark and Steve waited patiently, both their hands and ears suffering through her squeezes and screams. "Come on…breathe darlin'." Mark urged, seeing she was getting exhausted from the labor.
Steve frowned, not thinking, and leaned down when the doctor let out a cry of triumph. "Oh that's just SICK!" He gagged, turning green.
"Don't be looking at my wife!"
"SHUT UP, MARK!" She snapped, glaring up at her husband, and looked down at the doctor with a smile. "Is my baby coming?" She asked softly, gritting her teeth again, and sighed with inner relief when the doctor said it was time, that she was dilated to ten. "Thank GOD! Get this kid outta me!"
Mark remained silent, stroking her head and hair while she pushed, waiting breathlessly, watching as Steve paced alongside the bed. "Is it a boy or a girl? Can ya tell yet? How much hair? What color?" Steve demanded, firing questions left and right at the doctor while Chalice pushed past another contraction.
"SHUT UP!" She screeched at her brother, her head pounding from all the damned questions, and raked a hand through her hair. She gripped the bed sheets as they sat her up, putting her in the stirrups, and leaned against the pillows as she breathed in and out harshly.
Steve shut up instantly, going green when he heard a wet noise. 'I ain't ever havin' kids.' He promised himself silently. Also promising himself if Chalice and Mark ever did decide to have another, he wasn't going to attend its birth.
"Alright Chalice, you need to push now!" The doctor instructed, causing her to nod as she started doing it, squeezing her husband's hand so hard, it was turning purple as her screams echoed off the walls.
"It's head, I can see the head!" Mark whispered awed, his height giving him a good view advantage. "Almost there, Chalice!"
"I can't do it anymore!" She breathed out, coughing, the sweat coating her entire body, and shook her head. "I'll carry this kid around with me for the rest of my LIFE! I can't do it anymore!" She cried out, another contraction rippling through her as she trembled, and started sagging against the hospital bed.
"Come on Chalice, push!" Mark ordered, his green eyes and tone firm, but gentle. "You're almost there, darlin'. Don't give up now. PUSH!"
Steve nodded, wringing his hands together and piped in, "Come on, Challie girl, ya can do it, darlin'!"
Coughing out a little as she looked at her husband and then back at her brother, Chalice nodded as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut and took Mark's hand in her own. She then squeezed it with every ounce of power she had left in her body as she screeched out in pain, doing the final push, and finally collapsed against the bed. Moments later, the cries of a baby rang throughout the room, causing tears to spring to her eyes, and pressed her hand to her heart, hearing the most beautiful sound in the world. When the doctor announced it was a boy, she immediately started crying hysterically, burying her face in her hands, and knew her premonition had been true. She'd dreamed of having a baby boy before she even found out she was pregnant.
Mark watched with trembling hands and tear filled eyes as the doctor handed his son over to a nurse to be weighed and washed before holding out his arms. He cradled the newborn, hunching down next to his wife. "Look darlin', this is the youngen that drove ya nuts." He whispered, his accent coming on strong, his voice husky.
Chalice laughed through her tears as she took her son in her arms, running her finger down his little cheek, and held him close to her as she cried harder. "He's so beautiful…" She whispered. "So perfect." She gasped in amazement when the baby opened its eyes, searing blue eyes staring back at her, and looked up at her brother with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Stevie, come here. It's your nephew. He's got our eyes like you wanted."
Steve walked over and hesitantly took the baby from Chalice, smiling down at his nephew. "Hey there little man…" His smile broadened, seeing the blue eyes. "Got them gorgeous eyes don't ya." He cooed, truly amazed by the bundle that was in his arms at that moment.
Mark took his wife's hand, wiping away tears from his eyes with his free one, and asked, "Know what you want to name him, darlin'?"
"Marcus Steven Calaway, J.R." She announced proudly with a grin, her own tired blue eyes sparkling as her brother and husband stared at her in shock, and yawned loudly.
Steve and Mark exchanged looks, apparently sizing each other up before grinning. "Perfect name, sis." Steve announced, bending down to kiss her forehead, jumping when Marcus started crying. "I broke'em!"
"No you didn't, you goofball." Chalice chastised, laughing softly, and took her baby boy from his arms, shaking her head as she sat up, and started rocking her baby boy back and forth. "Shhh that's it, relax my beautiful boy…" She cooed and started crying, tears rolling down her cheeks, and pressed her forehead to the baby's gently. "God, I already love you more than my own life." She whispered breathlessly, pulling back to stare down at her little bundle of joy.
"He's probably hungry." Mark mused, peering down at his wife and son. "Um, darlin', how you planning on feeding him?"
Steve arched a confused eyebrow. "With a bottle, you…" His eyes widened when he realized why Mark asked that question. "OH!"
"Just like this…" She proceeded to open her hospital gown, knowing they were allowed to do this, and fed her son, smiling when the baby instantly attached to her nipple. "Breast feeding is the best milk for a baby to drink. It makes them more healthy and strong." She informed, tears in her eyes, and started running her fingers down Marcus's cheek. "I also have a breast pump so that way you men can feed him whenever I'm not there to do so."
Steve groaned, turning his back. "Challie, couldn't ya at least give a man some warnin'?" He demanded, shaking his head, trying and failing to not sound amused.
Mark sat on the edge of the hospital bed, reaching out to caress Chalice's face. "Now I'm jealous." He teased, looking pointedly down at their son, his eyes full of love.
"I love you so much, Mark." She whispered softly, staring back into his emerald green eyes, and reached out, touching his face with her hand. Her thumb ran across his red lips gently, promising him she'd make it up to him somehow. "Don't be jealous, you'll bond with him more than me when he's older." She assured him with a sad smile and lifted the baby up after he pulled away, proceeding to burp him.
"Man, a boy. We can take'em fishin', huntin'. Teach him how to wrestle…" Steve was euphoric, already planning out things that wouldn't happen until years from now. "Football."
"Basketball." Mark piped in, his smile widening when Marcus burped.
"His first beer…"
"You ain't givin' him his first beer at one." Mark stated, shaking his head, keeping his voice down.
"Why not? Perfect time; Hell, we can even make it a light, just for'em." Steve countered, a grin on his face as he pulled off the scrub cap he wore on his bald head. "I'm bald damn it. What the Hell?"
Chalice just shook her head as she allowed the men to talk, holding her little boy close to her as he burped a second time, and finally cradled him in her arms. "God, I love him so much. He's so perfect and healthy. God, thank you." She closed her eyes and allowed the tears to flow, knowing her prayers were answered, and kissed his forehead as he yawned, snuggling into her arms as he fell asleep. She was in her own little world with her son, just him and her, nobody else as she refused to tear her eyes from his angelic face, no matter how tired she was. She didn't hear anything as she gazed down at her beautiful baby boy and sighed in contentment. Her beautiful baby boy, her precious angel. It was worth the pain to feel this amount of love for such a tiny life. "Mark, do you want to hold him?" She asked softly, staring up at her husband and into his eyes with a loving smile on her face, handing Marcus over to his father.
Mark walked around in a slow circle, cradling his son, running a gentle finger over that tiny, perfect face. He rolled his eyes when Steve sidled up. "Man, give me a damned minute with him." He said, though there was no anger or irritation in his tone. Right now, he was too happy and content to be angry. Chalice smiled as she slowly felt her eyes droop, her entire body sore from head to toe from the birthing, and finally slumped against the bedding. She sighed, knowing and trusting Mark with Marcus's life, and allowed the sleep to finally claim her body.