Chapter Forty-Four
The Precious Things in Life
She was absolutely perfect, Ruthie thought as she looked down at her beautiful baby girl. Her daughter had, a head full of baby soft curls and the sweetest little rosebud lips. She had the tiniest little fingers and toes. All Ruthie could do, was stare in awe at the miracle that was her daughter. She couldn't believe that something could be so precious or that this feeling of unconditional love would sweep over her.
"She's so beautiful." Olivia said looking down at the newest edition to the room.
"She is." Ruthie said feeling her smile grow.
"She looks like her mother." Olivia added.
"Mother?" Ruthie said in awe, "I'm a mother. I'm a mom."
"How do you feel?" Olivia asked concerned.
"Tried and sore, but deliriously happy," Ruthie said kissing her daughter on the forehead for the first time.
The door to the hospital room swung open as Freddie and Simon charged into Ruthie's room, with huge grins on there aces.
"So?" Simon questioned excitedly, "What is it? Girl or Boy?"
"You have a niece." Ruthie replied.
"Can't you tell?" Freddie said, "She's an absolute beauty."
"No I can't," Simon said, "I'm not good with newborns and there sexes."
"Well the blanket should have given it away." Freddie said pointing, "It's PINK?!"
"Sorry I didn't notice." Simon replied sarcastically.
"You two, shush it." Olivia ordered, "The room is only allowed to have positive energy."
"Isn't it because of a positive that we're all here?" Simon joked.
"That's not funny." Olivia said.
"Actually it was." Freddie said, "I didn't think you had it in you."
A knock at the door finally silenced Freddie and Simon for awhile at least but with them silence rarely lasted.
"It's Willington." Willington called from the other side of the door.
"Come on in." Ruthie called as Willington opened the door and let himself into the room.
"She's a beautiful baby." Willington said smiling and holding his arms outstretched, "May I?"
"Of course." Ruthie said reluctantly handing him her daughter. Not because Willington didn't know what he was doing because he did, Willington was one of fifteen and he was the eldest.
"What have you decided to name her, Miss Ruthie?" Willington asked taking the baby into his arms.
"Mackenzie Rose Camden-Brewer." Ruthie said smiling a sad smile, "Martin and I picked it out before we…before…"
"It's ok," Olivia said stopping her.
"So I'm her godfather, right?" Freddie asked happily.
"I'm Protestant, Freddie."
"So I'm Catholic."
"Yeah but I'm not."
"So am I the godfather?" Freddie asked again.
"Fine, Freddie you're her godfather." Ruthie said rolling her eyes.
Annie and Eric sat in silence as they drove to Glen Oak Community Hospital. Annie couldn't believe she'd missed Ruthie's labor, just like she'd missed Lucy's and Mary's. It had sounded like a fun idea, getting a room at the Inn that had held the wedding reception. Well fun had ended the minute the manger knocked on their room door and informed them that their daughter was in labor. A Mac Smith had called looked for them.
Annie's heart was just breaking and she really didn't want Ruthie to move to Buffalo, New York, but what choice did she have. She couldn't make the decision for Ruthie and she couldn't bring herself to tell Ruthie how she felt. She couldn't put more on Ruthie when she was already going through so much.
"You two stay here and watch Savannah." Mac said heading over to the nurse's station in the emergency room. It was then that Lucy stopped and noticed them.
"What are you doing here, Mac?" Lucy asked, "And why do you have the boys and my daughter with you?"
"I knew I was forgetting someone.' Mac said.
"Forgetting someone?" Kevin asked, walking up, he was feeling much better now that his head was ok.
"To call,"
"For?" Lucy asked.
"Ruthie, she had the baby." Mac said almost matter-of-factly.
"WHAT?!" Lucy screamed, "Where is she?"
"I was just going to find out what room she was in and what room Martin's in." Mac said.
"Martin?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah, he had some kind of accident. Oh and don't tell Ruthie about it right now or Liv will kill me and then bring me back to clean up the mess."
"Ruthie?" Lucy called opening her sister's hospital room door and letting herself in.
"Yeah?" Ruthie said waking up.
"How are you?" Lucy asked entering the room all the way.
"Sore and tired." Ruthie replied stifling a yawn.
"And the baby?"
"Is healthy and beautiful. The nurses took her to the nursery to give her a bath."
"Her?" Lucy questioned, "It's a girl."
"Yes," Ruthie said smiling, "And she's just perfect, Luce."
"I can't believe you did this all by yourself. I can't believe you gave birth all by yourself."
"I was going to have to give birth all on my on, Lucy." Ruthie said laughing, "I don't think anyone else could do it for me."
"I know. What I meant was without anyone with you." Lucy said taking a seat on Ruthie's bed.
"I wasn't exactly alone. There were nurses, Dr. Grace, and Olivia." Ruthie said, "her, Freddie, and Simon went with the nurses to help bathe Mackenzie."
"Mackenzie…hmmm…I like it."
"Me too." Ruthie said smiling, "I wish they'd hurry back with my daughter."
As soon as the words left Ruthie's mouth the door swung open and the nurses wheeled in her beautiful baby, Mackenzie Rose Camden-Brewer.
Author's Note:
Hey,
Make sure you read last weeks I accidentally uploaded the wrong chapter, sorry about that. So tell me what you think.
Until Next Monday,
Caroline