Zac, Vanessa, Stella, and Troy had been at the hospital for an hour. Vanessa was in agonizing pain. Zac tried to keep her calm but nothing was working.
"I want him out" Vanessa moaned after a contraction.
"I know sweetie, I know. You are so close" Zac said rubbing her back.
There was a knock at the door and Dr. Peter came in smiling.
"So we are going to have a baby today?" Dr. Peter asked.
"I hope so" Vanessa said weakly.
"I am going to check your progress, just relax Vanessa" Dr. Peter said as he spread her legs apart.
"Zac" Vanessa moaned.
"I am right here babe, you are doing so well" Zac said moving Vanessa's sweaty hair to the side and kissing her head.
Dr. Peter took his gloves off and threw them away.
"You are at three, Vanessa. You have a long way to go" Dr. Peter said.
"Ugh" Vanessa said leaning her head against the back of the bed.
"Thank you Dr. Peter" Zac said.
Dr. Peter left the room. Zac held Vanessa's hand and tried to soothe her.
"It hurts" Vanessa said looking at Zac.
"I know Van. You are doing great. Try to relax okay?" Zac suggested.
"I will try" Vanessa said turning to her side.
Zac kissed Vanessa's cheek. He then walked out of the hospital room and into the waiting room.
"Daddy!" Troy said running to his father.
"Hey, how's it going?" Zac asked as he caught Troy.
"Good. Where's mommy?" Troy asked.
"Mommy is getting ready to have the baby. Do you want to go see her?" Zac asked his son.
Troy nodded.
"Okay, let's go" Zac said.
Zac carried Troy to Vanessa's hospital room and stopped in front of the door.
"Troy, mommy is in a lot of pain, okay? Don't be scared" Zac said.
"Okay" Troy said nervously.
Zac opened the hospital room and walked in with Troy in his arms. Troy saw his mother connected to monitors and put his head in his father's neck. Zac rubbed his back. He walked closer to Vanessa and sat down at the chair that he had previously.
"Hi honey, don't be scared okay? I am fine" Vanessa said.
Troy moved his head out of his father's neck and looked at his mother.
"She's okay, bud" Zac said.
Vanessa's smile turned to a pained expression.
"Zac" Vanessa gasped.
Zac put Troy on the ground and went to the bed and held Vanessa's hand as she breathed through a contraction. After the contraction passed, Vanessa relaxed against the bed. Zac turned around and looked at a scared Troy.
"Aw bud, it's okay" Zac said picking Troy up.
Troy put his head back into Zac's neck.
"I am going to take him to the waiting room and let him stay with Stella" Zac told Vanessa.
"Okay, hurry back" Vanessa said.
Zac took Troy's hand and they walked to the waiting room. Zac saw Stella sitting in a chair and walked over to her.
"Hey, how is she doing?" Stella asked.
"She's doing okay, right now. Can you watch Troy? He got a little freaked out when he saw Van" Zac said.
"Sure, it's no problem. Get back in there" Stella said taking Troy into her arms.
"Thanks, bye bud" Zac said kissing his son's head.
Zac walked back to Vanessa's hospital room and saw her red in the face, breathing deeply, and gripping the handles of the bed for dear life. He walked quickly to the bed and sat down. Zac offered Vanessa his hand and she took it gratefully.
"Breathe sweetie, you are doing so well" Zac said.
Vanessa relaxed against the bed when the contraction passed.
"That was a big one" Vanessa said closing her eyes.
"Yeah, did Dr. Peter come in when I was gone?" Zac asked.
"No, not yet" Vanessa said.
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in" Zac said.
Dr. Peter opened the door and smiled.
"How are you doing Vanessa?" Dr. Peter asked.
"I am in a lot of pain" Vanessa said taking Zac's hand.
"You still have the option of having an epidural, but let me check you first" Dr. Peter said sitting on the edge of the bed. He pulled the sheet that was covering Vanessa's legs off as she bent them. Dr. Peter examined her and came up smiling.
"You are at six, do you want the epidural?" Dr. Peter asked.
Vanessa looked at Zac and he nodded. She then looked at Dr. Peter.
"Yeah" Vanessa said.
"Okay, I will get the anesthesiologist and we will get started" Dr. Peter said.
"Thank you, Dr. Peter" Vanessa said.
Dr. Peter walked out of the room. Vanessa looked at Zac.
"It's your decision, babe, I am not the one having a baby" Zac said putting his hand on her bump.
"I know, I just wanted your input also" Vanessa said putting her hand on top of Zac's.
"Okay" Zac said kissing her cheek.
Dr. Peter came into the room with the anesthesiologist.
"Vanessa, this is Dr. Crane, he will be your anesthesiologist" Dr. Peter said.
Zac shook Dr. Crane's hand.
"Okay Vanessa, you need to be on the edge of the bed and lean against something, it could be your husband" Dr. Crane said.
Zac helped Vanessa move to the edge of the bed. Vanessa then leaned against Zac and gripped his shirt. Dr. Crane then opened the back of Vanessa's gown and disinfected it. He then picked up the needle.
"Vanessa, you will just feel a pinch" Dr. Crane explained.
"Okay" Vanessa said taking fistfuls of Zac's shirt in her hands.
Dr. Crane inserted the needle and Vanessa squeezed her eyes shut, she had never been good with needles. Dr. Crane then took the needle out and covered Vanessa's back again with the gown. Dr. Crane and Zac both helped Vanessa lie down on the bed again.
"Thank you, Dr. Crane" Vanessa said.
Dr. Peter and Dr. Crane left the room.
"You are so brave, I could never have done that. I love you" Zac said kissing her lips.
"I love you too" Vanessa said.
A couple hours later, the epidural had kicked in and Vanessa was asleep. Zac looked at his wife and smiled. He knew she was exhausted. Zac kissed Vanessa's head softly and she opened her eyes.
"How long was I asleep ?" Vanessa asked.
"Just an hour. How are you feeling?" Zac asked massaging her bump.
"I feel pressure but that's all" Vanessa said.
"Do you want me to page Dr. Peter?" Zac asked.
"Yeah" Vanessa said.
Zac pressed the call button and five minutes later there was a knock on the door. Dr. Peter came into the room and smiled.
"Let's see where you are" Dr. Peter said lifting the sheet that was over Vanessa's legs.
Dr. Peter checked Vanessa and came up smiling.
"You are ready, I am going to get a couple things, then you can start pushing" Dr. Peter said.
Dr. Peter left the room. Zac looked at Vanessa and smiled. He kissed her cheek softly.
"Are you ready to be a mother of two?" Zac asked.
"Yes, are you ready to be a father of two?" Vanessa asked.
"So ready" Zac said.
Dr. Peter returned to the room with two nurses. He then set up his equipment then turned to Vanessa.
"Okay Vanessa, give me a big push on the next contraction" Dr. Peter said.
Vanessa felt a contraction.
"It's here" Vanessa said taking a deep breath.
Vanessa pushed hard as Zac counted. After the contraction was over, Vanessa fell against the bed.
"Great job, babe" Zac said.
"Vanessa, the next contraction is here" Dr. Peter said.
Vanessa took a deep breath and pushed. Her face turned dark red. She then fell against the bed.
"His head is almost out, Vanessa. Do you want to touch him?" Dr. Peter asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
"I want him out" Vanessa said breathlessly.
Zac smiled and kissed Vanessa's head. Vanessa felt another contraction and pushed.
"His head is out, Van" Zac said.
Vanessa nodded her head. She then pushed again, without any instruction.
"His neck is out" Dr. Peter said.
Vanessa reached down and touched her son. She then put her hands under his arms and pulled him out and put him on her chest. Zac looked incredulously at Vanessa and then at Dr. Peter.
"It's a boy" Dr. Peter said.
Vanessa looked at her son and released her tears. Zac kissed her head. Vanessa turned to Zac and kissed his lips passionately.
"What's his name?" Dr. Peter asked.
"Ryan Alexander Efron" Zac said proudly.