A Son for Ben

"Hey, Ben, bring that wire over here, will you?" Marcus held the fence together with the strainer.

Sighing Ben pushed himself off the back of the truck and brought a length of wire to Marcus. He yawned as he wrapped it around the broken wire and twisted the knot tight.

"Didn't you get enough sleep last night, Benny boy?" Marcus grinned and released the strainers. "Jaz keeping you up?"

Ben shrugged. "She couldn't get comfortable last night. She tossed and turned for hours. I barely slept."

Marcus removed his hat and wiped his forehead. "When is that baby coming?"

Ben shrugged and wandered back to the truck. "Today, tomorrow, next week."

"Oh, please, before that. Either you or Jaz is going to go mad if that baby doesn't make an appearance soon." Marcus fanned himself with his hat. "Toss me some water."

Ben laughed and threw the water bottle to Marcus. His boss caught it and drank deeply. While Marcus was resting Ben stared out across the vast land that he called his. He didn't own any of it, but it owned him. And he was ever trying to make it listen to him. But maybe like a woman he couldn't make it listen; he had to cajole it into doing what he wanted. Pretend you were doing what it wanted but in reality dropping little hints and ideas to change the mind. He loved it here with all the people he called family. He had come only meaning to spend a while with Stevie after Alex died. Now almost two years had gone by and he was still around. Of course marrying Jaz sealed the deal. He couldn't take her away from her place.

A cloud of dust interrupted his musings and he shaded his eyes. Frowning he stood up. Whoever it was, was coming fast, scattering sheep before him like leaves in the autumn breeze.

"I wonder what's wrong?" Marcus said, coming to stand beside him.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Ben asked.

"Whoever it is, is driving straight through the flock. Usually people stick to the outside of the field, along the fence."

Ben nodded and a churning began in the pit of his stomach. The cloud of dust grew closer and he could make out someone on a dirt bike. The bike slid to a stop beside the truck. Nat leaned over the handles and coughed.

"Nat, what's the rush?" Ben asked, handing the man his water bottle.

Nat swallowed before speaking. "Grace just called. Jaz went into labour while they were in Fisher. She's in the hospital and Grace wants you to come now."

Ben staggered back and leaned against the truck. "She's having the baby now?"

Nat looked at him. "That's what I said. What's wrong with him?" He turned to Marcus and frowned.

Marcus laughed. "It's called shock, my boy. Ben, snap out of it. Take the bike back to the yard. You did drive here this morning, right?"

Ben nodded and headed for the bike. Nat climbed off and helped him on. Taking the handle in his hands, Ben gunned the bike to life and sped off. His mind whirled with thoughts as he headed back to Killarny. Jaz was having his baby.

In the yard he parked the bike in a shed and raced for his ute.

"Ben, what's happening?" Ingrid called from the backyard.

"Jaz is having the baby," he said, slamming his door.

Ingrid smiled and waved as he drove away.

The road was empty and Ben pressed the accelerator to the floor. Dust and gravel flew up behind him as he took off for Fisher.

When he pulled into the hospital he stopped and drew in a few deep breaths to steady himself.

"Come on, man, pull it together," he muttered. "It's all part of life."

The mental encouragement was enough to get him to the front door of the hospital. But once inside his courage fled. People rushed from place to place. A woman and her crying child sat in one chair while a man vainly tried to stop the bleeding from a cut on his leg. Nurses called to one another and a phone rang at the desk.

He approached the desk, sidestepping for a nurse with a bottle of something in one hand and a needle in the other. The woman at the desk looked up at him and held up one finger.

"Sir, bring her in now. I'll have a doctor on hand." Setting the phone down, she looked up at Ben. "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for my wife. She's in labour." Ben clutched the edge of the counter.

"What is her name?" the nurse asked, flipping through a stack of files.

"Jasmine Hall," Ben replied. "My sister-in-law is with her, Grace McLeod."

The nurse nodded and ran a finger down a list of names. "Ah, here she is."

"Ben!"

Ben spun to see Grace hurrying towards him. "Grace." He left the desk just as the phone rang again. "Is she okay?"

Grace laughed. "As well as any woman is when she's giving birth. Come on, she wants you."

Ben followed Grace down the hallways and through numerous sets of doors. "Are you sure you know where we are going?" he asked as she turned down yet another hall.

"Yes, I do. I've been going out to look for you every ten minutes since we got here. She's in here."

Grace held opened a door and Ben walked slowly into the room.

"Ben," Jaz cried from the bed. "You're here."

Ben grasped her hand and kissed her forehead. "Of course I'm here. I wouldn't miss this."

Jaz tried to smile but arched up instead. Ben watched in amazement and fear as the contraction rippled across her large belly. As the pain left, Jaz sank back onto the bed and groaned.

"How much longer?"

"Hang in there, honey," a nurse said, patting Jaz's shoulder. "You have a ways to go."

"I'm going to go call home," Grace said. "They should know what's happening."

Jaz nodded. "You will come back though?"

Grace smiled. "Of course. Let me go talk to Stevie and get Channing out here somehow and then I'll be back."

Ben sat down on the bed by his wife and held her hand tight. "How are you doing?"

Jaz shrugged. "It hurts."

"I'm sure it does, but isn't it worth it?"

"I don't know," Jaz said, laughing breathlessly. "I suppose it will seem like that when it's all over."

Grace came back and the time moved slowly as contractions came and went. The family arrived in trickles, coming and going like the tide. They brought laughter and comfort to the room, distraction from the pain and encouragement from those who had been through it already.

Stevie brought Channing and Grace went off to feed him. Stevie took Grace's place on the other side of the bed, holding Jaz's hand and whispering that she was a brave girl and everything was going to be fine.

Finally the doctor shooed everyone but Grace and Ben from the room. Jaz grimaced as another contraction followed close on the heels of the last one.

"Alright, this is it," the doctor said. "Jaz, when I tell you, push."

Jaz nodded and clung all the tighter to Ben's hand.

"Hey, princess, it's going to be alright," Ben whispered, leaning down to kiss her.

Jaz's lips were salty from tears and sweat but he didn't care. Pulling back he rested his forehead on hers. Her lips trembled but she smiled.

"Alright, Jaz, I want you to push with this next contraction."

Jaz groaned her muscles contracted but pushed as the doctor said.

So began a rhythm that seemed never to end. Breathe, push, breathe, push; on and on it went until Ben was sure that Jaz was going to collapse in exhaustion. Finally when the sky was dark and he could see stars in the sky, Jaz screamed and then the room was silent for a moment. In that moment Ben heard a clock chime somewhere in the distance. Jaz's heavy breathing filled the room and then a thin cry came from the bundle in the nurse's arms.

"It's a boy," she said, placing the baby in Jaz's outstretched arms.

Jaz pulled the blanket from the baby's face and stroked his cheek with one finger. "Oh, Ben, he's gorgeous."

Ben leaned over and peered into the face of his son. He nodded and took one of the tiny hands in his own. Shaking his head, he sat down and stared. He had made this perfect child. How would he manage to be a good father? He wasn't ready for this responsibility.

"Ben, are you okay?" Jaz asked.

Ben nodded slowly. "He's amazing and he's ours."

"Yeah, he is," Jaz said. "All ours."

"What are you going to name him?" Grace asked. "He's cute."

Ben looked at Jaz and she nodded. It had taken them until last week to settle on a boy's name. But finally they had decided and Ben wasn't going to suggest anything else.

"We're calling him Hugh Benjamin McLeod Hall," Jaz said. "Do you think Dad would like it?"

Grace could only nod as she blinked tears from her eyes. "He'd love it. Welcome to the world, Hugh Benjamin. I'll go tell everyone else."

She leaned over and hugged her sister. Ben squeezed his sister-in-law's hand and mouthed his thanks to her. She nodded and left the room.

"Ben, why don't you hold that precious baby while we help your wife clean up," the nurse said.

Ben carefully took his son from his wife's arms and held him close. Slipping off the bed he sat in a chair and drank in the sight of the tiny boy. He was beautiful. All ten fingers had tiny little nails and there was a faint wisp of dark hair on Hugh's head. The baby's eyes slowly opened and he yawned before closing them again. One of his hands clutched Ben's finger and Ben softly stroked the small knuckles with his thumb.

He could have sat there forever admiring the child he had made if it wasn't for the sudden scramble that over took the room.

"Doctor, she's hemorrhaging," the nurse cried. "Get a trauma cart in here."

Ben got to his feet and made his way back to the bed. Jaz's eyes were closed and a grey pallor had come over her skin. "Jaz, Jaz."

Ben reached out and took his wife's hand. "Jaz, princess, wake up."

"I'm sorry, Ben, but I have to ask you to leave the room," the doctor said firmly.

"But Jaz-" Ben protested as the nurse urged him to the door.

"She's in good hands," the nurse reassured him. "I'll come get you as soon as I can."

The door shut behind him and Ben stood in shock on the other side. What had just happened?

"Ben, what's going on?" Grace asked reappearing with Stevie and Regan.

Ben shrugged. "I don't know. They said something about hemorrhaging. They chased me out."

Stevie's eyes went wide and Regan paled. Grace bit her lip and put her hand on Ben's arm. Leading him to a chair she pushed him down. His legs suddenly collapsed beneath him and he closed his eyes. Only the warmth in his arms, kept him from totally falling apart.

He looked down at his son and prayed to whoever was listening that his wife would survive to love this child.

"Is this Hugh?" Regan asked, sitting down beside him.

Ben nodded and handed Hugh to her. She took him gingerly in her arms and smiled.

"He looks like Jaz," she said. "At least like her baby pictures."

Stevie laughed softly. "They all look the same when they are born. Wait a couple days. He'll change."

Grace leaned over and studied her nephew again. "No, I think Regan's right. He does have Jaz's face, but I think his colouring is going to be like Ben's."

Ben didn't care what his son looked like as long as he was healthy and his mother survived.

Time seemed to crawl as they waited for someone to come find them. Finally the door opened and a nurse stepped out. She smiled at Ben and motioned for him to come in.

Ben took Hugh and followed the nurse back to Jaz's bedside.

Jaz was awake, but very pale. Ben felt the tension leave his shoulders as he carefully lowered the baby into her waiting arms. He felt tears come to his eyes as he hugged her gently.

"Don't ever do that again, princess," he whispered. "You scared me."

"You're not the only one," Jaz replied. "I'm sorry, Ben. I love you."

"I love you," Ben said.

The baby chose that moment to begin crying and Jaz laughed a little.

"I think someone's hungry," she said. "Well, we can fix that."

She slid over on the bed and patted the space beside her. Ignoring the frown of the doctor Ben settled himself beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. As the baby fed, he rested his head against hers.

"Ben, we have a son," Jaz whispered.

"I know," Ben said. "We have a son."

He had a son and a wife, he had a family. A large one that waited outside and a small, close one right here in his arms. It was all he had ever wanted and now he had it. And he would do everything in his power to keep it. He kissed Jaz's forehead and ran a gentle finger over his son's head.

"Welcome to the family, Hugh Benjamin McLeod Hall."