Shalom everyone! I am back for another chapter of Loves Simplicity. In this chapter, all shall be revealed! DRAMA! Just kidding. I am such a drama queen sometimes, I am sorry. Los sientos. Ah, well, that's why you love me. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL OU REVIEWS AND FAVORITES! And that goes for all my stories. You make me feel so loved. You guys rock. I just want you to know that. YOU GUYS ROCK! OK, now that I have emphasized that, on with the story! My stuffed penguin flipper will do the disclaimer.
Flipper: bfhjdbvhjadvugbsbfvukwsbvdhl vnbslbfvnsjlvnkjlfadsn
Me: He doesn't know English very well since he is from Portugal. Oh well, you got the gist. I do not own TKC. Now, ONWARD.
Z
I
A
I woke up in the middle of the night with a huge pain in my stomach.
"Ugh!" I groaned. I threw off the covers and discovered that my water broke. Oh my gods. "Carter." I yelled, shaking his shoulder with one hand and holding my stomach with the other.
He rolled over to face me and muttered, "Uhn. What?"
"It's time." I told him.
"Time for what?" It took him a second to process what I had said. Then he shot up in bed, eyes wide. "Time for baby?" I nodded. He threw the covers off and ran to the closet. He threw on his a pair of khaki shorts a plain white T shirt, and tennis shoes. Then he grabbed some yoga pants and a large shirt for me. He ran over to my side of the bed. "You OK?"
I looked over at the clock. It was exactly midnight. I sighed and said, "Why now?"
"Come on." He urged, and helped me get some clean clothes on. Then he grabbed my hospital bag and the baby's hospital bag, as well as his own. He came back over to me, grabbed me around the waist, and together we walked out our bedroom door for the last time without a son or daughter.
Carter texted Sadie, telling her where we were going, then he loaded me and the bags into our car (which we bought after realizing I was pregnant, since Freak wasn't too baby safe) and we drove off to the hospital.
I sighed and took a deep breath through my teeth. Carter slid his hand into mine, still keeping one hand on the wheel.
"You ready?" he asked.
"Are you?" I replied.
He sighed. "I hope so."
I squeezed his hand and agreed. "Me too." There was a huge pain in my stomach. I groaned and let go of Carter's hand to rub my stomach.
Carter looked at me worriedly, "You okay?"
"Yeah, I just…" I winced from another pain, and almost screamed out loud. Carter put his hand on my stomach and looked at me with a look of concern. "I'm fine." I said, when the pain passed. He looked at me with doubt, but decided to let it go.
When we arrived at the hospital, Carter again helped me walk to the main desk of the Women's Care Center. A nice nurse, Becky, put me into a wheel chair and wheeled me to a delivery room. I changed into a purple hospital gown, and lay down on the bed. Carter pulled a chair up beside me. He rubbed my hand with his thumb and kissed it.
"Nervous?" I asked him.
"For you? Never." He said, trying to hide his true feelings from me. I could tell he was scared that something was going to happen to the baby or me.
"We'll both be fine." I told him assuredly.
"I know you two will." He replied, kissing my forehead. Suddenly I felt a huge pain. I sucked in quickly and then groaned. Carter stood up immediately and was about to push the Nurse help button, but I held him back.
"I'm fine." I assured him. "It's just another contraction. Perfectly normal." He sat back down. "What?" I asked him. He was looking at me as if I am about to explode.
"What what?" he replied.
"Why are you looking at me like you just discovered I am possessed or something?"
"I am not!" He said indignantly. I raised my eyebrow at him. "It's just that, I don't want you to… to."
"Hey." I shushed him. "Come here." I motioned for him to get closer to me. He slowly lowered his face to mine. I looked him right in the eye. I propped myself up on my elbows, placed my hand on his cheek, and kissed him. Then I whispered in his ear. "Nothing is going to happen to me or the baby. Okay?"
He kissed me again, with more passion this time. "Okay." He whispered back.
…7 hours later…
It had been almost eight hours since my water broke and the doctor said I was almost 9 centimeters dilated. Carter was reading me The Odyssey to pass the time and to take my mind off the excruciating pain of the contractions. We were already at the part where Odysseus and his crew were in the lair of the ghastly kyklops, Polyphemos, when I felt a humongous pain. I couldn't help it, I screamed.
"HOLY SESHAT!" I hollered. Carter jumped up. He went for the button again, but I shook my head and groaned. "I'm… fine… AAAAHHH! HORUS!" Carter grabbed my hand, and I squeezed it. Tears began forming at the corner of my closed eyes. It hurt so badly.
"You okay?" He asked.
I took a deep breath. "Fine. I…" Suddenly, someone burst through the door. It was Sadie.
"What happened? Is everybody OK? It's alright, I am here now! And I brought fruit!"
Sadie pulled out an edible arrangements basket. "For you." She said, handing it to me.
"Aw Sadie, that is so sweet." I said genuinely, putting I on the table next to my bed.
"Aren't you going to try some?" Sadie questioned.
"I'm not allowed to eat anything until the baby's born." I answered.
"So you haven't eaten in eight hours?"
"Actually eleven since I went to bed at nine." I replied.
"Whoa." Sadie said astonished.
"Yeah, I know. I am starving! All I get is this stupid Italian Ice. Which trust me, is not at all satisfying." I whimpered. "But the doctor said it shouldn't be too long until I give birth, and then I can eat again."
"Thank the gods!" She replied, pulling up a chair. She looked at my belly. "I'm excited to see what gender little Zarter baby is." She said.
"It's a boy." Carter said.
"It is?" Sadie exclaimed.
"Please let's not start this again. It may still be a girl." I told Sadie.
"I am pretty sure it is a boy." Carter said teasingly. I rolled my eyes. Just then, the doctor came in. She was extremely nice and calming, with vibrant red curly hair and freckles.
"How are you doing Zia?" she asked.
"Fine Doctor Blaze." I replied. "Contractions are about a minute apart now."
"Good, we are right on schedule then. You could have a new member of your family in less than an hour." She smiled. "Let me just check and make sure everything is set up. I will be right back." She said.
Carter looked at me nervously. "You ready?" He asked. I stared at him blankly. "Zia?"
"I can't do this." I said.
"What?"
"I can't do this." I said, sitting up straight.
"Can't do what?" Carter asked confused. Sadie just stared at us with worry in her eyes.
"I can't give birth. I can't have a baby. I can't do this!" I said, gesturing at my stomach.
"Well, it's a little late for that."
"No, I can't Carter! I can't! I can't be a mother, I'm not ready. Oh God! It's going to hate me. I'll be a terrible mother. I'll forget to feed him and bathe him. And… I might be calling her a him. How terrible is that! I can't do this!" I was freaking out.
"Hey. Zia? You need to calm down, you are talking crazy talk…" Carter soothed.
"I'll forget to pick her up from school, I'll make the bottle to hot. If it's a boy, I'll...I'll…"
"ZIA!" Carter yelled. "Breath. You are going to be a great mother." I looked up at him. "You are going to be a great mother. You will do everything right, and if you mess up every once in a while, so what? All first time parents do! It's completely normal to make some mistakes in parenthood." My breathing began to slow. "You will be a great mother. And he will love you and you will love him, an I'll love you both, and you'll both love me, and we'll be one hell of a family." Carter said.
"Really?" I asked.
Carter leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. "Really." He said. I smiled and lay back down on the bed. Then Dr. Blaze returned.
She said, "Looks like it's time." Oh Gods.
C
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So, I am telling this part of the story since Zia… well, she was a little busy at the time. She was beginning to push while at the same time cutting off the circulation in my hand.
"Umm, Z? If you get the chance, could you lighten up a bit on the hand pressure?" I asked.
She glared at me and relied. "If I can push our child out of me, you can deal with you hand losing a little blood."
"Okay." I replied. Dr. Blaze called for Zia to push.
"Push Zia! Push!" I repeated.
"I am pushing! What do you think I am doing! Having a lunch break!" Zia screamed at me. She was very crabby when giving birth. (Zia just punched me and asked me if I would be crabby if I had to push a baby out of me. Touché Zia.)
"Alright, just a few more minutes and we should have this baby out." Dr. Blaze stated. Zia groaned.
"Just a few more babe." I comforted her, rubbing her shoulder.
"Push!" The doctor said.
"CARTER KANE I AM GOING TO MURDER YOU AS SOON AS THIS IS OVER!" Zia screamed while pushing. I won't deny it, I sort of believed her.
Suddenly, I heard crying. A baby crying. Sadie went around to cut the umbilical cord. Zia slumped back onto the bed. Then Dr. Blaze came around to us with a bundle of blankets in her hands.
"Congratulations." She stated. "It's a boy."
I stared at the bundle in shock. This was my son. Dr. Blaze placed him gently in Zia's arms. Zia looked up at me and smiled. I bent down next to her and our baby.
"Still want to kill me?" I asked quietly, pulling back the edges of the baby's blankets so I could see his face.
"You're safe for now." She replied. We both looked down at the little bundle in her arms.
"Connor." I said.
"What?" she asked, looking at me again.
"His name. What about Connor?"
She smiled. "Connor Kane. I like that. It sounds a bit like yours with the C and the K. I like it."
"What about a middle name?"
"Howard." She replied immediately.
"Howard? Why Howard?"
She rolled her eyes. "Think about it."
I thought for a second, and then kissed her. Howard Carter. My namesake. Gods I loved Zia.
"You're so dense sometimes Carter." She said playfully. I laughed, and then continued staring at Connor. He started fussing.
"Oh. What's that Connor?" Zia asked, bending her ear next to him, pretending to be talking with him. "Okay. He says he wants his Daddy to hold him." She told me.
I smiled. "Wow are you like, a baby whisperer or something?" I asked coyly.
"Just got my masters degree yesterday." She replied. She propped herself up a bit and held Connor out to me. I wrapped one arm under him to support his head, and used the other to hold up the rest of his body, just like I had learned in that class Zia and I took a month ago. Connor opened his eyes. I lay down on the bed next to Zia. She placed one arm around Connor, rubbing behind his ear. He immediately stopped fussing.
"He looks exactly like you." Zia told me. That was the truth. Connor had the same brown eyes, same skin, and same curly hair I did.
"But he has your lips, your ears, your chin, and your body type." I replied.
"And what is my body type, exactly?" she asked.
"Extremely long legs and a shorter torso." I replied.
"But he has broad shoulders like you do. Unfortunately for me, since I had to give birth to him." Zia said, and laid her head down on my shoulder and sighed. "My boys." She laughed.
I smiled and leaned down to kiss her. Sadie interrupted. "Can we show him to the others?" she asked.
I looked at Zia. "Go." She said. "I can't get up." I kissed her forehead and took Connor to meet his family. Sadie held the door open for us. When I came out, everyone swarmed around us and cooed at Connor. I told them not to touch yet though, since he was brand new.
"Congratulations dude." Walt patted me on the shoulder. "I knew you had it in you." I smirked.
"What's his name?" Jaz asked.
"Connor Howard Kane." I replied.
"Awwwwwww." Everyone said in unison. Then I saw two people I didn't expect to see there. My mom and dad. I walked over to them.
"Congratulations son." My dad said, staring at his new grandson.
"My baby boy has a baby boy!" My mom cried, pinching my cheeks.
I rolled my eyes. "Mom!" I replied.
"Sorry." She said.
After everyone got to coo at little Connor, we returned to Zia. She was fast asleep.
"Looks like it's just you and me bud." I told Connor. He opened his eyes and gurgled at me.
Yep. Connor was definitely my son.
Sooooooo…. What do you guys think? I know I chose the name Connor Kane, because it sounds so close to Carter Kane, and he is going to be his father's son. And thank you to all of you who gave me name suggestions. It was a tough choice. But thank you all for your suggestions. Again, U GUYS ROCK! I love you all! Kudos to Xarterluver111 for the name. ZARTER has a kid now. The world is a happy place. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Love Peace and baby feet! –magicalunicorn000.