Chapter 18 - La Vie En Rose

Elphaba was moved to the hospital's suite where Fiyero and the baby were allowed to stay due to his refusal on leaving her bedside. Doctors and nurses paraded day and night in the private room, tending to the royal family. The Queen, Princess Azita and Glinda took turns during the day in helping out with the baby. Even the King, Farjad and Emad lent a helping hand.

The little prince fell asleep against his father's chest after gobbling his bottle of milk during his 4:00 am feeding. Looking down at his son, Fiyero kissed him gently on his forehead before laying him down into his bassinet. The baby had inherited his mother's brown eyes, and his father's appetite. He laid content on his back unaware of the events in his surroundings during the two weeks since his birth.

It was 6:00 am when Elphaba stirred a bit. Slowly opening her eyes, she shut them tightly then reopened them. Crinkling her forehead, she questioned her whereabouts at first, then remembered her painful delivery. Scanning the room, she saw her husband fast asleep on the sofa. Hearing a soft cry, she turned toward the sound.

She had a clear view of her baby in the bassinet beside her bed. Elphaba was overwhelmed with a flood of emotions. She remembered the most excruciating pain in her life. The new mother tried to absorb the reality of her baby as she saw him wrapped in a blue blanket. She immediately felt a sense of maternal bonding. Her heart melted, and she was full of gratitude knowing that she would love him forever.

Elphaba couldn't keep her eyes off of him. She knew at that moment he totally owned her. Her heart was filled with love, and felt as if it was going to burst at any moment.

The baby smacked his lips, then let out a loud cry. Fiyero jumped from his sleep, falling off of the sofa, and onto the floor. "Daddy's here," he said, picking himself up. "Must be time for your feeding. Where is that nurse? She'll be in here with your bottle anytime now." He picked up the crying baby, and glanced at his wife.

"Elphaba?" Fiyero looked at her with tear filled eyes. "Am I dreaming? Elphaba?"

She responded in a soft weak voice. "I heard the baby cry."

Tears rolled down Fiyero's face. He embraced their baby tenderly, then loosened his blanket. "Look, this is your mama. She's finally here to meet you. Mama, this is our son."

"He's beautiful," Elphaba said in a throaty voice, gently caressing his cheek. A teardrop rolled down her face. "He's perfect."

With the baby in his arms, he leaned forward, and hugged her. "My family. We're finally together. Would you like to hold him?"

She nodded.

Placing the baby in her arms, Fiyero sat beside his wife. Elphaba smiled, looking down at her child. "Precious baby."

"He's quieted down," Fiyero said. "He knows his mama. These past two weeks, I wondered if what we have was too good to be true," Fiyero said, his voice shook. "I was afraid of losing you. We, our son and I would like to devote our whole lives with you. We're never leaving you."

Elphaba spoke breathlessly. "I didn't want to leave."

"We almost lost you," he said. "I've never been so afraid in my life."

"The pain," she said.

"I wouldn't leave your side. I didn't want to go home with the baby without you. My dad ordered hospital staff to set us up in here with private nurses day and night."

"I heard this little one cry out." She smiled down at him. "He woke me up." His little hand reached out to her. "I'm your mama, and I'm never leaving you." She turned to Fiyero. "My life is now complete."

The baby smacked his lips several times, squiggled in his mother's arms, and cried. "Shh, little one." Elphaba gently rocked him. He stared at his mother as he listened to her voice, pulling at her hospital gown. She could have sworn her son smiled at her. "Thank you for all of this," she told her husband.

"I wish I could freeze this moment," Fiyero said.

TBC - Chapter 19