"I brought you some sushi, are you hungry?" "No thanks, I'm okay" "Narvel you haven't eaten all day and it's almost tomorrow." "What's taking them so long, she was meant to be out ages ago?" "I don't know, but you need to eat now sit." He sat down and looked at the food in front of him. He didn't know if he could keep it down, his stomach was in knots. Susie broke the sushi up and fed him little bits of rice on a fork. He was slowly getting it down. "Good now your turn." Narvel finally started eating by himself, and Susie went off to get them a drink.
Reba had come back and been moved into her own private room but the nurses had said only Narvel and Susie were allowed in to see her. She was still knocked out from the drugs. The nurses pulled Susie aside "Ma'am are you Mrs Blackstock's sister?" "Yes, my names Susie." "Okay well Susie, I would generally ask her husband, but I can see he isn't taking things too well.
We have the baby here and she has been put in some small clothes and a little basket from the stillborn center. Because this baby was over 20 weeks we treat this more like a stillbirth rather than a miscarriage. Do you think Mr Blackstock would want to see her now?" "I want to see her now, but I will go and talk to him. Forgive me for asking, but what does she look like? I don't really know what to expect." "Of course, well after 20ish weeks they just look like small babies. They have all their fingers and toes and they look perfect. The only thing that stops them from surviving when they are born this early is that their internal organs are not yet fully developed to take on drinking, and breathing." "Okay that makes me feel better. Give me a minute."
"Narvel the nurses have your daughter. Do you want to see her?" He looked at Susie, he wanted so desperately to see her, but he didn't know if he could take it. "Uhhh." "The nurse said that she looks like a perfect little baby just super small. I would love to see her if you don't mind." "I do want to see her, I just need someone with me. Will you come with me?" "The nurse said they will bring her in here so we have more privacy." He got up and walked out to the nurses station. "Please may I see my daughter?" "Certainly Mr Blackstock I will go and get her and bring her to your room." "Thank you." He walked in and sat down on the chair next to Reba's bed. Susie was next to him.
Narvel took the little basket in his arms and looked down at the baby within. He started to cry as he stroked her tiny cheek. He picked up her little hand with his finger. "Where did they get these clothes? She's so beautiful and so perfect. She has her Mama's McEntire nose." "They have lovely people who make little clothes and baskets especially for these little ones, and she does have our cute lil nose."
Susie looked at Narvel and saw the sadness and Joy in his eyes. She couldn't even imagine how much he was hurting. "Did you two ever think about names for her?" "No, not really, we thought we had more time. We didn't want her to have the same name as anyone, we wanted her to be her own person. We always believed that when she came we would just know." "Okay, so for the moment she's just going to be Aunty's angel… Oh and Daddy's little girl I suppose." "Daddy's girl, I like it." Narvel passed his little girl to Susie for a cuddle. He knew she was just busting to hold her. Susie didn't know what to do, she didn't want to cry, she knew she had to be strong for Narvel, so she decided she would sing to her little angel.