To the anxious parents and grandparent to-be it felt like forever but in reality it was only a couple moments when Dr. Wilson said "Ok Jackie, her cord is no longer around her neck, when you get your contraction I need you to push hard, and I'm sorry but when she comes out I'm not going to lay her on your chest, I'm going to hand her off so we can make sure she is breathing, I know that's not what you want to hear but it has to be done."
"It's ok, just do whatever you have to do." Jackie told her.
Of course she wanted to hold the baby as soon as possible but if Nora needed to be looked at Jackie would gladly make that small sacrifice.
"Nicky, when she comes out you go with her immediately." Jackie told him in a no nonsense tone.
"Ok honey." He told her.
Jackie got her next contraction.
"Ok, give me a good push." Dr. Wilson instructed.
Jackie pushed as hard as she could until she could no longer hold her breath.
"Good, one more push." Dr. Wilson told her.
Jackie pushed again and finally the baby was born.
As promised Nora was immediately handed off to a nurse who then hurriedly ushered her across the room to assess her. Nick hustled after Nora, keeping his promise to Jackie.
A scary silence filled the room.
"Jill why isn't she crying?" Jackie asked her mother in law frantically as she still clutched her hand .
"She will soon." Jill told her reassuringly, praying that that was the truth.
It was probably less then a minute but it felt like a lifetime when Nora finally let out an angry cry.
Jackie, Jill, and Nick, all started to cry happy and relieved tears.
"Nicky is she ok?" Jackie asked anxiously.
"She's absolutely perfect." He told her with a Texas-sized smile.
Jackie tried to get a look at the baby but between Nick, the nurse, and the thing the baby was laying in all she could see was an outline of the baby.
"She looks identical to Johnna, just a bigger version." Nick informed her with a smile. Jackie smiled back, she couldn't wait to hold her.
"7 pounds, 10 ounces." The nurse announced.
"Wow, a lot bigger than Johnna." Jackie said.
Nick nodded in agreement at her.
Finally the nurse let Nick swaddle her and then carry her over to Jackie's impatiently waiting arms.
"Hi sweetheart, mommy loves you so very much." Jackie told the content infant in her arms as she placed a soft kiss on her head.
Nick sat down next to her on the bed and also stared at the baby. Jill did the same on the other side.
Several minutes passed before anyone said anything, they just continued to stare in awe at the sweet new bundle in Jackie's arms.
"Thank you so much for letting me stay in the room. That was the most incredible thing I've ever witnessed. As many grandkids as I have I've never been in the room before." Jill told her son and daughter-in-law.
"Thank you for taking care of Jackie when I couldn't." Nick responded.
"Yes Jill, thank you, I don't know what I would have done without you." Jackie told her. Jill just smiled at both of them in response.
"Want to hold her?" Jackie asked Jill moments later.
"I'm going to go out and call Roger and give you guys a few minutes alone, but when I come back I'm stealing her and I can't promise I'll give her back." Jill told her with a sweet smile before she got up and left the room.
Nick and Jackie smiled at each other as Jill left the room. What a crazy roller coaster ride the day had been but it could not have ended any better!
The End!