End of May, ten days past her due date
She walked around the house, trying to keep moving. Everything hurt, her hips, her feet, her calves. Everything but her abdomen and back which would signify contractions. Apparently Baby Girl Bouchard planned on staying inside indefinitely.
Lucas looked up from his computer every time she walked down the hall past the office. He was working from home so that if she went into labor, he'd be there and they could hurry to the hospital.
There she went again. "Babe?" he said, hoping she'd stop. She kept going. On a mission.
So he joined her and started walking with her.
She looked at him, exhaustion in her eyes. "Babe, maybe you should rest."
"The doctor said walking is a good way to induce labor."
"The website says…"
"Stop…no more website or book advice. I'm going by the doctor's recommendation."
"Grumpy," he muttered.
"Yes, I'm grumpy. I'm huge and sore and done. I'm done being pregnant."
"Well, we've tried everything that the doctor recommended except for…"
"Are you serious? I'm so ugly right now. I'm not feeling in the mood for that."
He stopped her forward momentum for this one. "Don't call my wife, the mother of my child, ugly. She is NOT. She has never been more gorgeous."
Elizabeth's eyes softened at his words. "Thank you."
"Beth?" Rosemary called as she burst in the front door. She and Zane who was now officially a toddling, walking kiddo, were staying in the rental awaiting the arrival of Baby Girl. "Oh, are you in labor?"
"No."
"Oh. Sorry." She smiled and rubbed her own baby bump. She was about 6 months pregnant with another boy and she couldn't be happier. "Have you guys tried…"
"No," Elizabeth told her, her cheeks turning pink as she wandered into the kitchen.
"It works. Trust me."
"No."
Elizabeth started wiping down the already cleaned counters and Lucas kissed her cheek and went back to the office.
"Want some help cleaning?"
"No, I'm fine." With those words came the tears that were pretty close to the surface these days. "Really, I am."
"Sweetie, its not going to be long and Baby Girl will be here."
"I know. I'm scared," she admitted.
"Of what?"
"All of it. I mean, not the pain really because I fully intend to get an epidural. Its scary to be in charge of another person. She will depend on me for everything."
"I remember that you said those were the things you were most looking forward to. What happened?"
"I don't know."
"Beth, you and Lucas are going to be the best parents. I know it. You don't have to immediately know exactly what you are doing either. You learn as you go and Baby Girl isn't going to be scarred for life if you accidentally forgot to feed her exactly three hours after the last time or if she doesn't get a new diaper as soon as she's done using the old one. Everything will be just fine."
Elizabeth giggled. "Thanks, Rosie."
….
Later that evening
After dinner, Lucas disappeared upstairs for a few minutes so Elizabeth started putting the leftovers away.
Just as she was starting to put dishes in the dishwasher, Lucas came up behind her, placing his hands on her tummy. "I'll do the dishes."
"Its fine Lucas."
"Elizabeth, I'll do them. First I want to show you something upstairs."
She dried her hands and he led her upstairs. She gasped when he led her into the master where he had placed a bouquet of roses and just enough candles to light her way to the bathroom.
"Luke," she whispered, her eyes filling up.
He took her into the bathroom where he had drawn a bubble bath and lit more candles. He shut the door and gestured to a beautiful flowered, silk maternity robe hanging on the door.
"I feel like this is the very least I can do to make sure you know that you are so amazing to be going through this and I am so proud of you. I think you are so beyond beautiful, even if you don't feel it. Our baby is going to be so lucky to have you as her mom." He kissed her knuckles and then her forehead. "Enjoy."
"Luke, you're not going to stay?"
"You should relax…"
"Luke, I don't want to be pregnant anymore."
"Using me for my good looks?"
She laughed and took off her oversized sweatshirt. "Are you complaining?"
"Nope."
….
In the middle of the night, Elizabeth felt hungry as usual so she waddled downstairs to find the ice cream.
She opened the freezer door and grabbed her cookies and cream along with some whipped cream.
As she scooped her ice cream, she felt a slight pop and then water dripped into a puddle on the floor.
"Yes!" she yelled. "Luke!"
It took him a moment but when he came downstairs, she smiled. "Babe! My water broke!"
"Awesome! Let's go to the hospital."
"Well, soon, but I want to finish my ice cream and then I need to change clothes."
"Are you serious right now? You're finally going to have the baby and you want to eat ice cream and change?"
"Yep. I've never felt more relaxed."
He kissed her twice. "You're weird but okay. I'm going to grab the bag, our phones and chargers and I'll text Rosie and your dad and Lynn."
"Thanks."
She giggled as he ran up the stairs. She remembered how stressed and frantic he was when Rosie was having Zane. Now he was mostly calm.
About twenty minutes later, she had finished her ice cream, changed her clothes and then started to feel nauseated. She had read that nausea could be part of labor. She didn't care. Labor would bring her Baby Girl.
"Okay, Luke," she panted through a contraction. "I'm ready to go."
….
"Oh my gosh, Lucas, I don't know for sure, but I feel like I need to push!" she yelled as they pulled up to the ER carport.
"What? How is that possible?"
"I don't know!"
He hopped out of the car and ran inside to get help. He came running out with a couple nurses and a wheelchair and opened her door.
"We need to hurry," Elizabeth told them. "I need to push. Really!"
They hurried her into the triage room just off the ER to check her. "What's your name?" the one nurse asked.
"Elizabeth," she panted.
Lucas held her hand and just watched.
"Well, Elizabeth, it looks like when your next contraction comes, you're going to push and meet your baby very very soon. I can see the baby's hair."
"But I need an epidural. That was the plan. I want to relax and not feel pain."
"Sorry, sweetie, there isn't time."
"You can do this," Lucas told her, kissing her forehead.
"I don't know…"
"Yes you can."
"Oh gosh…its starting again."
"Push, baby," he whispered. "She's almost here."
Elizabeth literally pushed for ten minutes and Baby Girl Bouchard, whom they had actually named after returning from Italy, was screaming and wiggling on Elizabeth's chest.
"Oh honey, you are the most beautiful baby I have ever seen," she cried, watching as the nurses wiped her precious, angelic face. "Matea Elise Bouchard," she whispered. Yes, that fit her perfectly.
Lucas kissed Elizabeth, lingering. "I'm so proud of you, Beth. Thank you for giving us our daughter." He kissed her again and then softly touched his lips to Matea's head. "Love you so much, baby girl."
…….
A few hours later
Matea had nursed like a champ, had a diaper change that Lucas had insisted on tackling, and now was snoozing comfortably on Lucas' chest while Elizabeth watched, mesmerized. He had once again shown her that he was the most amazing man and she loved him even more for it.
He was breathing softly, his hand spanning Matea's tiny back, protecting her as she slept with him.
Since everyone else was sleeping, she decided she better do the same. Her body felt like she'd been hit by a truck.
….
"Oh gosh," she mumbled as she finally sat down on their own bed at home the next day.
"You okay, sweetheart?" he asked, moving and swaying with Matea tucked under his chin. "What do you need?"
"Maybe some Tylenol and some tea?"
"You got it."
He gently and slowly laid Matea in her bassinet and watched her for a long moment. "She's so perfect," he mentioned, looking at Elizabeth.
"I agree."
He came over and kissed Elizabeth. "You're perfect too. No wonder she is." He kissed her again and left the room.
….
Later that evening, Elizabeth wandered downstairs after a nap.
She heard the raspy voice of Chris Stapleton as he sang their wedding song, Joy of My Life.
Elizabeth watched as Lucas slowly swayed, talking quietly to Matea as she stared up at him.
"You know, sweet girl? This was the song Mama and I danced to at our wedding. Your Mama is amazing and we are both so blessed to have her." He kissed her soft, brown wispy hair and smiled. "I love you so much. 'You are the joy of my life,'" he sang softly.
He stopped when he saw Elizabeth watching. "Hi."
"Hey, I hate to interrupt but I think it's time to feed her."
"Okay."
Elizabeth sat down on the couch and put a burp cloth over her shoulder that she had brought downstairs with her.
He handed the tiny girl to her and smiled.
"Oh, hon, I forgot to bring a diaper and wipes downstairs. Would you mind grabbing them?"
"Sure." He turned and ran upstairs, excited to be of help.
"Hi, Mattie girl. Daddy's a good one, isn't he?"
She stuck out her tiny tongue and squirmed but she didn't cry yet. Elizabeth got her situated and she immediately started eating. "There you go, love. Enjoy your meal."
"Knock knock!" Rosie said, carrying Zane in the house. "Perfect timing I see. Its time to feed Zane too so we can have a nursing party."
Elizabeth giggled. "Leave it to you, Rosie to make something like this sound fun."
"I enjoy it, personally."
"I haven't done it enough to enjoy it. Still a newbie."
"Mamamama," Zane said, trying to peek down her shirt.
"I know, Z. Mama's here."
Elizabeth watched the pro do her thing, even around the pregnant belly that was slightly in the way.
"Are you ready for a second baby?" Elizabeth asked. She wanted to wait a couple years before having a second, personally.
"Absolutely. You know I want a large family."
Lucas joined the party but kept his eyes on his wife and daughter for obvious reasons. Rosie put a blanket over herself to make him more comfortable.
"Here's the diaper and wipes, babe."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Do you need anything?"
"We need to get some groceries. The list is on the fridge if you wanted to tackle that."
"Sure. I can do that."
"Thank you."
He nodded and looked at them both like he was going to miss them. Like he was leaving for a week or something.
"We'll be good for an hour, Luke. I promise. Maybe we can both sleep a bit."
He kissed her temple and then bent down to kiss Matea. "Be good for Mama."
Elizabeth finished feeding Matea, changed her diaper and then crawled into bed while Rosie cooked them something for dinner. Elizabeth told her she didn't have to but she insisted. She was there to help, after all.
A couple hours later, she woke up to a crying Matea. "Its okay, Mattie. Mommy's here."
Lucas hurried into the room to see what was happening. "Why is she crying?"
"I don't know, Luke. I just got up."
She picked her up and immediately smelled the reason.
"I'll change her," Lucas offered.
"Thanks! You can always have her poopy diapers. I won't complain."
The screaming kept up until she was cleaned up. "You have some good lungs there, sweet pea," Lucas said, laughing.
"She's probably hungry too," Elizabeth mentioned.
"I know I am. Whatever Rosie made smells amazing." He handed Matea to her and went to the bathroom to wash his hands. "Want me to bring some up to you?"
"I think I want to eat with you at the table. I'll feed Mattie at the same time."
"Sounds good. Oh and your parents and the kids are coming over for a bit tonight. They all want to meet the baby."
"Okay." It made her tired just thinking about it but she definitely wanted to see them too. She'd get past this exhaustion in the next few weeks and everything would be back to normal. Kind of.