Chapter 6—The Bombay Family is expanding
December 9, 1999, 2:50 am
Gordon's POV
Michele was trying to rest as much as she could in between contractions. She was right now at a nine and was in between contractions. Dr. White was in the room now, along with a Physician's Assistant, a neonatologist, three nurses two from the maternity floor and another from the NICU unit at Children's across the street, Me, and Michele in the bed. The NICU isolate, the nurse and doctor arrived from Children's about 15 minutes ago. Between the eight of us, Michele bed, the Isolate, the baby warmer, the IV pole, the tray with all the equipment on it, the computer and monitoring equipment. It was pretty crowded in that room. Dr. White was currently examining Michele.
"Alright Michele you are at 10, you ready to have this baby?" Dr. White said.
"No," Michele said.
"Come on Michele you can do this," I said.
17 minutes later
"The baby is crowning, Push Michele," Dr. White said.
"One, two, three, four, five, six," One of the nurses was counting.
"IT'S A GIRL!" Dr. White said.
"A girl; we have a Girl Michele," I said and then I kissed her.
"Is she okay?" Michele asked, trying to take a look at our daughter.
"She is going to be just fine," a nurse said.
"But she is not crying," Michele said.
"Preemies won't cry like a full-term baby will," the Neonatologist said.
"Oh, the cord, can I cut the cord?" I said.
"Too late the cord has already been cut," Dr. White said as he was examining Michele.
I looked at my baby daughter, she was so small and bird like, "What is that?" I asked.
"That is her blood vessel," one of the nurses said.
The baby didn't look like me or Michele, she was covered in hair, but it didn't have any color to it.
"How much does she weigh?" Michele asked.
"2 pounds even," a nurse said. Michele started to cry.
"What's wrong honey?" I asked.
"I am such a bad mother," Michele said.
"No, you are a perfectly fine mother. The baby is going to be okay," I said.
"No, I am not," Michele said as she cried.
I reassured her for about 5 minutes when we heard.
"Alright she is ready to roll, let's go," from the nurse assigned with the NICU.
They started to roll my daughter away from Michele and I.
"Where are you taking my baby?" Michele asked with tears rolling down her face.
"They are taking the baby to level 4 NICU at Children's across the street. Don't worry the baby is in good hands," a nurse said to us.
"Gordon, go. Follow them, I want my baby, I want to hold my baby," Michele said to me.
I quickly followed my baby girl out into the hallway and caught up with the team entrusted with her care. Once we got to the NICU nursery I saw that she wasn't the only one that was there. There were five other babies' in that nursery. Most of them were bigger than our baby with one of them smaller. "Look Mr. Bombay, it's going to be touch and go for a while, she doesn't know how to quite breathe on her own, yet. She didn't get the practice in the womb. She also doesn't know how to suck and be able to feed off your wife or take a bottle, but she will. She is what we call very preterm and has extremely low birth weight. So, it's probably going to be at least 10 weeks before she gets discharged," the Neonatologist said.
"But will she live?" I asked. I was scared that we were going to have to bury my new daughter. A parent should not have to face that kind of reality.
"Most likely yes, I have had babies in here that were micro preemies, and they went on to live full and rich lives, " the neonatologist said.
"Ok, when can we see her?" I asked.
"Well, you can probably bring your wife in here after breakfast in the morning. But you can see her as soon as she is all set up," The neonatologist said.
"Ok, Thanks," I said.
"Yeah, you bet," the Neonatologist said and then he was into the nursery, and I was watching through the windows. It was 15 minutes before I was allowed to get gowned up and get my hands washed thoroughly.
"Hi sweetheart, listen I know it's been kind of a rough ride for you, but you need to hang in there for your mom and I. We love you so much," I said.
"Mr. Bombay, here, You need to speak through the hole," a nurse said as she opened a hole in the side of her isolator.
"Can, Can I touch her?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's okay," the nurse said.
"Hey sweetie, Please fight for this we need you in our little family. You have big brothers and a big sister to meet. I love you. You are going to need a name, aren't you? I guess your mom and I have some thinking to do," I said as I touched my little girl's arm, then I cried.
Adam's POV 7:00 am.
I was waiting until either Coach or Grandma and Grandpa MacKay showed up before I took Hans to Daycare this morning. Poor little dude he was cranky and didn't want to get up. I didn't blame him. I didn't want to get up this morning, either. In fact, both Gunnar and I wanted to stay in bed.
"You are going to have to take him to Daycare, you know that?" Gunnar asked running a comb through his hair.
"Yeah and I hope that I can pick him up," I said.
"Well, there is only one way to find out," Gunnar said.
"I know come on Hans, let's go to school," I said as I carried him down to the first floor and let him walk to the front door.
"Adam?" Mr. Roberts asked.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Is Hans going to be staying with us tonight?" Mr. Roberts asked with his arms crossed.
"I don't know, I am sure that dad or Grandpa and Grandma MacKay will be picking him up. I know that I will find out later," I said.
"Okay, I was just asking because I am sure that Dean Buckley is going to want to know," Mr. Roberts said.
"I know," I said. With that Hans started to bang on the glass door.
"Out, out," Hans said.
"I need to take him to Daycare, excuse me," I said.
I got Hans loaded up just as the girls and Charlie were coming back from their run. Normally Gunnar and I would join them. Gunnar would walk about ½ the distance that we would run. However, with us being up past midnight last night, getting up this morning was a pain in the ass. In fact, I wasn't too sure if Gunnar had gone back to sleep. Hans fell asleep as I pulled out of the parking lot.
"He is going to be extremely tired today. I will not be surprised if he would want to take a nap this morning. We were up until after midnight last night getting him settled down to sleep," I said to Beth, one of Han's teachers.
"That's okay, what happened last night?" Beth asked.
"Oh, mom went into labor she was going to have the baby last night, I am not sure if she did or not," I said.
"I see, let me get him his cot and he can sleep for a little while," Beth said.
Within a few minutes Hans was back out on his cot and I walked up to the front desk. "Good morning Adam," I heard the director who was named Sue said to me.
"Morning, I have a question," I said.
"Well, I have an answer, what's up?" Sue asked.
"Who is all allowed to pick up Hans?" I asked.
"Hang on let me go and get his file,' Sue said. Within minutes she was back with his file in hand, 'Let's see here, you, Bella Banks-Bombay, Oliver Bombay, Patricia and Thomas MacKay, Eleanor Bombay, Michele, Gordon and someone named Jan F F, I don't know how to pronounce that last name," Sue said.
I looked at the paperwork, it said Jan Frederiksen.
"His name is Jan Frederiksen, he is an old friend of ours. Thanks Sue I appreciate you telling me. I will probably be up after school to pick Han's up," I said and then I quickly left.
Gordon's POV
I pulled up to Eden Hall at 7:35. I tried the boy's dorm first and didn't receive an answer until I heard.
"Hey Coach," out of Charlie.
"Morning Charlie, do you know where Adam and Gunnar went this morning?" I asked.
"No, I thought I saw Adam put Hans in Mrs. Bombay's van to go somewhere, I am not sure where and Gunnar was leaving I suppose for breakfast," Charlie said.
"Oh Okay," I said as I turned around and headed off to the cafeteria to go and catch up with the ducks.
"Hey Coach," Guy said as I walked into the cafeteria, Gunnar was currently chewing on a pancake. I took one look at his eyes; they were sure bloodshot.
"Did you get any sleep, last night?" I asked.
Gunnar swallowed before he said, "A little."
"You look like you didn't get any at all," Averman said.
"Nope. Where is Adam?" I asked.
"He vent vo vake Han's vo Daycare," Gunnar said and then he put some more pancakes in his mouth.
"Ah I see," I said.
"How is Ms. Michele?" Gunnar asked.
"Good sort of, she is sleeping right now. Uh the baby's here, she's small, but she is here," I said.
"Hey Dad," Adam said as he walked in.
"Hey Adam," I said as I hugged him.
"How's Mom?" Adam said.
"Good, she's sleeping right now, she was up until after 5 this morning, so she will probably sleep until at least noon maybe later. You have a baby sister," I said.
"Well yeah I already knew that" Adam said.
"I meant besides Bella," I said.
"Oh," Adam said.
"She's small, but she is here, in the newborn intensive care unit at Children's. I think that you three should go up to children's after school to see your mom and meet your new baby sister," I said.
"Oh, what are you doing here, Coach?" Averman asked.
"I came to get Hans, but since he is at daycare, I will pick him up on the way home," I said.
"I wouldn't his teacher had gotten his cot out and he fell back to sleep the second he was on it," Adam said.
"Besides you look to wipe out to drive, I think you should stay here and get some sleep," Guy said.
"I was hoping to get Hans and take him home and let Patricia and Thomas take care of him," I said.
"Is Grandma and Grandpa MacKay here?" Adam asked.
"Yeah drove in this morning, nearly gave Ollie a heart attack," I said.
"Ve needs vo have a heart before ve can vave an attack," Gunnar said.
"Gunnar that is enough," Adam said.
"Ah Coach Bombay what a pleasure to see you this morning. I trust that Michele is well," Dean Buckley said.
"Yes good morning Dean," I said.
"So are congratulations in order?" Dean Buckley asked.
"Yes, but we have a long road ahead of us, before the baby comes home from the hospital," I said.
"I see, I will have to talk to the board about Michele at the next meeting. "We have never had anything like this happen before," Dean Buckley said.
"You're kidding right, Dean?" Averman said.
"I am afraid not, son," Dean Buckley said.
"I am sure Michele will call tomorrow, she was pretty wiped out, after everything started to settle down," I said.
"I see," Dean Buckley said.
"Here dad,' Adam said and then handed me the keys to his dorm room, 'Go to our room and get some sleep."
"Yeah that's probably a good idea. I should call the daycare, then your Grandparents and have them pick up Hans," I said.
"Sure, make sure you get some sleep before you go anywhere," Adam said.
"Yes sir," I said. Adam just smiled at me. I walked out and over to the boys dorm room and fell asleep within minutes of my head hitting Adam's pillow.
Michele's POV 10:30 am
I woke up with a start, "Gordon, Gordon!" I said and then I looked around the hospital room that I was in. It was empty, I was the only one in that room. It was true I did give birth to a daughter last night, a preemie. I didn't see Gordon at all in my room.
"Did you say something, Michele?" The nurse who introduced herself this morning as Roxanne asked.
"Yeah, I was looking for my husband. Have you seen him?" I asked.
"Uh yeah, he was leaving to go get your son, update the older kids on what was going on and then head home to sleep. Your parents are here if you are ready to have visitors," Roxanne said.
"Oh yeah, sure," I said. With that Roxanne left.
"Hey honey how are you feeling?" Dad asked upon entry into my room.
"Hi Sweetheart," Mom said.
"Ok, I think, tired a little bit," I said.
"Yeah I understand we are going to go and pick up Hans after we visited with you for a little bit," Mom said.
"Did you see the baby?" I asked.
"Yes we did, she is pretty small, but she is mighty," Dad said.
"Yes she is. Your father had his finger under her little hand, she grabbed on and would not let go," Mom said.
"That's good to know," I said as I started to tear up.
"Hey, hey don't cry honey. It will be fine; she will be fine. She's a MacKay, she's a fighter!" Dad said as he handed me a tissue.
I nodded as I sobbed.
"Have you thought of a name yet?" Mom asked.
"No, I was waiting for Gordon, where is he?" I asked.
"He said something about getting some sleep at the boys dorm and then he would bring the kids to see you after school today," Dad said.
"Did you drive all the way down here from Duluth last night?" I asked.
"No early this morning, I think we kind of gave Oliver a scare, when we showed up at the house, because he came up in his underwear, no t-shirt and Annie was there," Mom said.
"That boy gets Annie pregnant, and I will kill him, I am not ready to be a grandmother," I said.
"Let's not worry about Oliver for right now, let's worry about getting you and the newest baby home," Dad said.
"You right dad," I said as I yawned.
"I think that is our cue to leave. Get some rest, honey. We will come back later," Mom said.
"Thanks mom and dad, love you," I said.
"Love you, pumpkin," Dad said and then they both left.
I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon between awake and asleep. While I was awake I decided on a name. Since Gordon named Hans, I figured it was my turn to decide on a name.
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