by Bailey West
I was running around the house making sure I had her overnight bag, my keys, my phone…where is my phone? I looked for about five minutes before I realized it was in my hand.
“I will meet you at the hospital.”
“Okay.”
I heard Zora yelling something in the background.
“Doctor Bluette said not to forget the gift for BJ.”
“Tell her I have it.”
I disconnected the call.
I called my mother.
“Mom, Peanut is coming. Zora’s water broke at the testing center. She is on her way to the hospital.”
“We are on our way baby. I will call everyone else. You just make sure you focus and get to your wife in one piece.”
“Okay, BJ is with James, and I think Blue is at the studio…”
“Sweetheart, I got it. You just focus on the road and get to the hospital.”
I arrived at the hospital just as the ambulance was pulling up with Zora inside. I ran over to make sure she was okay.
“Hey baby,” she smiled, “look at all of this attention your daughter is getting already.”
I smiled, “She’s like her dad.”
“Mmmmmmmmm,” Zora gripped my hand.
“Breathe, Doctor Bluette…” one of the paramedics said as they wheeled her into one of the rooms.
A nurse came in and instructed Zora to change into the hospital gown. She had another contraction while we were getting her into the gown.
Doctor Ingram came into the room.
“Ezekiel, good to see you.” He extended his hand.
I shook it before he turned his attention to Zora.
“I see Peanut is ready to make her entrance?”
“She is,” Zora said out of breath.
“I’m going to check you to see how many centimeters you are dilated and then we will try to move you upstairs to your birthing room. If you are too far dilated, we are going to keep you down here and deliver her here, okay?”
Zora nodded.
Doctor Ingram checked her cervix.
“You’re at about five and a half. Almost too far along for an epidural but we can try. They are going to move you upstairs. I will see you in a few okay?”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
They quickly moved Zora to her birthing room. By the time they started her IV and hooked her to all of the monitors, the entire family was there. My mother had come into town a week ago because she wanted to make sure she was here when Zora went into labor. James arrived at the hospital with BJ. Blue and Zanetta were there with Paxton and Olivia.
Pax and Ollie have developed a friendship. At least that’s what they are calling it. I’m cool with it. She is very sweet she seems to bring a level of calm to Paxton that I haven’t seen in a long time.
My dad and Zora’s brothers were all en route.
They were able to give Zora the epidural which helped with the pain. It was hard to watch her go through those contractions. She had one contraction before the epidural that caused her to cry. Paxton and Roman decided to leave the room. It was too much for them. I wanted to walk out with all them but since it was my baby she was birthing I had to stay.
James said, “I went through this with your mother. I can’t do it again.”
He left and took BJ.
By the time she was dilated enough to push, everyone had arrived.
My wife did such a phenomenal job birthing our daughter. My mother, Zanetta, and Olivia were all in the room. The men never did return. After only three strong pushes, I heard the beautiful sound of my first daughter’s voice. She had strong, healthy lungs.
“Do you want to cut the cord, Dad?”
I took the scissors from Doctor Ingram and cut the umbilical cord.
Zahria Vashti Bluette weighed eight pounds and four ounces. She was twenty-two and a half inches long.
BJ came into the room to see his little sister.
I handed him the gift that Zora and I had picked out for him.
“Look BJ, this is a gift from Zahria to you.”
People told us that we should give BJ a gift and tell him it's from the baby. That would help with him feeling left out with all the attention that the baby would be receiving.
He took the neatly wrapped present and ripped the paper off. It was a t-shirt that read, “I’m the BIG brother.”
He loved it. He immediately took to the role of big brother and protector. If someone was holding Zahria, BJ was sitting right next to them.
Zora
I passed my test even though I had contractions the entire time I was taking the test! I thought they were Braxton Hicks contractions until I finished the test and my water broke. I feel like I should have received extra points for breathing through contractions and getting the answers correct.
Momma Grace stayed with me for the first few weeks after Zahria came home. I don’t know what I would have done without her. Zahria doesn’t have blonde hair or blue eyes, but she looks just like her dad. He is so in love with this little girl.
My family and I traveled with my Dad to meet my mother’s family. I have several cousins who have blue eyes. BJ played with his cousins while my mother’s cousins and aunts told me stories about her. I visited her grave and told her thank you for loving me.
The length of my residency has been extended because I needed to take time off after having Zahria. I don’t mind though. I’m not in any rush. I’m still seeing patients at the practice and learning from Doctor Miller.
I didn’t think love would find me but it did. I am so happy to be Ezekiel’s Passion.
Then
Paxton
“What does your family think you did in the military?”
I was sitting across from Countee at his office in Saint Louis.
“IT specialist.”
“IT!” He burst out laughing. “Do you even know how to turn on a computer?”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Does Zora really know what happened to BJ’s biological?”
“She knows that he’s dead.”
“Does she know who killed him?”
He sat back in his chair, “What do you need?”
“I may have a problem. There’s a woman…”
“That’s always where the problems begin.”
“My woman. I need to make sure her past stays in the past.”
“You want to get the team together again?”
“I may need them. I will let you know.”
I stood.
“I hope she’s worth it.”
“She is. She’s my tranquility…my peace.”
Thank You!
To my BETA readers and my proofreader.
My family for giving me space to create.
Thanks, Te’ for the use of your character and your product. You Rock!
Check out Isaiah Noble and his siblings in The Nobles of Sweet Rapids series by Te’ Russ. http://a.co/1tpTWHs
Thank you, Yahweh! You are my source!
I am most like God when I am creating!
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