by Willow, Jo
“Are you still wanting a water birth Dorothy?”
Dorothy nodded and I looked at Melody who in turn looked up at me. Water birth? What in the hell was a water birth?
Dorothy had turned onto her back, her lower half covered by a thin sheet. The doctor took a seat on a rolling stool at the foot of the bed and Dorothy spread her legs. I stayed away from the business end and focused on her face.
You’re fully effaced Dorothy. I think it’s time we got you into the tub.
I shot a panicked look to Deacon who was helping Dorothy out of bed. Her bare feet hit the puddle of ice water and she howled.
“You dumped the ice on the floor? Deacon you moron!”
He continued easing her towards the corner, his voice calm and reassuring.
“You’re right babe. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Fuck that. I knew what he was thinking. He was thinking, “Holy shit, she just dumped a cup of slush down my shirt”, that’s what he was thinking, but I had to give him credit. He was doing his best to keep her calm.
Melody stood and it barely registered that I’d moved in close and put my arm around her shoulder. She looked up at me and whispered, “We’re about to be aunts and uncles. Isn’t it exciting?”
I whispered back, “I hope the little guy can swim”. She giggled and put her arm around my waist.
The doctor looked up at the sound as she took off her white coat and knelt by the tub in preparation.
“Come on over. You won’t want to miss this, trust me.”
Deacon looked up and I saw the terror in his eyes, although his voice remained neutral.
“Yeah you guys. Get your asses over here. Please.”
Melody and I walked as one unit, both of us leaning on the other for support. She was just as squeamish as I was and I found strength in that.
Deacon was in the tub with Dorothy. Somehow he’d removed his trousers and knelt beside her in his boxers and tuxedo shirt as if this was something that they did every day. His pants lay on the floor beside the tub. I picked them up and tossed them onto the chair he’d occupied a few minutes ago. Melody rolled her eyes at me and I took offense.
“What? Those are Armani! Armani, Melody.”
She was a designer. She understood what that meant, and yet she rolled her eyes again. Dorothy howled and things changed on a dime. The doctor leaned over the tub behind her and looked at Deacon before nodding. Deacon took it from there.
“He’s ready baby. Push. Push, push, push, push... stop. Breathe honey. That a girl. Breathe with me, we’ve got this. We can do this babe.”
Dorothy splashed him with the bathwater and he ran a hand down his face.
“WE can do this? What exactly have YOU done Deacon? Huh? Paced, panted, and barked orders for me to breathe! That’s your contribution! Next time, we’ll switch spots. What do you say to thaaaat..... oh shit!!!!”
She grunted and we watched as she bore down, the cords in her neck straining as her face turned red and Deacon repeated his speech about pushing.
My eyes were focused on her face to the exclusion of everything else and I was trying to picture Ayla and myself in this position. I’d go insane. I’d insist they give her drugs and then give me anything left over. They’d have to sedate us both.
I felt Melody’s elbow in my side and watched her motion with her head at the business end of the show. The doctor’s hands held something and she quickly instructed Dorothy to push once more.
All eyes except hers were glued to the little head the doctor held in her hands. Dorothy pushed, the water turned murky, and out popped Brian. The water rinsed him as he was lifted, and then he started screaming louder than his mother. Deacon grabbed the sides of her face with tears in his eyes.
“He’s stunning baby. I’m so proud of you.”
She kissed him and smiled.
“I love you Deacon.”
“Love you too baby.”
The nurse handed the doctor a towel and she looked at Deacon with a pair of scissors in her hand.
“Mr. Sloan? Would you like to cut the cord?”
Deacon was still blissed out and staring at his wife adoringly. Without missing a beat, he replied.
“No, you do it Doc. I’ll happily pay extra.”
Melody and I both laughed and she bolted forward when the doctor looked at her and offered her the baby. The nurse was cleaning up Dorothy and Deacon began to help her out of the tub, his eyes glued on Melody and his son.
Her satin and lace wedding gown made her look like a fairy godmother. Water dripped down the front, ruining the dress, but she couldn’t care less. She retook her seat next to the bed, her eyes glued to her nephew. She studied him and he quieted. Deacon helped Dorothy into bed and Dorothy looked at her sister with her son. Melody’s eyes met hers and she smiled.
“I want one.”
Deacon’s eyes narrowed.
“Give him to his mother Melody.”
Melody complied and the new parents became fixated on their new arrival. Melody and I slipped through the door to deliver the news to everyone else. I stopped her in the hall.
“Were you serious back there? You want one? You saw what they went through.”
She placed her warm hand on my arm.
“Teddy Bear, think about it. Are you telling me that any of that was worse than our average fight on a Saturday night?”
I chuckled and shook my head. She had me there. She smiled and continued.
“Exactly. If that’s as bad as it gets, I’m pretty sure we can handle it. What about you and Ayla? Any little cubs in the future for you?”
We’d arrived at the double doors and Melody pushed the button to release the lock. As the doors swung open, our families stood staring and waiting in nervous expectation. I looked at Ayla, but I spoke to Melody.
“Oh I think maybe a cub and an angel could be arranged.”
She leaned up and kissed my cheek. I looked at her and smiled.
“Go get ‘em Teddy Bear.”
“Right back atcha Jaws.”
Epilogue: Five Years Later
Deacon and Dorothy had two more children and spaced them two years apart. Dorothy began writing children’s books and found she was a natural. In the end, they had one more son, Deacon Grant, and a daughter, Katherine Bree. Dorothy got her farm in Connecticut. She’s still working on a dog.
Melody is pregnant with baby number four. Anton is completely hands on and spearheaded an initiative that placed a daycare center in our office space, free to employees. It’s a rousing success. It also keeps Anton out of trouble. He spends half of his day on the floor in the center, playing with the children.
Ayla informed me last night, on our fifth wedding anniversary that we’re about to have a cub of our own. We started actually trying two years ago, so to say it was a perfect anniversary gift is an understatement. If it’s a girl, we plan to call her Angel. If it’s a boy? Why Theodore of course. We’ll call him, Teddy.
The End.