Wiping his hands he walked to the office. “Beth?”
“You didn’t answer your cell.”
“I’m sorry baby, it’s noisy here, I didn’t hear it. What’s up?” He braced himself for the latest crisis. The last time she’d called had been less than four hours ago, in tears because she couldn’t get the top off a pickle jar. He’d tried to explain that he couldn’t just drop everything and run home for the least little thing. And no, he wasn’t a complete asshole or a selfish piece of shit. At least she wasn’t crying this time.
“I need you to come home. I’m having contractions.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m fucking sure. Just get home now.”
“Okay baby, relax. Remember to breathe. I’m on my way.”
“Don’t fucking tell me to relax I….Ooooohooow! Shit, fuck. Joe!”
“I’ll be there in five.” He ran out of the office. “Dan, I gotta go. Beth’s in labor.”
“About time. Good luck, man.”
She was pacing up and down the living room when he arrived. “Hey, baby.” He gently touched her cheek. “So this is it, huh? Have I got time to shower?”
She nodded. Calmer now that he was with her. “They’re pretty far apart. I just didn’t want to be on my own.” She rested her forehead on his chest. “I’m kinda scared.”
“Course you are, baby. It’ll be fine. We’re having a kid, it don’t get better than that.”
“But it’s gonna hurt. What if I can’t do it?”
“Don’t see that you got much choice. She’s coming whether you like it or not.”
“Big help you are. All you gotta do is sit and watch. I’m doing all the work.” She gasped as she was hit by another contraction.
“S’okay girl. I got ya.” He swallowed the feeling of panic that was rising in his throat. “You’re doing fine.” As soon as the contraction subsided, he gently pushed her away from him. “I’m gonna take a quick shower. You gonna be okay?”
“Yeah.” She gave him a shaky smile. “Go.”
~ oOo ~
Joe leaned on the doorframe and watched as the nurse settled Beth onto the bed. He’d wanted to take her to the hospital right away, but she’d refused. This of course had freaked him out a little; he didn’t want her giving birth on the kitchen floor. Calling Yaz for backup hadn’t helped, either. She’d agreed with his old lady and had come over to lend moral support. He didn’t think there had ever been a time when he had felt so useless. Everything he said was wrong, and if it wasn’t Beth snapping his head off it was Yaz.
Eventually, though, as her contractions grew closer together and increased in their intensity, she finally agreed to go.
As soon as the midwife had finished doing what it was she was doing, he sat on the chair next to the bed and took her hand in his. This was really it. They were going to have a baby.
No one understood better than him the capacity of the human body to withstand pain. But as he watched his old lady, bathed in sweat, panting through her latest contraction, he had to resist the urge to beg the midwife to give her something to make it stop. He knew she was tough, but he’d seen hardened one-percenters crack under less. Never again would he view women as the weaker sex. He winced as her nails dug into his hand. “You’re doing great.”
“Shut up. I hate you. If you think I’m ever letting you near me again you are very much mistaken. This is all your fault. You and that big fat cock of yooooour’s.”
“Now Mrs. Taylor. You know you don’t mean that.” The midwife looked up from whatever it was she was doing between Beth’s legs. “Now, when the next contraction starts, I want you to start to push.”
“I caaaaan’t arrrgh.”
Joe gritted his teeth as the pain in the back of his hand increased. “That’s it. Good girl. Push.”
The midwife smiled. “Okay, I can see her head. A couple more pushes like that and she’ll be with us.”
She was going to die. He was sure of it. No one could go through what she was going through and survive. Why was the midwife smiling? Where was the fucking obstetrician? He was going to lose her. He could feel the panic building inside him and fought to keep it under control, when suddenly there was a loud wail.
He watched in awe as the midwife handed the tiny bundle to his old lady. “All present and correct. Say hello to your daughter.”
She was tiny, red and bore more than a passing resemblance to a prune. But as Joe ran his finger across the black fuzz on the top of her head, he knew she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever set eyes on. “Hey, little one.” He turned to Beth, who was watching them with tears streaming down her cheeks. “She’s beautiful. Thank you.”
“She is. I guess we should think about what we are going to call her.”
He smiled. “Abigail.”
“Abigail. Yeah I like that. Any particular reason why?”
“It means father's joy.”
He grinned as the latest addition to their family opened her eyes at the sound of his voice, and that tiny spark flared deep inside him and his heart was filled with light.
THE END.
A Family Man Page 39