Making him whole

by Sage S Wolf

  Which was soon. I had to stop after I sat up to breathe through another contraction. They were getting stronger.

  A lot had happened over the last three months. Darik had his court hearing and was made to pay some fines and do some community service. He did this willingly and with a smile, saying it was less than he deserved for what happened. He still carried some guilt for Cecilia’s death. He probably always would. His therapist had been working on it with him.

  My therapist was quite surprised that I didn’t suffer from PTSD after what I’d gone through with Zack’s abuse. I think I had at first, but being with Darik had healed my mind and my heart. The man was magic.

  My contraction faded and I managed to stand, rubbing my stomach as Erik started kicking. “I know, little guy, we’ll see you soon.”

  Darik came out of the closet with my bag. “Ready?” I nodded and he came over and wrapped his arm around my waist so I could lean on him as we walked to the garage.

  Just as we were stepping into the garage my water broke. “This is happening a lot faster than the doctor said it would, Darik.” I would admit I was starting to get scared.

  “It’s okay, Tess.” Darik kissed my forehead before helping me into the car. “Let’s just focus on staying calm and getting you to the hospital.” He ran around the front of the car and tossed my go-bag into the backseat beside the car seat, then got in and started the car.

  I tried to focus on the road ahead as we drove to the hospital. It was working until the mother of all contractions hit me. “I’m going to kill him!” I gritted out, trying to breathe through the pain.

  Darik chuckled. “He’s already dead, Tess.” I glared at him and he gave me an apologetic look. “We can try to bring him back if you’d like. If that makes this easier for you.”

  We both knew that wasn’t happening, but the idea did make me feel better.

  “I love you,” I said, reaching for his hand after the contraction faded.

  “I love you, too.” Darik took my hand in his while staying laser-focused on the road ahead. “We’re gonna get through this together. You can yell and scream at me all you want; I’m not going anywhere.”

  I started to cry. I felt so overwhelmed by so many emotions right then. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to cry.” Then I cried harder.

  “It’s fine, mama. Let it out. Remember what our therapists said about holding in emotions not being good for us. This is an emotional time for you. For both of us, but you’ve got all these things happening to your body right now. Like I said, scream, yell, cry, whatever you need to get through this.” Darik brought my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. “Let’s go get you checked in.”

  I hadn’t even realized we’d arrived at the hospital.

  I waited in the car while Darik went inside and got a wheelchair. The amount of pressure I was feeling in my lower region told me that I shouldn’t stand long.

  I rubbed my stomach, praying another contraction wouldn’t hit before I got inside. “Just give mama time to get into the hospital before you make your appearance, please. Your papa and I want to meet you but not here on the sidewalk.” My son kicked my hand and I laughed. “I love you too, little guy.”

  My door opened. “Here we go.” Darik helped me transfer from the car to the chair just before another contraction hit. “Hang on, mama.”

  “I’m trying,” I cried out, suddenly irritated by the sound of Darik’s voice.

  They didn’t make us wait before taking us to the maternity floor and putting me in a room.

  “Change into this and the doctor will be in to check you soon,” the nurse said, handing me a gown.

  “I can’t stand right now,” I said, shaking my head. “There’s too much pressure.”

  The nurse's eyes went wide. “Stay there and let me go grab the doctor.” Then she hurried from the room.

  “Darik,” I reached for him. “I’m scared.”

  Darik crouched down in front of me and kissed my stomach before looking up at me. “It’s gonna be okay, Tess.

  “How do you know? What if something’s wrong?”

  “Shh.” Darik kissed me gently to stop my ranting. “You are fine. The baby is fine.”

  The doctor came into the room with the nurse from before following behind him. “Ms. Stone, I heard you were afraid to get out of your chair, so let’s have a look shall we?” I nodded nervously. “Nurse, if you would recline that back for me, and Ms. Stone, you can lay back while I check you.”

  I nodded again as the back of my chair went back. “I didn’t know wheelchairs could recline.”

  “A lot of people don’t.” The nurse smiled at me.

  Darik was at my side, holding my hand and silently watching.

  Luckily, I was wearing one of Darik’s dress shirts, so the doctor had easy access to check me.

  “Spread your legs a little,” the doctor ordered, and I complied. “That explains that,” he chuckled and looked up at me. “Your baby has a head full of hair from what I can see.”

  “Wait, that means…” Darik’s face broke out in a smile.

  I was glad he was happy about this because I was freaking the hell out inside.

  The doctor looked at Darik. “Dad, I’m gonna have you help mom stand,” Darik’s smile grew. “And mom, as soon as you're up you are likely going to get the urge to push. I want you to. We’re gonna do this the old fashion way with the help of gravity. Ready?”

  “Would I be a bad person if I said no?” It was then I realized a whole team had come into the room with equipment for the baby once he was born.

  The doctor laughed. “You wouldn’t be the first mom to not be ready.”

  I looked at Darik just as another contraction hit. “I’m ready!” I cried out and then everything happened so quickly.

  Darik helped me stand and I gripped his sides for dear life as I screamed into his chest and pushed. The pain was blinding but I had one goal in mind. One focal point to get me through. My son.

  Erik’s cries sounded through the room and Darik was ordered to put me on the bed while they tended to our son.

  Our son. I’d started referring to Erik that way around the second month Darik and I were dating. He’d never corrected me.

  “Here he is,” the nurse said, bringing Erik over and laying his swaddled form on my chest. “He’s a healthy, impatient boy,” she laughed, and walked away as Erik started crying.

  “He’s hungry.” I just knew that was why he was crying. “Help me unwrap him.”

  Darik took Erik, kissing his head of dark hair. “Hello there.”

  Erik stopped crying and stared up at the man whose voice had been talking him to sleep every night for the last three months.

  I unbuttoned the top half of the dress shirt, exposing one of my breasts. “Unwrap him and give him here so I can feed him.”

  At my mention of food, Erik started to cry again.

  Darik chuckled and laid Erik on the bed to take the blanket off and then handed him to me. “I respect a man that knows the importance of food and boobs,” he said as I settled Erik on my breast.

  “I bet you do,” I smiled up at him. “I love you, Darik.”

  Darik came closer and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. “I love you too, Tess.” He ran his hand over Erik’s head. “I love him too.” He pressed a kiss to our son’s head before sitting down. “The next one’s gonna be blonde.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “I’ve just had this one and you’re thinking of a sibling?”

  “What can I say, Tessa? I’m a man that knows what he wants.”

  I looked down at my son as he enjoyed his first meal on the outside.

  Would I want to do this again? Absolutely. I knew birth was supposed to be super painful. The only part that really hurt for me was when I was pushing him out. I think the pain leading up to it was easier for me to handle given what Zack had put me through. He had made me stronger while trying to make me weak.

  “Let’s enjoy this one for a few y
ears and then revisit the sibling idea,” I said, not taking my eyes off my son.

  “Deal.” Darik climbed into bed with us and kissed the side of my head. “You did good, mama.”

  I laid my head on his shoulder and sighed. “I had a lot of help from his dad.”

  Darik pulled away to look at me. Tears were forming in his eyes. “I’m his dad?”

  I blinked back my own tears as I nodded. “If you want the title, it’s yours.”

  “I absolutely want it, but first…” Darik got off the bed, went over the go-bag, and grabbed something from the side pocket. It was a small black box.

  “Darik,” I whispered, using my free hand to wipe my tears before they splashed down on my son.

  “I was gonna wait to do this until after he came home but I guess, like our son, I like to do things early,” I laughed and wiped more tears as Darik dropped down on one knee beside my bed. “Tessa, you are the strongest, most incredible woman I have ever met. Would you make me the happiest and luckiest man alive and agree to be my wife?”

  Erik started to fuss, clearly done with his meal. “Hang on.” I lifted Erik to my shoulder and began gently patting his back. “Okay now, what was the question?” I teased.

  Darik grinned. “I’ll take your sass as a yes.”

  Erik let out a burp and I laughed. “It’s a big yes from us.”

  “Thank you.” Darik stood and climbed back into bed with us, taking Erik and swaddling him back up in his blanket so he wouldn’t get cold. “I love you both so damn much,” he said, looking down at our son falling asleep in the crook of his arm.

  I rested my head against his shoulder, my own eyes growing heavy. “We love you more...”

  Chapter Forty-Two

  July 10th, 2024

  Darik

  I came home from work and found my wife and son in the kitchen making dinner.

  “Daddy’s home!” Erik said excitedly, running over to greet me.

  I picked him up and hugged him to my chest. “You been good for your mama while I was at work?”

  Erik nodded against my shoulder, then pushed himself back to give me a toothy grin. “I helped her make pasta for sissy.” He sounded so proud that I laughed.

  “You did, did you?”

  Tessa turned toward me, her very pregnant belly drawing my attention. She was due any day now. “He has been very helpful today. He even helped me put laundry away earlier.” She winced and grabbed her stomach. “Oh!”

  Her eyes met mine and I knew it was time.

  “Erik, go with your mom to the car,” I told him, setting him on his feet. “Daddy will be there in a minute.”

  My son, being the amazing human we were raising him to be, took Tessa’s hand and “helped” her to the garage where the car was. Minus his eyes and nose, there wasn’t a hint of Zack in him. He had a kind and caring soul, like his mom.

  We’d gotten the paternity test soon after he was born, and it told us what we already knew. He was Zack’s. The other boy, however, wasn’t. Tessa and I were both surprised to hear that. But it explained why Susan had been so angry when she realized Tessa was pregnant. Her plan to end up with all of Zack’s estate was ruined by a legitimate son.

  The judge gave Erik everything which I found a little ironic considering his dad had been dead set on stopping him from existing.

  We’d sold everything and added the money to the life insurance money, then divided it evenly and put half into a trust for Tristan. It wasn’t his fault his mother was a liar.

  We checked in on him regularly and even had arranged playdates for him and Erik. They were best friends…

  I went to the master bedroom and grabbed the go-bag from the closet. This time it had pink and yellow outfits and hats. A daughter. Just like from my dreams. I knew what she would look like. I’d met her a few times in my sleep.

  I texted Stephen and Scarlett to meet us at the hospital. They hadn’t been happy when I hadn’t called them the first time.

  They were amazing grandparents.

  I made sure the kitchen door was locked and then put the go-bag in the back floorboard of the car since the back seat held two car seats and got in.

  “We ready to go have a baby?” I asked, pushing the button to open the garage door.

  “Yea!” Erik cheered from the backseat.

  Tessa reached for my hand. “I think she’s in a hurry like her brother,” she panted. She was having a contraction.

  “Just breathe through it, mama. You got this.” I turned to make sure Erik was properly buckled into his car seat before pulling out of the garage and heading to the hospital.

  Once there, I parked in front of the entrance and grabbed a wheelchair to get Tessa inside. I rolled it out to the car and helped her transfer from the car to the chair, having to stop halfway when another contraction hit. When it passed, I eased Tessa into the chair and then got Erik from his car seat.

  “I want you to walk beside your mom and hold her hand while I push her inside to the doctor, okay?” Erik nodded and took ahold of his mom’s hand.

  “We came as soon as we could,” Stephen’s voice said from behind me.

  “Grandpa!” Erik dropped Tessa’s hand and ran to Stephen.

  Stephen picked him up and started tickling his sides, causing him to burst into a fit of giggles. “We’ve got him. You two go have that baby. We want to meet her.”

  I chuckled and started pushing Tessa toward the door. “Thanks, we’ll let you know when she’s here.”

  Tessa was right. Our daughter did not want to wait and was born within five minutes after we got Tessa on the bed. At least she’d made it to the bed this time.

  Everyone was cleaned and then all the staff cleared the room, leaving us alone with our new daughter.

  “You still okay with the name we agreed on?” Tessa asked as she settled our daughter on her breast so she could nurse.

  I smiled and nodded. “I think it’s perfect.” I ran my hand over my daughter's head. It was covered in light blonde hair that I knew would darken a little as she got older. “Cecilia.” I leaned down and kissed her soft head before looking up at my wife. “I love you both.”

  Tessa smiled and ruffled my hair. “We love you too.”

  I wanted to stay here and wrap them both in my arms but there were people that still needed to see them.

  “I’ll be right back.” I left the room and went to the waiting room where everyone was waiting. Stephen and Scarlett stood from their seats. Erik was still in Stephen’s arms. “Who wants to meet their new sister?” I asked, taking Erik from Stephen.

  “Me!” Erik clapped his hands in excitement, and we all laughed.

  “Let’s go, then.” I carried Erik to Tessa’s room with Stephen and Scarlett following behind me. “Look who I found, mama.”

  Tessa looked up from our daughter and beamed at the sight of our son. “What a handsome boy you’ve found. Maybe we can take him home along with the baby.”

  “I think we will,” I teased, tickling Erik’s stomach and making him giggle. I would never get tired of hearing that sound. “Let’s meet your sister now.” I set Erik down beside Tessa.

  Erik got up on his knees so he could get a better look at Cecilia. “She’s small.”

  “She had to be to come out of my tummy,” Tessa told him, ruffling his hair just as she did to me. “She’ll get bigger just like you and someday you’ll both be fully grown.”

  “Like you and daddy?”

  Tessa nodded. “Yes. Like me and daddy.” She turned her attention to Stephen and Scarlett. “Would you guys like to hold her once she’s finished eating?”

  The older couple smiled.

  “We would love to,” Scarlett said, coming closer. “What did you name her?”

  I stepped closer to my wife and placed a hand on her shoulder as we both looked at them. “We named her Cecilia.”

  “Oh my gosh, Stephen.” Scarlett hugged her husband and started to cry.

  Tessa and I shared a concerned
look.

  “We’re sorry if it bothers you,” Tessa rushed out. “We could find something else.”

  “No, no, Tessa,” Stephen gave us a teary smile. “We are honored that you would name your baby after our girl.”

  “We love it,” Scarlett pulled away from her husband and came up and hugged me. “Thank you for giving us hope when we’d lost so much.”

  Now it was my turn to tear up.

  “Why is everyone crying?” Erik asked and we all laughed.

  “We’re all just very happy to meet your sister,” I answered.

  “Were you all happy to meet me?”

  Tessa wrapped her arm around Erik and pulled him against her side, kissing the top of his head. “Very much so, little dude.”

  Stephen and Scarlett visited a little longer, each of them taking their time holding and cooing at Cecilia before Erik started to yawn and it was time for him to go home with them. They’d agreed to keep him for a few nights while Tessa and I got settled at home with the baby.

  “The next one’s gonna be blonde too,” I said as we both stared lovingly at our daughter asleep in Tessa’s arms.

  “You think?” Tessa asked, looking up at me.

  “I was half kidding. Do you want another after this one?”

  Tessa looked back down at Cecilia for a minute and then back at me. “I could handle three. I think three is a good number.”

  I laughed and kissed her. “Three it is. Though maybe not wait as long this time. I’m already forty, ya know?”

  “How about when Cecilia’s two we’ll start trying for number three?”

  “Deal.” I climbed into bed, taking Cecilia into my arms, I watched over them both while they slept.

  I didn’t have words for how grateful I was for how my life had ended up.

  Tragedy had brought us together and somehow I knew fate had no intention of tearing us apart.

  THE END

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