Cassidy Chapter 9- Current Day

I was there. Ten centimeters dilated and one hundred percent effaced. Dr. Maggio, a midwife, and Zia were all gathered in the room with me as I got ready to push our son into the world. I’d gotten a request from Hadley. She was nervous about childbirth and had never seen someone give birth. She asked if I’d mind her being in there or if I would rather be alone with Sean. I’d had him there for Noah, and I’d been with Sloan when she had Caleb. Sloan had been there when Gemma had Greer. I had no problem with it, so Hadley stood on one side of the bed and Sean on the other. She was anxious, so I teased her to loosen her up.

“Now, you know what this means, don’t you, Had?”

“No, what?”

“You’re about to see my vajay-jay. I need to know. Does that make me your first lesbian encounter or…,” I asked as I leered and winked at her. It took a couple of seconds for what I said to sink in, and then she burst out laughing, and so did Doc and the others. Sean just grinned and shook his head.

When she stopped laughing, she winked at me. “I won’t tell, but thanks for letting me see it and watch this whole thing. I won’t ask if I’m your first.”

Her whole demeanor had relaxed, which was what I wanted. “Honey, I’m happy to answer or show you anything I can. It’s scary. I remember when Sean and I were in here with Noah. We almost drove poor Doc Maggio and his staff batty with that pregnancy. I thought for sure he’d refuse to do it again with me.”

“You’re far from the worst patient I’ve ever had. Yes, you had a lot of questions, but you listened and did everything I recommended. You didn’t call a million times in the middle of the night for the tiniest thing. However, I’d rather people ask than assume something is wrong. And look what it got me. Repeat business out of you until Sean stops knocking you up and I get more patients. I have her, Sloan, and Gemma. I know I’ll get more than a single pregnancy out of them. Keep ‘em coming. I might get to retire sooner than I thought,” he joked.

“Well, I’m glad you did. You have a way of explaining things that I can understand. Alright, let’s get this show on the road. Cass, don’t scare me too badly, or you’ll have to birth this baby for me,” Hadley teased.

“Stand wherever you’re the most comfortable. Sean will support one of her legs. You can do the other, or Zia will. As long as you don’t block the path to there,” he said, pointing to where they had the equipment set up to take Nash.

“I think I’ll stand where I get the full visual. Cassidy, I’ll hold your other leg if you’re okay with that?”

“Go for it, but I think you all should get in place. Here comes another contraction, and it’s more intense,” I warned them.

Time became a blur as I rode out each contraction. When the contractions hit their peaks, Sean and Hadley would support a leg and hold it bent toward my chest. They helped me lift my chest toward my bent legs, and I’d push. I don’t know how many times I pushed and heard he was crowning before I gave a big one and heard the sweet news.

“The head is out. On the next contraction, push as hard as you can,” Maggio stated.

I didn’t have long to wait. As I bore down as hard as I could, I felt the stretching ease, then a few seconds later, the cry of a baby. I was trying to see him as Zia whisked him away, and the midwife went with her. As they worked on Nash, I anxiously asked Maggio, “Is he okay?”

“As far as I could see, yes. He’s got healthy lungs, and he has all his fingers and toes. Let them get him weighed and all that other stuff done. The pediatrician will come in and check him out. Ah, there he is. Now, let’s finish this last bit, and then we’ll let you hold him and get you cleaned up.”

By the time the afterbirth was delivered, they were able to bring Nash to me. His bare skin was placed against mine. I snuggled him and kissed his squished-up face. Sean was doing the same from the other side of him. I felt like crying. Another miracle and a healthy one, according to the pediatrician’s rambles. I forgot anyone else was there other than Sean and me. Our little family had expanded again. Staring at Nash, I already knew I wanted another. I wasn’t sure if we’d keep going until we got a girl, which Sean wanted, but I thought three was a definite. Hadley had escaped to let us enjoy some alone time. She’d be back when they let the rest of the family inside. Sean gave me a hard kiss. I saw his love radiating from him.

“Foxy, you did another amazing job. Look at him. He’s perfect, just like Noah.”

“He looks just like Noah did, which means he’s another carbon copy of his daddy. I want another one, Sean.”

He chuckled. “Babe, at least wait until we get him on a schedule. Then we can talk. I’m not opposed to another one. You know I want a little girl who looks just like her beautiful mom.”

“Well, I don’t know if we’ll end up with one, but I’ll be happy whatever we have.”

“Me too. I know you hate to let him go. I do, too, but they need to get him bathed, and you need to be cleaned up. Our family is chomping at the bit to see him, and so is half the company. Let’s give Nash to Zia so we can get your brother and the others in here soon. You know how patient he is, not.”

He was right. Mark would come soon if we didn’t. Reluctantly, I let Zia take Nash and the midwife to help me get situated for company. I couldn’t wait for them to bring him back.