Zoey

“What?!” Carter exclaimed. “You’re not due for another two weeks.”

“Tell that to your daughter, because obviously, she wants to be born now.”

“Okay, don’t panic, sweetheart. We got this.”

“I’m not panicking, Carter.”

“Are you in pain? What do you need me to do?”

“I’m not in any pain.” I placed my hand on his chest. “You go get the bag we packed for the hospital and I will call Dr. Perry,” I calmly spoke.

“Okay. Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” He kissed my head.

He was so cute and nervous as hell. I placed my hands on my belly.

“Thank you, baby girl. I’ll see you soon.”

I picked up my phone, which was sitting on the dresser, and called Dr. Perry. He told me to go right to the hospital and he’d see me when I got there.

“I have your bag. Did you call Dr. Perry?” Carter asked.

“Yes. He said to come right to the hospital.”

“Are you sure you’re not in pain?” He lightly took hold of my arm as we walked out of the nursery.

“I’m positive, Carter. Trust me, you’re going to know when I’m in pain.”

We slowly walked down the stairs and took the elevator to the lobby. Juan had the night off, so we took a cab to the hospital.

“Can you please call my dads and Holly once we get there?” I asked as I laid my head on his shoulder.

“I already sent them a group text message, sweetheart.” He took hold of my hand and brought it up to his lips.

We arrived at the Emergency room and Carter climbed out of the cab and grabbed a wheelchair for me. It just so happened that John was working and he met us outside.

“So, I hear your water broke.” He smiled as he and Carter helped me into the wheelchair. “Are you having any contractions?”

“Not yet.”

He wheeled me up to the labor and delivery unit where Dr. Perry was standing at the nurses’ station. Giving me a kiss on my head, John spoke, “I have to get back downstairs, but I’ll be up later to check on you.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I smiled.

Dr. Perry had a nurse wheel me into a private room, where I changed into a gown, lay down on the bed, and was hooked up to a fetal monitor.

“I can’t believe this is happening already,” Carter spoke as he took hold of my hand. “I don’t want you to be nervous, sweetheart.”

“I think you’re more nervous than I am.” I grinned at him.

“Okay. Let’s see what’s going on down there,” Dr. Perry spoke as he examined me. “You are dilated to one centimeter. If contractions don’t start within twelve hours, we’re going to have to induce labor. Hopefully, we won’t, but I’m just letting you know it’s a possibility.”

“How long could this take?” Carter asked him.

“It depends. Possibly twenty-four hours, but we’ll do everything we can to make Zoey as comfortable as possible.”

“No drugs,” I spoke. “I’m doing this naturally.”

“Okay. I will make a note of that in your chart. Meanwhile, I have two other women who are in labor now, but your nurse, Jessie, will keep me updated.”

As soon as Holly and Scott arrived, Carter left the room for a while.

“I’m going to run downstairs for some coffee. I’ll be right back, sweetheart.” He leaned down and kissed my lips.

When he returned, he was holding two dozen roses with a smile on his face.

“Carter, they’re beautiful.”

“The red ones are for you and the pink ones are for our little girl.”

It was getting late, so Holly left to go home and Scott went downstairs to see John.

“Why don’t you try to get some sleep?” Carter spoke. “You have a long road ahead of you and you’re going to need all the strength you can get.”

“I am tired.” I sleepily closed my eyes.

I don’t think I was asleep even an hour, when suddenly, a rip-roaring pain shot through me.

“Holy shit!” I opened my eyes and yelled.

Carter jumped, for he was asleep in the chair.

“What? What’s wrong!”

“I think I just had a contraction.”

“Shit. Okay. I’ll go get the nurse.”

A moment later, Carter and Jessie walked into the room. She walked over to the baby monitor and glanced at the paper that was spewing out of it.

“Yes, Zoey. You definitely had a contraction. That’s good news.” She smiled. “You are officially in labor. I’m going to check you to see if you’ve dilated any more. Yep, you sure have. You’re now at three centimeters. I’ll go let Dr. Perry know.”

After she walked out of the room, I looked at Carter, who was standing over me, gently rubbing my forehead with his thumb.

“Hopefully, it won’t be too much longer.” He smiled.

“I still have to get to ten centimeters.” I narrowed my eye at him.

Another contraction emerged and I let out a screeching howl. This went on for four more hours.

“I can’t do this anymore, Carter.”

“Yes, you can, Zoey. You’re one of the strongest people I know.” He smiled. “I’m not leaving your side, not for one second. We’re doing this together.”

“NO WE’RE NOT!” I shouted as another contraction came. “I’m doing all the work. I’m the one in excruciating pain. You’re standing there doing nothing!”

“Zoey, breathe. Use your Lamaze skills,” he spoke and I wanted to rip his throat out.

“Fuck breathing! It doesn’t work! The only thing that will stop this is when I push this kid out.”

Carter’s eyes widened as he stared at me. My insides felt as if they were being shredded. Dr. Perry walked in and examined me.

“You’re dilated to nine, Zoey. One more centimeter and you can start pushing.”

“Dr. Perry, please do a C-section. Let’s just end this now.”

He gave me a sympathetic smile.

“You’re going to do just fine.”

Carter continued to wipe my forehead with a cool cloth as I continued to scream in pain. I was exhausted and the hard part hadn’t even come yet. I was more than ready to have this baby.

“Okay, Zoey, it’s time to push,” Dr. Perry spoke.

Hannah Avery Grayson came into the world at six pounds seven ounces. She came out with a healthy set of lungs.

“Oh my God, Zoey, look at our baby,” Carter spoke with tears in his eyes. “She’s perfect.”

After she was cleaned up, Jessie wrapped her in a blanket and placed her in my arms. Tears started streaming down my face as I stared at her.

“She has your nose.” I smiled at Carter.

“She has your beautiful mouth.” He smiled back as he softly kissed her tiny head.

I handed her to Carter and he sat down in the chair next to my bed. As much as I already loved him, seeing him holding our baby raised that love to a whole other level. The struggles we went through at the beginning was worth it for everything we had now. My life was perfect in every way possible. He was perfect in every way possible. Everything for us had been planned since we were children and I couldn’t wait to see what our future held.

****

Carter

 Holding Hannah in my arms for the first time was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. She was so tiny and the most perfect gift from God. After Zoey had fallen asleep, I put Hannah in the hospital crib next to her bed and went down to the chapel, where I took a seat in the very front and prayed. I knew in my heart that a thank you was in order.

“I know in the past I haven’t been a very good person, and in some way, I don’t feel like I deserve to have the two most beautiful girls in my life. I just wanted to thank you. Thank you for sending Zoey to me and thank you for the beautiful gift of my daughter. I’m a changed man because of her and I’ll become an even better man for my daughter. I promise to take care of them and protect them for the rest of my life. I guess all I’m trying to say is thanks for giving me another chance at this life. You can count on me and I promise not to let you down.”

My name is Carter Grayson and that was the story of how one special woman dragged me from the depths of hell and showed me how to live again. A woman who gave me two of the greatest gifts of life, something I never thought I could experience ever again: love and a family.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” ~ Maria Robinson