Chapter Forty-Two
“And here she is,” the doctor said. I started weeping as my baby’s cries filled the room. Dr. Garcia took her and placed her on Mason’s chest.
“My baby. Hello, baby,” Mason said, breathing heavily.
“You’re wonderful,” I whispered to Mason, and I pet Elizabeth’s head with my fingers. She was a squished-up blob of white goo, blood, and pinkish-purple skin.
“Welcome to the world, Elizabeth,” Mason said.
“Cut the cord, Dad?” Dr. Garcia asked, holding out a pair of scissors to me.
I nodded and let out a sob, and he showed me where to cut. It was nerve-wracking and awesome all together. A nurse scooped up Elizabeth from Mason, and Mason pressed his head back into the pillow, looking thoroughly exhausted.
“Hey, honey,” I said, and Mason took my hand and crushed it in is.
“Let’s get this second baby into the world,” Dr. Garcia said.
“Oh God,” Mason said with a whimper.
“Not too much longer and it’ll all be over. You are a champ at this. Here it comes. Here comes your contraction and push.”
And a half hour later our son Reid was born.
As I cut the cord, Mason lay back in his bed panting, sweat dripping down his face, his hair matted down, and he looked so handsome. One of the nurses took away Reid to be checked, and I kissed Mason’s cheek.
“You’re amazing.”
Mason closed his eyes and let out a breath.
“And I’m going to work your stomach some so we can deliver that placenta,” Dr. Garcia said.
“He has to deliver it like a baby?” I asked. He had already been through so much.
“Yes, but it won’t be nearly as bad.” He pushed down on Mason’s stomach, and I winced watching him. “Give me a little push. Okay, good. Having some small contractions there?”
“Yeah,” Mason said.
“When you feel another one, give me another push.”
He pressed on Mason’s stomach some more and about fifteen minutes later, out it came.
“We’re going to get you cleaned up here so you can rest and cuddle those babies of yours.”
“Okay,” Mason said.
His mom stood close, taking five million pictures.
I took his hand. “You did so awesome.”
“That lasted way too long.”
“I’m in awe.”
“And here is your Elizabeth,” Jose said, bringing her over. A little knit hat on her head.
“We’ll have her curl up here, right on your chest.” He placed her on Mason, and I teared up again. And we’ll wrap your gown around. And the two of you will be nice and cuddly. In a minute, we’ll bring over baby Reid.”
Mason hugged Elizabeth to his chest and kissed the top of her little head. “Hi, baby girl. Hi.” Elizabeth rolled her head around and opened and closed her mouth.
“I think somebody is looking for a snack,” Jose said.
“Just like that?” Mason asked
“Being born worked up her appetite.” He gave Mason a big smile.
“What do I do?”
“Try to hold her like a football or off to your side. There you go,” he said as Mason put Elizabeth into position. “Now cup your breast like a C and tickle her lips with your nipple. And when she opens her mouth, you want to make sure she gets a mouthful of your breast and not just the nipple. Once you get the hang of feeding one baby, we’ll show you how to tandem feed.”
Mason was incredible.
There he was feeding his baby as nurses cleaned him up and others took care of Reid, and Dr. Garcia talked to Mrs. Donnelly. So much was going on and there were so many people, but there was my Mason so sweetly feeding our baby.
“She latched right on. After a while, you’ll want to switch to the other side. Okay?” Jose said.
Mason nodded and looked down at our daughter, sucking on his breast, filling her little baby tummy. I kissed the top of his head. “This is so beautiful.”
Mason looked up at me and smiled.
“You already are the best dad ever. You’re a natural.”
“Mason, my baby and grandbaby. She is hungry.” Mrs. Donnelly pulled out her phone and began taking more pictures.
Mason looked up at his mom, too tired to smile. “I’m just so happy to see her little face.”
“She looks like you,” his mom said.
“You think? She looks smashed up and splotchy.”
“She looks like her daddy,” Mrs. Donnelly sweetly said.
“Ha, I could ask which one.”
“You, Mason.”
“Her mama daddy.”
“Aww,” I said. “That’s precious.”
“She has your hair color I think,” Mason stroked a finger over Elizabeth’s head.
“Here you go, Dad,” a nurse said, handing me Reid.
I tried to hold in my tears, but I lost that fight, and they rolled down my cheeks as I held my son for the first time in my hands.
“And I am all done here,” Dr. Garcia said. He helped take Mason’s legs down and snapped back on the end of the bed. “We’ll be moving you to your room in a moment.”
“Thanks,” Mason said.
“You did great. Beyond great. You could be a spokesperson for natural childbirth.”
Mason laughed.
“I’ll check in later.” Dr. Garcia squeezed my shoulder. “Congrats, Dad.”
“It feels good being called that,” I said, trying not to cry again.
“Oh my gosh, you two are so goddamn adorable,” Mason’s mom said.
“Mom.”
“You are.”
“How do I get baby girl here to switch sides?” Mason asked Jose.
“Pop your finger in the corner of her mouth, and it’ll release the latch.”
Mason switched Elizabeth to the other side and fell asleep feeding her. Jose woke him up to tell him not to sleep when holding the baby and then got him ready to go to his room.
“Knock, knock,” someone said, waking me from my sleep. Mason fed Reid, and Elizabeth was asleep in her little bassinet.
“Mom. Dad. Steve?” They all stood in the door to Mason’s room.
“You didn’t think we’d show up?” my mom asked, putting her hand to her chest.
“I don’t … um…” They didn’t come to the shower. I thought it was some made up excuse, so I didn’t know what to think. I guess Steve really did have a court date. I’d have to find out what he did.
“Come here, baby,” my mom said with her arms open wide. I walked over to my mom, and she squished me in a hug.
“Holy shit,” Steve said. “He’s breastfeeding your baby.”
“Don’t talk about him like he’s not here and yeah, what else would you call that?”
“Congrats, Conrad. Mason,” my dad said.
“Now which baby do I get to hold first?” my mom asked.
Steve stood with his mouth hanging open, watching Mason.
“I can make him leave, Mason,” I said, pointing to my brother.
“No, it’s okay. Nobody’s going to ruin this moment for me.” Mason smiled down at Reid.
“Steve,” my mom hissed through her teeth, scooping Elizabeth up from her bed.
After hours of cuddling the babies, my family finally went home, promising they’d visit again soon. It almost felt like I stepped into some alternate universe.
***
We couldn’t wait to go home, and when the nurse handed me the release papers, joy overcame me.
We were going home with our children.
Mason worked on buckling Elizabeth into her car seat. “She looks so tiny. We got the correct car seat, right?”
I worked on changing Reid’s diaper for the five millionth time.
“Yes. She’s a newborn baby. She’s going to look tiny in whatever you stick her in. Their seats will keep them nice and safe. Won’t they?” I said to Reid, wiggling his little baby foot with my fingers. He turned his head in the direction of my voice, and every time he did that, it made me want to cry. He knew his daddy’s voice.
I think Mason’s hormones were catching.
“Your chariot awaits,” Jose said, coming into the room with a wheelchair.
Mason looked at the wheelchair and scrunched up his nose. “Do I really have to ride in that thing?”
“Hospital policy. Enjoy it. You need to sit for a minute. These babies will keep you on your toes.”
He sat down, and I placed Elizabeth in her seat on his lap. I buckled Reid into his seat, and Jose pushed Mason down the hall.
We headed off into our new life as being parents, a family.