I was fucking crushed to learn Seth had decided to take another tour so close to Olivia’s due date. Didn’t he want to see his daughter be born? Of course he did. I constantly had to remind myself he was doing what he thought was best not only for his country but also for our family. It wasn’t easy, and it really took it’s toll on me. I tried not to let it, but my willpower was never really enough to get me through the shitty times, and him being gone for our daughter’s birthday was a shitty time.

His first patrol into the border lasted two days. So that whole Pound Town thing we talked about didn’t happen as planned. Plans never really went off as they were supposed to; that was just part of the military lifestyle we were now accustomed to.

We never had a lot of communication when he was working stateside, but I was able to check on his status a lot easier by calling around the unit. When he got home from his first patrol, I was in the kitchen in his tee that, despite being super long on me normally, was just barely covering my belly. I couldn’t wait to be not pregnant anymore. I was jamming out to some One Direction while I baked a loaf of banana bread, dancing around in my socks and tee. I didn’t even hear him come in, which was weird because if there was one thing Seth wasn’t, it was quiet. That man made more noise getting dressed than a toddler makes at the zoo. He had zero chill when it came to quiet times. He snuck up behind me and kissed my neck, and I let out a bloodcurdling scream.

It scared the shit out of me.

“Wound up, baby? It’s just me,” he whispered into my ear as he wrapped his arms around my growing belly.

I laughed and intertwined my fingers with his as he rubbed my belly. Olivia kicked, and I groaned.

“Whoa,” Seth exclaimed. “Does she do that all the time?”

It was lost on me for a few moments that he’d never felt her kick. That was probably a pretty special moment for him, and one I took for granted sometimes.

“Always, but not usually that hard.” I smiled.

My phone buzzed with a text from Katie, checking on me. I let her know Seth was home, and she sent me back emoji’s that I think were supposed to mean people were fucking. I laughed and closed my phone, tossing it on a chair just over the bar in our kitchen.

Olivia kicked again. This time, though, it felt like she broke my rib.

I doubled over, gripping the countertop for support, my knuckles turning white. Seth jumped back and watched me.

“Mads?”

“I’m okay. Just give me a second,” I said through clenched teeth and shortened breath.

I’d been having small contractions for a couple of weeks, but the doctor said not to worry. It was normal to feel some minor contractions and some pain leading up to the delivery day. So, I didn’t worry. I wasn’t worried even though this one was definitely different. I assumed she had gotten herself into a tight fit and I got to take the brunt of her getting comfortable.

Until I looked down and saw the fluid dripping down my legs.

I watched the warm, clear fluid leak down my leg for a second before looking up to meet Seth’s eyes. He wasted no time.

“Let’s go. Do you have a bag packed?” Seth asked.

“No. Why would I have a bag? It’s too early!” I was very close to freaking the hell out.

“It’s okay. Take a deep breath, Mads. You and I? Unstoppable. We got this.” He walked me out to his truck and got me in the passenger side. He kissed my temple before jogging over to the driver’s side door. He opened it quickly, started the truck, and turned on the air conditioning. “Be right back.” He smiled as he leaned over, kissed my cheek, and buckled me in.

“I’m pregnant, not a child.” I groaned as he walked back inside. He couldn’t hear, thankfully.

I was glad he was excited and happy I had a husband who would take care of me. I was blessed, but good Lord he really knew how to drive me crazy.

He came back to the truck with a duffle bag full of who knew what, and we headed for the hospital. Once we were on the road, he called my doctor and I started to freak out again as he spoke.

“Yes, ma’am. Her water broke in our kitchen.”

“Yes, ma’am. Clear.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

My minor freak-out was becoming a full-on panic attack as he hung up with her, and he saw it in my face before I even realized the tears were starting to flow.

“I’m not ready, Seth. I don’t even have her crib put together. It’s too early!” I cried.

He slipped my hand into his and pulled it to his mouth, kissing each of my knuckles. Then he squeezed my hand three times and rested our hands in his lap as he drove calmly to the hospital.

I was glad one of us had our wits about us.

“Shh. It is early, but it’s not too early.” He brought my hand up and kissed it again. “She’s a strong baby. Thirty-two weeks isn’t going to be life-threatening. We might spend extra time in the hospital with her, but she’s going to be okay. I promise, Madelyn,” he said with conviction.

It was hard not to believe him.

So, I did.

We got to the hospital, and they got us to a room rather quickly. I got an epidural, and my doctor came in to see how I was doing. I was absolutely mortified from all of the checks and how people just expected me to show my vagina to the world, but Seth was there every step of the way. He held my hand when I got scared. He encouraged me when I felt like I had no energy left. He stayed on top of the nurses and doctors about my medications and pain control. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to birth a baby with.

Olivia was born without much complication, and to Seth’s delight, he was right. She was okay. They took her to the NICU just to check her out, but she showed no signs of trouble. Holding her in my arms was one of the best moments of my life. It’s weird, the love you have for a child you’ve never met. Seeing their face makes everything right in the world again. I’ll never forget that feeling, but if I’m honest, there will never be another feeling quite like seeing Seth hold his newborn daughter for the first time. I have never seen so much compassion, so much love, and so much protection in one gaze. She was the size of his forearm, and he handled her like she was an egg that would crack. They both stole my heart away.

The bond was instant, and I knew he was going to be the best dad any child could hope for.