Epilogue

I had been sitting on my bed, talking to my way-too-patient baby, begging him or her to get out of me. Luckily, the firm in Helena hired me on such short notice and was even willing to give me much-needed time off for this baby that was refusing to come.

"Please get out. I already love you so there's no reason to stay attached to me. Besides, your father is driving me crazy. So, if you could do me the hugest favor, I promise to spoil you forever— What the...?"

I jumped from the bed and freaked out when fluid began pouring out of me.

"Oh, my God. Jase."

I knew he was home. I heard his truck pull in a few minutes before from his appointment with Dr. Barton. 

He came rushing up the stairs and into our bedroom, panic-stricken when he noticed the pool of water on the floor between my legs.

"Red, your water broke!"

"I know this."

As I stood there, I watched the most patient man in the world start running back and forth from the nursery to our bedroom. The baby was already four days overdue which meant all of our bags were already packed. What he was doing was pointless and almost comical. 

"Jase, the bags are in the trunk of my car, remember?"

He stopped moving but his eyes were still scanning the room like he was looking for something. 

"Honey, we need to go to the hospital now."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, okay. Let’s go."

He took the bend in my arm and led me down the steps. I would say this was overkill but as big as my stomach got, I couldn't see where the steps were anymore. By the time we reached the car, he was freaking out.

"What if we don't make it in time? I don't know how to deliver a baby. Why did we pack your car?"

He started pulling everything out of my trunk and throwing it in the back of his truck. 

"We're taking the truck. Come on, babe, we need to hurry."

I walked over to the passenger side but needed help getting up into the cab.

"Jase, I need a little help here."

He was by my side in seconds. 

"I can't believe you're going to have the baby."

He closed the door and all but ran to the driver’s side and climbed in. 

"Did you grab your phone? We need to call my mom and sister."

He answered by jumping out and running back in the house. Seconds later, he was running back with his phone held in the air. I couldn't help but laugh. Raising this baby was going to be interesting for sure.

Four hours later, I was in more pain than I ever imagined possible. Looking around the room and seeing my family there meant everything to me, but it wasn't what I needed. 

"You guys, get out."

All eyes landed on me as one of my largest contractions set in. I tried to breathe like they taught me in class but I was positive the people teaching had never given birth. There was no freaking way anyone could stay calm through that kind of pain and breathe like they instructed. This is miserable!

"I think she wants to be alone for a little bit. Why don't we all just head out to the waiting room and give her some space?"

Through my so called breathing techniques, I screamed, "Jason Jergensmeyer, if you leave me right now I will—"

His hand landed on my leg as he interjected, "Guess I will see you guys in a little bit."

Canyon, Arianna, and my mother all laughed as each one came, kissed me on my forehead, and wished me luck. Nothing seemed funny at the time—my nether region felt like it had its own rip roaring pulse and my stomach was cramping out of control. 

"Hey, babe, it's going to be okay. I'm here, and we will get through this together."

The look I gave him clearly read, "Together, my ass."

"You know what I mean."

When the contraction faded, I felt a strong sensation to poop, and it scared me to death. 

"Jase, go get the doctor! I am not pooping in this bed and I need to really bad."

"Ew."

"Jase, I swear to God!"

He ran from the room, and just seconds, later my nurse came in.

"How are you feeling, hun? Can I get you anything?"

"I seriously don't want to poop, but I feel like it's coming out."

The smile on her face fell as she took the stool and pulled it to the end of the bed.

"I need you to relax for me while I check to see how you're dilating."

Who in their right mind would go down there when someone says they are about to crap the bed they're lying in?

I felt her fingers and then the stool was slid back as she came to her feet and looked at me.

"The baby is crowning. I'm sorry to say you went faster than expected. There's no time for an epidural now. I'm going to go prep the doctor. I'll be right back."

I was shocked speechless. There was absolutely no way I was giving birth to my baby without drugs. No damn way! But before I could argue with her, she walked out the door. Panic became fear as I sat in that room all alone. Another contraction started taking away any thought other than pain. Jase came rushing back to my side saying enthusiastically, "I heard the nurse tell the doctor it's time!"

"Did you also hear I can't have the epidural? Jase, I'm scared. Can you go get my sister? My mom? Pleeeeeease.”

"I don't want to miss this."

"The baby is not going to fall out. Now please, go get someone!"

When he ran out of the room, I screamed at the top of my lungs as pain ripped through me. Three nurses, my doctor, my sister, my mom, and my husband came rushing in the room. My eye sight was gone, and all I saw were stars as I prayed that God would just make the pain stop. And then another contraction came.

My doctor was between my legs talking to me, but I couldn't hear a word she said as I again screamed from the pain. I felt Jase take my hand and then my sister on the other side while my mom pushed the hair off my forehead. Everything happened so fast but in slow motion. I know that makes no sense unless you've given birth this way. All I remember thinking as the pain left and my doctor rested my newborn angel on my chest was please don't let it be slimy, but the second I heard her cry nothing else mattered. Yes, I said her. We didn't want to know so we waited it out, but as soon as she was welcomed to the world, it was announced and the entire room began to cry. 

"She's so beautiful, and perfect, and, my God, Red, she even has your hair." He kissed me, and I felt one of his tears land on my cheek. "I love you so damn much."

"I love you too. I can't believe we have a daughter."

"She's going to have everything she ever could ever want."

I looked into his eyes, and there had never been a more perfect moment in my life.

They cleaned her up before they brought her back to me, and sure enough, there was my red hair sticking up everywhere. I didn't think I had ever smiled so big while in so much pain but our baby girl was just as her father described her. She was beautiful. She was perfect. And she made two people who loved each other unconditionally a family.

Jase and I agreed that if we had a girl she would get initials that represented my sister and mom. Two women in my life who sacrificed so much to make me the mother I would be.

Adalynn Corrine Jergensmeyer was the name we gave her. She weighed eight pounds six ounces, and was twenty-one-and-a-half inches long at birth. She was the light Jase and I both needed through that time in our lives, and there would never be a day we didn't feel blessed she joined us. Our story was just beginning, but in a way, it was over. How we got there was a story worth sharing, but the rest was up to fate.