Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80621 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80621 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
After I help her change into a pair of sweats, I grab the baby bag from the closet and then lead her into the living room where everyone is running around.
“I’ll drive,” Nico says, stepping in front of me, so I toss him my keys.
“We’ll lead the way in Nico’s truck,” Tucker says as he and Miles head for the door.
“We’ll be right behind you,” Sophie says as Willow stops walking and whimpers.
Picking her up I kiss her forehead then head out the door with everyone.
I load her into the backseat then climb in with her as Nico gets in behind the wheel. When Miles and Tucker pull out ahead of us with the lights on, I breathe a little easier because I know we should be to the hospital soon.
“I feel like I need to push,” she whispers, squeezing my hand and any ease I felt a second ago is swiped out from under me.
“Don’t pus...”
“Push if you need to,” Nico cuts me off.
My palms start to sweat. I mean I’ve read some baby books, but I do not know how to deliver a baby.
The moment we pull up to the emergency room I’m so relieved that I might pass out and as I help her out of the car, a nurse comes out with a wheelchair and places her in it. After explaining that her water broke, and her contractions are close and she’s feeling the urge to push she’s rushed right to a room while I fill out paperwork and Nico goes to park.
When I make it to her room a couple minutes later it’s filled with people, and she’s already changed into a hospital gown.
“Okay Dad, she’s already at a ten so it shouldn’t be much longer,” a nurse tells me as I walk to the bed and take Willow’s hand.
“I really did not want to have him on Thanksgiving.”
“Baby.” I laugh, leaning down to press my lips to her forehead. “He’s ready to come—you can’t stop that.”
“I know.”
She whimpers when another contraction hits and her hand squeezes mine so tight that I’m surprised she doesn’t break bones.
“Okay, Willow, I’m going to have you start pushing on the next contraction,” the doctor says from the end of the bed and Willow looks up at me.
“I’m so scared.”
“I’m here,” I whisper, and she draws in a breath, then over the next ten minutes I watch her work hard to bring our son into the world and then hear him cry for the first time before he’s placed on his mom’s chest.
“Did you guys have a name picked out?” the doctor asks, wiping him down a little more.
“Rowen,” Willow tells her, kissing our son’s head and I bend resting my hand on Rowen’s bottom while kissing his mom.
“You did good, baby.”
“We did good.” Tears fill her eyes. “He’s so small, and I’m already in love with him.”
“Me too.” I lean back, feeling humbled by what just happened and what I’ve been entrusted with.
Willow
LYING IN THE hospital bed with my mom lying next to me, Clay and my dad in the chairs next to my bed, and my siblings and Clay’s around the room and Leah holding Rowen, tears fill my eyes.
I have always been grateful for my family and my friends but looking around I know exactly how lucky I truly am. Not many people have what I do, the love of a good man who would do anything necessary to protect me, unwavering love from family and friends that are there anytime I need them, and people who are supportive when things get difficult.
I probably would not be where I am today without the people in this room, each of them have given me the strength to fight through my fear and face each and every day head on, even when I haven’t wanted to. Especially during Troy’s trial years ago before he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
And seeing the way everyone I love, my dad included, has accepted Clay and his family has made my life that much more complete because not only does Clay have me, but now he has dozens of people who care about him and his family the way I do.
I’ve been blessed beyond measure, and I don’t know what I did to deserve all the goodness I’ve received but I will never take any of it for granted.