“You’ve got this, Cora!” Ella cheers at my side while I squeeze Roger’s hand, panting and shouting as I give what the nurse has told me is one last, final push.
I put everything I have into this final moment, squeezing my eyes shut and pushing as hard as I can, wanting this done – wanting to feel my little baby in my arms And suddenly the pressure lessens, and my eyes fly open as I gasp And there’s a little baby’s cry ringing out through the room.
“Here!” I gasp, leaning forward fervently, some motherly demand in me needing my little baby now even as I see him in the nurse’s hands. “Give him to me!” The nurse hesitates, looking towards her colleagues. I moan a little, still reaching, wanting him now “Do it,” Ella snaps suddenly up from my side. She stands and moves towards the nurse, putting a hang on her shoulder and gesturing towards me. ” He needs his mother – ” Roger is completely still at my side, his eyes focused totally on the baby, who starts to cry his little heart out.
“Please,” I beg, reaching for him.
“All right,” the nurse says, nodding and bringing him forward. “We’ll clean him up in a minute – ” And she takes two steps forward, and leans down, and places my little baby in my arms And I burst immediately into tears.
the weight of him against my arm-his little head curled against my elbow-my heart just breaks to
down my face as I take in every ounce of him, every tiny finger and toe, his wide and crying mouth with its perfect tiny
believe he’s here,”
can’t believe he’s so mad,”
making a lot of noise, Cora,” Roger murmurs, still staring at the baby with an expression somewhere between shock and awe. “I doubt he’d even hear me wasted compliment.”
baby and I are the only three people in
look up at her. “What do you think, Cora?” she asks quietly. “Will you let the nurses clean him up and wrap in him in a blanket? And I’ll check you out, see if I can heal you up?” “Oh,” I say, suddenly remembering that – yeah,
sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “I didn’t mean to yell at you earlier -” “It’s okay, you didn’t,” the nurse says, grinning at me as she takes the baby from my arms. “You’re just an excited new mom and the birth went beautifully, no complications, so there’s
after my traumatic pregnancy, and you get away scot-free?” “Don’t be jealous, Ells,” I sigh, placing my hands on top of hers and laughing a little. “I’m sure your next one will be perfectly smooth.” She flinches a little, looking up at me with wide eyes, and I turn my head to the side, not understanding her reaction.
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