Cora

“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.

against my elbow-my heart just breaks to feel him

tears dripping down my face as I take in every ounce of him, every tiny finger and toe, his wide and crying mouth with its

arms wrapped around me,

can’t believe he’s here,” I

mad,”

my mate and shaking my head at him, sniffing back my tears, grateful that his strange sense of humor has at least stopped my crying. “You know, Roger,” I say quietly, “most new parents say something nice about their kid when they meet him for the first time, like how beautiful he is, or how much

still staring at the baby with an expression somewhere between shock and awe. “I doubt he’d

him close and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Welcome

with something that good. He needed

he’s got me,” I sigh. “My whole

and my whole body is aching, I just feel such rich, complete happiness in this

more minutes where it feels like Roger and the baby and I are the only

asks quietly. “Will you let the nurses clean him up and wrap in

needs to be checked. And I laugh as the nurse comes close, reaching for

my arms. “You’re just an

checked out by the doctor. But the

and holding her hands out, palm up. “I basically bled out after

on top of hers and

not understanding her reaction. But then she just grins and shakes her head, dismissing it.

leaning my head on Roger’s shoulder, starting to feel my exhaustion now

This isn’t the first time Ella has healed me, of course, but this is the most conscious I’ve been for it and I can really feel it this time – the way the gift

I feel

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