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.

little head curled against my elbow-my heart just breaks to feel him close to me, so

as I take in every ounce of him, every

arms wrapped around me, staring down at

believe he’s here,” I

he’s so mad,” Roger replies,

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

he’s making a lot of noise, Cora,” Roger murmurs, still staring at the baby with an expression somewhere between shock and

cuddling him close and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Welcome to the world. You are very,

come up with

he’s got me,” I sigh.

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

sit for a few more minutes where it feels like Roger and the baby and I are the only three people in

of joy when I 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,

as the nurse comes close, reaching for him. “I’m sorry,” I

an excited new mom

she carries the baby across the room to be weighed and checked out by the doctor. But the nurse is right –

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

on top of hers and laughing a little. “I’m sure your next one will be

turn my head to the side, not understanding her reaction. But then she just grins and shakes her head, dismissing it. “I’m

I murmur in reply, leaning my head on Roger’s

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

until I feel

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