Page 112 of Make it a Double

He winced, but never dropped my leg. “I know, I know. But you can do this.” He pushed the hair off my forehead, placing a gentle kiss on my knee. “It’ll be over soon. Just a little longer and we’ll have our baby boy.”

I fucking hoped he was right.

“Alright, Sawyer. You’ve got this. Here we go,” Dr. Adler said. “Beckett, start counting.”

“I can’t,” I cried. “I can’t do this.”

“Sawyer, you have to,” Dr. Adler warned. “Otherwise we’ll need to go with a cesarean.”

“No, no, no,” I said, letting my head loll to the side. I didn’t want that either, but I didn’t know how I could do this. I was so tired already. How did other women do this for hours on end?

Beckett looked around the room, gaze settling on another nurse as he said, “Can you take over for me? And can we adjust the bed so I can sit behind her?”

The nurses looked to me for confirmation, and I nodded my head vigorously. I wasn’t sure if it would help, but I knew for a fact it wouldn’t hurt. Feeling Beckett’s strong arms around me would be a welcome reprieve. They moved fast, helping to support my weight as he slipped in behind me. It was awkward at first, but the moment my back leaned against his chest, a feeling of comfort washed over me.

He held out his hands for me to take, interlacing our fingers and giving a gentle squeeze. “You got this, momma. Just a little bit more, okay? Then you can rest.”

Dr. Adler’s voice caught my attention. “We’re gonna try this again, okay? Five, four, three, two, one.”

This time, I pushed as hard as I could, letting Beckett’s gentle voice ground me as he whispered how proud he was, and how good I was doing. I let out a scream as the pressure crested, falling back into his chest as the contraction waned.

“I see his head,” Dr. Adler called. “He’s coming out nicely, Sawyer. You’re doing so well.”

“Hear that, sugar? Our boy’s almost here,” he murmured, tucking his chin in the crook of my neck. “Just a little bit more.”

Blowing out a breath, I nodded, readying myself as Dr. Adler counted down to the next push. I lost track of how many rounds we went, focusing instead on Beckett’s whispered words and the gentle tone of his voice coaxing me through every contraction.

Good job, momma. He’s on his way.

You’re doing so good.

I’m so proud of you.

I love you.

And then my world changed as the pressure ebbed and a piercing cry filled the delivery room. I collapsed against Beckett’s chest, crying tears of relief as Dr. Adler’s team worked quickly to assess our son’s health. She told us there was a possibility of his lungs being underdeveloped, but judging by the scream he let out, I’d say they were working just fine.

“Apgar of ten,” the nurse holding him said, turning to us with a smile. She walked over, holding out the tiniest bundle I’d ever seen. “Here you go, Mom and Dad. A beautiful and healthy baby boy.”

Beckett showered me in kisses between affirmations, helping to peel my gown away as Dr. Adler set our son on my chest. I blinked away tears, staring down at him as he scrunched up his little face. His tiny hand splayed against my skin, and I felt my world shift on its axis. The little bit of hair on his head was a peachy copper color that reminded me of my own.

“Holy shit,” Beckett breathed. “He’s perfect.”

I turned over my shoulder, meeting his gaze. It was crazy to think that we hadn’t even known each other a year, and yet I’d never felt more connected to another human in my life until I held our son. When he leaned in to kiss me, I felt every ounce of his love and affection.

I pulled away, looking down at the wiggling bundle on my chest. “Yeah, he’s pretty perfect,” I murmured in between sobs. Was it normal to cry this much after birth? Surely the tears would stop soon. They had to at some point. I couldn’t go through life crying every time I looked at him.

“Do we have a name for the birth certificate yet?” Dr. Adler asked.

Oh god. The realization we still hadn’t picked a name hit me at full force. Beckett and I had been going back and forth for weeks trying to settle on something. He kept insisting it was my choice, and he’d support me no matter what, but this felt like too important a decision to make by myself.

As if sensing my rising panic, she smiled and patted my hand. “Don’t worry, Sawyer. Y’all have time. Just focus on soaking up these little moments.”

“Thank you for everything,” Beckett said, tearing his gaze away from our baby.

“The pleasure was mine. You’re in good hands here. I’ll check on you in a bit.”

Dr. Adler walked out of the delivery room to a chorus of questions. I could just make out a few familiar voices before the door clicked shut, silencing the noise.