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An hour later, my phone vibrates, making her jump. She raises her head and looks about in confusion.
“It’s okay; it’s just my phone.”
Understanding dawns and she lies back down. I reach for my phone, and my heart skips a beat when I see Martin’s name on the screen. I swipe to answer, and even before I say anything, he starts talking.
“I think Fran is in labor,” Martin says, his voice panicky.
“That’s wonderful,” I respond. “Have you taken her to the hospital?”
“No, I’m not sure if it’s the real thing.”
I shake my head, unable to believe that I’m talking to a doctor. I’ve heard of doctors going into shock when their wives go into labor, but I didn’t expect it of Martin. He’s the most level-headed man I know.
“You had better take her unless you want to deliver the baby yourself.” That seems to rouse him.
“You’re right. I don’t even know why I called you,” he says, sounding like himself.
I chuckle. “To bring you back to your senses. Do you want me to meet you at the hospital?”
“No, of course not. Swing by tomorrow when you’re free to meet the baby.” I can hear the grin in his voice.
We say goodbye, and when I look down at Cora, she’s completely asleep. Not even a conversation near her ear can wake her up.
***
“Tell me again what he said,” Cora says as we’re driving to the maternity hospital.
I laugh and recount my conversation with Martin the previous night.
“We shouldn’t laugh,” Cora says. “We don’t know how we’ll behave when it’s our turn.”
I glance at her. “Do you see me losing my cool when you go into labor?”
“Honestly, no, but you didn’t think Martin would either. I can’t believe I slept through all that,” she says.
“You must have been very tired, but that’s expected at this stage of pregnancy.”
At the hospital, we are given Fran’s floor and room number at reception, and we ride the elevator up. I take Cora’s hand as we leave the elevator and walk down the hallway until we find Fran’s room.
We hear an excited chatter even before we enter the room. There are my parents, Martin’s parents, and Martin himself. Luckily, it’s a large room and accommodates two more people comfortably.
“Thomas,” Fran cries out when she sees me and does the same with Cora. The baby is not visible as she’s snuggled in her mother’s arms. We enter the room and hug and greet until we reach Martin. I man hug him and pump his hand.
“Congratulations, man,” I tell him.
His grin almost splits his face. “Thank you. Your niece is gorgeous. She looks just like her mother.”
“Can’t wait to see her.”
Behind me, I hear my mother exclaiming Cora’s pregnancy and how they can’t wait to meet the baby.
“Hey, you. Whoever thought that one day you’d be a mother?” I tell my sister as I kiss her on the cheek. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks,” she says and pulls away the blankets covering my niece. “Meet the latest member of the family. Her name is Willow.”
My niece’s little face is scrunched up, and she makes a face of displeasure as soon as her mother pulls down her blanket. I laugh. “She’s your daughter, all right. She has no qualms about making her feelings known.”
Fran laughs, and I move away to give space to Cora.
Later, Cora and I leave the hospital and head downstairs to the car. She’s uncharacteristically quiet, and I wait until we are in the car.
“Are you okay?”
She glances at me with a worried look on her face. “Holding Fran and Martin’s baby made it feel so real. Soon it’ll be us, and I’m not sure I’m ready to be a mom. That responsibility is too huge. We have to teach the baby everything.”
My first instinct is to make fun of Cora, but luckily, I curb it and realize that she’s having an anxiety attack. “Will it make you feel better to know that a lot of parents-to-be have voiced this same worry to me? Most people think the hospital has no business entrusting them with their own baby.”
Cora laughs, and her lines of worry disappear. “That’s exactly how I feel. I think they should let me stay in hospital until the baby is two years old.”
I laugh too. “As soon as you set eyes on the baby, your motherly instincts will kick in, and you’ll be okay. We’ll be great parents.”
I start the car.
“Thanks, I know we will. It’s just that I haven’t seen a newborn in years. I forgot how little and dependent they are.”
“Hey, have you given some thought to attending a few parental classes?” I ask her.
“Yeah, I have, and I think I will,” Cora says.
I drop her off at the gym, kiss her goodbye, and head back to work. I hope that I’m managing to look like an excited dad, but I’m afraid that I sound like a doctor instead. It doesn’t seem to bother Cora. Either that, or she doesn’t even notice it.
