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“Breathe, just breathe,” I say calmly, rubbing her back in small circles.
“Was that a contraction?” she asks and I can still see the pain etched into her face.
“Yeah, I’m sorry, baby,” I say, feeling utterly useless for the first time ever as a doctor. “I wish that I could take it away for you.”
I help her into the hospital gown and we have to stop twice more when another contraction hits her.
“Go ahead and lie down. I need to see how dilated you are.”
I wash my hands, switching into doctor mode as I head back over to my wife. The next few hours pass in a blur of sweat, tears, cries, and pain. I wish that I could stop it from hurting Gracie but she was already too far along so we couldn’t give her an epidural. She’s being brave, trying not to show how much pain she is in and part of me wishes that she would yell at me or something but I know that she would never do that. Gracie is too sweet.
“One last push, Tink!” I call and she nods, her face sweaty, hair matted to her forehead and her eyes tired.
She pushes and I watch as our daughter comes into the world. Amy helps me as I cut the umbilical cord and take her to be cleaned up. She steps out for a minute as I lay our daughter on Gracie’s chest.
“You did so good, Tinker Bell. I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” she says, tears of joy slipping down her cheeks.
I step back, helping her deliver the placenta and cleaning her up before I take a seat on the edge of the bed and smile down at my wife and daughter.
“What should we name her?” Gracie asks as I help her pull down the hospital gown so she can nurse.
“What about Iris?” I suggest and she seems surprised.
“Iris?”
“Yeah, I looked it up. Those were the first flowers that you sent me, remember?”
Gracie smiles up at me and I lean down, stealing a kiss.
“Well then, welcome to the world, Iris Coleman.”
I lean over, stealing one last kiss before I head out to let our friends in to see how Iris and her mama are doing.
FOURTEEN
Gracie
Ten Years Later…
“Be good for Heath and Caroline,”I tell my kids as I give them one last kiss goodbye.
“Bye, Mom!” they call and I wave, giving Caroline a grateful smile.
“Thanks for watching them,” I say and she waves me off.
“Don’t worry about it! You and Ken have fun. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
I give her a quick hug goodbye before I head back down to the car. Ken is still at the clinic but tonight is our anniversary and we have reservations for a restaurant higher up the mountains.
Ken arranged for us to rent a cabin up there too and I’m excited for some time alone with my husband. Ken’s friend Graham told us that there is already a little bit of snow up at Fallen Peak and I’m looking forward to watching it fall outside while Ken and I curl up by the fire.
I pull into our driveway and smile as Ken comes outside and over to open my door.
“Hey, I thought that I was going to beat you home,” I say as he bends down to drop a kiss on my lips.
“Amy said that she would close up and disinfect the rooms for me,” he says as we head inside.
