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The delivery was a blur of sounds and sensations. Blinding lights. Dr. Kettner leaning over her, his faded blue eyes bright and excited. A green sheet hiding everything below her waist. Ben whispering encouragement in her ear. Finally, the piercing squall of their daughter. Ben crying. Dr. Kettner congratulation them. Nurses bustling around her.
Before she had a chance to see her baby, Jules was rushed into surgery for an emergency craniotomy.
* * *
“She’s beautiful.”Vickie gazed down at the baby, swaddled in a pink and blue stripped blanket, dark fuzz peeking from beneath the pink knit cap covering her head, sleeping peacefully in the hospital bassinet.
“Six pounds, nineteen inches.” Ben couldn’t hold back his pride. “Dr. Kettner says she’s perfect.”
“How’s Jules?” August stood next to Vickie, looking a tad uncomfortable this close to so many infants. His eyes bounced from his girlfriend to the baby and back, as if waiting for her to blurt out that she, too, wanted one.
“She’s still in surgery.” Ben reached out to brush his fingertip over Skye’s tiny fist. He was caught between exhilaration and agony, thrilled to welcome his little girl into the world, paralyzed by fear that the tumor would be more serious, more invasive, more aggressive, more devastating than originally estimated.
“You did everything you could,” August said, huffing when Vickie elbowed him in the stomach.
“She’s not dead, you moron.” She glared at him. “If you don’t know what to say, don’t say anything at all.”
Rubbing his stomach, August ducked his head apologetically. “That’s not what I meant. Ben, you’ve been a superhero these past three months. Keeping the shop running. Managing your own worries. Staying strong for Jules and the baby. Dude, you’re, like, amazing.”
Vickie pecked her boyfriend’s cheek. “That, you can say.”
“What happens next?” Vickie asked.
“Skye will be discharged in a few days if she’s able to eat and doesn’t develop any problems.” Ben nodded when a nurse peeked into the private visiting room, offering to take the baby back to the nursery. “My sister is coming in from Denver for two weeks. She and my mom will help out with Skye.”
Beyond that, he didn’t know. Everything would depend on the outcome of Jules’ surgery.
“Have you eaten today?” Vickie checked her phone. “It’s after nine.”
“No. We came straight to the hospital from the neurologist’s office. Jules had the C-section, then…” His shoulders drooped.
“Come on. We can get something in the cafeteria. Or August can pick up a pizza from Cottage Inn,” Vickie urged.
“I feel like I should stay with Skye until I hear something about Jules.” He looked up and caught the concern on Vickie’s face. “I wouldn’t say no to pizza, though.”
“We’ll be back as fast as we can.” Vickie grabbed August’s hand and led him away.
Exhausted, more tired than he could remember, Ben sank onto a bench in the hallway outside the nursery. This time of night, there were few visitors. Aside from the nurses and a few patients strolling the hallway, it was quiet. Occasionally, a baby’s cry could be heard, but the sound caused no distress in Ben. He found the squalls reassuring. Brand new beings announcing their arrival in the world, insisting they be admired for the miraculous deed they’d accomplished—the journey from a parent’s deepest hope to their greatest joy.
Jules was so brave. Dr. Navi’s announcement had shocked them both. She hardly said a word, just did what needed to be done. Skye was lucky to have her as her mother. He knew the hard work has only just begun. They had years ahead of them that would require patience, strength, determination, dedication, resourcefulness, and courage.
Tired and worried, Ben’s thoughts took a turn toward the dark. What if Jules didn’t come out of surgery? What if the craniotomy left her impaired? What if she didn’t remember him or Skye? He couldn’t do this alone. He needed his wife. Skye needed her mother. Resting his head in his hands, Ben began to weep. Horrible what-ifs spiraled through his mind.
“Mr. Rosner! My God, has something happened to Baby Skye?” Dr. Navi, still in scrubs, jogged over to where Ben sat. “Dr. Kettner said—”
“The baby is fine.” Ben blinked away tears and realized his hands were shaking. “How is my wife? What did you find?”
“Ah, the tumor was a nasty little bugger. It was causing so many problems because it was situated—” Dr. Navi realized that wasn’t the answer Ben wanted. “Your wife will be fine. The tumor had clean edges, and I was able to remove the whole mass. We’ll need to assess her condition when she wakes up, but four, maybe five days, and she can go home.”
Ben stared at him. “That’s it?”
After all their fears and worries, the weeks of stress, the sleepless nights…
Jules could come home in less than a week.
When Vickie and August appeared with the pizza, they found Ben and a short Indian doctor laugh-crying, arms slung over each other’s shoulders.
“I’m glad we got the extra-large,” August whispered.
