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Lily nods, gripping my hand so tightly that it feels like she might break my fingers. As another contraction washes over her, I think of how strong she is and how much she’s handled throughout her life. She’s faced immense pressure from her family, built a successful charity from the ground up, and now, she’s about to bring our child into the world.
“Almost there,” I assure her as we turn onto the street leading to the hospital. My heart races faster than the car, but I focus on getting us safely to our destination.
Finally, the hospital entrance comes into sight, and I pull up to the curb, screeching to a halt. I barely have time to put the car in park before I’m out of the driver’s seat, rushing to Lily’s side.
“Come on, let’s get you inside,” I say, helping her out of the car as gently as I can.
“Uh-huh.” She seems to be in her own world, lost in labor land.
As we enter the hospital, the staff springs into action. A nurse rushes over with a wheelchair, helping Lily get settled before guiding us through the maze of halls.
“All right, Lily, we’re here.” The nurse stops in front of a room. “Let’s get you comfortable.”
We follow her inside, and everything seems to happen at lightning speed. The medical team bustles around us, helping Lily out of the wheelchair and towards the bed.
“Let’s get you in a gown.” One of the nurses helps Lily to change.
“We’ll call your midwife in to check your progress,” the other nurse says. “And then we’ll?—”
Lily roars like a lion, the sound deep and primal, cutting the woman off. She leans against the bed, feet on the floor, hands on the mattress.
“No,” she grunts out. “It’s… now. I’m pushing.”
The nurse’s eyes widen and she presses the button on her walkie-talkie. “We have a baby coming. Room three-oh-seven.”
In the blink of an eye, the room is a whirlwind of activity, but all I can focus on is Lily. Overcome by instinct, she’s fierce and unyielding, a force of nature in her own right. Her eyes are closed tightly, brows furrowed in concentration as she takes deep breaths and lets them out in forceful exhalations.
I move to her side, gripping her hand as she reaches for mine. She gives me a grunt of gratitude before focusing inward again.
Her midwife arrives then, breathless and hastened. “Oh, we’re going to have a baby, are we?” she exclaims, shrugging off her coat and snapping on a pair of gloves as she heads towards Lily.
Lily grunts through gritted teeth, her fierce eyes flashing open to meet those of the midwife.
She lets out another deep groan as the midwife gets behind her. I stay close at her side, excitement and awe and nerves racing through me.
“You’re doing so good, Lily,” I say. Unexpected tears fill my eyes. After all the months of waiting, I can hardly believe this moment is here.
The midwife kneels on the floor and shines a light at Lily. “I see baby’s head!”
Lily lets out a roar, the sound resonating with so much raw energy it sends shivers down my spine. She bears down, her knuckles turning white as she clings to me. She’s a pillar of strength, a monument to the potency of life itself.
“Good,” the midwife encourages, her experienced hands moving deftly, guiding and aiding Lily in her effort. “Just one more big push, dear.”
Lily takes a deep breath, her eyes locking with mine, echoing the intensity of this shared moment.
I squeeze her hand encouragingly, my voice a soft whisper as I echo the midwife’s words. “One more push, love.”
She pushes, her breath hitching as she pours every ounce of her energy into bringing our child into the world.
The midwife’s face lights up in pure delight as a small, squalling bundle emerges.
“It’s a girl!” she exclaims. “Reach down and grab her.”
Lily opens her eyes, her jaw dropping as she takes the baby. I help her bring the little one up to her chest, touching my child for the first time.
A wave of euphoria washes over me as I gaze down at our daughter, her tiny fists waving around and her wails filling the room.
Lily stares at me with wide eyes, mirroring back perfectly the way I feel. Did that really just happen?
