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“Come on, Rowan. Push again. You got this.” He smiled. “That’s it. One more for me. Here he comes.”
Horrific pain, a little more...then it stopped.
“Gage…?”
“Your son is here, sweetheart. Good-lookin’ just like his parents.” He looked over his shoulder at the nurse. “Gonna need some professionals to take over, Becky. I’ve never handled a human baby at this point.”
The woman stepped close with blankets and nodded. “Good gravy, Gage. Never thought I’d see you handle a delivery! Doc is on his way.”
There was a soft sound from her baby and Rowan started crying. Meeting Gage’s eyes, she whispered, “Thank you.”
“Sure thing. Didn’t think this was how things were gonna go. He didn’t waste any time.”
Several people entered the room as James and Nina lowered her back to the gurney.
Her friend cried silently. “You’re amom, Rowan.”
James moved enough for Gage to lean over her. “Congratulations, honey.” He kissed her temple and murmured at her ear, “You told me to never call you honey again but...this time, I couldn’t help myself.”
Rowan laughed. She cried. She accepted the love and relief from her friends. Then the nurse placed her baby in her arms.
“Bennett Benjamin Jefferson the third,” she whispered. “Benji, I’ve been waiting to meet you. Hello, darling.” She kissed his head and knew it was impossible to love anything or anyone more. “I wish your father could have been here to see you, at least once. However, you just arrived in the company of the people I love most. You’ll meet Miss Jeffries soon but the rest of your family is right here.”
A doctor and several nurses bustled around the room but Rowan didn’t talk to them. She talked to her little boy.
“James is your uncle and he’s going to keep you safe all your life. He pretends to be stoic but don’t fall for that. He’s a big softy and he’s going to love you to distraction.” She smoothed her hand over his dark hair. “Mary-Margaret is going to tag team the grandmother position. She’s too sassy to be anormalgrandma but she’s going to keep your life running as flawlessly as mine while she spoils you rotten, too.”
Bringing him closer, she kissed his soft cheek. “Nina is your gorgeous aunt. Far more sophisticated than your mother and the one who’s going to tell you how the worldreallyworks when you don’t buy my rainbow-colored version. I think you’ll go to her for the hard questions about girls.”
Tears fell to his little blanket. “Then there’s Gage. He’s going to show you a life of growing things and being a strong member of a family, a community. I don’t know much about those things but he’s been an expert since he was born. He made sure you got to me safe and sound - like one of his baby calves. We can depend on him, darling.”
Nina wiped Rowan’s face.
“One day, I’ll tell you about your father. He was a good man and you won’t believe all the things he did in his incredible lifetime.” Adjusting him, she explained, “We’re not alone though, Benji. We don’t have your dad but we have the best family anyone could ask for. You’ll see that for yourself.”
Holding him close, she said softly, “I love you. I’m going to give you a life filled with connections and experiences that can’t be bought. Forget all about your inheritance and focus on living and loving, Benji. That’s what matters most. Your dad knew that better than anyone.”
Miss Jeffries entered holding the arm of one of James’ men and said, “Well, honey...you always were fast.”
It made everyone laugh.
Eventually, Rowan was cleaned up and transferred to a private room. Benji was placed in a nursery crib beside the bed. Rowan stared at him and the peace she felt lulled her into a sort of hypnotic state. It had been a day filled with emotions and life-changing events.
For just a moment, in the glare of the afternoon sun through the blinds, she thought she saw Bennett leaning over his son before winking at her and disappearing.
Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes and she whispered, “Bennett…?” Blinking, she tried to bring herself back to reality. “Thank you for Benji. Thank you for everything you did - before and after I lost you. I’m going to be okay now. The people we love will make sure. I love you, Bennett. I wish you could be here.”
Miss Jeffries smoothed Rowan’s hair. “Your Bennett wanted you happy, child. Maybe he stopped by to make sure. You can’t disappoint him, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Rest and I’ll watch your little man. You did good, honey. You sure did. Gonna chat with the Lord a minute and thank him for keepin’ Gage’s mind and hands steady, too. Don’t you worry about a thing.”
Watching her son, Rowan drifted to sleep.
She was a mother with all the confusion and worry it entailed.
She couldn’t wait to get started.
