ENJOY!

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WEEKS: 0

Thinking back to this day, it was hilarious how Rocco ran around cursing and shrieking like a sixteen-year-old girl. Stella was calm, she drove and found alternate routes here and there, to avoid the heavy traffic of a Friday evening. Rocco was in the backseat with me, my support for the beginning of my long labor.

"Ok, that's good. Now, take another deep breath through your nose... Good... now let it go through your mouth... How do you feel?"

"Better..." Rocco whimpered, as I patted his back "Sorry... I'm freaking out over here..."

"Yeah, I understand... Labor is hard." I had to chuckle, but winced as I felt another pinch "Fuck... How long, Stella?"

"Hard to say. Fucking traffic... You?"

"God knows..." I sighed "I would say it won't take me long to pop this girl out."

"What makes you say that?" Rocco frowned, holding my hand.

"Ouch!" I grunted, as another big contraction came; I squeezed Rocco's hand tight and he hissed at the pain "Oh, you know... just a feeling!"

"We're almost there!" Stella assured me "Oh my God, I'm so excited! Baby, call Angela and Jordan. Have them meet us there asap!"

"On it." Rocco nodded, grabbing his cellphone "Hey, man. Yeah, good, good. You? Oh, you know, just the us-"

"Rocco!" I yelled.

"Sorry!" He winced "Huh, buddy, you gotta get in your car right now and get your ass to the hospital. No, it's the baby. She's on her way, daddy! We're stuck in traffic, actually." Rocco looked around "Not sure, GPS says half an hour... I know, man, sorry, but, Friday evening madness... Ok. No, no... no point meeting us here, you'd only get stuck as well. Better go to the hospital, get them ready for when we arrive – yes, she's fine." Rocco winked at me "Huh... hold on... He... wants to talk to you..."

"Hold on....!" I bit my lower lip and winced at another contraction "Yeah, sure. Put him on..." I cleared my throat and took a deep breath "Hey..."

"I'm on my way!" He yelled from the other end, and I could hear him cursing and beeping in his car "I'll get everything ready for you, promise! How're you feeling? Does it hurt? Fuck, ignore that. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine..." I chuckled a bit, and winced at another pain "Mother fucker!"

"I'm sorry!" He moaned on the other side "I should've been there!"

"My fault, not yours." I assured him "Just... be there... ok? Please...?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, love... I'll see you soon, ok, Lemon Tea?"

I had to chuckle at that, and tears fell down my cheeks.

"Sure thing... Jack Daniels..." It overflooded my heart to hear him laugh.

Miami traffic helped to make the trip to the hospital take over an hour. I was sure this girl was peeking through by this point. It was funny to have Rocco get out of control and turn hysterical. He was sure the baby would literally pop-out and he would have to catch it midflight – I don't think he knows how birthing works.

"It's not a football, baby!" Stella had to yell, as she helped me out of the car "Ok... here we go, momma... nice and slowly..."

All an all, it was quite relaxing to have those two taking me to the hospital, at least it was good entertainment. As soon as I saw the hospital doors and the nurses ran to us with a wheelchair... I think something inside me just realized that this was actually happening, this was it. I felt my insides get tight and I bent over in pain.

"Oh, fuck me!" I yelled, as they dragged me down to the wheelchair "I think... I..."

"We're on it, sweetie!" One of the nurses assured me, pushing me straight through the hospital.

We went through corridors filled with people, doctors and patients, to smaller and brighter areas with less people and that horrible nasty disinfectant smell. As soon as I saw 'Maternity Ward', I took a deep breath of relief. At least my baby wasn't going to be born in the back of a sedan.

"There she is!" I heard Angela yell.

"Fuckin' hell..." I heard Rocco let out, as he fell onto the chairs in the corridor; he had literally closed the shop.

"Violet!"

I whimpered at that voice. I saw him run from the end of the corridor and immediately kneel in front of the wheel chair, grab my hands and kiss them. He was shaking, very pale and cold.

"How are you? Stupid question – do you need anything?" He was stammering.

"Mr. Marshall, we need to take her into the ward" The nurse rushed.

"Yeah... yeah, of course..." He nodded, and I could feel his heartbeat in his hands "Please take care of her..."

"Can... can he come along?" I begged the nurse.

"Oh, honey, of course!" The redheaded girl winked "C'mon, we need to have you checked to know where we're at."

"I would say pretty close" I whimpered, as she pushed me down the corridor.

"Oh, darling... it's your first, it could take a whole day!" She smiled.

A day?! I'm sure I paled at that important piece of information. Fuck this, I was out of here! This birthing was cancelled!

***

"Ok... does that make it better...?" Jordan asked, as he pressed his big palms on my lower back.

"A bit, yes." I moaned, as the contraction faded "Thank you..."

"We're out of ice chips." Angela moaned at my painful face "I'll get some more, sweetie. You hang in there!"

"Thank you" I tried to smile at my mother-in-law as she ran out of the room.

"Do you want to stand or lay down again?" He asked me.

"I... I need to walk a bit..."

I was sweating, shaking and in so much pain I could barely think. Sure, it was a 'come and go' kind of pain, but it still fucking hurt! Walking seemed to help, and the ice chips were great to keep me cool.

Jordan and Angela had stayed with me and I had kissed dad and Eva when they arrived as well. No, I didn't want anybody else there with me – one stressed out father and an honest-to-God faultless mother-in-law was more than enough.

"Here, let me wipe that sweat off your brow. I hope mom will be back soon with those ice chips, you need to keep yourself hydrated" He whispered, grabbing a wet cloth and wiping the sweat himself as I paced around my private room.

I sighed at the cooling feeling irradiating through my face. He went to get another wet cloth but I stopped him. He frowned, and I didn't say anything, I just started to cry, and he hugged me straight away.

"Shh... it's alright, love... I'm right here... I'm right here with you..." He whispered against my sweaty forehead.

"I'm so sorry... I... I just..."

"I know..." He sighed against my forehead "I know... You don't have to apologize, don't even dare. I know..."

"I just... I felt so... so alone..." I whimpered against his neck; God, I missed his smell.

"I was an ass. I never meant to hurt you, and she doesn't mean anything!" He vowed, pushing me back so he would look into my eyes "Nothing, sweetheart. You're everything, what we've built... our plans, our family...? That's all I want. Yes, I am terrified, I felt suffocated, but not by you... don't ever think that! I never regretted anything. We've made these plans together, you never pushed me, how could you even think that?"

"I kind of did..." I shrugged.

"I proposed!" He snorted, and I had to chuckle "C'mon, I was desperate to have you! If anything, I was the one pushing you all the time! How could you even think I didn't want my life with you?!"

"I just felt... betrayed." I admitted and he sighed "I am still a bit hurt..."

"I know... and I understand that... I should've told you..." He shook his head "I just didn't want you to be worried, you had more than enough to worry about, love. I wanted you to feel relaxed and safe. Hell, apart from having sex with you and making a baby, I'm kinda useless over here!"

"Don't say that." I chuckled, caressing his pale cheek "You're helping me go through this... that's all I want... all I need from you."

"Good, 'cause I don't think anybody in here would like to see me push." He winked "Hey, do you have to... you know... go before you pop Julie out?"

"Jackass...!" I chuckled and blushed, remembering our conversation about number too all over my labor bed; I felt the piercing pain of another contraction, and didn't have time to take another breath as another big one came right along "Oh, shit!" I gasped, at the feeling inside "Jordan, call the nurse. Now!"

"Oh, shit, oh, shit!" He yelled, running to the door "Miss!"

She came running in and I was wincing and grunting at another contraction, sitting down on the bed.

"Ok, we need to check your cervix." The nurse said, making me lay down; after a few seconds she nodded at the other one "She's ready."

"Oh, God...!" Jordan moaned, and he turned a weird shade of grey.

"If you're going to pass out, please stay here" The nurse tossed as Angela came running inside.

"I can go!" She quickly volunteered.

"No!" He grunted, shaking his head, grabbing a handful of ice chips and chucking them into his mouth in one go "I'm fine. Let's do this."

"Good." She grinned "Let's have this baby, shall we?"

***

"Ok, another push now." Doctor Madrugo said, as she literally sat between my open legs and looked up my privates "Good... a bit more.... Ok, now relax a little. Take a break. You're doing great."

I let my head fall over the pillow and moaned. I didn't feel like I was doing great at all. The pain was bad, but it was the thirst and the tiredness that undid me. I literally felt like I couldn't give another push, I could barely feel my legs. I was so tired I just wanted to curl up in a bathtub and nap.

"You're doing great." Jordan whispered beside me, kissing my forehead, as he held my hand and caressed my hair "You really are... Just another minute and all will be over.

"I'm so tired..." I admitted, looking up into his grey eyes "I'm never having sex with you again..."

He chuckled and kissed my brow.

"Yes, you are" He assured me, his usual confident self again.

"Ready?" Dr. Celia smiled.

"No..." I winced "Please..."

"C'mon, sweetheart." Jordan coaxed "We're almost there, I promise..."

"That's what you said last time!" I accused and winced at the contraction "Oh, FUCK!"

"Here we go!" Dr. Celia joined in "C'mon, mommy, that's it, just ride along with the contraction! Oh, we have a head! She's well positioned. C'mon, darling, one last push, I promise!"

I groaned at the pain and fought the exhaustion; I pushed hard as I could feel my baby girl halfway out. It was weird how in one second she was there and then I felt her slide out, taking my breath away. My body literally gave up immediately as that little sucker was out.

"Oh!" I jerked at the feeling of total exhaustion "Is she ok?! I think... I think I pushed too hard!"

The nurse grabbed the baby and she quickly swept a towel over her face; my baby coughed a couple of times, there seemed to be a long silent pause in the room, both Jordan and I stopped breathing; and then she screamed deadly inferno. I had never felt something like that first sound, that first living proof that there was in fact a baby that was mine, inches away from my arms, who was completely dependent on me and my body.

"Here we go" The nurse grinned, bringing her back to us and pushing her softly to my chest "a beautiful and chubby and perfect baby girl."

Jordan was speechless next to me, as I was suddenly aware that this little pink and purple screaming infant was mine, and I had the responsibility to make all the right decisions... and keep her alive!

"Oh, Jesus..." I heard Jordan whisper next to me "We... we made that..."

"I know..." I had to smile, and my hands were trembling as I grabbed her and cradled her on my chest "Dear God...! She's so warm! She's tiny, can you see how tiny she is?!"

"I... We're responsible for this living thing, you know?" Jordan muttered, his hand reaching out to graze her pink head "She's so soft... What if I hurt her?!"

"Don't be silly." I smiled up at his wet eyes "You could never..."

"I'm writing her name on my chest, over my heart." He decided, because... priorities! "And yours, just above it."

"Honey... this is so not the time." I had to chuckle, as I looked down at our screaming baby, shaking over my breast "Maybe she's cold."

"She'll be fine." The nurse smiled "We'll need to remove the placenta, so we're clamping her chord. We'll have her bathed and changed soon, ok?"

"Yes, of course..." I sighed, caressing her soft and purple head.

She had ten little fingers and ten little toes – I counted them all. Her nose was tiny and round like a little rose button, her eyes were too slits and she didn't have a single hair on her head. Her body was pink and purple from the birth, she was still sticky and had goo all over her, but I didn't care. I felt hot tears coming down my face as I kissed every single fingertip and her soft forehead. Jordan was right next to us, caressing my head and looking down at our baby with big round eyes – he reminded me of a deer in headlights.

"Can my husband hold her?"

"He can." The nurse smiled "Do you want to cut the cord?"

"Me?" Jordan muttered.

He was so pale I honestly thought he was going to pass out, but he kept through. He cut the cord, the nurse took the scissors and handed our baby girl to her daddy. The nurse was kind enough to take some photos. Jordan cradled the baby to his chest, over the blue hospital gown. I could see him shake a bit, but I was sure that was more an emotional reaction than anything else.

"Look at that..." He whispered, looking down at our tiny perfect daughter "She stopped crying..."

"Your hugs are really comfortable." I assured him, as the nurses helped me clean up and get ready for the recovery room "I get that."

"Alright" One of the nurses smiled as she came back "we need to take her now. Dad, you can wait outside with the rest of the family, and we'll call you once the two of them are in the room."

"Ok..." He nodded, but didn't hand Julie over, he just kept looking down at her face with a smile on his face.

"Honey?" I called.

"Oh... sorry" He jerked, and regretfully handed our baby over to the nurse "Just careful with her head."

"He means well..." I assured the smiling nurse.

The nurse chuckled and took Julie away.

"Ok... I'm going to the room. Apparently everything is all ready to go for the three of us. I have to thank your dad for the suite" He smiled, caressing my sweaty hair and kissing me softly.

"You definitely have." I smiled, caressing his beard "You should go home and shower, though."

"I can shower in the suite." He shrugged "I'll get something to eat, though. Not that is over, I'm fucking starving."

"Me too." I chuckled "Ok, go to the suite, I'll see you soon."

"I love you..." He whispered, kissing my lips softly "You were so brave today..."

"Oh, that's nothing...!" I shrugged nonchalantly "I love you too."