And I did. I told myself strength was flowing from his body into mine, and there was nothing Ryke couldn’t do. Nothing mattered but pushing with all my might every time I was ordered to. When it hurt, I reminded myself it would all be worth it. This baby was a gift to our family.
With a warm gush between my legs, the pain subsided immediately. I fell against Ryke and he craned his neck to see the work the doctor was doing between my legs.
“Ryke,” I murmured. “What’s happening?”
A shrill wail was the answer to my question. Ryke supported me so I could look up. Mom’s face was wet with tears. The cry was coming from a baby with a head full of black hair.
“You have a son!” Dr. Polanski said happily, holding him up for me to see. I sobbed, so many emotions coming to the surface. Ryke dropped his face to mine, kissing me lightly. His face was streaked with tears, too.
“He’s so beautiful,” I murmured. “Can I touch him?” Every muscle in my body was weak, but I found the energy to crane my neck and see our son. Dr. Polanski was coaching Ryke through cutting the umbilical cord.
“We’ll clean him up and you can hold him as long as you’d like and nurse,” the doctor said. “You did fantastic, Kate.”
I reached my hand out as the doctor turned to take him to the waiting nurses. “Just a touch.” My voice broke when I started crying again. “I want to know he’s real.”
“Of course.” Dr. Polanski handed the baby off to a nurse, who brought him over and crouched next to me. I reached for the tiny hand, cradling it in my much larger one.
“I love you,” I said. “You’re the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen. You look just like your daddy.”
Ryke took pictures of the nurses cleaning up our son and I watched, filled with intense relief and joy. The doctor was still working on slowing my bleeding, and soon I had to let my head fall back. It took too much strength to hold it up.
I turned my head to the side when Ryke came over to lean down next to me.
“You did amazing,” he said, kissing my forehead. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too,” I said softly. “Thanks for believing in me.”
The shine in his caramel eyes said more than words could. “Always.”
The doctor covered my lower half with a blanket and my mom brought Melody in. She was enchanted with her brother from the moment she saw him.
“What’s his name?” she asked when a nurse put him in my arms.
“He’s perfect,” the nurse said. “Eight pounds, two ounces and healthy.”
A tear slid down my cheek as I looked at the tiny face in the bundle I held. I’d lost hope that I was capable of bringing a healthy baby into the world. And then this miracle had snuck up on me.
“I hadn’t … we haven’t talked about names. Ryke? I’d love it if you’d name him.”
We’d never spoken of names, but I was sure that didn’t mean he hadn’t thought about it. I’d been too afraid it would bring me even closer to the child I was terrified I’d never meet. But now … all bets were off. My heart was entwined with my son’s the same as it was with Melody’s.
“I had a teammate who only got to play a couple of pro games because of a head injury,” Ryke said. “He’s an outstanding guy who actually got hurt saving a kid who was about to get hit by a car. Could we name the baby Andrew after him?”
“Andrew Jason Ryker,” I said, looking at the tips of dark hair peeking out from the edge of his tiny baby stocking hat. “That’s perfect.”
This was the moment I’d dreamed of, but it was so much more than I’d thought possible. I was surrounded by the little girl who brought me out of the darkness, the baby boy who taught me to hope against hope and the man who loved me through anything. I wasn’t a prisoner of worry anymore, though I knew the four of us would have ups and downs in our lives. But we’d celebrate the good times and face the hard ones the same way we were gathered around the hospital bed right now. Together.
Epilogue – Two months later
Melody cooed and made funny faces at AJ, holding his rapt attention.
“Can you smile?” she begged. “Smile, AJ!”
“He will later, sweetie,” I said. “And I bet he’ll smile at you first.”
AJ was bundled in a blanket in her arms, but he turned toward the sound of my voice. I was next to Melody on the couch, and Ryke was kicked back in his favorite recliner, watching us all with a small smile.
“Did you hear mommy?” Melody cooed to AJ. “That’s our mommy.”