Hold Me Tight(77)

Dr. P. wanted to meet with us tonight to go over the results of her blood work. I know neither of us wants to leave Natalie, but we’re going to have to start heading over to his office. It’s just down the hall, but it seems like a world away.

“Don’t worry. I’ll sit with her while you’re gone,” Wanda says, coming up behind us, placing her hands on our shoulders, and giving us a squeeze. “I’ll take good care of your little girl.”

“I know you will, Wanda,” Ivy replies, smiling up at her.

“Did either of you get any sleep last night?” Wanda inquires, stepping back to get a good look at us.

“They gave me something so I could rest, but I don’t think he slept a wink,” Ivy laughs, jerking her thumb at me.

“He’s a new dad. He’s not supposed to get any sleep,” Wanda concurs, nodding at me.

“I don’t mind,” I say, yawning, causing them both to chuckle.

“Well, we’d better get a move on before he falls asleep on his feet,” Ivy responds, poking me in the ribs. “Thanks for doing this, Wanda.”

“And let us know if anything happens,” I urge, gripping the handlebars of Ivy’s wheelchair. “Anything at all.”

“I will,” Wanda proclaims. “You can count on it.”

She waves to us as we turn the corner, and I already feel a tug like I want to get back to Natalie. I never imagined this connection to her would be so strong, like it physically hurts to be away from her.

The light in Dr. P.’s office is on, and he rises from behind his desk when he sees us coming. He’s still here after we practically made him give up his entire holiday for us. He’s the most dedicated physician I’ve ever met, and I’m glad he was the one who brought Natalie safely into the world. No one else could have done it but him. Of that much, I’m certain.

“How are the proud parents doing this evening?” he greets us as we roll through the door.

“Elated, tired, relieved,” I reply, settling Ivy in front of him, “and everything in between.”

“That’s to be expected,” he agrees, resting his hands on top of the chart he has spread open before him. “Childbirth is an experience that runs the full gamut of emotions.”

“I don’t know how you do it for a living,” Ivy jokes. “You’re the calmest man I’ve ever met.”

“I’m just there to ease things along. It’s the mother who does all the work and the father who has all the stress.” Dr. P. replies, nodding at us in turn. “But I’m here for you whenever those bumps in the road come along to help guide you through them. Natalie is holding her own, but I was anxious to review the results of her blood work with you. I was thorough in what I had the lab look for. As you know, she made it through a very high-risk pregnancy, and the forty-eight hours after birth are going to be a critical time in her life.”

I find it hard to breathe as he goes on, my chest tightening.

“And so far, she’s stable. She’s right where I’d like her to be.” Dr. P. pauses, and I ball my fists, waiting for that dreaded word. “But…”

And in that moment, I feel like I’m outside of myself. Our fate rests in what he’s about to say. I thought last night was hard when I got the call that Ivy was in labor, but this seems so much worse now that I’ve seen Natalie, now that I want to do everything I can to protect her.

“There is something I want to bring to your attention,” Dr. P. continues, never wavering in that confident tone of voice we’ve come to depend on. “It was detected that Natalie has an extra chromosome in her genetic code, indicative of mental retardation.”

It’s like a kick in the stomach as I hang my head and gasp for air. I look down at the top of Ivy’s head and she doesn’t even flinch.

Dr. P. glances from me to her, noticing the variance in our reaction. “Do you need me to give you a minute alone?” he asks, gazing at me in particular. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“No, we’re fine, Doc,” Ivy responds, not even giving me a second thought. “Please go on.”

I kneel down beside her, taking her face in my hands. “Ivy, did you hear what he said?”

“I did,” she says, her eyes brimming with sympathy. “And it’s going to be okay. Do you want to know why? Because she’s here with us now, and that’s all I ever wanted. She’s perfect just the way she is. I wouldn’t want her any other way.”

“But, Ivy, it’s going to be so hard,” I protest, not really sure if she’s grasping the full weight of the situation.