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She smiled. “Outside of being a little scared, I feel pretty good.”
“I think it’s normal to feel scared.”
They rode down one floor and the doors opened. “Thank you for helping me out, Jarrett. I know this isn’t in your landlord duties.”
“Hey, I told you it’s not a problem.” They stepped off the elevator and walked outside. “Is there anyone you want me to call?”
Mia shook her head. “Nola was supposed to be my coach, but I can’t take her away from her grandkids.”
“Is there a backup?”
She stopped and looked at him pleadingly. “You?”
“You’re kidding?”
“Do you think I like asking you again?”
“I didn’t say I mind doing it, I just don’t know what to do.” He wasn’t making any sense.
“Join the club. This is my first time, too,” she began, then suddenly groaned.
He saw the pain etched across her face, but it was her fingernails digging into his arm that told him what was happening. Labor had begun.
“Looks like you’re getting an early Christmas present.”
Thirty minutes and five labor pains later, Jarrett pulled up at the emergency-room door. An attendant brought out a wheelchair, and Mia took the seat. Then Jarrett drove off and she was wheeled inside to get admitted.
After minimal paperwork, she was taken up to the maternity floor and into a labor/delivery room. Once dressed in a gown and in bed, she was hooked to monitors to watch her progress.
“Looks like you lose the bet for a Christmas-day baby.”
Mia looked up as Dr. Drake walked in and nodded to the other doctor leaving. “December fifteenth seems like a fine birthday to me.”
“How are you doing?” Lauren asked, checking the monitor.
No sooner were the words out than Mia felt a contraction begin to build.
“Breathe,” the doctor instructed her as she came to the bedside. “It’s almost over. There. Take a cleansing breath.”
Mia sighed and lay back against the pillow. “That was stronger than the others.”
“They’re going to get even stronger before the baby comes. Don’t worry, the anesthesiologist should be here soon with your epidural.” The doctor glanced around. “Do you have someone here with you?”
“Will I do?”
They both turned to find Jarrett standing in the doorway. He hadn’t gone back home.
“Jarrett, you don’t have to stay. This could take all night.”
He came in anyway. “I called Kira and she’s on her way. So how about I be a stand-in until she arrives?”
“Kira’s coming all the way here?”
“I didn’t ask her to, she just said she’s coming to help you.”
Mia had to blink back tears. She wasn’t going to be alone. She managed a nod at Jarrett. “Thank you.”
“I know my limitations. My only experience is birthing calves.” He shook his head. “And that was a long time ago.”
“I’d like to see you all decked out in Western gear, cowboy hat, chaps.” Mia found herself saying, feeling oddly relaxed in between pains.
“Hey, I didn’t look bad.” She knew he was nervous about his role as coach and trying to distract her. “I had a few girls following me around when I did some rodeos. Calf-roping was my event. I was known for my quick hands.”
Mia couldn’t hide her smile. “I bet you were,” she said as another contraction grabbed her. “Ooh…”
The doctor looked at Jarrett. “Do your job, coach,” she told him.
Jarrett took Mia’s hand as Lauren instructed him on what to do.
Over the next hour, Mia’s contractions grew more frequent and more intense. It helped if she focused on Jarrett’s encouraging words and gentle touch, even his humor. She did her breathing, and he wiped her brow.
After another series of strong contractions had eased, she noticed him watching her. She had to be a mess. Her hair was matted down and she was sweating as though she’d run a mile.
His dark eyes locked on hers. “You’re amazing. And you haven’t even complained once.” He spooned her some ice chips that soothed her throat. “You’re going to make a great mother.”
“You’re not doing so bad yourself. A great stand-in coach.” She started to say more when the door opened and the anesthesiologist walked in.
It didn’t take the doctor long to work his magic, and soon Mia was relaxed and feeling no discomfort, just pressure from the contractions.
Jarrett stood beside the bed. “Is it better now?”
Smiling, she nodded. “Isn’t medication wonderful?”
He laughed. “I’d still have to be knocked out to go through what you’re doing.”
Over the next hour things began to move a lot faster. Mia’s contractions started coming faster and harder, and they were different. She felt more pressure, lower.
Dr. Drake came in and checked the monitor. “Could you step outside a minute, Jarrett?”
He squeezed Mia’s hand. “I’ll be right back,” he promised as he walked out.
The doctor checked her. “You’re close, Mia,” she told her. “It won’t be long now.”
“Really?” She glanced at the clock. She’d only been here a few hours.
Lauren smiled. “Sometimes it happens like this, short labor is rare with the first baby.”
Mia’s thoughts turned to Brad and Karen and sadness swamped her. They should have been here.
Outside the room, a nurse handed Jarrett some paper scrubs. “But I’m not her coach. My sister-in-law is supposed to be here.”
The nurse frowned. “Well, if someone plans to be with her, they’d better get inside because she’s ready to go.”
Jarrett paused momentarily. He didn’t want to leave Mia to do this alone. She hadn’t complained, but there wasn’t anyone else here. He quickly slipped on the scrubs and walked back into the room.
“If you want me to leave, I won’t be offended. Just say the word.”
Before Mia could speak a contraction seized her and she grabbed his hand. Things happened quickly after that. The doctor instructed him to stand behind Mia. He continued to coax her through each contraction, and held his breath with each push. When she became exhausted, he made her focus.
The next thing Jarrett knew he was witnessing a miracle as Mia’s son made his noisy entrance into the world.
“Here’s your son, Mia.” Doctor Drake held the baby up for inspection.
Jarrett found he was counting fingers and toes and other male body parts. He swallowed hard. “Well, I don’t think you’re going to have any trouble hearing this guy.”
He looked down to see Mia’s tears. “He’s so beautiful, don’t you think?” she asked.
“Well, he runs a close second to Jenna, so yeah, he’s a good-looking kid.”
A nurse took the baby, carried him to a table and began to clean him up. “He’s seven pounds and ten ounces and twenty-one inches long,” she announced.
Mia gave him a tired smile. “Jarrett, thank you.”
He leaned closer to her. “Hey, you did all the work,” he said, brushing back her damp hair. He suddenly felt the urge to kiss her. To signify this special moment.
“Yeah, I did, didn’t I?” She looked sleepy. “I hate to ask, but would you call Nola? Let her know that I’m okay?”
Jarrett expected she wanted some privacy. He nodded and left. Outside the room he saw Kira hurrying toward him.
“Sorry I’m late.” She studied his face and smiled. “I take it the baby’s arrived.”
He could only nod, feeling his emotions rushing to the surface. “Yeah, it’s a boy. Mia and the baby are fine.”
She nodded. “And it looks like you did a good job as a stand-in.”
He didn’t even bother to deny it. “I couldn’t leave her.”
Kira took his hand. “Be careful, Jarrett. People might mistake you for a good guy,” she teased.
“I don’t think I have to worry about that.” He turned away, wondering when he could see the baby again. “Mia will probably want to see you.” He stripped off his cap. “I need a cup of coffee.” He started to walk away, but stopped. “Tell Mia I’ll be back in a little while.”
His sister-in-law studied him for a long time, then said, “Don’t look now, brother-in-law, your feelings are showing. It’s about time.”
Thirty-six hours later, Mia was nearly ready for the trip back home. She and her baby had been checked out, deemed healthy and could be discharged from the hospital.
There was one thing left. She had to put a name on her son’s birth certificate. During the night, she’d taken out the letter her brother and sister-in-law had left for her, not to be read until after the birth of their baby.
Mia sat up late to read it and let the tears fall—for the parents who would never know their son, and for the baby who wouldn’t have the chance to know them, either.
She opened the envelope.
Dear Mia,
Words can never express the joy and love we feel for you at this moment—the moment we learned that you were pregnant.
Joy and love not only for your unselfish act, not only for giving up a year of your life, but for carrying our child. For that Karen and I will be eternally grateful.
We don’t care if this baby is a boy or a girl. But like all mothers, Karen has chosen names for the child. Bradley Preston for a boy or Sarah Margaret for a girl.
Our son or daughter will know what a special person you are. To make sure of that, you will always be a big part of his or her life. Karen and I would like you to be the godmother to little Brad Jr. or Sarah.
If, God forbid, anything should ever happen to either of us, we want you to be the child’s guardian. After all, you carried this little miracle in your womb and in your heart for nine months. So who better? Our only other wish is that you find the happiness you truly deserve.
Love always, Brad and Karen.
Mia had sobbed most of the night after that, then the baby was brought to her to be fed. The second she held him in her arms, she knew that she loved him. Yes, BJ was her heart. And he was her son now.
Two hours later, Jarrett parked outside the apartment building and Mia glanced back at the baby. She still had trouble thinking of herself as a mother.
It didn’t take long for a welcoming party to open the door and wave. “Looks like everyone is anxious to see the new resident,” Jarrett announced.
That made Mia smile. “BJ’s going to have many surrogate grandparents, that’s for sure.”
“Let’s get him inside before they start the inspection,” Jarrett said.
He climbed out and came around to the passenger side. He opened the back door and unfastened the baby carrier from its base. “Come on, fella. You’ve got people to meet.”
He raised the carrier’s hood and used a blanket to protect the baby from the cold, then lifted him out of the car.
Mia was waiting and took his offered arm as they made their way up the shoveled walk to the door and went in.
“Welcome home, Mia,” Nola called along with several other tenants as they walked inside.
“Thank you. It’s good to be back.”
She glanced around the large entry to see it had been decorated for the holidays. A large tree sat in the center of the area and lights and garlands had been strung along the wrought-iron stairway.
She went to one of the grouping of sofas and Jarrett placed the baby down on one of the now slip-covered sofas. Mia pulled back the blanket and everyone gasped.
“Oh, he’s perfect,” Nola cooed and glanced at Mia. “And so handsome, like your brother. What’s his name?”
Mia swallowed. “Bradley Preston Saunders, Junior. That’s the name Brad and Karen chose. I’m going to call him BJ.”
Nola smiled. “It’s perfect.”
She felt Jarrett’s presence behind her. It seemed so natural for him to be there. Too natural.
“I think these two need some rest,” Jarrett told everyone.
