My eyes widen with surprise and then laughter slips out. “That’s my girl.”
“She’s doing well, so don’t worry. Just give me a moment and then we’ll get you into her.” The nurse goes through into a secure area while I run my hands through my hair in agitation.
I just want to be with her instead of out here pacing back and forth.
“You’re him,” a whispered voice over my shoulder snags my attention.
I spin around, confused, and meet the eyes of a young man. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He stands and looks away before holding my gaze. “I’m Harry Bennett.”
Hearing his name is like a kick in the balls. My thoughts run wild knowing he’s in the waiting room while my wife is giving birth to his child.
“I know what you’re thinking, and I’m only still here because I wanted to see you.” He lets out a loud sigh. “You’ll look after my child, right?”
“Sirena and our child will never want for anything.” I stand my ground, completely stunned to have him here.
“That’s good enough for me. Tell Sirena, I wish her well, and that she’ll never have any trouble from me.” He turns and quickly exits while I’m still staring after him when the nurse comes over to me with green scrubs
“Please put these on and then I’ll take you on back.”
Still finding it difficult to comprehend that Harry was here, I quickly tug the green covering on and follow the nurse through the suite of rooms, until she stops in front of one.
“Your baby is impatient to arrive, so things are going to be moving very quickly,” she adds and pushes the door open.
Sirena spots me straightaway and burst into tears, holding her hand out toward me. I dash over and take her hand into mine while I let my forehead rest against hers, offering what comfort I can.
“You’ve gotten here just in time,” Charlotte says. “She needs to push.”
“Right, Sirena. Let’s get this baby out, and no more refusing to do as I say,” the doctor pointedly stares at her before taking his seat between her spread thighs.
“When I say push, you push with everything you have, okay?” the doctor pauses. “Dad, you need to hold on to Sirena and lend her your strength.”
I quickly get my arms around her, and let her grab ahold of one of my hands. Charlotte holds the other, and then Sirena gives a loud, tortured groan as she starts pushing.
“Okay, pant,” the doctor, instructs.
I don’t think I’ve been as nervous as I am now and seeing Sirena in so much pain and discomfort makes me want to hurl. I wont. I can’t. She needs support.
She pushes and strains for what feels like hours, and then the doctor finally says, “The head is out,” with enthusiasm. “On the next contraction, push hard, and your baby will be here.”
I blink when my vision goes blurry and I realize that it’s tears of happiness that fall down my face. I glance across at Charlotte and she has the same emotion written all over hers.
My attention is quickly caught up with Sirena’s pain again as she strains her entire body and moans, seconds later she sags against me and we hear the cry of our child.
“It’s a boy,” the doctor announces, placing our son onto Sirena’s stomach.
“Oh,” I hear Charlotte say before she starts crying. “I have a nephew,” she mutters through her tears, which are falling quicker than she can wipe them away.
I kiss Sirena on the cheek and whisper, “I’m so proud of you.”
“We have a son, Garrett.”
Kissing her lips, I whisper, “I don’t think I could ever love anything as much as I love our family.” With another kiss to her lips, I step back so that the nurse can check Sirena over.
Charlotte moves to stand beside me and asks, “Do you have a name picked out considering you were so sure the baby was a girl?”
Sirena hears and holding my gaze, tells her sister, “Elias Michael James Hudson.” She smiles softly as she keeps a close eye on what the midwife is doing with our son. “You know why we’ve chosen Elias and Michael, and James is Garrett’s middle name.”