Chapter 207 A Miracle
Chapter 207 A Miracle
\[Lilah’s POV\]
I push with all my might, ignoring the discomfort, and my body screaming to stop, and as I do, Collin, who remains beside me acting as my rock, repeats the same thing.
“You’re doing great.”
It is like a mantra that calms my racing heart and my whirling mind, and when finally, I hear the sound of a cry, I feel so many emotions bursting forward.
“One is out.” Vincent announces, passing the tiny, blood covered creature that I just pushed out to a nurse. “Now, let’s get that other one out.”
Nodding, I watch as the nurse carries my child to the side so that she can go through the motions of taking care of it.
It’s a strange thing to witness to say the least. To know that that child was just inside me and now it was out in the world, but as much as I just wanted to watch that child, I knew that I couldn’t because it wasn’t the only one.
“Okay,” Vincent announces, drawing me back to the present. “Give me another push.”
“You’ve got this, baby.” Collin murmurs, being a rock for me through this whole ordeal and when he gives my hand a squeeze, I start to push again.
Again and again, I push, working to birth the child that remained inside me, but no amount of pushing manages to get it to come out.
“What’s going on?” Collin asks as an uneasy feeling starts to come over me. “Why hasn’t the other child come out?”
“I’m not sure,” Vincent admits, turning his gaze to the monitor beside us that keeps track of the baby's heartbeat. “It just could be taking it’s time.”
“Taking it’s time.” Collin repeats. “Maybe.”
I listen to the two men as they talk and even though I want to believe that what Vincent is saying is true, I can’t stop the uneasiness that I feel that something may be going wrong.
“Let’s try pushing again.” Vincent says now. “Ready?”
“Yes,” I whisper, preparing myself for another push, but as I begin, a loud beeping fills the room.
“Stop!” Vincent hisses.
“What’s going on?” Collin demands as my heart begins to race. “What is that?”
“The baby’s heart rate dropped.” Vincent responds.
“Heart rate dropped,” I repeat, fear beginning to claw at me. “Why would that happen?”
For a moment, Vincent doesn’t respond as he considers and when he fixes his gaze on mine again, I can almost see the worry there.
“We may have to get this baby out another way.”
“Another,” I repeat. “You mean…”
“Ceserean.” Vincent confirms for me.
Instantly, I feel the fear that is slowly building in me grow, but before it can take over, I gently tell myself to remain strong because if that is the safest way for this child to come out of me, then I’m willing to do whatever it takes.
“Okay,” I say quietly, settling on determination. “Then, let’s do it.”
“Are you sure that is the best option?” Collin asks, not hiding his worry over what is about to take place. “Could you be wrong about the baby being stressed from delivery?”
“Would you like to keep pushing?” Vincent asks.
He grows quiet as Collin considers and when he doesn’t speak, I know that he realizes that this is the only way.
“Alright,” Collin murmurs and turns his worried, but determined gaze to me. “You’re going to be okay.”
“Yeah,” I agree, smiling. “I’ve got this.”
I had to.
There was absolutely no other option in this situation.
I couldn’t risk my child’s safety and I was sure that Vincent would be able to perform the surgery easily.
“Let’s do it.”
Half an hour later, I lay on an operating table, a bright light threatening to blind me, my arms sprawled, and the inability to feel anything from my chest down.
It’s a strange feeling to say the least, but I don’t have much time to think about it as Vincent a few other doctors, prep me for surgery while Collin hovers over me.
He’s dressed in scrubs and I can’t help but imagine him like this on a regular basis. As I do, I realize just how much of his life and his career he has given away to be beside me and as I do, I feel absolutely ridiculous for even thinking about it given what was happening in the present.
Was this normal when it came to delivery? To think so much about anything and everything or was I just trying to distract myself from the fact I was about to be cut open while wide awake?
“Ready?” Vincent calls, snapping me out of my head. “We’re about to begin.”
“You’re going to be fine,” Collin tells me. “It will be over quick.”
“Yeah,” I nod, swallowing down the fear that still threatens to bubble up in me. “It’s going to be alright.”
After that, Vincent and those helping him, begin the surgery and I wait while trying to distract myself, and when I suddenly hear crying, I feel a wave of relief slam into me.
“The baby is out.” Vincent says, lifting the child for Collin and I to see. “You did a good job, mama.”
Instantly, all the emotions that I’ve been trying to hold back erupt and tears start flowing down my cheeks.
“You did so well,” Collin murmurs, leaning down and kissing me. “You did so damn good.”
“Yeah,” I whisper as relief mixes with sadness because even if I was relieved and even excited that my babies were here, the sadness that my mother wasn’t here to see the birth of her grandchildren slowly settles in.
“What’s wrong?” Collin asks, not missing the shift in my mood. “Do you hurt somewhere?”
“It isn’t that,” I assure him. “It’s just…” I trail off while wondering if I should even voice it because I know that it will ruin the happy occasion of the birth of our children, but dammit now that I’ve thought about it, I can’t stop the pain I feel. “I just wish mom was awake to be here.” I continue, deciding to not hold back. “She was so excited about becoming a grandmother.”
Growing quiet, I wait while Collin considers what I said and when he opens his mouth to speak, the door to the operating room bursts open and a frantic Greg rushes in.
“Sorry,” he gasps as all eyes come to rest on him. “It’s just that…Donna…” he gasps and I feel my heart drop. “She’s…”
“She’s what?” Collin demands. “What the hell are you even doing right now? We are in the middle of a surgery.”
“I know,” Greg says. “But this is a miracle! Donna opened her eyes! She’s awake!”