Infinity Chapter 90 - The greatest gift

[itztigress3]

Chapter 90 – The greatest gift
POV: Zac/Emily
Word count:  4077


July 16, 2014
-Zac-

   She had looked like the pain was pretty bad but they did give her a pain medication, something mild just to knock the edge off. We’d arrived at 9:15 and by 11 she had been settled into a room, had the monitor, and they’d determine she was dilated to a 4. Odds are, he would be born on her birthday or just after midnight. Eliza wanted to stay and she could and just after midnight we wished them both a happy birthday, by 2 am though Eliza declared she was going home to sleep a bit, and would return about 8 or 9. Emily was dozing a bit because the contractions had slacked a bit now with the medication.

I laid my head down beside her on the bed and I considered everything that had happened the last year. There were major ups like finding about our new son, the tour, and releasing the new album, which was now over a year old. Alexander had turned 1, a major milestone for us and we’d adjusted to being parents. Yet, there were major downs and most of those were due to Ian.

There were very few lingering doubts now, most of them revolved around what Ian said and how he made me believe the woman about to have my child didn’t love me. It took believing she was dead and that I’d never see her again to realize how much I loved her. To realize how twisted Ian’s logics were and that Zander was right; he had pushed me over the course of the year to where he wanted me. But, he hadn’t won and I wouldn’t let him.

Casey yawned behind me. “Is little bean ever going to arrive?”

“Hey, he runs on Hansontime, he is my son dude.”

“God help poor Emily. Hansontime sucks.”

“Believe me, I know.” Emily said.

We smiled and she did too. “Casey, I thought you were very adamant you didn’t want to see the miracle of birth again.”

He giggled. “Yes, I did say that. But I can’t deny that watching him enter the world was a feeling I can’t quite replace. Besides, you don’t want a brother back here or a father and I don’t know if you want Eliza back or not. But, I know you’ll be comfortable with me.”

“Eliza doesn’t want to be in the room, she said so earlier. She does want to be here but not in the room.”

She moved my hand to her side and I began to rub there, knowing the reason she wanted me too.

“You know Zac; I went into labor last time after sex, is this a coincidence?”

“You two actually had sex like yesterday?”

“She woke me up at like 3 am.” I said.

“How?!”

Emily giggled. “I put my hands down his pants? It’s not hard to wake him up when I do that, really most everything else doesn’t work, that does.”

He rolled his eyes. “Nymphs.”

She smiled sweetly and I giggled. “I’m not going to complain.”

“Of course not.” He said.

We both settled in to nap and doze, while she did. The early hours passed pretty quickly, Taylor brought us breakfast about 8 and we inhaled quickly, she insisted it was ok. I called Mom and Dad and they were fine with Alexander, who was just waking up. They were coming up for sure during the day but wanted to wait until closer to time. Her 9 am check was Dr. O’Brian, who was now back and she was at a 6 so we should have a new son by the end of the day. Eliza came back as well and stayed a bit, asked about Australia and that seemed to help take her mind off the pain.

Alexander came with Mom and Dad, but he didn’t seem to like how Mommy was acting, but he did seem to understand that baby was coming. He stayed until the contractions got really bad again, but they didn’t go far, just the waiting room. Casey and I got dinner about 5, which was a good time because right after that the doctor said she was close to 9. At 7 she was almost there and it struck me that Emily had been born at 8:30 and she was very close to that time.

At 7:05 Amanda walked into the room and she looked pissed off and irritated until she saw Emily.

“I just got off, what do you need?”

“A really strong drink?” Emily asked.

She smiled and came over. “Seriously, where are we?”

“They just checked her and she was at 9, soon.”

“I tried to get here sooner, I really did.”

“It’s ok, you’re here. Are you staying?”

“I would but I really don’t think I need too. But, I’ll be waiting in the room with everyone else.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind.”

“I’m sure. There are just some things about my best friend I don’t want to witness, seeing you all laid out is one of those things.”

Emily smiled and giggled some. “Understandable.”

The doctor sent everyone out at 8, she was at 10. Amanda promised to be there and I was sure she would be. Casey and I were either side, encouraging words and keeping hair and sweat from her face; Casey seemed to have his focus more on her face than anything else though. I on the other hand watched, I had to admit the crowning process was quite unsettling with the stomach, but the overwhelming feelings of love and contentment were just so strong that nothing else mattered. Emily didn’t scream through this, not even with Alexander did she, but I could feel my hand being squeezed and Casey could feel it too I was sure. I had the same feelings as he was born as I had with Alexander, the doctor was quick once he was here he moved him quickly to Emily’s stomach and chest, which was when she let us go and Casey and I had a break from the death grip. But even with the nurse cleaning I quickly noticed that the baby wasn’t a boy.

“It’s a girl.”

Emily looked far too tired to hear me and the nurse actually moved her leg to confirm, clearly everyone was under the impression we were having a boy.

“Congratulations, you have a daughter.”

“Daughter?” Emily asked confused.

I moved the hair from her face as our daughter began to scream bloody murder on her chest. “We have a daughter.”

She’s held those tears back well until that moment and I couldn’t blame her; they were falling from my eyes just as freely. The nurse was wiping her off and I glanced at Casey and found he was totally just bawling.

“Casey?” I asked.

“I’m ok Zac.”

“You should be, you have a goddaughter now.”

The nurse took the baby to the little cleaning tray and Casey and I followed, getting pictures. But I kept my eyes on Emily too as the doctor tended to the after birth and making sure she was ok physically. The nurse checked her out, not that she was happy at all.
She definitely had lungs!

“She’s perfectly healthy, scored a 10 and she is nineteen inches long, nine pounds and four ounces. Her official time of birth is 8:30.” She said.

When Emily started crying the nurses were confused but I knew exactly the reason. It was her official time of birth as well. I let Casey stand there and I went to her.

“I promise, the next one isn’t our birthdays.”

“I wish she was here.”

I kissed her forehead. “She is here Emily, you just can’t see her. She’ll always be here with you.”

The nurse brought her over wrapped in a pink blanket. “You were breast feeding right?”

“Yeah.”

She handed our daughter to Emily who was a champ at breast feeding now and she latched on very well and very fast.

“She may look like her mother, but god help she has Daddy’s appetite. But, I’m not calling my goddaughter Matthew.” Casey said, he then giggled.

I kissed Emily’s forehead and Casey was right, she looked just like Emily. Grey eyes and all, soft blonde hair that was a bit longer than Alexander’s had been when he was born.

“I think I have the perfect name for this one.” I said.

Emily glanced up at me. “Didn’t know you had any for a girl, thought that was me.”

“Isabella Louise Diane, I believe that’s what you wanted to name her anyway?”

She smiled and I wiped the tears away. “It was.”

“I think it’s perfect.”

“Where did Louise come from?” Casey asked.

Emily ran her fingers down her cheek, let her eat. “It was Velma’s middle name, and I always wanted to use Isabella Diane, her grandmothers, because without them she wouldn’t be here.”

He laid his hand on her ankle. “It’s perfect; can I give her a nickname?”

“You did, little bean.”

“Nine pounds is not little. Do you want me to tell everyone?”

“No, but you can go get Alexander but don’t tell them anything else. Tell them you fainted or something.”

 “She’s the first girl after Penny Zac; they’re going to want to know.”

“I’ll tell them myself.”

“Is she finished?” The nurse asked.

“Yeah, for the moment anyway, I guess you want to bathe her?”

“Yes Ma’am. We didn’t do a real good clean because we wanted her to nurse.”

The nurse didn’t leave the room, bathed her right there and I got pictures of her first bath. Casey brought Alexander in and he went right to Mommy. I stayed here with her and he didn’t seem jealous of that.

“Baby!” Alexander said.

“She’s right there getting cleaned up; Daddy will bring her over in just a moment.” Emily said.

“He was about asleep in Robert’s arms, until I came out. He about knocked me down and I got threatened by Taylor to divulge information, dude you better be glad I had him because I think Tay may have beaten me.”

“They’ll be fine for an hour.” I said.

“She’s perfect, but how the hell could they confuse her for a boy for 9 months?” he asked.

The nurse giggled. “It happens more than one would think. Umbilical cord gets in just the right position and techs see a penis when it’s not.”

Alexander waited as patiently as he could as she was cleaned, dried, warmed up and wrapped up. But he kept saying Baby and he kept waiting.

“Remember Alexander, we can’t hit the baby.”

Emily sat him down beside her on the bed and I walked over with her, sat down beside him and carefully laid her down in his lap, letting Emily help support her.

“Baby.”

“Yes, she’s your little sister. Isabella.”

He seemed so happy to see her, so happy to have her in his arms and I was positive that when he leaned down and kissed her forehead, Casey caught it on film, proof when he turned it around and showed us.

“Mama, baby.”

“Mama had the baby. She comes home with us.”

“Zac, scoot in just a bit and I will get your first family photo.”

I scooted a bit closer and he took the picture. Our first family photos, we now had two children a boy and a girl. Alexander seemed to be awestruck as he was holding her, was content and she seemed just fine to lay there. I hoped that meant he wouldn’t be jealous down the road.

“Ma’am, our whole family is here and it’s the first girl for her side and just the second for mine, is it possible if you came with me to show everyone at once?”

“Your family is all in one room actually, your older brothers were being stared at by some teenagers. If you’d like, I can walk you down with her.”

“Please?”

“I’ll keep Alexander here.” Emily said.

Alexander whined when I took her but Emily assured him she was coming back and he was going to stay with Mommy. I really would have brought him too but I wasn’t sure I could carry them both without problems, least not yet.  I know for the last hour I’d been hounded for information, but I hadn’t answered any and I know that was irritating but they’d get over it. The nurse and I walked down to the room, I carried my daughter.

I peeked into the waiting room seeing my parents, her two fathers, Eliza, the younger of her brothers with their spouses, and Robert. Ace and Nathaniel were half asleep against the wall and Eliza was sitting with them. Aaron, Zander, Christopher and Craig were over with Taylor and Isaac. Amanda was sitting with Eliza actually.

“Zac?” Aaron asked.

“Hey, sorry I kept everyone in the dark. Emily is fine, she’ll be able to have visitors soon but they let me bring a certain someone with me.”

Our siblings held back, letting our parents come visit the newest arrival first.

“He’s gorgeous.” Ace said.

She was still awake, so she got to see them as well, yet I wondered when they’d ask about the blanket and finally Taylor’s perplexed look said he was going to be the one to ask, always Taylor.

“Zac…why is my nephew wrapped in a pink blanket?” Taylor asked.

I smiled at him. “They don’t wrap girls in blue, they put them in pink. We didn’t know until she was born that it was a girl and not a boy.”

“You had a girl?” Robert asked.

“Yeah, everyone meet Isabella Louise Diane.”

“Are you kidding right now?” Taylor asked.

“No. She’s really a girl I even have pictures to prove it. She’s fine and Emily’s fine.”

Tears of joy were shed as Mom and Dad realized she was there second granddaughter and Ace got to meet his first granddaughter and apologized for calling her a boy.

“She’s going to Skype your older brothers; please keep it secret for the moment.”

“No problem.” Aaron said.

“She looks so much like Emily.” Eliza said.

“She really does, even as a baby.” Amanda said.

“My appetite, she’s already eaten.”

That got me laughs and she whined clearly it was nearing another feeding so the nurse let some come back with me, her Dad’s. She was glad to see them and got pictures and everyone made rounds, but they had to deal with her being fed too.

“Have you told Penny yet?” I asked.

“No. She’s already in bed, she was trying to badly to wait but Natalie said she sacked out about the time she was born.” Taylor said.

“Aw, well that’s ok. We’ll tell her tomorrow.” I said.

“Yeah, I told Natalie we’d come up really early and let her see her. I won’t even tell her she’s a girl.”

“So evil Taylor.” Emily said.

“She’ll be ok. We’re going to get going though. Glad your ok Emily and congratulations, you have a daughter. Eliza and Amanda are the last ones waiting, so we’re going to let them come back and visit.”

“Has Eliza seen her?”

“She kept her distance in the waiting room, she did get close but not real close.” Ike said.

They gave Emily a peck on the forehead and Isabella too, and then they left. Eliza and Amanda came in a few moments later and Eliza seemed so nervous and afraid. She sat at the foot of the bed but Isabella was nursing again, so she watched and waited.
Amanda went right for Emily’s side to see her.

“You didn’t stay because you didn’t want to see stuff but you’re perfectly fine now?” Emily asked.

“It’s just breast Ems, I’ve seen them before. God she looks like you.”

Emily smiled and her gaze settled back down on Isabella, not that I was minding that view myself.

“You look tired.” Eliza said.

“I am. I’ll be glad when they bring me dinner so I can rest a bit while she sleeps.”

“Every three hours?”

“Um, the first few weeks are generally every hour and a half to two. I know Zac will be utterly overjoyed when I was able to pump.”

“I can bet. Where is Alexander?”

“He went home with Taylor or Isaac; I’m not sure which one. Casey is staying here he just left to get dinner for him and I. Mom and Dad were going to keep Alexander but I hear he pitched a fit to go home with one of them.”

“Oh he did, I can’t remember which as Isaac and Taylor both left at the same time.” Amanda said.

“They’ll bring him home once we’re settled; probably release me tomorrow or the next day early.”

When Isabella was done Amanda took her and even changed her. She asked if we had clothes and I handed her the suit we had, which was blue but most everything we had was blue or green. Amanda changed her and she was not happy.

“Wow, that’s a set of lungs.” I said.

“She got them from you.” Emily said.

“I believe it.”

Amanda held her for a few minutes and then took her over to Eliza.

“No, that’s ok.” She said.

“She’s your niece Eliza, it’s ok.” I said.

“I just don’t have much experience with babies her age.”

“Which is a few hours, you’ll be with me during the time in Australia, and I’m going to need you. May as well get use to it.”

She looked so uncomfortable but Amanda gently laid her down in her arms, adjusted her arms to support her head and back and Eliza just sat there quietly, looking at her.

“She really does look like you, but I can see Zac in her too. She has his nose. I can’t quite describe how I feel though it’s so different.”

“It’s ok. First time Casey held Alexander he cried like a baby.” I said.

She held her until she woke up again for more food and after that she said she was going to go, Emily had eaten by then and Casey was back. Amanda stayed just a little bit longer than Eliza, then headed out herself. We settled in again for the night and I found myself just staring at Isabella, who was not as quiet as Alexander had been. She was much more vocal when she was mad. But, everyone settled in for some rest, I stayed near the bed because I could get what she needed. Casey took the sofa and he was asleep really quick, I lay down at 1 and like Casey, I was out quickly.

-Emily-

A daughter, I had a daughter.

I hadn’t clearly even understood Zac when he said it was a girl, wasn’t until the nurse said something and while I’d hoped for a girl I hadn’t anticipated getting her this time, I anticipated another son. Yet, here I was with my little girl laying on the bed in front of me. Casey and Zac had been out cold for over an hour now and the nurse had handed her to me from the basinet when she came in. I should be sleeping, but I just couldn’t, I had a daughter!

Isabella was awake and looking around, still wrapped warmly and snuggly but we had nothing for a girl, no dresses or cute things, but thankfully most of what we did have was unisex colors and blue worked very well with her skin tone and eyes. Of course, she was still slightly pink. I was about to snuggle down when my phone beeped, it was Maddi’s tone so I picked it up.

Ugh! I hope I don’t wake you up but I *just* got Zac’s text saying you had little bean and you were both O.K. But…I didn’t get a follow up! Is little bean really here?!?!

I found a good picture of her and sent it to her. Yes, little bean is here. However, SHE is doing very well and was 19 inches and 19lbs 4oz. She latched really well and eats like her father!

O.M.G! She?! I know you’re over the moon! She is adorable and she looks like you! I know you didn’t have a boy’s name…does she have a name?!

She does look like me but she has Zac’s nose. She does have a name, Isabella Louise Diane. Louise was Velma’s middle name, the other two are our mother’s names.

It’s a pretty name and I think it fits. I will let you rest though and we’ll come up when you’re home and settled.

Thank you, we will definitely have to meet up so everyone can meet the newest addition. Sleep well!

I realized that I never Skype the older three and it was three am in Georgia, but I sent my older three a text to see if they were awake. I got three replies saying they had been waiting on me. So, I did a conference Skype with the three of them.

“I owe Zac a smack to the head, all he sent us was little bean was here and you two were fine. Nothing else.”

I smiled. “Noted, he’s asleep and so is Casey. “

I waited until Joshua and Jason were also present though, because they had to connect into the chat.

“You look perfectly fine to have just had a baby. Happy late birthday Emily.” Joshua said.

“Thank you, I got all your texts earlier, just Zac was afraid I’d break the phone. Anyway, I have someone who wants to meet you.”

I flipped my camera around and held it so they could see the new addition.

“He looks like you!” Jason said.

“Look at those cheeks, my god he’s freaking adorable!” Joshua said.

“Pink?” George asked.

Leave it to George to realize the color of the blanket and I giggled, turned it to me.

“She looks like me, I didn’t have a boy. I had a girl. A perfect little girl, we didn’t even know until she was laid on my stomach, Zac noticed that parts were missing.”

“A girl?” George asked.

“Yes. Little bean is not a boy, she is definitely a girl.”

I swore the three of them cried a bit, I was certain George was, they then composed themselves and asked for more details, which I provided and I even held the phone so they could see her.

“She looks so much you and Mom. Have you guys chosen a name? I know when she was a boy, you didn’t have many.” Joshua asked.

“We have. We’re naming her Isabella Louise Diane; you should know where Isabella came from. Diane is Zac’s mother and Louise
was Velma’s middle name.”

“It fits; it’s a gorgeous name for a gorgeous little girl.” George said.

“It is, I was going to Skype you guys earlier but she didn’t arrive until 8:30, then by the time we got settled and all it was late. I know its super late there though.”

“Three am, but we’re not bothered. I was up anyway checking on the twins.” Joshua said.

I left the screen on her until she wanted food, then I held it against the bed until she was settled, used my own face without boobs. We didn’t however talk much longer because they were tired and I needed to sleep as well. She was definitely a good eater and I was glad for that.

I changed her after she was done eating and wrapped her back up snuggly in the blankets, because I knew she’d be back up shortly
I just found a comfortable spot on the bed and laid her beside me. I had the greatest gift I could ask for, a healthy daughter.

The last year had its up and downs and certainly more downs than ups, yet Zac was acting like my husband and Eliza seemed to be coming around. But, the white elephant in the room couldn’t be ignored. Ian and Glen were free still and while the FBI was doing everything they could, they just seemed to hide well. Glen was determined to take me to Maine, Ian just wanted our baby. But, would he still want that child now? She looks nothing like Zac and she’s female, he wanted our son. I drifted off a bit but sleep was infrequent because I had to feed her.