Chapter 478

“You’ve got this, Cora!” Ella cheers at my side while I squeeze Roger’s hand, panting and shouting as I give what the nurse has told me is one last, final push.

I put everything I have into this final moment, squeezing my eyes shut and pushing as hard as I can, wanting this done – wanting to feel my little baby in my arms And suddenly the pressure lessens, and my eyes fly open as I gasp And there’s a little baby’s cry ringing out through the room.

“Here!” I gasp, leaning forward fervently, some motherly demand in me needing my little baby now even as I see him in the nurse’s hands. “Give him to me!” The nurse hesitates, looking towards her colleagues. I moan a little, still reaching, wanting him now “Do it,” Ella snaps suddenly up from my side. She stands and moves towards the nurse, putting a hang on her shoulder and gesturing towards me. ” He needs his mother – ” Roger is completely still at my side, his eyes focused totally on the baby, who starts to cry his little heart out.

“Please,” I beg, reaching for him.

“All right,” the nurse says, nodding and bringing him forward. “We’ll clean him up in a minute – ” And she takes two steps forward, and leans down, and places my little baby in my arms And I burst immediately into tears.

Because the weight of him against my arm-his little head curled against my elbow-my heart just breaks to feel him close to me, so strange and new and yet so completely right.

I stare down at my little baby, tears dripping down my face as I take in every ounce of him, every tiny finger and toe, his wide and crying mouth with its perfect tiny lips – Roger is pressed tight to my side, his arms wrapped around me, staring down at our perfect son.

“I can’t believe he’s here,” I whisper in complete awe.

“I can’t believe he’s so mad,” Roger replies, his voice reverent.

I burst into laughter, glancing at my mate and shaking my head at him, sniffing back my tears, grateful that his strange sense of humor has at least stopped my crying. “You know, Roger,” I say quietly, “most new parents say something nice about their kid when they meet him for the first time, like how beautiful he is, or how much they love him.” “Well, he’s making a lot of noise, Cora,” Roger murmurs, still staring at the baby with an expression somewhere between shock and awe. “I doubt he’d even hear me wasted compliment.” it’d be a “Ignore him, gorgeous boy,” I murmur to the baby, cuddling him close and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Welcome to the world. You are very, very loved.” “See?” Roger sighs. “I couldn’t have come up with something that good. He needed you for that.” “Well, he’s got me,” I sigh. “My whole heart, forever, little baby.” And though I’m exhausted, and my whole body is aching, I just feel such rich, complete happiness in this moment.

We sit for a few more minutes where it feels like Roger and the baby and I are the only three people in the world. I almost jump in surprise when I feel Ella’s hand on my shoulder.

Her own face is streaked with tears of joy when I look up at her. “What do you think, Cora?” she asks quietly. “Will you let the nurses clean him up and wrap in him in a blanket? And I’ll check you out, see if I can heal you up?” “Oh,” I say, suddenly remembering that – yeah, the baby needs to be checked.

And I laugh as the nurse comes close, reaching for him. “I’m sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “I didn’t mean to yell at you earlier -”

“It’s okay, you didn’t,” the nurse says, grinning at me as she takes the baby from my arms. “You’re just an excited new mom and the birth went beautifully, no complications, so there’s no harm in wanting to hold him first.” My eyes follow the nurse as she carries the baby across the room to be weighed and checked out by the doctor. But the nurse is right – everything went well, and the baby looked fine to me. I don’t anticipate any problems.

“You lucky thing,” Ella murmurs, sitting down next to me and holding her hands out, palm up. “I basically bled out after my traumatic pregnancy, and you get away scot-free?” “Don’t be jealous, Ells,” I sigh, placing my hands on top of hers and laughing a little. “I’m sure your next one will be perfectly smooth.” She flinches a little, looking up at me with wide eyes, and I turn my head to the side, not understanding her reaction. But then she just grins and shakes her head, dismissing it. “I’m sure it will,” she says with a happy sigh. “Now, does anything hurt?” “Aren’t I the one who usually asks that?” I murmur in reply, leaning my head on Roger’s shoulder, starting to feel my exhaustion now more than I did before.

Ella laughs and closes her eyes, starting to call upon her gift. I feel it when it starts to sweep through me, and I sit up a little with curiosity. This isn’t the first time Ella has healed me, of course, but this is the most conscious I’ve been for it and I can really feel it this time – the way the gift runs through me, seeking out the parts of me that hurt and sweeping through them piece by piece until... Well, until I feel completely fine.

“There,” Ella says, taking her hands away and opening her eyes. “All good?” “Yeah,” I say, laughing a little. ” Honestly, Ella, it’s still crazy that you can do that.” “Thank mom, not me,” she murmurs, standing up when the nurse brings the baby back. He’s not crying anymore, even though he fusses a little unhappily in his swaddled blanket. I see Ella bite her lip and tuck her hands behind her back, and I laugh when I realize that she’s actively stopping herself from grabbing the baby because she wants to hold him so badly – “Take him, Ella!” I say, encouraging my sister, who I know will love this child his whole life almost as much as I will. “You can hold him.” “No,” she says, nodding towards Roger. “His dad should have that honor first.” “Yeah, Cora,” Roger grumbles beside me. “It’s my kid too.” “Oh, shut up,” I sigh, taking the baby back from the nurse and turning a little so I can see Roger better. “You’re scared to hold the baby and you know it.” “Well,” Roger says, hesitating as he takes his arms from around me and starts to reach for the baby, stopping at the last minute. “He’s very small...” “I’ll go get Dominic,” Ella whispers, slipping out of the room. “Give you two a minute alone.” The birthing nurses and obstetrician likewise skirt out, giving us a moment, though I’m well aware that they have work to do over the next couple hours now that the baby is born.

“Are you ready?” I ask, preparing to pass the baby to Roger, who really does look at the infant with wide eyes.

“I’m used to them when they’re bigger,” he murmurs. “Rafe I can handle...” “Come on, new daddy,” I laugh. “You can do it.” And then I slip our newborn son into Roger’s arms And I swear, I see his heart completely melt.

“Hey, little guy,” Roger murmurs, his lips trembling a little as he looks the baby over from head to toe. The baby presses his eyes shut and gives a frowning little mew. “Oh, it’s all right,” Roger sighs. “It’s nice here, I promise. You’ll cheer up really soon.” The baby yawns in reply, and both of our faces break into ridiculous smiles.