A Reason To Breathe (32 page)

“Jack why isn’t it crying?” I’d no sooner asked that when I heard a smack and wail and then Jack finally looked up.

“Meet Keller, Baby, you gave me a son,” he choked out as tears ran down his face.

Mom was standing next to Jack smiling, as he handed her Keller, and she wrapped him in a blanket, then handed him to me.

Instant love so strong it overwhelms your heart hit me, and when I looked into those baby blues, I prayed they’d be like his father’s. Dark brown hair, tons of it for a newborn, and big, bigger than I thought for a twin, had to be six and half, maybe seven pounds. Tears ran down my face as I kissed his little head and breathed him in for the first time.

Susie rushed in screaming, “The ambulance is here,” then raced over to look at little Keller. I felt another contraction and cried out, “Take the baby,” as baby B decided it was time to make an entrance. Jack was scowling and ordered, “Jenn, the baby’s turned, don’t push.” I breathed through the contraction, trying to stop pushing, as an EMT rushed in the room. Jack briefed him on my condition and then moved aside and took my hand.

“Mrs. Gunnison, don’t push, the baby is breach, and we need to get you to the hospital.” Nodding my understanding, he stood and started an I.V. Another tech brought in a stretcher and transferred me onto it, then took me out to the waiting ambulance. Jack crawled in the back holding Keller, then my hand, as we rushed down the road to the hospital.

I had three more contractions on the way, breathing and cussing at Jack, who grinned while looking worried at the same time. We made it to the hospital in record time, where I was unloaded, taken to the ER and informed that since the baby was breach, they needed to perform a C-section immediately.

Rushed from the room with Jack at my side, and Keller handed off to the nursing staff, who placed bracelets on both Jack and my wrists for identification and security, we had to part company to get me ready for surgery and for Jack to change into scrubs.

“I love you, Jenn, I’ll be in there shortly.” Jack whispered to me.   

“I love you too, Jack,” I whispered back, exhaustion finally hitting me. Another contraction came, and I whimpered. “Time to go, Mrs. Gunnison. Sheriff you can step in here to change, and we’ll be back in a moment to get you.” Jack leaned in and kissed my forehead, holding for a moment before moving back. He grabbed my hand and held it till he had to let go, as they wheeled me through the birthing room doors.

Two hours later…

        “Doctor thinks they’re identical,” Jack told Bailey over the phone, grinning like the new Dad he was. I could hear Bailey laughing over the phone, and I smiled down at the two little boys in my arms. There was no doubt in my mind they were identical, and there was no doubt in my mind they looked just like Jack. God help me; I’ll have a long road ahead of me if they’re just as stubborn and bossy as their father.

“Ok, Bailey, love you Princess, see you soon.” Jack started calling Bailey, Princess; after he found out I was pregnant. I don’t know if knowing he was going to be a father kicked in his paternal nature, but as far as Jack was concerned, Bailey was his and I loved him even more for it.

Jack moved from the chair and came to the bed. He looked at his sons, Keller and Kaiden, then leaned down and kissed both their sleeping heads.

“I can’t believe you gave me two sons,” he said with a hard edge to his voice.

“Are you disappointed one wasn’t a daughter?”

“Hell no, I got a daughter already, now she has two brothers to kick Grady’s ass if he gets out of line,” he announced with conviction. Hearing that and confirming what I already knew in my heart, made tears well in my eyes.

“Thank you, Jack.”

“For what?”

“For loving me, for giving me a family again and mostly for loving Bailey like your own.” Jack studied my face, his own warm and his eyes bright; then he leaned over and kissed my forehead, my nose, and my lips.

“Thank you for giving me what I thought I’d never have.”

“A family?”

“A reason to breathe.”
 

The End

Thank you so much for reading, “A Reason To Breathe.”

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