Destiny's Detour (21 page)

The dads decide they can’t stomach any more and head to the waiting room where they hang out with the football team.

“So, you guys are really popular. Are you some type of celebrity's?” asks Tina.

We explain to her that our dads are retired NFL players and that Troy’s dad is a scout for a major NFL team. Troy is the starting quarterback at NU and my brother is their starting wide receiver. We tell her that Amy and I are on the college dance team. After taking in everything we say, she looks at us with wide eyes and says, “Wow!”

Thirty minutes pass, and when Tina checks me and declares I am at 7 cm, she says it’s time to break my water for me. She excuses herself from the room to go get a sterile hook. I look around the room and the moms and Amy are beyond excited. Troy looks a little less calm than earlier and that makes me smile.

“Troy, are you getting nervous?”

“Hell yes, I’m getting nervous. You’re getting ready to give birth to our son.”

“Everything will be fine, Hunny."

He groans. “This is not normal.”

I laugh at his nervousness. Tina comes back, and when she pops the fluid sac, my contractions intensify quickly. She hooks up a monitor to measure my contractions and the baby’s heart rate to make sure everything is still going normally. Dr. Smith has been called to be at the hospital on standby. The time is getting closer and I am ready. I cannot wait to hold little Mason in my arms.

Less than an hour later, Tina calls the doctor into the room and everyone else is ushered out. The time for pushing has arrived. Someone from the nursery sets up the sterile newborn table in the corner, getting it ready for when Mason comes. Beside me, Troy holds my hand, and tries to distract me from the pain. I have opted to go for natural childbirth, as I want to truly experience childbirth and not miss out on any part of it.

After thirty minutes of pushing, cries fill the room as Mason Liam Daniels comes into this world.

Dr. Smith asks Troy, “Dad, you want to cut the cord?”

Troy nods his head yes and it is then that I notice Troy and I are both crying. The nurse is cleaning up little Mason, and once she finishes, she brings him over and places my son in my arms for the first time. I stare down at the most beautiful person I have ever seen in the world. As I look at Mason, my heart swells with love for him. Troy is sitting beside me on the bed and looks down at our son in awe and wonderment. He gives me a kiss on the forehead. My time is interrupted all too soon, as they have to take Mason to the nursery to finish cleaning him up and perform the standard newborn tests on him. The nurse promises she will bring him back as soon as he is done to have his first feeding.

“I think I will go to the waiting room and let everyone know that my son is here and then maybe stop by the nursery.”

I smile up at him and say, “That’s a good idea, Daddy.”

He leans over and gives me a deep kiss on the lips and I am happy to match his kiss.

The kiss starts getting deeper and I laugh. “Cool it, Daddy. We have 4-6 weeks before we can have fun again.”

He groans as he heads out to our friends and family.

Tina brings a clean gown and helps me get cleaned up from the birth. As soon as I fix my hair and put on some lip-gloss, I am ready to accept company. Time seems to crawl as I wait for Troy and Mason to return to the room. Finally, the door opens and joy fills me to see my baby being pushed in by the nurse. His official birth weight is 8 pounds and 4 ounces, and he is 21 inches long. Troy says that after Mason was clean, they put him on display in the nursery window so everyone could have a peek at him. I am glad they did it that way. I didn’t want to imagine everyone traipsing through my hospital room.

Mason begins crying and the nurse brings him to me. I quickly take him from her, snuggle him close, and notice he is turning his head toward my chest.

“I think someone is hungry, Mama.”

The nurse helps me get situated for my first feeding and then leaves, saying she will let me take over, but if I need anything, just use the nurse’s call button. Before long, Mason latches on to my nipple and quickly his little mouth pulls the milk in. Troy sits on the bed beside me with an arm behind me and looks at Mason with such love.

Then he looks at me. Our eyes meet over our son’s head, and as we hold each other’s gaze, Troy grins. “He knows what to do with those boobs already.” Way to fuck up a good moment.

“Jesus Troy, did you have to make it dirty? We were having a family moment here!” I laugh out at my husband.

Then his face gets serious. “I can’t believe how complete I feel right now with you and Mason. I didn’t even realize I was missing it until he was here.”

I understand what he is talking about because it’s the same for me. A knock sounds at the just as Mason finishes feeding. Troy gives me a moment to cover back up before opening the door for our parents, my brother, and Amy.

They all exclaim how handsome our son is. Troy beams with pride and I smile because I am so happy. Troy and I watch as each of our parents, my brother, and my best friend take turns holding our son.

He leans down and whispers, “I love you, Princess.”

“I love you, too,” I whisper back.

We share what we think is a sneaked kiss until David pipes up, “None of that! That’s what got us here today.”

The room to erupts in laughter.

David is probably the funniest of the group when it comes to talking to Mason. He promises to be the best uncle he can be, and swears that he will teach Mason all his tricks for getting girls when the time comes. I laugh and tell my brother that I don’t think he will be teaching Mason anything about picking up girls. I am going to raise my son to not be like his daddy and uncle and to be respectful of all girls. I remember all too well my brother and husband being players in high school. They weren’t ever cruel to girls, but they didn’t ever have real girlfriends.

Sleep wants to overtake my body and our family notices, so they start making their way out. David and Amy head back to their house, and we give our parents the keys to our home so they can stay there. When it is just Troy and me left with Mason, we lay in the bed together for a while just loving on each other. Troy eventually gets up and places Mason in the bassinet. When he returns, he curls up beside me on the bed and wraps his strong arms around me so we can drift off into a peaceful sleep.

Mason and I are released two days after he is born. Troy and I are eager to take our little man home. I find that being a mother is a natural thing for me. I wonder why I had been so nervous before. It seems like I know exactly what to do for Mason. Troy has been a wonderful support during everything, and I am so grateful that I have a guy like him. I am so lucky that he is willing to be there, not only for me, but also for our son. It could have so easily gone in another direction.

I sit in the back with Mason as Troy drives us home. I don’t want to be away from my son. I have this need to keep him close to me. Troy glances back in the rearview mirror, and when our eyes meet, he gives me a smile. I am so at peace in this moment. I never want to lose this contentment. Troy pulls into our driveway, parks the car, and immediately gets out to open my door. He helps me out of the car first and then moves to grab Mason and our bags. It’s strange for me to walk up to our house empty handed, but Troy is being the man. Our parents are waiting in the living room as we come in. My mom takes Mason almost as soon as Troy sets him down. I plop down on the couch. I am so happy to be home. I watch as our moms fawn over Mason.

Troy comes and sits down beside me on the couch. “Glad to be home?” he asks.

I turn to face him and smile. “I am very glad to be home.”

It will not be long before Mason will need to be fed, and I am waiting and watching for him to give out a cry. Our dads are watching an old football game.
It’s always football,
I think, with a grin.

Mason soon begins crying and Troy takes him from our moms and heads to the nursery. He lays Mason down on the changing table and gives him a dry diaper as I settle into the rocking chair. Troy places Mason in my arms and I undo my shirt to get Mason started on his feeding. Troy stays in there with us, leaning up against the wall. I notice he can’t take his eyes of Mason and me.

“What are you looking at us like that for?” I ask him quietly.

“I love watching you nurse our son. It’s such an intimate bond. Honestly it just makes me feel happy.”

I am surprised a little by his reply. I really expected my husband to be pervy about it.

“Yes, I love bonding with him this way. I am so glad we agreed to breastfeed him. It may keep others from being able to feed him right now, but I think it’s the best thing we could do for him.” Breastfeeding has been easy for Mason and me. We both are naturals, and other than some slight tenderness, I am not having any major issues.

We lapse into silence as Mason continues to nurse. Soon, he is ready to be burped, and that is when Troy takes him again. We have been developing this system since day one. I nurse and Troy burps. It works and allows both of us to be involved in the feeding. Once Mason has burped, Troy hands him back and I move him to the other breast to see if he wants more. When he turns his head away, I know his little belly is full. I close my shirt up, swaddle Mason back up to my chest, and hum to him while I rock. It is not long before Mason is asleep, so I gently get up and place him in his crib. Troy makes sure the video monitor is turned on and we make our way back to the living room.

Our moms have their heads together planning dinner for everyone. David and Amy have called to let us know they will be coming by later in the day. We are going to have a full house tonight. I don’t mind too much. I love my family. I am lucky to have the family I do and I know it. We spend the afternoon relaxing and talking with each other. David and Amy show up together and join in on the conversation. When Mason wakes up three hours later, Troy practically runs to get him. I swear he is so cute. Love and pride ooze from him when it comes to Mason. He brings him into the living room and sits down next me once again.

“Did you change him?” I ask.

He nods acknowledging that he has changed his diaper. Mason seems content to lie in his dad’s arms so I leave them alone.

“Man, I never thought I would see my best friend go nuts over a baby,” David pipes up.

“Dude, wait until you have one of your own. You’ll understand this feeling. It’s better than scoring the winning touchdown.” Of course, Troy would compare it to football.

“I have to admit my nephew is a handsome thing. Takes after me, you know?” This causes laughter around the room. David pretends that we have hurt his feelings as he gives a fake pout. Mason begins fussing in Troy’s arms, letting me know it is time to feed him. I place a blanket over my shoulder, undo my shirt, and comfortably nurse Mason.

David, of course, makes a comment. “Do you have to do that in front of me? I’m a virgin, you know?”

I think my dad is the one to let out the biggest snort of laughter in the room.

“Son, you haven’t been a virgin since you were 14. Who are you trying to fool?” David’s head whips around in surprise.

“W-w-what?” he stutters.

“Really, you don’t think I know these things? I may not have ever said anything, but I know all about my children. You were 14 and your sister was 16.”

My cheeks go pink. “Wait, what?” I ask.

Amy is laughing her head off until my dad informs her that she was 16, too, and she quickly shuts up.

“Daddy, did you have people following us?” I ask.

He laughs. “No, I just knew when your attitudes toward the opposite sex changed. It was a dead giveaway to me. Oh, and since I called everyone else out, Troy, I know you were 15.”

My husband chuckles next to me. This is an odd conversation to be having with my dad. I finish nursing Mason and hand him over to Troy. Troy burps Mason then Amy comes and steals the baby. She begins cooing to him right away. David takes Mason next and talks to him for a bit. I realize after a while that Mason has fallen asleep in his uncle’s arms and both look completely comfortable. I give Troy a slight nudge and whisper for him to take a picture of Mr. Player being Mr. Softie. Troy snickers but does as I ask. He isn’t going to let his best friend live this down.

Our moms come in announcing dinner is ready but my mom stops in her tracks when she sees David holding Mason. Her hand comes up across her heart and a sigh escapes.

“That’s a beautiful sight.”

David’s face actually reddens which makes me laugh.

“Aww, is my brother embarrassed?” I coo to him. I take Mason to place him in his crib while we eat dinner. I join the family in the dining room and take my seat next to Troy.