Stand By Me (26 page)

Forty-five minutes later Kenya stood at the foot of a bed in the hospital. Her contractions had slowed and Katharine and Karla massaged her back trying to get the little guy active again. The hospital gown hanging down around her stomach, the cool air felt amazing on her exposed back. They caught her up on all that took place and Kenya could only focus on Jonathan not being there.

“Is he coming? Did the judge release Jonathan?” She moaned into the mattress.

“They said he has to get the blood test first. The Judge had to release him to his attorney, sweetheart. I'm certain the moment he can get up here he'll come barreling down that hall.”

“You put on a show in that courtroom, girl,” Karla praised. “You had people coming out of the walls for your man.”

Kenya said eyes pressed closed, “I can't believe Morgan's testimony saved us at the last second.”

“What happened with Brian?” If they didn't put him under a rock there's no justice in the world.

Kenya listened as they told her about Carl and Moreen and how Carl helped Morgan find Rick and Michael was there to help.

“What?” she asked.

“And get this. Brian forfeited his marriage to Morgan because he married Moreen while still married to Sophie. Moreen never wanted the estate and wanted a quiet life in Kerry town, but got pissed when she heard Brian had married another woman when she was waiting for Carl to inherit the estate.”

Kenya was grateful this would give her and Morgan the chance they never had to become friends.

“Ugh...whew,” she blew out a breath. The contractions hadn't progressed any and were holding at twenty minutes apart. Her body was choking on stagnant pain roped around her stomach. Fortunately, that worked in her favor as Jonathan hadn't gotten there yet. Her mother and aunt were there by the time Fiona got her checked in and the orderly had her ushered by wheelchair up to labor and delivery.

Now her aunt stood rubbing her back and feeding her ice chips. She flexed her fingers around the squishy stress ball the hospital supplied in the little basket beside the bed on the nightstand.

She just needed her little man to hold out another hour and Jamie and Sophie should have Jonathan released with the information Morgan supplied them with. Her room’s phone rang. She chewed on her bottom lip afraid someone was calling with bad news about getting Jonathan out. Her mother sat on the bed nodding as she spoke to whoever's on the other end. Kenya held her head up listening to Katherine, her mother talking to what sounded like someone official.

Katherine set the phone in the cradle and said, “That was Julia in the lobby with Jamie. Said Jonathan and his attorney just pulled up. They have to get him to radiology and take a few vials of blood.”

Excited, Kenya dropped her arms out over the bed; butt in the air she let her tears drip down her face. Moaning, she turned her face to the side. The sight of her family warmed her tired heart. Steve and Marcus stood in the doorway, grinning like nervous grandfathers. Their daughter was in pain. Karla gathered her gown over her behind.

“Jonathan's not gonna miss his son's birth, you know that,” Karla promised and Kenya knew he'd make it somehow.

~~~

Jonathan bolted from the car, leaving his attorney still seated, to run past the parking lot security guard, tossing him the keys to his car. Leaving Hines and his security, he leapt over the small stone fence clearing the dark mulch spilling over the edge at the curb missing the parked ambulance by a shoe heel and darted through the rotating doors to the hospital. His heartbeat raced as he dashed from the car getting to his wife. He ran down the hall to the registration desk, digging his wallet out of his jeans he flashed his license to the nurse still eyeing her screen. Grabbing up the pen on a chain, he scribbled his signature on the registration chart then shoved his wallet in his back pocket.

Was she deaf? He barked over the counter at the disinterested nurse, “Kenya Blakemore…they just brought her in?” The woman didn't look up only held a finger up. Before he had a stroke, the sound of shoes slapping over the hard floor filled the hallway. Jamie stalked toward him with Julia in tow.

Julia looped and arm through his pulling him away from the counter. “Look here...go with Jamie and get your blood work done. Give me your insurance card 'cause I've already started on getting Kenya registered. Go before your son gets here.”

He kissed Julia's face shoving his wallet into her hands and looked at the map on the wall instead of questioning the nurse for radiology.

“Mr. Blakemore you need to come with me. Your attorney already called,” a security guard ushered a hand out indicating the elevators. “Radiology is waiting to give you yer blood test.”

Heart pounding in his throat, Jonathan sprinted into the elevator with the security and Jamie. Pacing the elevator, he sprung when the doors opened. “Which way?” He shot a look down the hall. Shoes slapping over the tile, the sound followed him into a room where a tech waited with three vials to take his samples. He announced, “Jonathan Blakemore. Yer taking me blood?”

“Mr. Blakemore, come sit down. The doctor's informed me yer in a hurry. That bairn won't wait, so we'll get this done right away.”

“Appreciate it.” Pulling off his jacket, he dropped it on the floor and he shoved his sleeve up dropping down into the chair. Pounding footsteps echoed the halls outside the room. The door flew open as his lawyer and an officer joined him.”

“Och, I doona want to know how many traffic violations we made on the loop...ye drive like a maniac.”

“I was in a hurry.”

The tech got his attention. “Alright, one vial left then I'll get started.” Jonathan turned to his lawyer. “I'm going to me wife. No one's keeping me from me son's birth,” his brogue had swallowed his clear English completely.

“As long as ye stay in the hospital with a guard, yer not in violation of house arrest,” Hines informed him.

On his feet holding the piece of cotton, he barely gave the nurse time to remove the rubber strap on his arm before he bolted out the door for the elevator at the end of the hall. Hines ran down the hall, his jacket flapping out around his body.

Praying he hadn't missed the birth of his child, he set his gaze on the floors going by. If Kenya has the baby...

The doors slid open, he saw Steve then Kenya's soft face greeted him, tired and flushed. “Oh, honey,” Kenya cried falling into his arms big and round. Beautiful. He scooped his wife off the floor kissing her mouth hungrily. Kenya's belly keeping him from getting any closer he touched and stroked his wife. Her sweet lips he greedily devoured walking down the corridor oblivious to the people walking and Kenya dragging her IV pole behind them.

Kenya gripped her stomach; her mouth going slack. “Oh...mmm,” she groaned into his chest, her nails digging into his skin through the dress shirt. He loved every biting sensation. He'd made it in time. Another contraction bowed her over. “Ugh! I wanna push, Jonathan, put me down and get the doctor.”

He turned bracing Kenya as he yelled down the hallway to the nurses’ station, “The bairns coming...get me a doctor, now.” In Kenya's room, he lowered her feet until they rested on the bed then as careful as possible he bent over until her behind met the bed and laid her back against the pillows. Uncertain of where to touch her as she writhed in pain, he settled on pulling a sheet over her and kept her from falling off the bed by rubbing her shoulders. He'd nearly missed the birth of his child. Nurses and a doctor poured through the doorway covered head to toe in scrubs. Family filled the doorway. The nurse pulled the curtain on the show.

“Ah,” Kenya groaned clutching her belly. “He's coming. Mmmm...” she grimaced through compressed lips squeezing his hand. Jonathan stood at her head; he held her hand between both palms. A sense of helplessness swept through him.

“Are you the father, sir?” the nurse asked.

“Yes, this is my wife,” he announced proudly stroking Kenya's hair back off her face. She was beautiful, swollen with his child. He jerked his head up at the doctors getting his attention waving a hand through the air.

“Och, go and get scrubbed. I'll have no germs infecting the mother or the bairn.”

Jonathan whispered, he'd be right back, over Kenya's ear then followed the nurse through the swinging doors. Scrubbed clean he came back to Kenya's side tucking himself behind her on the bed supporting her back.

“Mrs. Blakemore, I want you to breathe for me, in through your nose and blow it out through your mouth, nice and slow. Doona bear down until I tell you to...this little guy will be here before ye know it. I need to check you...how far your cervix has effaced.” The doctor propped Kenya's knees up and held them out wide in stirrups at the foot of the bed. “Yer doing great...good, just like that.” She said her voice rising from between Kenya's legs. Jonathan couldn't see her with her head so low.

“Ta' mo chroi' istigh ionat, you're amazing, Kenya,” he whispered along her face. “That's it. Blow it out through your mouth Mo Ru'n,” he urged easing her back into his chest after the last breath. This was his world giving birth to their future. A nurse handed him a washcloth. Kenya leaned into his hand covered in the cool towel stroking gently back and forth. He whispered, “Yer doing great, Mo Ru'n,” her breathing sped up. “Slow yer breathing sweet wife. I love you and the wee bairn you're bringing into the world. Hell, Kenya yer beautiful and mine and for these past months you gave me a lot to think about regarding you and making a family with you here in Ireland.”

Reaching down he massaged the thigh he could reach down to her knee.

Kenya said in a low voice her head back on his chest, “I'll live wherever you are,” she confessed on a long breath. Kenya's tired smile filled his heart proud. “Ahh...” she groaned pressing a fist into her thigh. Her mouth went slack behind the next groan.

“Aye, this little one wants to greet the world and is not waiting much longer.” The doctor informed scooting closer to Kenya's open thighs. Jonathan felt a bead of sweat trickle down his back and a pressure in his chest he's never experienced forced a lump in his throat knowing he would meet his son soon. “Mrs. Blakemore, when I say...bear down right here,” she directed. Jonathan watched Kenya give a quick nod but he had no idea what or where the doctor meant but Kenya seemed to know. “Okay Mr. Blakemore brace your wives back she's gonna need to push your son out for a count of ten.”

Jonathan blinked embracing his arms snug around Kenya and waited for the doctor's signal. Things moved in slow motion after that. An hour later, he sat blotting a cool towel over his wife's face as exhaustion drained her fight in between contractions.

“Is this normal, Doctor? The birth? Should it be so hard on Kenya?”

“Aye, she's fine. I dinna wanna give pain killers now. The little one will get sleepy and I need him to push himself out.” The doctor angled her chin up. “Yer little bairn is nae so...little, “the doctor announced over the sheet shielding them from what he was certain wasn't a pleasant sight. “As long as he's not in distress it's best to have him without medical interference.”

“You mean a caesarean section?” he asked pain eating at his heart for Kenya going through so much to bring his son into the world.

“Yes. I'm only here to assist if need be. Your wife, Mr. Blakemore, is all your son needs at this point. Birth is a natural process that we're fortunate to be witness to.”

Kenya's face twisted behind each contraction along with his heart and the knot in his gut. The bleeping of the monitors sped up, announcing Kenya's and the baby's heart-beat.

“Ah, here we go,” the doctor said excited, scooting in close between Kenya's legs bracing a hand to her left knee. “Somebody's ready to make their debut. And it's a slick, bald one.”

“You can see the bairn?” Jonathan asked impatiently.

The doctor glanced up. “I can see the top of a bald head. Okay, Kenya I want you to push and count to ten. Don't stop until I tell you.”

Kenya's skin glistened with perspiration after the last round of pushing and he felt sweat beading on his forehead.

“Ugh...Mmm...,” Kenya moaned.

“I'm here. Yer amazing, Mo Ru'n. I'm so proud of you.”

“Mr. Blakemore support yer wife's back when I tell her to push.” He nodded cradling Kenya's head to his chest. Pictures ran through his mind of all the times Kenya could've lost the baby. Her fighting Morgan out in the field, running to him in the caves...and the fire in the barn, either one could have taken both from his life. He clenched his jaw against the helpless feeling of losing her and all she had done for him and their son.

“Mr. Blakemore...it's just us four...let your wife see what I'm seeing. Look back at yer husband, Mrs. Blakemore.”

He fought the tears grinding behind his eyes. Those brown eyes found him. Kenya angled her hand back stroking his face. He pressed a kiss into her hand. She knew what he needed. Kenya said through tired gulps of air, “I can feel his heartbeat against my back...those aren't tears for me. They're for the future he sees with his son and all the good times he's got planned. I know my husband, doctor.”

He kissed the top of her head. She always left him with his pride.

“Well get ready, yer little guys coming. Kenya...push,” the doctor directed. Jonathan bit down on the inside of his cheek watching his wife bring their son into the world. Hell, he almost missed this. This is what his entire existence is about and he'd always be there for his family. “Seven...Eight...Nine...Ten...great now relax. Yer doing perfect. Take a few breaths and let's do it again.

Kenya inhaled and blew out her breath; her nails biting into Jonathan's palm.

“Alright, let's get this boy out to meet his family. Push Kenya. One...Two...Three...” Jonathan counted along Kenya's face with the doctors. Kenya's stomach stood hard and high and he had no idea how she was able to handle the pain.

“Okay, stop,” the doctor urged. “Ye'll feel a good amount of pressure as we deliver these shoulders. This time push slower. I need to get him past the tightest point. Ready, go. That's it Kenya. Yer doing wonderfully.”

“Mmmm...”