Page 58 of Catching Dreams

I looked up as the nurse was picking up the baby from my chest to weigh him and clean him off.

I smiled as an older version of my brother walked into the room. He went straight over to the baby and looked at him. “Oh, Molly, he’s perfect!”

“Thanks!” I said and took a minute to rest my head against the pillow. “I’m so glad you were here for this, Mom.”

“I am, too, sweetheart. It was quite the journey to get here. I love you so much, baby girl!”

“Jennie, our grandson is perfect,” my dad said as he leaned over to give me a kiss on the cheek. “You did great, Molly. You’re going to be the best mom.” Dad turned and hugged Dominic. It was crazy to me how much they looked alike, standing side by side.

“I’m so excited to be an uncle!” Dominic said. “He’s almost 11 pounds, Sis!”

“Wow! That is one big baby!” I said as I reached out my hands as the nurse brought him back over swaddled in a blue blanket.

“So, does our grandson have a name?” Tyler’s mom asked as she came into the room. She and my mom gave each other a big hug. I was so glad my mom and mother-in-law were close friends.

“I was really hoping for a girl,” Tyler’s dad said. “I loved the name Hazel for the story of how they met.”

“My dad always loved telling that story!” my mom exclaimed as Mike and Nick shook hands and then gave each other a hug. “I wish he…”

“Never fear! He is here!” my grandpa said as he entered the room with a huge teddy bear in his arms. “What story do I love to tell?”

“Papaw!” I cried out. “You made it!”

“You think I would miss my great-grandson being born?” He came over to me and gave me a hug and a kiss on the forehead. “Oh, he’s perfect! I love you so much, Molly-girl!”

“Tyler, do you mind if Papaw holds him first?”

“Not at all!” my husband said. “Good to see you again, Tom.”

“How bad did she squeeze your hand?” Papaw asked with a chuckle as he saw an ice pack in Tyler’s hand. “It wasn’t your catching hand, was it?”

“It’s a good thing he’s a switch hitter!” Mimi’s voice said as she entered the room. She was carrying a huge bouquet of orange roses. She set them on the table and grabbed her camera as I held out my son to my grandpa’s waiting arms. Before she snapped a picture, she smiled at me and said, “I’m so proud of you, my little cupcake. I love you so much.”

“Papaw, I would like you to meet…”

“Molly!”

“Hold on, let me tell them his name,” I said.

“Molly!”

“No! I need more time,” I cried out.

“Molly! Baby, wake up!”

I opened my eyes and rubbed them with my hands. I was so disappointed when I realized I was still very pregnant and my parents and grandparents being there for the birth had all been a dream. I was really mad at Tyler for waking me up.

I felt wetness all around me. “Crap! I need to go to the bathroom!” I cried out.

“I think you already did,” Tyler said.

I looked up into Tyler’s worried-filled eyes. “Oh no. I think I had an accident!”

Tyler helped me get up out of bed, and I waddled towards the bathroom, but the wetness kept coming out. I couldn’t control it.

“Baby, I don’t think you had an accident. I think your water broke.”

“Hey, Mom,” I said into the phone. “We were wondering if Molly was okay to take a bath after her water breaks?”

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