Page 74 of Military Daddies' Nanny

"Maybe one of us should go in there," I suggest, looking at Drew and Nathan. "To hold her hand or something."

Before either of them can respond, the door opens, and a nurse steps out. We all freeze, waiting for news.

"She's asking for Jamie," the nurse says, her eyes scanning our group.

She jumps up the moment her name is mentioned and hurries towards the nurse. She turns back before stepping into the room and offers a small smile in consolation.

“Don’t worry guys. I’ll try to get you on video call so you can see that she’s doing fine.”

“Thank you, Jamie,” Drew says, and I nod in agreement.

A part of me is jealous that I don’t get to witness the moment for myself. Nancy has tried to arrange for the guys and I to be present during the procedure, but the doctors believed we would only serve as a distraction with that many of us present.

As much as I hate it, I can’t help but admit that he’s right. It’ll be difficult for them to focus if we are all crowding over her, trying to encourage her as she pushes.

My phone rings and I pull it out of my pocket quickly, holding it in a tight grip when I see that it’s Jamie on the other end.

“For God’s sake, pick up the call, man,” Nathan snaps, reaching forward to grab my phone.

I stretch my hand out of his reach, pressing the answer button before the call ends. The three of us lean in, pressed close as we try to see our angel.

“Nancy? Are you all right?” Drew asks when the call connects.

I glare at him. “Of course, she isn’t all right, Drew. She’s in labor.”

My jaw grinds sharply as I try to calm myself. We’re all so tense now, and it’ll do Nancy no good to show signs of that. We should be calming her and not adding to her stress.

Jamie turns the phone to Nancy, and the sight that greets me nearly brings me to my knees. Nancy is there, her face flushed and hair matted with sweat. She looks exhausted, but her eyes light up when she sees us.

"Guys," she breathes, offering us a smile through gritted teeth only seconds before her face tenses and she releases a guttural sound that clenches at my heart. It’s torture seeing her like this. I wish I could be by her side, clasping her fingers in mine so she could transfer her pain to me.

"We’re here,querida," I murmur. "You're doing great."

She manages a weak smile before another contraction hits.

"It hurts," she gasps when the contraction passes. "I don't know if I can do this."

Jamie leans in, pressing her hand to Nancy’s forehead.

"You can," I say firmly. "You're the strongest person I know, Nancy. You've got this. And we're all here for you."

“Yes, Nancy. Soon, all of this will be over, and we’ll take good care of you. Only a short time now,” Nathan says beside me.

“You can do this, Nancy. Remember, we’re only outside the door, and we’ll be here for you whenever you need us,” Drew adds.

She nods, taking a deep breath.

The next hour passes in a blur of contractions, encouragement, and controlled chaos as doctors and nurses move around us. We lose track of time, focused solely on Nancy and the miracle that's about to happen.

Finally, the doctor announces that it's time to push. Nancy’s face is a mask of determination and pain.

"You can do this," Drew tells her, his voice hoarse with emotion. "You're amazing, Nancy. So amazing."

With a cry that seems to come from her very soul, Nancy gives one final push. And then, suddenly, there's a new sound in the room, coming in through the phone’s speaker—the strong, healthy cry of a newborn baby.

"It's a girl!" the doctor announces, holding up our daughter for us to see.

My breath catches in my throat. She's perfect. Tiny and red-faced and screaming her lungs out, but perfect. And as the nursecleans her off and wraps her in a blanket, I notice something that makes my heart stop.

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