Page 97 of The Complication with the Best Man

“All right, Harper. Are you ready to meet your baby?” Dr. Stewart asks.

She nods and clenches her jaw, and I know somehow that this next push will be it.

When the time comes, Holly and I support Harper’s back. She grunts and screams and cries, but this time, the doctor tells her to stop.

“The head is out. Just one more, Harper,” the doctor says, and Harper pushes again. “It’s a boy!” Dr. Stewart calls.

Seconds later, we hear the shrill cry of our son.

I bend down and wrap my arms around Harper, who’s crying now. “You did so good, baby. You did it. We have a son.” I back up enough so I can see her eyes, my own filled with unshed tears, and slide some of the sweat-slicked hair off her face. “I’m so proud of you.”

The nurse brings our son over to Harper now that he’s been checked out and given a clean bill of health and sets him on her bare chest, then she eases the blanket over them up to his shoulders.

Harper’s arms instinctively go to his bum and his back. “Hello, little man.” She looks up at me. “He has your hair color.”

We share a small laugh as it’s been a big question in our minds.

“You did so well, Harp,” Holly says, tears streaming down her face. “What’s his name?”

Harper looks at me to tell her.

“Hollis Benjamin McDonald,” I say with pride.

“We wanted to work your name into it somehow, and since it’s a boy…”

Holly’s hand flies to her heart. “Mine? Why?”

Harper reaches out with one hand to take her mother’s. “If you hadn’t tried so hard to have me, I wouldn’t even be here. I know you weren’t able to carry me, but you went through a lot to make it happen. This little guy wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that.”

Holly dissolves into tears and kisses Harper’s forehead.

After a few minutes, Harper looks up at me. “Do you want to hold him?”

I have to press my lips together to keep from bursting into tears at the thought of holding my son for the first time. I strip off my shirt and ease myself into the bed beside Harper. As if she’s an expert, she gently hands our son to me.

I place him against my chest and cover him with a blanket, making note of every squeak and small noise he makes. And when I look over at Harper looking at the two of us, I know that I was right. The universe did play a role in getting me here because I’m exactly where I was always meant to be.

* * *

“Okay,no more visitors for a while. You need some rest.”

No sooner have the words left my lips than there’s another knock at the door.

I love Harper’s family, I do. But there are a lot of them, and they all want to see the newest addition, which has left little time for Harper to rest.

When I turn toward the door though, I know it will be a while before she’s resting now because Jack stands there with a wide smile. He must have flown in from Los Angeles as soon as someone told him Harper was in labor.

“Jack!” There’s no missing the excitement in Harper’s voice.

I’ve met Jack and his wife, Shelly, a couple times when they’ve been up here visiting over the past few months.

“Heard someone had a baby and had to fly up to see if it was true.” He walks in holding a gift bag and sets it on the table in the corner with the rest before making his way to the bed and giving Harper a hug.

“I’m so surprised to see you,” she says.

Jack reaches over the bed to shake my hand. “Congrats.”

“Thanks.”

---