Page 68 of Nanny for the Damaged Ex-SEAL

He jumps off the bed and starts to pack.

I breathe in and out loudly and hold on to the edge of the bed. He goes out of the room and comes back with Ethan dressed. He slips on a shirt and comes to get me off the bed.

I'm groaning in pain as he lifts me up.

"Is Aria okay?" Ethan asks with concern on his face.

I nod to him and stroke the top of his head to try to calm him.

"The baby's coming. Help me grab that bag, will you?” Connor says to him.

Ethan nods and snatches the bag off the floor.

Connor leads me down the stairs gently and Ethan follows us.

When we arrive at the hospital, I'm taken into a delivery room, and I’m changed into a hospital gown. The contractions aren’t letting up. The nurse tells me to walk around if I can and asks if I’d like to have a bath to cope with the pain. That’s the last thing I want right now, so I sit on the edge of the bed, because I can’t even lift my legs. The nurse comes in to check my progress periodically and to check the baby’s heart rate.

Connor calls Dad, Amy, and Bria. They promise to be here soon. Ethan is in a big chair in the corner, watching something on Connor's iPad that he packed for him.

I sit on the edge of the bed with Connor behind me rubbing on my aching back. “Can something be done about the pain?” he asks the nurse.

"I know it's hard seeing her like this. The anesthesiologist will be here soon."

He sighs and continues to rub my back. "Sorry, love."

When the anesthesiologist comes in, I sigh heavily and let out a groan of both frustration and relief, because I just want the epidural, already. I want the pain gone. It takes about thirty minutes to subside. I’m told to stay in bed and a monitor is strapped to my belly. My contractions are frequent now, with just little relief time in between. And they are intense.

I groan and put my hand on my belly. The hours pass by. The longest hours of my life. Dad and Amy arrive at some point; a few minutes later, Bria comes in, too.

Amy dabs my forehead with a wet paper towel while Dad offers me encouraging words. Connor is sitting on the bed with me, holding my hand.

A massive contraction sweeps through me, and I groan loudly.

“You’re so strong, and your body is made for this,” Bria says.

Dad takes Ethan out of the room while Amy and Bria remain with Connor and me.

The nurse comes in to check my dilation then goes back out. When she leaves, I start to feel like I need to use the toilet. I already know what it means. I’ve been reading a lot of childbirth books, so I do my best to hold back the urge to push and tell Connor to get the nurse. He runs out and a few seconds later he’s back with the nurse and my OB.

My OB checks to see if I’m ready. It’s time. Once I’m in position I follow the doctor’s instructions and push when I’m told to. At one point, I start to get tired, and the pain is overwhelming and all-encompassing like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.

“You can do it, baby. You’ve got this. Almost there,” Connor says, stroking my hair and kissing me on my forehead.

I push again and stop and push again and stop.

“Yes! You’re doing it!” Amy exclaims with tears in her eyes.

“Just one last push, Aria. One big push. Come on,” the doctor says.

I’m worn out, but I pull together every bit of strength I can muster and push with everything I’ve got. I feel a fiery burning followed by a slippery whoosh of relief, and the baby is out. She lets out a precious little cry as the doctor clears her airway. My eyes are blurred by tears, but I see Connor cut the cord then come back to me. I fall back into bed as I try to catch my breath. Connor is wiping the sweat off my forehead and kissing it.

“You did it, baby. You did it. And she’s so beautiful, just like you.”

The baby is brought and laid on my bare chest.

After a bit of time settling in and cooing at her and taking in every detail of her perfection, Dad comes back with Ethan. He walks slowly toward me, his eyes fixed on the little package on my chest.

“Do you want to touch her?” Connor asks.

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