Page 18 of Blake Marshall Says He Needs Me

Charlie shrugged. “I’m too excited. I need to tell them.”

Missy sighed but smiled. “And Shannon is going to be a godparent, too. Clara wouldn't be here if it weren’t for her.”

“Here, here,” Wilder cheered.

“Amazing,” Shelby sighed. “We’re all going to be the best kick-butt godparents ever.”

I smiled, but inside, I was torn.

I knew with Shannon being friends with Missy and Shelby, I was going to see her sometimes, but being godparents to Clara was going to put her even more in my life.

Shannon wasn’t going anywhere, and I needed to figure out what I was going to do about it.

Chapter Nine

Shannon

“Ready to bust out of here?”

“Shannon,” Missy called. She gingerly sat on the edge of the bed and smiled broadly. “I didn’t think I was going to see you today.”

I walked into her room and draped my coat on the foot of the bed. “As if you could keep me away from pretty Clara.”

“I’ll remember that when it’s three o’clock in the morning, and she won’t sleep,” Charlie laughed. He was sitting in the recliner by the window with Clara in his arms. “All his godparents can get a rotation going.”

“Is that what I signed up for?” I asked. “Clara is my first god baby, but I don’t think it means three AM feedings.”

“By the time Shannon would get there, Clara would be knocked out by the boob juice,” Missy giggled. “That seems to be the trick to getting her down right now. Whip out the boob, and all is calm.”

“Works on me too, kid,” Charlie whispered to Clara.

“These boobs belong to her for the next year or so,” Missy sighed. “My body isn’t even mine.”

As much as I wanted to hold Clara, I could tell Missy needed me more.

I sat on the edge of the bed next to her and put my arm around her shoulder. “How are you doing?” I asked.

Missy had been in the hospital for two days and was in the process of being discharged. I stayed with her the first night but returned to Mason yesterday.

“Um, is it weird that I’m sad?” she asked softly.

I shook my head. “However you feel is right.”

“It’s just that I miss being pregnant. I can’t fully protect her now that she’s not chilling in my womb.”

“Chilling in your womb. I’m going to have to remember that one,” I laughed. “But that is normal, Missy. You spent the last nine months with her, and now she pretty violently left your body. Sad is a completely normal feeling.”

“But I shouldn’t be sad because now I can see Charlie with her and watch her grow.”

“Yup, you’re right. Those are good reasons to be happy, but you can also be sad, Missy. You’re going through some rapid changes.” Missy had a good support system around her, but that didn’t mean she was safe from the baby blues or postpartum depression. “It’s not wrong if you’re sad.”

“Could this be any more confusing,” she laughed. “I’m up and down like a roller coaster.”

“Just keep talking, Missy. And if it gets to be too much, there are always meds that can help until you get evened out.”

Missy leaned into me and laid her head on my shoulder. “Why are you so nice to me? Do you do this with all of your patients?” she asked.

“Uh, if you mean check in on them, yes, I do that with every patient. But be their godparent to their baby? That would be no. Clara is my first godchild that I helped deliver her.”

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