Falling Fast and Breathing Hard

Another month passed and now it's March. My due date is coming up in nine days, but I hope it comes much sooner. I've been homebound the past couple of weeks and I've had Vero and Mary coming over every single day minus the days Kris has been home, but this is a day where he is home.

"How you feeling today?" Mary asked as us and Vero ate lunch at TGI Friday's.

"Exhausted. What else is new? I'm all too ready for her to come. I hope it's before the 13th."

They nodded.

"Yeah. I'm ready to meet my niece already." Vero laughed.

"Me too."

I laughed a little myself.

Only a couple of hours later as we were at the mall, I felt sharp pains in my abdomen. I nearly fell to the ground.

"Athena, you okay?" Vero asked as I leaned up against her.

"I think the baby's coming. Mary, could you call Kris for me?"

"Of course."

She took her phone out of her purse and dialed his number.

Kris

I was in the middle of my nap when I got a phone call.

"Hello?" I asked groggily.

"It's Mary."

"What's wrong?"

"Athena's in labor. She just started having contractions not even a minute ago."

"Ok. I'll be there as soon as I can."

I jumped out of bed, made myself presentable and ran out the door. I called Dan on my way out the door.

"Kris, what's up?"

"Athena's in labor. I gotta go."

"Alright. I'll call someone in place of you."

"Thank you."

"No problem. Let us know when she's born. K?"

"Of course."

"Bye."

"Bye."

I ran down the steps, outside and quickly got to my car. On the way, I called my mother.

"Maman?"

"Kris, ce qui se passe?" (Kris, what's up?)

"Le travail dans d'Athéna. Je suis sur mon chemin maintenant." (Athena's in labor. I'm on my way now.)

"Je serai là dès que je peux." ( I'll be there as soon as I can.)

Athena

"Is he on his way?"

"Yeah. He told me he'd be here as soon as he could."

I nodded.

My contractions were over for the moment when we got to the car. Five minutes later they were back; I screamed... yeah, they were that bad. Mary sat beside me and tried to help me relax as we made the ten minute ride to the hospital. Vero dashed to the front desk while Mary asked for a wheelchair; luckily, that didn't take very long.

"Miss Halloway? How are you feeling?" the doctor asked coming into my room.

"Okay, I guess. As best as you could be while having contractions."

"Good. Mind if I ask who your friends are?"

"Vero and Mary. My boyfriend's on his way. He was taking his game day nap?"

"What's he do?"

"He plays hockey for a living."

"That's awesome."

"I know, right?"

"Anyway, I just wanna check and see how far along you are."

I laid back and sighed.

"You're only 3 centimeters."

I knew I had to be ten centimeters, so I was a longways to being there.

"I gotta call my mom and Susan or do you think I should text them?"

"I'd call them." Mary said.

I nodded and I did. They were so excited, it was ridiculous. Karen and my mom are getting on a plane and flying here as soon as possible. An hour past and Kris still wasn't here.

"I hate this. He should be here already." I cried.

"He'll be here soon. Trust me. Traffic's probably just bad today." Vero reassurred, squeezing my hand.

"Yeah."

By this moment, I had gone up to five centimeters. Less than fifteen minutes later, Kris called me.

"Kris?" I answered anxiously.

"Hi, baby. I'm about ten minutes away, ok?"

"Ok. That's great. I really need you right now."

"How far along are you?"

"Five centimeters. I was just three an hour ago."

"Wow. I'll see you soon. I love you."

"I love you, too."

I hung up and laid back.

"Where is he?" Vero asked.

"He's ten minutes away. Thank goodness."

They nodded and I nearly fell asleep.

The time passed faster than I thought it would. Kris came in and kissed me.

"You're here." I said, hugging him as tight as I could.

"I'm here, baby. I'm here."

He found a seat beside me.

"Hey Vero, Mary. Thanks for being here."

"No problem. We were all at the mall when this happened."

He took my hand and laid his head beside mine.

"Anything new since I called?"

"No. Of course not, but I wish something was."

He kissed my forehead and stroked my hair.

"I love you." he whispered.

"I love you, too."

Despite the occasional pain, I was really happy. I had my best friends, my boyfriend, but I knew I wouldn't be absolutely happy until my mom, Susan and Kris' parents were here. About three hours later, the pain got worse.

Can it just be time for an epidural already?

I cried into his shoulder. There was nothing else he could do but comfort me and rub my back.

"Is it time for an epidural?" I asked as the doctor walked in.

"It is, actually."

"Oh thank God." I said, lying my head back.

I moved and sat the way I was supposed to for the epidural. It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. After that, the doctor saw how far along I was.

"You are eight centimeters along. It shouldn't be much longer."

I nodded.

My mom texted me a few minutes later.

Susan and I are here! We'll be inside in a couple of minutes! Love you!

I smiled.

"What's with the smile?" Vero asked.

"My mom and Susan are gonna be here in a couple minutes!"

He kissed me... .hard. I laughed.

"What's that for?"

He shrugged.

"I'm just really happy, I guess."

I kissed him back. Only a few minutes later, my mom and Susan rushed through the door. I laughed.

"Mom! Susan!" I exclaimed as I got a hug from each of them.

"How far along are you?" my mom asked.

"Eight as of ten minutes ago."

Five minutes later, I saw his parents come in. I was bombarded with hugs.

"How you feelin'?

"Eh... pretty okay, I guess. I got an epidural fifteen minutes ago."

Another hour passed when my doctor came in to see how I was.

"Looks like you're ready. You're ten centimeters."

"Oh, thank goodness."

I smiled and Kris kissed me.

When it came time for me to push, everyone waited in the waiting room, but Kris. I just wanted him with me for the time being. No offense to my friends, my family and his family, but I felt I needed just him until Kalea came along. Three hours and several pushes later, I was squeezing the hell out of Kris' hand and I was on my final push.

"Ok, Miss Halloway, one more big push."

And... she's here. I laid back and cried. Kris was beside me crying as well.

"Do we have a name?"

"Yes. Kalea April Letang."

She was 8 lbs and 5 oz. The exact opposite of Kris' jersey number; I laughed to myself. They handed her to me in a pale pink blanket.

"Hi there, cutie. I'm your Mommy. I love you." I said, kissing her forehead.

The tears were still apparent in his eyes.

"She's beautiful." I said, handing her to her father.

"She is. I never thought I'd meet someone as beautiful as you."

I got choked up even more.

"Hi pretty girl, I'm your Daddy. I love you." he said, kissing her forehead.

"Ready for visitors?" a nurse asked five minutes later.

I nodded. Everyone came in at once. I handed her to my mom first.

"Oh, she's perfect. My granddaughter. I can't even imagine what your father's thinking right now. " she said as Kalea smiled at her.

I smiled to myself.

"I love you."

She reached up and touched my mom's face. The tears were all too apparent in her eyes. When she handed her to Kris' mother, she said something in French. Only Vero, Kris, his stepfather and I knew what she said.

"Vous êtes trop belle pour votre propre bien. J'espère que tu le sais."

"What'd she say?" my mom asked.

"You are too beautiful for your own good. I hope you know that."

Everyone smiled.

It was around nine in the evening when I decided to sleep. Everyone had left a half hour ago.

"Today was the best day of my life minus the day that I met you. Who knew I'd fall in love with you so quickly." I said to Kris who laid beside me on my hospital bed.

"I never thought I'd fallen in love with you so hard, so fast. It's crazy. So unexpected..."

"Just like Kalea."

"The most amazing person in our lives."

I nodded and kissed him.

"Je t'aime. Bonne nuit."

"Je t'aime vous aussi. Bonne nuit."

I was asleep in seconds.

Isn't she lovely
Isn't she wonderful
Isn't she precious
Less than one minute old
I never thought through love we'd be
Making one as lovely as she
But isn't she lovely made from love

Isn't she pretty
Truly the angel's best
Boy, I'm so happy
We have been heaven blessed
I can't believe what God has done
Through us he's given life to one
But isn't she lovely made from love

Isn't she lovely
Life and love are the same
Life is Aisha
The meaning of her name
Londie, it could have not been done
Without you who conceived the one
That's so very lovely made from love

Notes

She's finally here!

Chapter title and lyrics courtesy of Isn't She Lovely? by Stevie Wonder.

This had to be the easiest song choice ever.