Page 16 of Home for Nathan (Secret Springs)
Chapter
Fifteen
“ I s it always like this?” Zion murmured to his dad, exhaustion and worry making him jitter.
Everyone was taking turns being in there with Nathan, and it was their moms’ turn right now.
He wanted to just scream. He didn’t like this—none of it. Everyone kept telling him to be in the minute, but he just wanted it to be over, for Nathan to feel better and not cry anymore.
“It is perfectly normal. This is just the process.”
“I don’t love the process,” he growled, and his dad shrugged.
“Neither did I. Sometimes you have to… Sometimes things hurt to be amazing. I didn’t make the rules.”
“All right. I’ll trust you.” It was hard, though. The night seemed endless, and when dawn had come with no baby…
“It’s going to be fine. She’s going to have a magical life with you, and once she’s here, this whole thing will seem easier. Your brothers are over the moon, by the way. They can’t wait to meet Rachel. Everyone’s coming at Christmas to see her.”
He nodded, but he would admit it wasn’t really real yet, and Christmas seemed a thousand years away. They said things about meeting Rachel, and she had a name, and he’d felt her move.
But right this second, he didn’t really believe there was going to be a baby.
His mom came hurrying out of the birth room, exhaustion written on her face. “He’s calling for you. It’s getting very close.”
Zion nodded and ran to Nathan’s room, where his lover was leaning over the bed, as pale as the sheet.
He was clinging to his mother’s hand, panting hard. “I think it’s coming. I think it’s happening.”
“All right.” Zion could handle that. He would take Mom’s place.
She stood and nodded. “I’m going to get Devon. It seems like things have really started to advance.” She made a motion with her hand, indicating speed.
“Sounds great, Mom. Thanks.” Advancing sounded like an amazing plan. He grabbed Nathan’s hand and started rubbing the sweet lower back. “How’s it going?”
“I hate this, but I think it’s close. It really hurts. I’m really tired. She feels like I need to push, you know?”
“Yeah. I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do. You should do what you feel, I guess?” He had no idea.
Nathan nodded to him and panted. “I need to push.”
Zion nodded and helped Nathan kneel on the bed, praying hard that someone would come in who knew way more about doing this than he did. He knew about breathing, knew about being supportive, but really?
This was totally out of his league, and he was freaking out.
“Hey. How’s it going, Nathan?” Devon didn’t sound worried when he walked in.
“I need to push!” Nathan cried out, and Devon hurried right up to him.
“All right. Let’s look at all the things.” Devon got Nathan settled on the mattress, and checked the birthline, giving a happy little chuckle. “Yep, I would say that it is absolutely time for you to push. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to have a baby.”
Those are the most amazing words Zion had ever heard.
Nathan nodded and grabbed Zion’s hand, and suddenly they were cooking with gas. It was the wildest ride he’d ever experienced. Zion couldn’t tell whether it took forever or seconds. He wasn’t really sure.
He was certain of the fact that that didn’t matter.
And when Nathan reached for him, and called out his name over and over, he knew exactly what he had been made for.
Rachel came in a rush, squalling and complaining and letting everyone know that she was unhappy about showing up.
Nathan chuckled softly. “Well, she knows what she wants.”
“She’s got healthy lungs.”
They both laughed, and then the laughter stopped when Devon put this tiny, red-faced, perfect baby into Nathan’s arms.
Never in this life had Zion seen anything quite so beautiful.
He reached out, but he was afraid to touch her. What if he hurt her. What if he gave her weird germs?
Nathan sobbed, grinning at the same time. “Isn’t she amazing?”
“She’s wonderful. Wondrous. Whatever the word needs to be.
” He was…awed. This was his daughter. Their daughter.
She had a wild shock of dark hair, and he smoothed a finger over it.
From what he’d read, she would lose that, and her regular hair would grow in.
He hoped it was still dark like Nathan’s.
“She is.” Nathan sighed, relaxing. “Can you feed her? I’m so tired I’m afraid I’ll drop her if I try.”
“Of course, baby. You need to rest.” He would happily do all the work from now on. Nathan had done enough just bringing Rachel into the world.
“Come on, Zion. I can show you where to sit while we make Nathan comfy. He can stay right here for as long as he needs to. I would say at least until tonight, if not tomorrow morning. He put in the time.” Devon gave him that warm smile, and he was grateful.
“I need to show her to all the folks.”
“We’ll bring them in a few at a time.”
“His mom and dad first.”
“Of course.” Devon led him to a nice little chair, and he sat, holding his new daughter, so grateful that Nathan had come into his life when he had. Or vice versa.
He was a husband and a dad now when before he came to Secret Springs, he’d been neither. Kaleb had been right. This place was magic.
He wouldn’t have it any other way.