Page 178 of The Baby Twist

“I love you, Miles.”

“I know you do. I love you too.”

“Let’s check you out and see if anything is happening down there,” Pepper said. “Woot! You’re at four centimeters, Stella. I’ll go let Dr. Gregario know, and I’ll get that handsome anesthesiologist up here with those drugs.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Miles

Ten minutes into the epidural, Stella was relaxed. The pained look on her face was gone, and the brightness returned to her beautiful eyes. She was so relaxed that she let me take a few work calls while she was on Facetime with Jordyn.

A few more hours had passed, and she was finally dilated to ten centimeters.

“It’s time to start pushing, Stella.” Dr. Gregario smiled.

She pushed for over an hour and was exhausted.

“I can’t do this.” Tears filled her eyes.

“Shh. That word isn’t a part of who you are.” I placed my hand on the back of her neck and leaned in so my face was touching hers and my lips were to her ear. “You got this, baby. Push.”

She did as I asked, and I continued whispering in her ear.

“You are so strong. You’re my beautiful wife, and I love you so much.”

“Come on, Stella. That’s it. One more big push,” Dr. Gregario said.

“Do me a favor, baby. Give me everything you got. Our son is almost here, and he can’t wait to meet his mommy. You got this, my strong girl. Come on,” I whispered in her ear.

She pushed as hard as she could. Suddenly, my son’s cries were heard. Tears filled my eyes as I kissed Stella’s head. My bottom lip quivered as Dr. Gregario held our son up, and I cut the cord.

“He’s beautiful, Stella.”

The nurse took him, cleaned him up, weighed him, wrapped him in a blanket, and placed him in Stella’s arms.

“Welcome to the world, Benjamin Miles Bradshaw.” She softly kissed his head.

“Hey, buddy.” I placed my hand on his head as tears streamed down my face. “God, Stella. He’s so tiny.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Dr. Gregario said, stitching Stella up from her episiotomy. “An eight-pound baby isn’t that tiny.”

“If you say so, Dr. Gregario.” I smiled as I stared at my son, softly stroking his head.

“You can hold him.” Stella smiled.

“I want to, Stella, but I’m scared. He’s so tiny.”

“As I said?—”

“Be quiet, Dr. Gregario,” Both Stella and I spoke at the same time.

“Come on, big guy.” Pepper patted my back. “Go sit in the rocker, and I’ll show you how to hold your baby.”

I sat down in the rocker, and Pepper placed Benjamin in my arms.

“Just make sure to support his head. Once this little guy has that down pat himself, you can toss him up in the air.” She winked.

I sat there, slowly rocking, as I held my newborn son in my arms. Tears streamed down my face when the thought that Iwanted nothing to do with him when Stella told me she was pregnant came to mind.