Page 47

My abdomen had been hurting for the past day. Nothing abnormal, according to Chaunette. Contractions a few days before birth wasn't out of the ordinary. One contraction felt particularly different.

I sat up from my spot on the couch, my mouth half-caught in surprise. I cursed silently. Tyler wasn't home and he wouldn't be for a few hours. I started to panic. Was this it? Was the baby coming a few days early? I decided to call Chaunette, hoping she'd know what to do. My fingers shook as I scrolled for her contact. It rang for a minute before going to voicemail. I cursed again.

I knew I needed to calm down. I knew I needed to breath. I scrambled for my phone again. The notes were always my best friend. A few topics back, I found the one I was looking for.

Four one one method. Contractions are four minutes apart and last longer than a minute. For an entire hour. I could do that. Right? It just meant I would have to lay down and relax for awhile. Almost as soon as I stood to get a blanket, I felt the telltale trickle Chaunette had told me about. I cursed, loudly and strongly.

Why did this have to happen while Tyler was at practice? Where was Chaunette? What the hell was I supposed to do? I couldn't call Tayler. She was in Toronto. Lyndsey was occupied with Jamie and I doubted she would be able to drop everything to help me. I knew I could call any of the other women, but I felt embarrassed by my panic.

I settled down on the couch again, squeezing my eyes shut and taking a deep breath. I felt like I was laying there for an entire day. I kept checking the time, monitoring my contractions. Three hours passed, and by eight at night, I was finally at the hour of four minute apart cramps. Tyler should've been home from camp by now. I needed to go.

In the bedroom, I shoved my feet into slides and grabbed my keys. The hospital bag we'd packed a week ago was by the front door. I grabbed that as well. On my walk to the car, I dialed Tyler's number. Voicemail. Of course. I left a polite but slightly panicked message. My next option was a staff member. If the team was just in film or something, they'd be accessible via staff. I selected a trainer's assistant I'd talked to on occasion, knowing the girl would be on her phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Stacey. It's Halle. I don't know what the team is doing right now but could you please inform Tyler that I'm going into labor and he should probably leave?" My voice rose at the end.

"Oh! Shit, yeah. They're on the ice right now. I'll flag him down. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Thank you. Bye." I pinched the bridge of my nose tightly.

Before I started driving, I leaned against the car, taking a deep breath. This was not going smoothly. I shakily placed the bag in the backseat. I placed my phone in the side of the bag, knowing I wouldn't be able to reach it if anyone called.

Traffic never picked a worse night to be terrible. There were times when I angrily slammed my hand on the wheel, both out of pain and frustration. A grueling half hour later, I was parking and waddling inside like a penguin. One look at my face, and the nearest nurse started to help me.

I think I blacked out on the way to the maternity ward. The next thing I knew, I was settled in a bed and sweating like crazy. There was still no sign of Tyler, which seriously pissed me off. Once he showed up, I intended to give him an earful. I waited impatiently until I heard the familiar voice in the hallway.

All my feelings of annoyance dissipated when I saw his confused and worried face. Despite my better judgement, I broke into a sob. He was at my side in a second.

"Hey....I'm here. It's ok."

"It hurts Ty." He held my head to him protectively. I didn't even mind the stench of hockey gear and sweat that rolled off him. All I cared about was that he was here. I wasn't alone anymore.

"I know it does. You're gonna be ok. You're doing amazing." By the time I'd relaxed slightly, I felt inclined to comment on his appearance.

"What, you didn't shower before coming?" He gave me a look of disbelief.

"You're in labor right now and you still have the energy to make fun of me?" I shrugged, starting to smile. The expression was split by a grimace of pain. I let my head fall back onto the pillows. They felt like bricks under my head.

I didn't look at Tyler again. I squeezed his hand, but that was it. Vaguely, I was aware of him making phone calls. Everything seemed to fade in between the bouts of pain. They were quicker now. Seconds were the only dividers now. Sweat plastered my hair down against my forehead and neck. I felt exhausted.

Like a fever dream, I faded in and out of red hazes. Why did this hurt so bad? Was I supposed to feel this much pain? When Tyler brought me some cold water, I finally regained a hold on consciousness. Looking at the clock told me it was three. Three what?

"What time is it?" I croaked out, barely able to form words. Somehow, Tyler understood me.

"It's three. Three PM on September thirteenth." I looked at him sharply. Had that much time really passed? Gauging by the deep circles under his eyes, it was obvious that was the case.

"Oh." He looked so exhausted.

"Halle, I know you're beyond tired, but if you can't push really hard soon they're going to do C-section. Please, baby. Just try again." I nodded faintly. I swallowed heavily, looking up to the ceiling. I could do this. For Tyler.

I'd been at this for hours on end. This time, I put my entire effort behind it. I grabbed onto Tyler's hand and leaned forward, crying out at the same time. I managed to hear the strangled groan from my fiancé, but I ignore him. Again, I put my effort forth. The nurses and doctors encouraged me loudly. One last time. One last unbearable and destroying bout of pain. And I was done. I fell back, my eyes unfocused. Through ringing ears, I could hear the crying. The sweet sound that awakened the instinct of a mother within me. I struggled to lift my head, tears slipping from my eyes.

After the longest seconds of my life, I got to watch Tyler cut the umbilical cord. I waited, in complete awe, as the nurse approached holding my baby. My son. She placed him on my chest carefully.

It was the best thing I'd ever felt. I looked to Tyler, who was on his knees beside the bed. A river ran down his face, without any shame. He leaned forward to press his head against mine. I smiled down, completely enthralled in our son.

"Wow." It was all Tyler could say. He uttered it over and over again. I smiled, completely exhausted.

When the staff finally let my family and friends into the room, I was greeted by an enthusiastic Tayler and my parents. Tayler held her arms out immediately.

"Oh, please let me hold him you guys." Tyler gently placed our baby boy into her arms.

"Hunter." I murmured. Tyler looked back at me, grinning. He restated what I'd said louder.

"His name is Hunter. Hunter Oswald Dewalt."

While my parents and Tayler gushed over him, I was on the verge of passing out. I hadn't slept in what felt like days. It was finally Tyler who ushered them out, promising they could come back when I was rested.

For another hour, we continued to hold Hunter and quietly admire his tiny features. My heart jumped whenever he opened his eyes and revealed the stunning light color. They were blue, but they held a tinge of green that I knew all too well. I secretly hoped they would become green on their own. To have a son with Tyler's eyes would be amazing.

By the time I fell asleep for the night, I was running on pure fumes. I didn't have the strength to think over the events of the past twenty four hours. All I knew was that I'd come in here by myself, and now I was leaving with the best kind of plus one.

Tyler woke me up in the morning with a gentle shake. He was already cradling Hunter protectively.

"Morning baby. Your parents are here again. So are your brothers and Hannah." I blinked blearily, sitting up. I probably looked like hell.

"Ok. They can come in." He nodded, calling out.

This time, I was marginally more alert to the attention of my family. My mother gave me the biggest grin. Hannah was crying when Tyler let her hold Hunter. Even stoic Mason shed a tear when he got to hold the tiny newborn. Johnny was a lot more relaxed. He instantly gave Hunter a ridiculous nickname, and introduced himself as 'Uncle JohnJohn. Like bonbon with a J.'

Watching the people I'd grown up with hold my son was a surreal experience. I could remember the day my mom had held Hannah like that. I'd been eight when my younger sister was born. Old enough to remember sitting in the hospital for hours, but not old enough to remember how much my mother had actually gone through. I wonder what my mother would have thought that day if I told her she'd be a grandmother when Hannah was only thirteen. Maybe she would've expected it from Mason, who was fifteen at the time. Maybe even Johnny, at the nice age of eleven. Definitely not from her precious little eight year old.

Through the day, my closest friends streamed through to see Hunter. Tayler came back, accompanied by Dylan, around lunch. Aleks and Elvis were next. Alex came without Lyndsey, who was at home with their own infant.

At five, I was discharged from the hospital. I found out, much to my annoyance, that Tyler had let Johnny drive my BMW back to our apartment. I didn't hold back on my criticism of that idea. Tyler only laughed as he drove me home.

"You're too picky. Relax, baby. Nothing happened to it."

"I know but he won't shut up about it for the next year." I groaned.

"You'll be fine. Hunter will keep you occupied so you don't have to deal with your brother." I rubbed my face. He was right.

"Are we telling the world yet?"

"I say no. I think we should wait a few months. Let the hockey season get into full swing." I nodded. I couldn't disagree. Keeping this a secret might be easier now that I wasn't actually pregnant anymore. If anyone saw me out, I could easily pass off that I was babysitting for someone. I let my head fall back.

"Things are going to be so different."

"We're not by ourselves anymore. We have a little bundle of perfect joy that I get to love for the rest of my life." He was grinning again. We'd both been doing a lot of smiling. How could we not? Hunter was better than we could've ever imagined.

I couldn't wait to introduce him to his new home. The apartment had been completely baby-proofed, even though Hunter wouldn't be crawling for awhile. We'd removed hazards, locked low cabinets, and made sure hanging things were securely screwed it. I'd driven Tyler nuts over the past month trying to make our living space as safe as possible. Call me paranoid, but a life where I didn't trip over a loose cord while holding my child was better than the alternative.

Tyler reached across the console to grab my hand. He pressed it to his mouth gently. My ring tapped against his cheek lightly. I smirked, twisting to make sure Hunter was doing good.

"What's your first action as a new mother?"

"A glass of wine." I laughed at his scathing look. "Kidding! I'm going to hold Hunter in the rocking chair and just stare at him. Then I'm going to pump—"

"Ah ah!" He waved his hand, blushing. My eyebrows shot up.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Does the conversation of breast milk make you uncomfortable? Get used to it. It's your life for a long time." He grimaced.

"I know, I know. It's just...so weird. I was sitting right there went they talked to you but I don't understand or think I want to know how it works."

He finally pulled into our apartment parking garage. I eagerly jumped from the car, pointing at the trunk with the hospital bag. Tyler nodded. I carefully lifted Hunter's seat from the car.

We walked into the building together, too enthralled with each other and Hunter to acknowledge the people we passed. I was so careful with his carrier, cradling it up the elevator. Before we entered the apartment, Tyler stopped me with one hand.

"When we enter this apartment we're not the same people any more. We're not kids living spontaneously. We're parents with a duty to our son. Are you ready for that?"

"Does it matter if I am or not? It doesn't matter. Of course I am. Especially when I get to go through this journey with you." He leaned over to kiss my cheek.

"Together then?"

"Always."