Without Her

Chapter 20 - Baby Blues

The midwife takes the baby, and cleans her off wrapping her up in a pearly white blanket.

She takes her back over, and places her in Jac's arms.

"Hey, there." She smiles down, at the tiny baby in her arms.

"She's perfect." Kian smiles, playing with the baby's fingers.

"Yeah, she is." Jac says, looking at him and beaming.

The midwife chimes in "Have you got a name, for baby Naylor yet?"

"No not yet, Naylor-Madani." Jac replies.

"Sorry?" The midwife says.

"Her last name will be, Naylor-Madani." Jac says, looking at the midwife.

"Jac, are you definitely sure?" He asks, looking shocked.

"Yeah, well she's your daughter too, want to hold her?" Jac asks, still holding the baby in her arms.

"Yeah sure." Kian smiles, as Jac passes her over to him.

"Oh look at you!" He smiles again "You look like your mummy, you do."

Jac smiles at this scene, she knew he would make a good father.

"I mean I know it's not my place to ask, but what should we name her?" He asks, turning to look at Jac.

Jac sighs "I honestly don't know, I mean I thought I had a good name."

"What is it?" He asks, placing the baby down in the plastic crib.

"Harriet." She replies, looking at the baby in the crib.

"Yeah, I like it." Kian smiles, he rubs the baby's head "Welcome, to the family Harriet."

Harriet gurgles at him, and closes her eyes as she starts to sleep.

"Well at least that's the naming part out of the way." Jac sighs, laying herself down under the duvet.

"Well actually it's not." Kian replies.

"What now?" Jac asks, clearly exhausted.

"Well we need to give her a middle name." He replies.

"We don't have to." She says, laying herself down.

"Well maybe, we could name her after your sister?"

"What?" Jac says, looking up at him.

"Her middle name?"

"What, Harriet Jasmine Naylor-Madani?"

"Yeah, I think it suits her." Kian says, smiling down at the small baby in the cot.

She starts to gurgle, and looks up at Kian.

An hour later...

Jac is watching Harriet sleep in her crib, when Kian walks in with Emma.

"Mummy!" Emma says, running up to her.

"Shh." Jac says, putting her finger to her mouth "Your sister, is sleeping."

"Mummy, can I see her?" Emma asks, sitting on the edge of Jac's hospital bed.

"Okay, but only if you stay absolutely quiet." Jac says, as Emma leans over the crib and looks at the sleeping baby.

Emma squeals, which wakes Harriet up who starts to cry.

"Emma!" Jac says, picking the baby up in her arms and rocking her.

"Shh." Jac says exhausted, while rocking her more "Please, be quiet!" She shouts.

Kian walks over to her, and takes Harriet "Jac, lay down I've got it."

"I'm sorry mummy." Emma says, sitting on a chair and drawing.

"It's fine." Jac replies, laying down on the bed.

"Hey, Em wanna hold your little sister?" Kian asks, as he finally calms Harriet down.

"Yeah!" Emma says, standing up and squealing again.

Kian sits down next to the chair, and Emma sits back down.

Kian helps Emma hold Harriet, and smiles "I love her, more than my other sister."

"Do you?" Kian asks, supporting Harriet's head.

"Yeah, she looks like me and mummy." Emma smiles.

Harriet gurgles and smiles up at Emma.

Emma squeals in excitement again "She smiled at me!"

"I think she already, likes you." Kian smiles, at Emma.

"Everybody likes me." Emma says, proud of herself.

"Do they now?" He laughs a bit, as Harriet throws up on Emma.

"Ew!" Emma says passing Harriet back to Kian, as she looks at the sick on her top.

"Naughty sister!" She says, shaking her finger at the baby.

"She didn't mean to do it, Emma." Kian says, starting to change Harriet.

"Is it like when you don't mean to hurt, mummy?" She asks, sitting back down.

"What do you mean?" He asks, cocking his head.

"I don't know, but I've heard mummy make some weird noises before."

"It's just mummy, being mummy." Kian smiles, nervously.

"Right, I should take you home now." He says as he walks over to Jac, and kisses her on the forehead.

"Night, my love." He smiles, as he walks out of the room with Emma.

What nobody has realised in all this chaos and happiness, was that Jac had gone unconscious - she was dead to the world.