The Longer Engagement

51: Valentine's Day Baby

Tuesday, February 13th, 2024

41 weeks & 2 days

"How you feeling?" Sam asked, sitting on the floor beside Brenda. She was sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery.

"I'm bored and my back hurts and so do my feet. I just wish she would hurry up and come already." Sam looked at her sympathetically and started rubbing her feet.

"I know, but hopefully she'll come soon." He told her. She nodded and rubbed her stomach. Then they laid down in their bed and watched TV until they fell asleep.

TIME SKIP

Wednesday, February 14th, 2024

3 AM

Brenda woke up at around three in the morning because her butt and legs were wet. What the hell? Did I piss on myself or something? She asked herself. She turned the lamp on next to her and moved the cover and sheet off of her legs.

"Crap, Sam, wake up." She said, shaking his shoulder.

"Ugh, what?" He asked, turning on his other side to face her.

"My water broke." She said.

"Wait, what?" He asked, sitting up.

"My water broke -ugh, shit." She hissed as she had a contraction. Sam let her hold his hand. When it was over, he put his jogging pants on and a T-shirt and helped Brenda get a different pair of pants and shoes on. He slipped his tennis shoes on, and helped her up. He grabbed her bag and the baby bag and they got in the car after he locked the house up and they left. It took them about 30 minutes to get to the hospital, and in that span of time, she had two big contractions. Jenilyn, the woman who helped them when she had the false alarm, and the nurse who would take her blood pressure and weight at doctors appointments, set Brenda up in a room. Sam sat in the chair next to her bed and held her hand as she smiled and talked to Jenilyn.

"How far apart are your contractions?"

"About 15 minutes apart." Jenilyn nodded and checked her dilation.

"Huh, six centimeters already. Looks like you're little girl is ready to come out." Sam and Brenda smiled at each other. For the next three hours, Brenda's contractions came every 30 seconds and hurt worse. She refused to have any medication at all unless it was necessary. Around seven o'clock, Dr. Lynda finally came in and checked her dilation. She grinned.

"Ten centimeters. Are you ready to finally have your baby girl enter the world?" They both nodded, Sam grinning, but Brenda grimaced as she had a contraction. Five minutes later, Sam and Jenilyn each held Brenda's legs back instead of using the stirrups, as she pushed.

TIME SKIP

8:30 AM

An hour and a half later, there was still no baby. Brenda was crying and sweating and ready to give up when Dr. Lynda said,

"One more big push, okay sweetie? And she'll be out. "Brenda shook her head and looked at Sam.

" I can't do it."

"Yes you can, baby. I know you're tired and in pain, but it'll be all over in a few minutes. Just push one more time and she'll be out, okay?" Brenda nodded and Sam kissed her on the lips quickly. She bit back a scream as she pushed as hard as she could. She felt the baby slip out and Dr. Lynda rubbed her back and she started wailing. Brenda laid back against the pillow and Dr. Lynda put the baby on her chest. Sam cut the cord and watched Brenda as she cried and caressed the baby's cheek. She looked at Sam and smiled widely.

"She's beautiful." He said, tears falling down his face as well. Jenilyn took the baby to clean her and Brenda delivered the placenta. And Dr. Lynda took care of everything down there.

"She's a very healthy little baby, dad. 8 lbs and 9 oz, 22 inches long." Jenilyn t him as she put the baby in his arms. He moved the blanket slightly so he could see her face and smiled, crying happy tears as he noticed that she had his lips. Dr. Lynda and Jenilyn left to give them some privacy. Sam put the baby in her arms and she started crying again.

"She looks so much like you." She said, looking at him. He smiled and kissed her again and they just stared at their daughter.

"What should we name her?" Brenda asked.

"I, uh, I've been thinking about names for a while and Unique and Blaine suggested these two names, but I don't know if you're gonna like it."

"What?"

"Brooklyn Harmony." Brenda looked at him.

"Are you serious?"

"Um, yeah." He said nervously.

"I was thinking that too!" She told him. He grinned.

"Brooklyn Harmony Evans has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" He asked, and she nodded and kissed him on the lips. Jenilyn came in with the birth certificate and gave it to Sam.

"Just write her name and sign yours, and then give it to Brenda." He nodded and signed his name first, then said,

"Is it one 'N' or two?" He asked Brenda, who laughed.

"One." He nodded and write her name down. He looked over it and saw the name of the hospital, Dr. Lynda's signature, her weight and length, and the time and date she was born, which is 2/14/24 at 8:42 AM. Sam held Brooklyn while Brenda signed her name Brenda Evans. She handed it to Jenilyn.

"That's a pretty name. Would you like me to take a picture for you?" She asked. They nodded and Sam put Brooklyn back in Brenda's arms and handed the camera to Jenilyn. He wrapped his arms around his girls and the two smiled and she took the picture.