Damaged...But Not Broken

Here We Go

*May 10*
It was Jessica's due date but still no activity was happening. It was late afternoon and she was sleeping on sofa which for whatever reason, she felt the most comfiest. Danny was putting last minute touches in the nursery.

It was 6 pm when Jessica began to stir. She sniffed the air and could smell food. She got up and waddled over to the kitchen. Danny stood by the stove cooking dinner for Jessica. She entered the kitchen with her head down. Danny looked over and sees her.
Tears filled Jessica's eyes. "I'm so sorry Danny. About earlier."
Danny walks over to her and holds her. "It's okay my love."
"I didn't mean to yell at you. I just...I feel so frustrated. I'm sick of being pregnant. Why do woman have to go through this. I just want to hold our baby boy in my arms already."
"Shhhhh...I know Jess. Don't worry about it anymore. I'm not going to say that I understand what you're going through but, I will say he'll be here soon. We will get to hold him in our arms." Danny says trying his best to calm her down. "Look, try to relax. Let's eat dinner, after I'll run you a bath then I'll give you a nice foot massage."
"Oh Danny! You're so good to me!" Jessica cried harder.
"Come on sit at the kitchen table, dinner is about ready." Danny said leading her to the dining room table.
Jessica calmed down and sat waiting for Danny to come back. "Ow!" she lets out a breath, her hands on her belly. "Oh gosh. I don't think that was a Braxton contraction!" She breathes in and out. The pain was gone and she looks at the clock. 6:15 pm. She was going to keep track for the next one.
A few minutes later Danny brings her dinner and places it down. Then goes back to get his. As soon as Danny comes back they began to eat. They were almost done eating when Jessica felt another contraction. She began to breath in and out.
"Jess, what's wrong?!"
"I....just...had another contraction."
"Another?"
"Yes, when you were in the kitchen, I had one." Jessica looks at the clock again. 6:55 pm.
"It's been 40 minutes." she says as the pain subsides. "I think I'll take that bath now."
Danny runs the water of the tub; it begins so full with warm water. He puts in some lavender bubble bath for Jessica to relax in. Danny helps her into the tub. She lays her head back and closes her eyes. Danny gives her a kiss on the top of her head and leaves to the kitchen to clean up after dinner.
When he returns to the bathroom her hears Jessica talking.
"I can't wait to finally hold you in my arms. I'm scared for what's to come but...I know all this discomfort and pain will be worth it. Your daddy and I love you so much. You're our little love bug." she says as she strokes her belly.
Danny smiles at his wife and a tear rolls down his face.
Jessica looks up and smiles back at him. "Come here my love." She says holding her hand out.
He kneels by the tub and takes her hand. He leans in to give her kiss. "Anymore contractions?"
"No. It's only been 20 minutes since the last one." Jessica sighs. "We are in for a long wait. Remember at our recent appointment, the doctor said to go to the hospital when they've become 5 minutes apart."
Danny strokes her cheek.
"This bath was a good idea by the way." she says. "Well, help me out of here and let's try to get some sleep while we still can."

*May 11*
By the time they knew it Jessica's contractions began to become 15 minutes apart. It was 4 am. Danny rubbed Jessica's back trying to comfort her trough the contractions.
"Oh god! They are getting worse!" she said trying to breathe through the pain.
After the contraction passes, Jessica gets up to use the bathroom. Before she makes it to the bathroom door, she feels a warm liquid making its way down her legs. She looks down to see her pajama pants are wet.
Danny notices that she stopped at door frame.
"Jess, are you okay?!"
"Yeah...my water broke."

20 minutes of her water breaking, Jessica's contractions were coming faster and the pain was ten times worse than they were before.
It was 10 am when the contractions were 5 minutes apart. Danny grabbed a bag that they had packed weeks before as they prepared for this moment.
Jessica quickly texts Sarah letting her know that they were on their way to the hospital.
After being check in, Jessica was quickly put into a room. The nurses hooked her up to a fetal monitor. As soon as they turned it on they heard the baby's heartbeat.
The doctor came in soon after that. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Huston. Are you ready to meet your son soon?"
"More than ready!" Jessica said with a small laugh.
"Okay, let's check on how many centimeters dilated you are." The doctor puts on gloves and examines Jessica. "You're at 8 centimeters. Two more to go."

"Oh fuck! This hurts!!!" Jessica was yelling a few hours later.
"Oh my gosh Jess, I wish there was something I could do to help!" Sarah said wanting so much to comfort Jessica.
"Can you get me some ice chips please Sarah."
"Of course Jess." Sarah says and turns to walk out of the room, Lily following behind her.
"We are NEVER having sex again!" she says glowering at Danny.
Danny tried to place his hand on Jessica's but she pushes his hand away and says, "No, don't touch me."
Jessica saw the hurt in Danny's eyes, "Oh Danny, I'm sorry! I didn't mean..." she trails off as she tries to breathe through another construction. She grabs Danny's hand and doesn't let go.
Sarah comes back with some ice chips. Jessica begins to crunch on them when the doctor walks in. "Time to check you again."
After the doctor finishes his examination he looks at Jessica and says, "Mrs. Huston, it's time to push."
They begin to prep the room for the delivery.
Danny holds Jessica's hand the entire time.
"Okay there can only be two people in the room ." says a nurse looking at Lily and Sarah.
Lily looks at Sarah and smiles and nods. "I'll go wait in the waiting room." She kisses Sarah and tells Jessica, "See you soon, can't wait to meet my nephew."
Jessica gives her a big but tired smile.
"Okay, Mrs. Huston, push!" says the doctor.

After fifteen minutes of pushing, Jessica hears the most beautiful sound she has ever heard. The cries of her baby boy.
The doctor places her baby on chest.
Danny cries tears of happiness at the sight of Jessica holding their son in her arms. Jessica turns and smiles at Danny tears rolling down her face. He kisses her then touches his sons cheek. Sarah snaps as many pictures as she could tearing up at this beautiful sight. A nurse takes their baby boy to get cleaned up.

The nurse brings back the baby after Jessica delivers the placenta and gets cleaned up. The room is cleared except for Sarah and Danny. "Sarah, come meet your nephew." Jessica says.
Sarah walks over feeling a little nervous.
Jessica looks into her eyes and says, "Meet Noah Daniel Huston. Noah, this is your aunt Sarah."
Jessica places Noah into Sarah's arms. "Awe Jess. He's so precious. I can't wait for Lily to meet him."
"Please go call her to come over here." Jessica says.
Sarah places Noah back into Jessica's arms.
When the door closes, Jessica looks to Danny who has been so quiet. He hadn't taken his eyes off of her. "You okay Hun?" She asks.
"I'm more than okay. I...I'm just taking this all in. You've just made the most luckiest man on this earth. What you did today, was incredible."
"Awe Danny.....Here do you want to your son?" she says holding the baby out to Danny.
"Of course I do...I just...he's so tiny. I'm afraid I'll hurt him."
"You won't hurt him." Jessica gives the baby to Danny.
"Hey little man. I'm your daddy."
Jessica lays her head back and watches her husband bond with their son.
The door opens and Sarah is back with Lily.
Lily looks at the baby in Danny's arms, "He's adorable."
Danny says, "Do you want to hold him?"
"Of course."
Danny says, "Lily, meet your nephew, Noah Daniel Huston." Placing him in Lily's arms.
Sarah and Lily have a small moment with Noah before he begins to cry.
"Oh no! I don't think he likes me!" Lily says concern fills her voice as the door opens once again.
"No, that's not it, he's just hungry." The nurse says walking into the room. "Mrs. Huston its time for your baby's first feeding." She takes the baby from Lily and takes him straight to Jessica.
"We'll give you some privacy Jess. We're gonna go down to the gift shop. We'll be back in a bit." said Sarah.
"Okay see you two later."
The nurse gives Jessica a quick lesson on breastfeeding. It takes a few times for the baby to latch on but after the third time, Noah latches on and begins to feed. The nurse leaves to give the family time to bond.
Jessica looks into her baby's face then looks at Danny. "I love you Daniel Huston. You've made me the most happiest woman." she laughs a bit. "I'm sorry for being...a bitch to you. Hopefully, I can be back to usual self now."
Danny carefully lays next to Jessica and puts his arm around her. Jessica lays her head on Danny and both stare down at their new baby boy in amazement.