Fortuity

Chapter 11

Her tiny hand closes around my index finger.

She's so little.

So beautiful.

She's screaming, and I have tears on my cheeks, and so does Tyler. I don't even notice them stitching me up. Tyler's holding her other hand.

"Oh my goodness, Sunshine. She's so beautiful."

She has my mouth, but Tyler's nose and eye shape. Her eye color is identical to mine, and her hair is the same exact shade of brown as mine, and I can see the small waves in them.

She's beautiful.

The doctors are putting a pad on me, taking my baby from my hands to wash her.

I want her back.

Now.

They help me change clothes, into comfy maternity sweatpants and a loose maternity tank top. They're clothes I brought from home, along with a bra that unclips so I can easily feed the baby.

They strap her first diaper on her, and then they hand her back to me, wrapped in a soft pink blanket.

After they finish cleaning up, they leave us alone.

I scoot over to make room for Tyler.

I'm holding her in my arms.

He's warm and cozy, all wrapped up.

He deserves to hold her.

Sniffling, I slowly pass him our daughter.

He picks her up gently, cradling her.

"Oh my god." He whispers. "She's so beautiful. She looks just like you."

She opens her eyes to peer at him, pursing her small lips.

I let her hold my finger while he holds her.

I rest my head on his shoulder.

She starts wailing.

He panics and hands her to me.

I hold our screaming daughter for a second.

Is she hungry?

I reach down and feel her diaper.

It's empty.

Nervous, I pull my strap off of my left shoulder, and then I unclip my bra to expose my breast.

"Am I doing this wrong?" I whisper, nervous.

He shrugs. "It's probably right."

Carefully, I shift Emily in my arms, carefully guiding her mouth to my nipple.

She latches on, and her wails silence.

I look down at her, eating happily.

From me.

I created her.

We made her.

I sniffle, emotional.

This is so natural.

She's so calm, so beautiful, so happy.

There's a sot knocking at the door, and Del sticks her head in.

"Blake put his ear to the door." She whispers. "like a half hour ago. He heard the doctor say You daughter was born at 6:22pm. I got impatient." She steps further into the room, Blake following her, and shuts the door behind her.