The Opening Act

Fifteen

Ashlee's POV
My due date was a week ago and I'm miserable. Everything hurts now and I'm over it. "What can I go to help you baby?" Luke asks as he walks into the living room and sees me lightly bouncing on an exercise ball. "You can have a talk with your child and say it's time to come out." I tell him with a slight smile. "Baby it's almost midnight. Let's go lay down. You can cuddle up to that giant pillow and I will run your back." Luke says, holding a hand out to help me stand up. We slowly make our way up the stairs and I climb into bed. It takes about 20 minutes, but I finally feel myself drifting off.

(A Couple Hours Later)
I wake up to the worst pains in my stomach. I try to roll over on my side to ease the pain and try to go back to sleep. About the time I get to where I am almost asleep, I feel the sharp pain again. I slowly get out of bed and make my way to the restroom. I sit down on the toilet and feel a gush of liquid come out. "Luke! Wake up! I think my water broke!" I hear what sounds like Luke falling out of bed before the bathroom door flies open. Luke locks eyes with me and a smile slowly spreads across his face. "It's time?" He asks, the smile ever leaving his face. "It's time. Let's go." I tell him, trying to smile through the contraction I feel coming on. Luke grabs the bags and runs them down to the truck before running back inside and helping me out to the truck. Luke hops in the driver's side and grabs my hand. "Let's go have a baby." He says quickly pulling out of the driveway.

Luke's POV
Daisy Mae Bryan is here and she is perfect. Everything got a little hectic in the delivery room and the nurses kicked me out. I remember watching Ashlee's eyes slowly close and the doctor saying she was losing a lot of blood. I'm sitting outside the nursery with my mama looking at little Daisy. Ashlee's parents should be here soon. "I can't lose her Mama. I just got her. We have to raise Daisy together." I say trying to hold back the tears. "Thomas Luther! Stop talking like that right now. Your baby daughter needs you to be strong. Ashlee needs you to be strong. She is not going anywhere sugar. Talk to God about it. Pray about everything." Mama says hugging me. "What do we know?" I hear JJ ask as be and Krista walk up. "I haven't heard anything yet." I say, turning my head back to my daughter. "She's beautiful. Just like her mama." Krista says. We stand there for a while longer before Ashlee's doctor walks up. "Mr. Bryan, your wife is awake."

I walk into the room where Ashlee is, and I'm met with her weak smile. "Baby, you scared the hell out of me." I say as I walk over to her and gently kiss her forehead. "How is she?" Ashlee whispers, talking about our daughter. "She's perfect. She's beautiful just like you. Our parents are down at the nursery with her now." "I want to see her." "I promise you can see her as soon as you get a little stronger. Get some rest and I'm gonna go talk to your doctor."

Ashlee's POV
I'm sitting in the room with Luke's mom and my parents. I feel a lot better now and I was able to get a little bit of sleep. I hemorrhaged during delivery  but luckily the doctors got the bleeding stopped. I will have to be in the hospital for a few more days to be monitored. I'm mid sentence in a conversation with my mama when the door opens. I feel the big smile spread across my face when I see my husband come in, followed by a nurse and baby Daisy. Luke hands me our daughter and I slowly let the tears fall. "Hi baby girl. I'm your mama and I love you so much."