After Birth

By Marie S

Lachlan whispered so he wouldn’t awaken her. He was careful not to move his hand that was grasped tightly in Ashley’s for fear of disturbing her sleep.

“She was so bloody brave, Marie. It hurt her so much. And you saved them. I might have lost both my girls if it wasn’t for you.”

He smiled through the tears in his eyes. Lachlan was so emotional he could cry like a sheila. In one day he’d almost lost all he loved and held dearest.

But everything was bonzer. Naming their wee one after Marie was too small a gesture of their gratitude. Ashley pulled his hand to her cheek and murmured in her sleep. Lachlan smiled at her. All his love showed on his face and in his eyes.

Marie warmly smiled at him. “It was a family effort, Lachlan. Everyone played a role in getting Ashley and the baby here. Katie Marie.” She quietly said her name; she felt so honored.

Lachlan nodded. He glanced at Bud who stood silently in the corner.

“Ta, mate. Nobody could have gotten us here so quickly or smoothly.”

Bud nodded. He seemed distracted. Marie could tell something was occupying his mind at the moment.

“I’m gonna go check on the baby.” And with that he was out the door.

Lachlan glanced at Marie in surprise. “Do you think something is wrong?”

“No, don’t worry, Lachlan. I’m sure Katie Marie is fine. The nurses know to call us here if there is anything. I need to warn you now. Bud will take his job as her protector and godparent completely full on like he does everything else. He doesn’t like that she’s somewhere he can’t keep an eye on her since she isn’t with either of you or me.”

“I don’t like her out of our sight either. When we planned for the delivery here we expected the baby would be with us in our room.” He sighed.

Ashley’s doctor had decided to take the wise precaution of observing Katie Marie overnight in the neonatal intensive care unit since she was a few weeks premature. She was doing very well, but it was hard on Ashley and Lachlan being separated from her.

Marie was thankful that Ashley was getting some much needed rest. She would have to start breastfeeding the baby soon. The fast and intense labor and delivery had exhausted the girl. She’d be having interrupted or sleepless nights soon enough.

“As long as she does fine overnight they’ll let her room in with Ashley tomorrow. And home the following day if she’s feeding well. She is small, but seems completely healthy.” She smiled. “She’s petite like Ashley.”

“And she has red hair just like Ashley, you and Jessica.” Lachlan chuckled quietly. “I want her to look like her Mum.”

Marie grinned. “Yep, another redheaded girl in the family.”

Ashley awoke suddenly and sat up with a small wince. “Oh, no sudden movements yet. Is she alright? I was dreaming and knew I had to wake up and check on Katie Marie.”

Lachlan smoothed her hair back. “She’s bonzer, love. Uncle Bud just went to check on her.” He gave her a crooked grin.

“Good.” Ashley smiled, closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again. “When may we go visit her, Marie?”

“You’re the Mom and Dad. You two can see her anytime you want.”

“I want. Don’t you, Lach?” She turned her big blue eyes on Lachlan.

“If you’re ready, Ash? I’ll go get you a wheelchair.” He started to get up until Ashley stopped him with her hand on his arm.

“I need to walk, Lach. Not be wheeled around. Marie will you help me in the bathroom for just a tic before we go to see Katie Marie?” Her eyes pleaded with Marie.

“Sure, Ashley.”

Lachlan sprang up to help her out of bed, but after Ashley shuffled over to the bathroom with his help she asked Marie to shut the door behind her with Lachlan outside.

“Marie, what if I’m a horrible mother and can’t do this? She’s so small. Lachlan will grow to hate me. He wants lots of babies.” Tears sprang from her eyes and began to roll down her cheeks.

Marie gently hugged her. “Ashley you already love her so much. You’re a first time mother and just had an early baby. It’s completely normal to be scared. And I can promise you’ll be a good mother. You’ll have no choice. I’ll be hovering behind you until you’re confident and are telling me to bugger off as Lachlan would say.”

She smiled at her cousin and dried her tears with her thumbs before handing her toilet paper to blow her nose.

“Do you promise?” Ashley still wasn’t sure. Her lower lip trembled and then she loudly blew her nose.

“Oh, yeah. I promise. You’ll be completely sick of having me around.” Marie grinned at the usually dainty and girly Ashley giving such a hearty blow. She really was preoccupied.

“Good, cause it would take an awful lot to make me sick of you and I’m scared to do something wrong.”

“Of course you’ll do some things wrong, Ashley. You’re supposed to and that will be okay. You’ll do the important things just fine.” She hugged her again and helped Ashley quickly freshen up at the sink before escorting her from the bathroom and handing her arm off to Lachlan.

He looked questioningly at the two girls and then to Marie for reassurance when neither said anything. Marie smiled and mouthed an ‘ok’ for Lachlan. He looked relieved and brought Ashley’s hand to his mouth to kiss.

“You deserve a huge pressie, love. I’ll have to think more on that.”

“Oh, I know. 2 AM feedings for a week sounds perfect to me.” Ashley giggled at the look on Lachlan’s face. “I’m only kidding, Lach.”

“You’re on, Ash. That’s just for starters.” He looked into her eyes.

Marie had to grin. She could already see Lachlan, Bud and Egan running around doing things for Ashley and being damned glad to do so. She just had that ability to pull a man in completely. And as long as she’d watched her she realized that it was often unconscious. She wasn’t trying to manipulate.

Ashley simply had a pull on men that made them want to do things for her and take care of her. It was strongest in Lachlan since he happened to be completely in love with her. Also it was apparent the feelings were mutual when they looked at one another.

They slowly rounded the corner to find Bud at the window of NICU waggling a finger at a squirming Katie Marie in her incubator. Her little face was scrunched up, but she wasn’t crying. She seemed to focus on Bud and her eyes looked right at him. Katie Marie quieted from her kicking. A smile broke out across Bud’s face. Marie’s heart leaped in her chest. She silently prayed that one day she’d see Bud looking at his own child that way.

He looked away from the window for only a moment to smile at Marie.

“She likes being looked over by her Uncle Bud.”

Marie nodded and thought to herself what woman wouldn’t like that from newborn through to the grave. She smiled and slipped her arms around his chest to give him a hug.

“Of course she does. Every girl needs her protector and the love of a good Uncle.”

Bud had focused on Ashley by this time. His gaze never left the window for more than a few seconds.

“How’re ya doing, little one?” He smiled gently at Ashley.

“I’m doing just fine, Bud. Thanks to my family.”

Her face was flaming red. Marie knew immediately why she was blushing. Ashley was mortified that Bud had seen her in the full stages of labor and delivery. She was a fairly modest girl at heart. Marie knew Bud had mostly had to keep his eye on the road as he made it to the hospital in record time.

“We just did what needed to be done. You did the hard parts with Marie.”

Bud glanced at his wife. He already knew she was something special, but he gained a new respect for her professional knowledge when he’d seen her help Ashley bring the baby into the world.

Suddenly all eyes turned to the now squirming infant before them. She left out a howl that could be heard through the glass. Ashley’s eyes and mouth formed a perfect ‘o’ as she looked at her baby girl in awe. She suddenly folded her arms across her chest.

“I need to go inside now.” Ashley looked urgently at Marie.

Marie nodded. Ashley’s milk had come in. It was time to feed Katie Marie. Ashley’s body already knew the cry of her own infant daughter. Lachlan and Marie went into the unit with Ashley.

Bud watched as Ashley washed her hands and was shown to a rocking chair before a curtain was pulled around her and he couldn’t see. A nurse came over and wheeled the incubator away from the window and behind the curtain. For a second Bud saw the nurse lift the tiny infant and place her in Marie’s arms. Curry was right there by her side. Bud could see his feet. Marie was next to them.

He glanced up when he heard Varner’s voice.

“There ya are, mate. Are the rest inside?” Egan and Jessica walked over to Bud’s side. He handed him a very welcome cup of black coffee.

“Yeah, um, the little one is inside learning how to, um, feed the baby.”

Both men nodded seriously. Jessica had to swallow a smile. Men would always be men when it came to breasts.

A few minutes went by with them engaged in some conversation. Which mostly meant Jessica asked a few questions and got a few short answers. Then she made a few comments. This was Egan and Bud. There wasn’t a lot of small talk. She wondered how much was said the day they worked together all day. They’d definitely discussed her and Egan.

Marie emerged from the nursery a few minutes later. Jessica handed her a much appreciated café latte. She smiled as she sipped the warm drink. Everyone seemed to be waiting for her to give a status report.

“Ashley is doing very well for her first time. Katie Marie is feeding well too. Sometimes premies don’t have as strong a suck reflex as full term newborns, but she is doing very well. If this continues I’m sure she’ll come out of the unit tomorrow and be in the room with Lachlan and Ashley. Lachlan is very encouraging. He’s going to be a wonderful Daddy. I think I always knew that, but the way he was with Ashley today confirmed it.” She smiled warmly and took another sip of the soothing liquid.

“If you wait a few minutes Ashley and Lachlan will bring the baby over to the window for you to see when she’s finished feeding and Ashley burps her. It might be time then to go home and leave Ashley and Lachlan here with the nurses’ help until tomorrow morning. We could get something for dinner before we leave Coffs and bring a treat for Lachlan and Ashley before we leave.”

Bud looked dubious. Marie saw the stubborn set begin to form on his lips.

“That would be fun. I’m hungry.” Jessica looked at Egan and he nodded. Neither of them saw Bud’s expression.

“I’m not so sure we should leave tonight. Someone needs to watch out over her in there.”

“That would be Lachlan, Ashley, the nurses and hospital security, Bud. Katie Marie has a little monitor on her ankle. If anyone tried to take her out of the unit that would trigger an alarm and staff and security would immediately shut down the hospital. Ashley will be in here every two to three hours to feed her tonight. If she can’t make a feeding Lachlan can bottle feed her or the nurses will. She’ll never be alone.” Marie slipped her arm around Bud’s waist and kissed his cheek. She could imagine Bud sitting outside the unit door all night on a chair.

Bud was about to protest further when the curtain was slid back and Ashley, carrying Katie Marie over her shoulder, emerged with Lachlan and walked toward them by the window. Jessica squealed softly with delight as she saw the baby. Ashley was gently burping her and there was a little milk bubble around her mouth.

They all laughed as she obviously belched by the look on her face and the reactions of praise from her parents. If the family hadn’t already been cemented together in unity before the birth of Katie Marie they certainly all were at that moment with this tiny wonder of an infant.

Marie caught a loving glance between Lachlan and Ashley that caused her to tighten her arm around Bud’s waist. His big arm tightened around her shoulder. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

“Are you content and satisfied, Hon?” Marie knew by the tone of his question that Bud was alluding to more than this moment.

“I’m very happy for them, Bud. And I’m very happy with our lives too. I love you.” She whispered to him.

Bud nodded as his protective grip tightened further around her as he watched the beautiful tiny infant.

“But you still want more.”

Marie knew that was as close as Bud would come to asking her straight out if she still wanted them to have a baby or if being an Auntie was enough.

“I want that to be us someday, Bud, and to see the children playing together someday in the future.” She leaned her head on his shoulder.

Bud nodded, but said nothing further. He no longer was saying no, but he wasn’t completely convinced she should be pregnant again. Most certainly he’d been affected by Katie Marie’s birth today.

After oohing and ahhing over the tiny baby girl Ashley went to lay her down in the incubator when she fell asleep in her arms. The nurse showed Lachlan and Ashley how to position her to sleep. Ashley sat down in the rocking chair aside the incubator to gaze at her baby. Lachlan popped his head out of the door.

“Ash and I are going to stay with Katie Marie for awhile. We want to watch her sleep. Go have some tucker.” He grinned at them. Lachlan looked to be the happiest man on earth at that moment.

“We were just talking about that, Lachlan. We’ll bring both you and Ashley back some good food. Give her our love.” Marie leaned forward to kiss Lachlan’s cheek.

Lachlan hurried back to be by his wife and baby’s side. Bud, Marie, Egan and Jessica made their way down the hospital corridor toward the exit.

“How ‘bout that barbecue place we ate at once here in Coffs, Hon? The food was good.”

“It was good, Bud. Does that sound okay to you two?” Marie looked at Egan and Jessica who both nodded in agreement. She noticed they were holding hands. It brought a smile to her face.

“Just a quick stop by hospital security and we’ll go. C’mon this way.” Bud led them out the door toward the security hut on the edge of the hospital campus.