Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“It’s a boy!” my mom cried. “Oh Meg, he’s just perfect!”
A second later, I heard a newborn’s high-pitched wail and felt a weight on my chest. My tears continued to fall as I touched my baby son for the first time.
That’s when the door to the room burst open. “They’re here!” a young, girlish voice yelled. “There coming up right now!”
Instantly the room grew chaotic as EMTs burst into the room just steps behind Whitney. They immediately attended to me and the baby, and Noah knelt down next to the bed.
“You did it,” he said, drying his eyes on his shoulder.
“We did it,” I said, fully exhausted but happier than I’d ever been.
“I’m so proud of you.” Noah rested his lips on my damp forehead.
“Thank you.” I was still trying to catch my breath. “But tell me the truth. Were you lying about knowing how to deliver a baby?”
Noah looked me right in the eye. “One hundred percent. Are you mad?”
“No. It was what I needed to hear to trust in fate. And myself.”
“I’m sorry I lied. I’ll never do it again.” His eyes filled with tears once more. “I’m so proud of you, Meg. You amaze me.”
The EMTs brought our baby to us, wrapped in a warm blanket, his face pinched and wrinkled like an old man’s. But he blinked at us, as if in recognition, and we wept with happiness and relief.
NOAH
“And then, Fletcher,” I said to my perfect baby boy, “I caught you with my own two hands.”
“You forgot the part where you put on the cape, Superdad.” From the hospital bed where she rested, Meg looked over at me with amused eyes the exact same deep caramel shade as our son’s.
“Hey, listen. I know you were the real superhero, but I can’t help it if I’m proud of the role I played. I know it wasn’t the starring role, but it was a very important supporting role.”
She laughed. “It was, and you should be proud. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
I bent down and gave her a kiss. “You will never have to worry about it. But next time, we’re going to the hospital early.”
“Knock, knock.” Frannie poked her head in the door. “How’s everybody?”
“Hey, we’re good. Come on in.” Meg waved her sister into the room, but it was Mack’s youngest daughter Winnie who scurried through the door and came racing over to me.
“Can I see him?” she asked eagerly, unzipping her winter jacket and dropping it on the floor.
“Sure.” I sat down in the rocking chair near the window so she could get a better look.
“Go wash your hands, Win,” Frannie directed before she went over to give Meg a hug. “I hope it’s okay I brought Winnie,” she said quietly. “I was just going to come alone, but she begged me to bring her. She says she has a present for Fletcher.”
Meg laughed. “It’s fine. It’s Christmas! There should be family around. Mom and Dad just left, and Noah’s mom was here this morning too.”
“How’s he doing?” Frannie glanced at the baby as she shrugged out of her coat.
“Good,” I said. “He eats, sleeps, cries, and poops, and the doctor said that’s all he needs to master right now.”
Frannie laughed as she scooped up Winnie’s coat from the floor and set it on a chair with hers. “I’ll wash my hands too, then I want to hold him.”
Winnie came hustling back into the room, eager to see her new cousin. “Hi, baby Fletcher,” she cooed. “I have something for you.”
“That’s so thoughtful of you, Win,” Meg said. “What is it?”
“It’s a letter I wrote.” Winnie pulled a folded sheet of notebook paper from her pocket. “My teacher said that we had to write a letter to someone describing something that happened over winter vacation. So after I opened my presents, I wrote to Fletcher to tell him about the night he was born.”
“What a good idea,” I said. “Want to read it aloud?”
“Yes.” Winnie looked glad I asked. She cleared her throat and then she began.
“Dear Fletcher,
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, the lights were off. That is because it snowed so much we lost power. I was eating M&Ms when it happened. First, your mom who is my Aunt Meg said you were coming. Next, we all said to wait for the ambulance—” Winnie paused and looked up at us. “That’s a hard word, ambulance. I had to ask for help.”
“It is a hard word,” I agreed.
She looked at the page again. “Next, we all said to wait for the ambulance, but you did not want to wait. Aunt Meg went up the stairs. And then bam! You were born very fast. Uncle Noah had to be the doctor. He is your dad. Finally, Santa came and brought presents. But you were the best gift. Love, your cousin Winifred MacAllister.”