Book 2: At The Foot of the King

Birth: The process of introducing offspring to the world through the uterus.

JASMINE

“Aaaaargh!” I groaned, grabbing my belly. “Just hold on, my love. We’re almost there,” Theodore assured me, rubbing my arm with his free hand.

We were in the car. Theodore was adamant about driving us to the hospital, as he said he didn’t trust the chauffeur with our precious cargo. Thea stayed at home with the nanny, much to her chagrin. She was on the brink of becoming a big sister, a role I knew she would execute flawlessly. She wanted to be there when he or she came out. Our baby was fortunate to have her.

After ensuring I was secure in the car, Theodore closed the door and darted to the driver’s seat. He tossed my overnight bag onto the passenger side. “Are you comfortable?” he asked, glancing back at me. “Are you okay?”

Another contraction hit, somehow stronger than the previous one. They were happening more frequently now, which meant our baby was on the way. “Yeah, I’m just great,” I growled. Theodore, ever the gentleman, didn’t take it to heart.

Instead, he moved quickly to the driver’s seat and turned on the engine. The pain was beyond comprehension. No matter how much you read about the agony of childbirth, nothing truly prepares you for the experience itself. I was sure I was going to die any minute.

“Okay,” he said as he started driving, quickly yet cautiously. “We’ll be there in five minutes.”

Theodore had calculated the exact time it would take to reach the hospital weeks ago. He had rehearsed the trip multiple times in anticipation of this day. I’d only thought it was cute when he did it before, but now it was fucking life-saving.

The English countryside became a blur as we sped towards the hospital. I was in too much pain to look up. Theodore kept glancing back at me. “Almost there, love,” he reassured me, his hand resting on my knee. I slid my hand in his, trying to gain strength from him. I knew I could endure this with him by my side.

The car screeched to a stop outside the hospital, and the door was flung open. “Mrs. Jefferson, welcome,” the nurse on the other side greeted.

A wheelchair was already ready for me. Of course, I would receive special treatment at the hospital, being Theodore Jefferson’s wife. Part of me wanted to admonish him for putting me ahead of everyone else who needed care, but the rest of me was in too much pain.

Theodore accompanied me as I was wheeled into the hospital. “How far apart are your contractions?” the nurse asked. “They’re ten minutes apart,” Theodore responded. Awwww, of course he’d been counting.

“We better hurry then,” the nurse advised, steering me straight to a private room. Theodore helped me into a bed. My legs were shaking so much I could hardly move them on my own and he practically carried me, my feet barely grazing the ground.

As I settled into bed, the contractions grew closer together. This is around when the gravity of the situation hit me. This was really happening. I was about to give birth to Theodore’s baby. I would have to push any moment now. It would be the hardest thing I had ever done, and possibly the hardest thing I would ever do. But was I strong enough?

The miracle of life was not for the faint-hearted. Could I really do it? The closer we got, the more I doubted myself. A few hours ago, I would have been fearless, without a trace of doubt that I could deliver this baby, especially with all the love I already had for this baby. But now…

I knew it was supposed to come naturally, but what if it didn’t for me? What if something went terribly wrong? What if something happened to the baby? Panic welled up in me and I choked. I could barely breathe.

“What is it, Jasmine?” Theodore could tell in an instant that my panic was growing, and he gripped my hand instinctively. “I don’t know if I can do this,” I stammered, my entire body trembling.

“Hey, hey,” he turned my face towards him. His expression was fierce. “Look at me. You can do this.” My eyes met his and my heart eased slightly. But not completely. My heart kept pounding against my chest like it wanted to jump free. The room spun as the pain intensified.

“Jasmine,” Theodore said, now with more urgency. “Breathe with me.” He inhaled first, waiting for me to follow. As I followed his lead, his eyes never left mine. Then he exhaled slowly, and I copied him.

We repeated this a few more times until I was calm again and my heart eased, just a little bit. The pain really was intense, and the flurry of panicked emotions running through me was somehow worse. “There we go,” Theodore said, smiling lovingly down at me. “There she is.”

I traced the shape of his chiseled jawline idly with my finger. “Here I am,” I chuckled, my breathing back to normal.

“Jasmine,” he began, deadly serious. “If anyone can do this, it’s you. You’re the strongest woman I know, and I can’t wait to raise this baby with you. To have a bigger and brighter family with you than we already have.”

I chewed my lip. Something was nagging at the edge of my consciousness, and I finally had to say something. “Do you think I’ll be a good mother?” I asked. He looked shocked at my words.

“My beautiful Jasmine,” he said breathlessly. “I know you’ll be the best mother. You know how? Because you already are the best mother in the word to Thea.”

I couldn’t help but break into a smile at his words. I felt tears stinging the corners of my vision. “Thea’s going to be the best big sister in the world,” I smiled.

Suddenly, the doctor burst through the door, followed by a few nurses scribbling on clipboards. “Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson,” she acknowledged. “I am Dr. Feldman. I’ll be delivering your baby today.”

“You’re in good hands,” chirped one of the nurses excitedly. Dr. Feldman bent down to examine me as the nurses started jotting down notes. Theodore and I waited for her update, our hands entwined. His touch seemed to be keeping my racing heart at bay.

“Well,” the doctor said, finally. “Mrs. Jefferson, it seems like it’s time to push.” “What about the epidural?” Theodore interrupted. Dr. Feldman frowned sadly. “I’m afraid she’s too far along,” she responded.

I cringed. Shit. This wasn’t part of my birth plan. I had always intended to have an epidural to help with the pain. This was going to hurt like a bitch. I was already dreading the birth, even with the epidural. But now…

Theodore looked at me, and the moment our eyes locked I found my calm again. Things didn’t always go to plan. None of this was part of the plan, not my job nannying Thea, not my relationship with Theodore, and certainly not this amazing life I had been blessed with. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied. And I was. Having Theodore next to me felt like tapping into a superpower. With him by my side, I could do anything.

***

Theodore never left me during the birth. With every push, he was right there. As the pain built and built to unbearable levels, he was always there next to me, his firm hands tracing calming circles on my skin.

“You’re like my own personal cheerleader,” I joked, trying to find humor amidst the onslaught of pain. “Yeah,” Theodore chuckled. “And just like a football player, you’re doing all the real work.”

He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on my sweaty forehead. Even under the harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital room, he looked breathtaking. His perfectly chiseled jaw was accentuated from this angle. His muscles bulged against the hastily-adorned sweatshirt and jeans he pulled on. I felt ridiculous for noticing his looks at a time like this. This stunning man was the father of my child. The child that was now moments away from entering the world.

“Jasmine,” Dr. Feldman said. “Just a few more pushes, okay?” I had completely forgotten about the doctor. Her instructions had become background noise, something to follow. All that mattered was Theodore, me, and the baby.

Theodore held me in his iron grip as I screamed one last time, pushing with all my might, harder than I’d ever pushed before. I gave it everything I had. That’s when I heard the baby’s cry as an immense pressure seemed to lighten between my legs.

I looked over at Theodore, to see him watching something below where I could see, mesmerized. I knew what that meant. It was over. I had done it. Our baby was here.

Theodore’s face lit up, his eyes tracking the baby as they brought him towards me. “It’s a boy,” Dr. Feldman announced, lifting a beautiful baby boy and placing him in my arms.

A baby boy. I had instinctively known but never mentioned it to Theodore. “Looks like you have someone on your team now,” I teased him. “Yeah, I was getting outnumbered by the girls.”

We watched as the baby gradually stopped squirming and settled into me. He had Theodore’s dark hair, and I could already tell he’d be a looker, just like his father. “He looks just like you,” I observed, as we both gazed down with adoration.

“I was just about to say that he looks just like you,” Theodore countered with a chuckle. My heart swelled as we lay there. All we were missing was Thea, and then our little family would be reunited once more.

“What should we name him?” I asked as I relaxed slightly. Over the past few months, Theodore and I had brainstormed a few baby names. Two for a girl, two for a boy. It was a royal family tradition to name your children after a family member. Our two male options were Emrich, my great-grandfather’s name, and Louis, Theodore’s grandfather’s name.

“Why don’t we both say the name we want at the same time?” Theodore suggested, gazing down at our baby. I chewed my lip as I gazed at him. I already knew what I was going to say.

“Alright,” I agreed as the baby cooed in my arms. “One, two, three… Emrich!” When we realized we’d both said the same thing, we laughed softly, careful not to disturb our newly-dubbed Emrich.

“Hello, baby Emrich,” Theodore gently stroked his face with his index finger as he drifted off to sleep. “You have no idea how loved you are.”

***

When we arrived home the next evening, I was still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that this was really happening. It wasn’t a dream. It was real. Our little family now consisted of four members.

Thea greeted us at the door, eager to meet her baby brother. She was so gentle and quiet as Theodore lifted her up to get a better look at Emrich, who was asleep in my arms. Her eyes shimmered with excitement.

So far, he had been easygoing. If this was indicative of what having a baby was going to be like, we were in for a smooth ride. Even if it wasn’t, with Theodore, the late nights would be bearable, perhaps even enjoyable. “Shall we put him in his crib?” I asked them.

They both nodded enthusiastically. In the nursery, I noticed a king-sized mattress covered in comfy sheets and cozy pillows on the ground next to the crib. “What’s all this?” I inquired, raising an eyebrow at my husband.

“It’s my surprise,” Thea beamed proudly. “I thought we could all sleep in the nursery for the baby’s first night. Dad helped me set it up.” I looked at both of them, tears welling up in my eyes. Was this the new me? Constantly crying? Even if it was, I didn’t think I minded. Not when my life had become so perfect.

“Don’t cry, Jasmine,” Thea touched my arm. “Everything is going to be okay.” Everything was going to be more than okay. I knew it deep down.

When I put baby Emrich down and changed into my pajamas, Theodore, Thea, and I settled into the makeshift bed on the nursery floor. As we snuggled up together, sinking comfortably into the plush mattress, I thought I might never experience a more perfect moment in my entire life.

***

Caring for a newborn was no easy task. It wasn’t even Baby Emrich’s fault. He was an easy newborn, by all accounts. But he was a newborn nonetheless. Fortunately, I had Theodore by my side throughout.

He never left me alone, always ensuring he was there to support both me and the baby. Theodore had even taken over diaper duty entirely. Sometimes it felt like he was doing most of the work. “You need to rest,” he would insist. “You did all the work giving birth to him. I have to make it up to you.”

A few weeks after we returned home, things became slightly easier. Theodore hired a nanny, Greta, to help care for the baby when I couldn’t. At first, I didn’t trust her. I couldn’t stand to give my baby over to someone else. But slowly, over a few weeks, I began to trust her more, and as a result, I got more sleep. I still wanted to handle the night shift, though. Every time I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the nursery, Theodore would accompany me. He would cradle me, his eyes heavy with sleep, as I breastfed Emrich.

It was pure domestic bliss. After a few colicky nights, Emrich was finally sleeping again tonight. The house was quiet, Thea was also in bed, and Theodore and I finally had some alone time. The baby monitor was propped up next to us on the bedside table, just in case.

“You know the doctor called me today,” I mentioned nonchalantly. “Oh yeah,” he moved closer to me in bed. “What did she say?”

“She said we could have sex again,” I whispered into his ear. His eyes lit up. “Oh she did, did she?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded, biting my lip and smirking seductively at him. Theodore’s fingers crept up my leg, pushing my silk night slip up. A trail of goosebumps followed their progress up my leg. They made their way between my thighs. My body responded instantly to his touch and I let out a soft groan.

We hadn’t had sex since before the baby was born. Not that we had the time. We would have done it sooner if the doctor had given us the go-ahead. “Are you sure you’re ready?” he asked. “You know I don’t want to rush you.”

“You’re not rushing me,” I insisted. I wasn’t lying. I really wanted him. I had wanted him for so long. Still, it was sweet of him not to pressure me. “Alright then, Mrs. Jefferson. In that case…”

And then Theodore’s lips crashed into mine. And my body erupted.