Chapter 81: Chapter 81

“One more push, Cadence,” Jamie insisted, his normally friendly-tone replaced by his not-quite-as-friendly medical professional tone. “One more time, and we’ll have a baby.”

Cadence could feel the sweat dripping off of her forehead and wondered how normal human women did this, especially the ones who refused any sort of pain medication. Even with her superhuman strength and resilience, she was tired. Jamie had gloves on so he wasn’t using any of his healing powers to help her, but she had opted for the epidural, which minimized her pain but did nothing for the exhaustion.

“You ready?” Aaron asked, standing next to her, holding one leg while Ona, a Healer who was acting as Jamie’s nurse, held the other.

“I’m ready,” she nodded. Her husband’s smile hadn’t dimmed since her water broke three hours earlier. It might not have diminished since they’d left Prague eight months ago, for that matter. Seeing him so happy helped her push through the discomfort. Cadence bore down, and Aaron counted to ten for her.

He didn’t get all the way there before she realized there was no more reason to push. “All right! There we go,” Jamie said as Cadence strained to sit up further to see what he was doing. A few seconds later, the sweetest sound she’d ever heard filled the cozy operating room turned birthing center. Jamie and Ona worked to wipe the precious bundle off and make sure the baby was breathing. “This one has a pair of lungs,” he joked, and then wrapping a clean towel around the child, he said, “It’s a boy,” and laid her son on Cadence’s chest.

Through her tears, Cadence looked into the face of her baby boy, who quieted almost immediately as he gazed up into his mother’s smile. “Hi there, Cadon,” she said, crooking her arm beneath him. “Precious boy.”

Aaron hadn’t said anything at all, and when Cadence glanced in his direction, she could see he was trying not to break down. He ran his hand over his son’s cheek and the baby latched onto his finger with his little fist, making both parents laugh. “You’re gonna be a tough guy, aren’t you?”

“Nah, he’ll be sweet. Unlike both of his parents,” Cadence teased, staring at his beautiful face. His eyes were a clear blue, just like his daddy’s, and Cadence hoped they’d stay that way, although it crossed her mind having a lady killer for a son might be trying.

“Wanna cut the cord?” Jamie asked, offering Aaron a pair of medical scissors.

The Guardian Leader didn’t hesitate. Jamie showed him where to position them between two clips he’d attached to the umbilical cord, and Aaron cut through. Cadon wiggled slightly in Cadence’s arms, and she moved him closer to her heart, snuggling him, still not quite able to grasp that she was a mother. She’d always been afraid she wouldn’t be good at that, unlike her own mother, but as she held her son to her chest, there was no doubt in her mind her instincts wouldn’t fail her. Mothering wasn’t something to be feared but an honor to be cherished.

Only a few minutes passed before Hannah knocked on the door. Jamie waved her in. “Congratulations,” she said quietly. “I’ll take Cadon next door and bathe him.”

“Already?” Cadence asked, not wanting to let go of him, not yet. Not ever.

“Yep,” Jamie answered for the counselor. “You’ve got more work to do.”

Cadence grumbled. “I already had a baby. It’s someone else’s turn.”

“Don’t tell your daughter that,” Jamie said, grinning at her. “Come on. She wants out, too.”

“It’s no wonder she’s impatient. She is half-Findley,” Aaron teased, and Cadence wrinkled her nose at him for a second before she returned her attention to the baby on her chest. Discomfort elsewhere told her Josephina would not be delayed.

“We’ll see you soon, sweet baby,” she said, kissing her son’s little head one more time. Aaron patted him lovingly and then picked him up and carried him over to Hannah. She cooed over him and laid him against her shoulder, walking out the door. Cadence heard an uproar in the hallway where her parents, sister, and several of their friends were waiting. She had to trust Hannah not to let too many germy hands touch her bundle of joy.

“Ready?” Jamie asked, his head cocked to the side.

“No,” Cadence said emphatically.

“Well, my future daughter-in-law is,” he countered, making Cadence giggle. She had no choice; she’d have to start pushing again.

As Ona and Aaron got back into position, Cadence took a deep breath and gave her daughter a thorough push, praying she wouldn’t take as long as her brother had.

Once Aaron finished counting to ten, he looked at Jamie and said, “You’ve got my daughter married off before she’s even born?”

Jamie laughed. “Well, it just makes sense. I mean, she’s going to grow up with Scott. They’re practically the same age. We may as well encourage them. She can’t find a better guy.”

Aaron snickered and shook his head. It was difficult to argue with that sort of logic, but Cadence couldn’t think of her children ever growing up, let alone falling in love and getting married. Before Jamie told her to push again, she said, “I still can’t believe you let Ashley name him that. I’m sorry, Jamie, but it’s still amusing to me.”

“Hey, he’s named after his grandfather, Ashley’s dad. It was important to Ash to give him a family name, and she’d never heard of Scott Joplin so....”

“So thank goodness our last name isn’t Stalin or our daughter would be Josephina Stalin,” Aaron pointed out.

Cadence needed to push again, but his comment hit her funny bone, and she struggled to regain her breath and concentrate because she was laughing too hard. “Focus, Cadence,” Jamie said, smirking at her.

“Okay, okay.” She listened, bearing down, as Aaron counted and Jamie encouraged her, telling her she was doing a good job. At ten, her head tipped back, and she took in a deep breath, trying to relax.

“For the record, there really is no comparison between us naming our son after a famous jazz pianist and you naming your daughter after a murderous dictator,” the Healer pointed out before getting back to the task at hand. “I think in two or three more pushes, we’ll have a baby.” He was looking at Cadence now, smiling at her above the draped sheet that made her feel a little more secure even if it didn’t really hide anything at all from the doctor.

“Okay,” she said again, ready to get it over with. Jamie told her to push, and she did, as hard as she could, hoping for two and not three as the lucky number.

“Keep pushing,” Jamie said, even though Aaron had reached ten. “She’s almost there.”

Cadence strained even harder, giving it every bit of energy she had left, and a few seconds later, she felt her daughter slip into the world. Listening to her cries made Cadence’s heart melt all over again.

“Can’t criticize their lung development,” Jamie joked as he wrapped her up and lay her where Cadence could see her.

Josephina’s hair was darker than Cadon’s, almost black, and her little face was scrunched up as she continued to voice her unhappiness.

“Shh, little one. You’re okay,” Cadence said, waiting for Aaron to cut the cord so she could hold her daughter closer. She could tell Aaron was emotional, probably more so now than before because this was the daughter he’d always longed for. It took him a moment to snip through the cord, but when she was free, Cadence didn’t lift her straight to her chest. Instead she offered the baby to her daddy, and he gladly took her.

“Hi, there, Jo,” he said quietly, holding her close. “You’re okay. You’re safe and warm. No reason to cry.”

The sound of her father’s voice stilled the child. She rested her head against his chest, seemingly content to be out in the world. Aaron held her for several minutes, rocking her back and forth, and Cadence watched with tears in her eyes. He was a natural at this, clearly, and it made her heart heavy to think he’d had to wait so long to fulfill a role he was made for. But at least he had his children at last, and Cadence imagined this probably wouldn’t be the last time she found herself in a birthing room.

Jamie finished doing whatever he had to do down there—she didn’t want to know—and pulled the sheets and blankets down over her. Cadence was glad to have the opportunity to relax and enjoy her family. Aaron handed her over just as Hannah brought Cadon back in. He was all clean and wearing the little jammies they’d picked out for him, wrapped in a receiving blanket.

“Do you want me to let your family in before or after I clean up Josephina?” Hannah asked in her gentle voice.

“You can let them in,” Cadence said, excited to see their reactions. Hannah smiled and moved to the door. She already knew who to let in right away and who would have to wait, and Cadence hoped she didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings, but she couldn’t let the entire team in all at the same time.

Her mother was bawling before she even made it through the door. Her dad had tears in his eyes, too. Cass was bouncing off of the floor, and Brandon looked like he wasn’t sure whether he should be there or not but happy just the same. Elliott was certainly a proud uncle as he asked, “Where’s my new favorite lil girl?”

“Hey!” Cass elbowed him. “I’m your lil girl. You’re going to have to think of something else to call her.”

“Oh, I’m just teasing,” he assured her. “Still, she is definitely lil. And she is my girl.”

“I’m sure you’ll come up with something,” Cadence said as her mother insisted on holding her granddaughter. Cadence didn’t want to let Jo go, but she did, her eyes never wandering far from the bundle as everyone came close enough to see the newest addition.

“You’ll probably want to try feeding them soon,” Jamie said quietly near her feet.

Cadence nodded. She’d be waiting until everyone cleared out for that. Luckily, Ona had experience as a lactation consultant, so even if Cadence struggled, she’d be able to get some good coaching. The idea of feeding her children seemed daunting before they were born, but now, she couldn’t wait to hold them close and give them the nutrients they needed to thrive.

Jamie didn’t let the family stay for too long. Jo needed cleaned up, and Cadence was exhausted. It was hard for Cadence to see her mother’s tears as she left, but she assured the new grandma she’d get lots of time with the babies, even if Cadence and Aaron would both be with their children the majority of the time.

“See y’all later,” Elliott said, waving, a proud smile on his face. Cadence waved back, glad her children would have him as their uncle.

Cassidy kissed her niece and nephew on the head. “Remember--Aunt Cass. Aunt Cass. You can say it. Aunt Cass.” She winked at Cadence, and the big sister had to laugh. Maybe if she said it enough times, they’d learn to repeat it.

Cassidy took Brandon’s hand and the pair followed Elliott out the door as Liz and Eli blew kisses and promised they’d be back soon. As the two closed behind them, Cadence was glad they’d have such wonderful people around for her children to grow up with.

Cadence had taken a leave of absence two months prior, and Aaron’s officially started the day before, which meant they’d both have as much time as they needed to spend with the babies. She knew Aaron was worried about stepping down, but Margie would be an excellent Guardian Leader, and Daniel Bower had already proven he could handle his new position as Hunter Leader. Having his sister in KC had been a little bit of an adjustment for Jamie, but then, everything else in his life had been changing, so he’d said, “What’s one more bit of craziness to add to the chaos surrounding me?” New wife, new baby, new boss.... He was making it work.