Chapter Sixty Four

Things progressed to the point it was time to move to the delivery room. I had walked with her until she couldn’t walk anymore, fed her ice chips, rubbed her back and shoulders, and reassured her even as worry ate its way into my stomach. I blinked away tears when I saw the amount of pain she was experiencing. I let her hold my hand, not caring that she might break it with her death grip, as the contractions became stronger and closer together.

She did change her mind about the epidural, and although I was grateful it took away the pain, I lost it when I saw the size of the needle they used. I had wanted to be involved, and they showed me how to hold Maya’s shoulders to help with the procedure. I stepped forward to do so, caught sight of the needle, and froze. They had to push me out of the way, and the

same nurse who had been at the front desk, stood in my place, all the while chuckling about “men and pain.” I had a feeling I would never live it down.

I would also never live down lea