Chapter
51
Two months
later
It was around nine in the morning one day in early
February, when the phone rang at Ashalyn’s house.
“Hello?” she asked, answering the phone.
“Ash? It’s Jen,”
came her friend’s familiar voice.
“Hey, Jen!” Ashalyn greeted. “What’s up?”
“Ash, Serena’s in labor!” Jenna announced.
“Oh my gosh, really?”
“Yup. Howie took her
to the hospital about an hour ago, and he just called Nick and I. Can you come down?”
“You bet I can,” Ashalyn said happily. “You need me to call anyone?”
“Just Brian, if you want.
Howie’s already called Aje and Lyssa,” Jenna said.
“Okay,” Ashalyn said, smiling as she thought about seeing
her friends. Elyssa had moved to Orlando
to live with AJ just the month before, and that was the last time Ashalyn had
seen any of her three best friends. She
missed them all terribly. “I’ll call
Brian, and we’ll drive down there as soon as possible, kay?”
“Okay,” Jenna said.
“Can’t wait to see you guys.”
“Same here. Tell
Rena to hang in there,” Ashalyn said.
“Will do. Drive
safe,” Jenna said. “Bye.”
“Bye,” Ashalyn replied.
“See you in a few hours.”
Jenna hung up with a click, and Ashalyn turned off her
phone, only to turn it right back on and dial Brian’s phone number.
***
“Push, Serena, push!”
Dr. Falcon, Serena’s obstetrician coached.
“Come on, babe, you can do it,” Howie said
enthusiastically, gripping Serena’s sweaty hand tightly.
Serena screamed in pain and pushed hard, praying that it
was nearly over.
“It’s out,” Dr. Falcon announced, as a loud newborn’s wail
filled the room. “Congratulations, Miss
Del Toro, Mr. Dorough. You have a new
baby daughter.”
“A little girl,” Serena breathed. “Can I hold her?”
Dr. Falcon cut the baby’s umbilical cord, and the nurses
quickly cleaned her off and wrapped her in a pink baby blanket. “Here you go, Mommy,” a nurse said, handing
the tiny bundle to Serena.
“Hi, baby,” Serena cooed to the tiny baby, who looked up at
her with big brown eyes. “Oh Howie,
isn’t she perfect?”
Howie stared down at his fragile baby daughter, resting
snugly in her mother’s arms, and he was overcome with emotion. “Yes,” he whispered, his voice catching in
his throat. “Perfect.”
***
Finally arriving at the hospital, Ashalyn and Brian tore
down the hall of the Maternity Floor, where the rest of their friends
stood. Ashalyn skidded to a halt beside
Elyssa. “Has she had the baby yet?”
Ashalyn asked breathlessly.
Elyssa grinned. “You
just missed Howie. She delivered about
half an hour ago. A little girl.”
“That’s great!” Brian said.
“What’s her name?” Ashalyn asked.
“Andrea Rose,” Elyssa replied.
“Aw, that’s beautiful,” Ashalyn gushed. She smiled at Brian and gave his hand a
squeeze. “I can’t wait to see them.”
As if on cue, the door to Serena’s room opened, and out
came Howie. “Bri, Ash!” he said in
surprise. “When did you guys get here?”
“Just now,” Brian replied, hugging Howie. “Congratulations, D.”
“Yeah, congratulations,” Ashalyn echoed, hugging Howie as
well.
“Aw, thanks, guys,” Howie replied, his smile a mile
wide. “You wanna see Serena and
Andrea?”
“Of course,” Ashalyn said excitedly. She and Brian followed Howie into the
room. Serena was propped up in bed,
holding a tiny pink bundle in her arms.
“Hi, Ash, Brian,” Serena said softly, smiling proudly at
them. Her face glowed with happiness as
she glanced down at the infant in her arms.
“Come here.”
Ashalyn and Brian stepped closer, gazing down into the
sleeping face of baby Andrea. “Oh,
Rena, she’s beautiful,” Ashalyn whispered.
“Just beautiful.”
“Oh, she is, isn’t she?” Serena asked, her eyes never
leaving her new baby. “I never realized
being a mother was this wonderful. But
it is, it really is.”
Ashalyn smiled, overwhelmed with relief. She knew that Serena’s doubts about becoming
a mother were gone, replaced by the pride and joy that nearly every new mother
had.
***
