to take her while we get you taken care of, then we’ll see what we can do about letting you meet her, okay?”
I nod and try to blink back my tears, but it’s no use. They slip down my temple and into my hair as I lie strapped down on the surgical table.
“H-hey Ben?” I whimper.
“Yeah, baby?” He sounds distracted, although I guess that makes sense. He’s a little busy stitching me back up.
“You okay over there?”
Forcing out a laugh, he replies, “Just focused on taking care of you.”
The dizziness I’ve slowly become accustomed to threatens to take over, so I close my eyes again. “Okay. Just checking.”
“You look good in your scrubs,” I note when Ben wakes me up with a kiss to my forehead.
“Thanks. How are you feeling?”
I shrug. “Okay.”
“You sure?”
“Still dizzy,” I admit. “Super dizzy. And hot. But that’s normal, right? Or did I imagine you telling me those symptoms?”
“It’s from the mag sulfate. So, yeah, it’s normal. Sorry, babe. But we’re doing a few tests to make sure you’re stable. The effects of preeclampsia can be rough, and now we have to wait for them to clear up.”
“How’s the baby?”
“She’s good, babe. You did good.” Running his hand over my hairline, he watches me carefully. “You scared me today.”
“You scared me too.”
He hangs his head as a sigh escapes his lips. Blinking slowly, Ben presses his lips to my forehead before murmuring against my skin, “I’m sorry, Marce. The idea of losing you….”
“I’m not going anywhere, Ben.”
“You can’t promise me that. No one can.”
“You’re right, but I’m here, Ben. And I’ll always do everything in my power to stay here. Where I belong.”
“And I’ll always do everything in my power to keep you here,” he promises. “You should rest. You’re tired.”
“I’m exhausted,” I confirm. “Are Anthony and Sway here yet?”
“They got here an hour ago and are waiting to see you. They told me to let them know when they could introduce you to their baby girl. Are you ready?”
My IV gets caught on something as I try to push myself up on the hospital bed. I wince and stop fumbling.
“Shit, you okay?” He helps me get a little more comfortable by fluffing a pillow and putting it behind my back. My abs are useless and make something as simple as sitting up on my own feel like I’m running a freaking marathon.
“Thanks,” I breathe out before dropping my head onto the pillow behind me. “And yes, I’m ready.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. Besides, I wanna meet Little Miss.”
“Okay. They’re monitoring her in the NICU for now, so we’ll have to FaceTime them, but you can’t chat for long. You need your rest.” He gives me a pointed look.
“Yes, Dr. Bennett.”
With a smirk, he stands up and disappears before returning a few minutes later with an iPad in hand. The screen is already lit up with two of my favorite people, and my face stretches into a grin when a little pink blanket bundled in Sway’s arms comes into view.
“Hey,” I greet them.
“Hey, Marcy. I heard you experienced quite the roller coaster ride over the last thirty-six hours,” Anthony replies.
“Sure did. How was the flight?”
“Good. We were lucky to catch the first one out and made it here a few hours ago. How are you feeling?”
I roll my eyes, but it only amplifies my headache. Grimacing, I answer, “I’m okay.”
“Bullshit. Is there anything we can do to help?”
“Don’t worry. Ben’s taking good care of me.” My gaze darts over to him as I smile shyly.
“I have no doubt,” Sway quips, grabbing my attention. “I heard you haven’t had a chance to formally meet our Little Miss yet.” As Anthony angles the camera down, she gently nudges away a bit of the pink blanket to give me a glimpse of the most precious baby girl I’ve ever seen.
I gasp and cover my mouth. “Oh my gosh…she’s beautiful, you guys. I wish I could hold her. She’s so tiny!”
“I know! I can’t believe how little she is. She feels like a doll.” Gently, Sway rocks her back and forth while Anthony gives me a close-up of the baby girl who’s been hanging out in my uterus for the last few months. I melt instantly. Red chubby cheeks. Soft, black hair. A cute button nose just like her mama. She’s sleeping, but her little pink lips are puckered and wiggle up and down in tiny movements like she’s sucking on a bottle.
And that’s how long it took for me to be wrapped