Julie & James
The Beautiful Family
The 20th of September, 1992
I was holding Julie’s tired little hands. Her wide eyes showed nothing but innocence during the whole birth. She’d not been taught yet about what happens when you give birth. She was frightened, scared and worried the baby was being hurt.
Throughout the whole birth, she kept asking - exasperated and exhausted - “Is my baby OK? Is this normal?” the Doctors told her yes over and over, but she did nothing but worry.
We all kept telling her to be brave, that she was doing just fine. She looked so scared, her blue eyes wide - showing more emotion than she’d ever shown. I could clearly see the love she felt for the child - although all she’d ever done is say how she wanted it out of her. She never let on any feelings about the child. But, now, her eyes and face revealed all emotions. She was petrified, and she kept hold of Gary and my hand, squeezing so tightly. Her mother stayed by her right side, opposite me, wiping her forehead and holding her shoulders.
Towards the last hours of the birth, she did nothing but cry. She was weakened, but she could do nothing but keep trying.
Finally, when the little red face was shown to us, she smiled, and glowed, before passing out and finally resting. The nurse holding the child asked Gary, “Are you daddy?” Gary laughed loudly - Julie didn’t even stir.
“I’m her older brother,” He said happily. “He’s the closest the little thing will get to a daddy.” He smiled warmly toward me. The Nurse looked confused, but let it drop.
“I’ll just clean up.” She took the baby off to the corner, cleaned it up and brought it back toward me - wrapped in a little pink cloth. A baby girl. The Nurse held her out to me, my eyes bulged. I held up my palms, saying “no, no, no...”
“You are the father...aren’t you?” The Nurse looked confused, I just looked down to the little face. Her eyes were closed, and her fingers were jutting about as she stretched.
“I wish I was,” I sighed lightly, “A Naval officer used her.” the Nurse nodded in understanding.
“We’ve all been there.” She sighed, “Are you going to be the daddy? She needs one.” I gulped, hard.
“I’m not sure, it all depends on Julie.” I smiled at the baby softly.
“Here,” Said the Nurse, beginning to pass her over. I couldn’t resist. I took her in my arms. “Just remember to support her head, and hold her slightly diagonal... That’s it, you’re a natural.” She smiled, and left the room along with the doctors. It was 6pm, I walked over to the large window to show the new baby girl her first sunset.
“Hey,” I said lightly, she began to grumble and make a little noise, “shh, it’s OK. Mamma’s asleep. I’m Chaddy.” She held out her hand, I put my baby finger in her hand. She held on tight. “Hey, hey... don’t brake my finger,” I laughed lightly, but she kept her grip on my finger. Someone tapped my shoulder, I turned gently and saw the Nurse from before holding a bottle. Gary and Janet, Julie’s mom, had left.
“She’ll be hungry - you’ll want to try and feed her. This is only formula, but we really can’t wake up her mom - she’s so young and exhausted.” She passed me the bottle, and I put it to the baby’s mouth and she started drinking straight away.
“Don’t they usually cry when they’re hungry?” I asked simply.
“This one isn’t a crier...she didn’t cry when she was born.” The Nurse smiled and left, shutting the door behind her. I stood facing the window, the sunset, feeding the new baby girl. The Nurse popped in every half an hour to help me stop feeding, burp, and change diapers and so on.
She told me I’d be a brilliant father. I just kept looking at the baby.
It was 7, and Gary and Janet came in to say hello. I offered them each to hold her, but they said they would when Julie has held her baby.
“You look great as a daddy.” Said Janet softly. “You’re so natural with her.” I thanked her shyly. “Have you any idea what Julie is going to name her? Did she talk to you about it?”
I shook my head, “She kept all that to herself - didn’t tell a soul.” I looked down at the baby. “She deserves a pretty name, though.” they left soon after that, letting us spend quality time together. Late at night, once the baby was falling asleep, I took her into a room with many babies. I plopped her into a little incubator, and looked at the name-plate on her little crib. Hill - so Julie had already planned to give the baby her surname. She was more organized than I gave her credit. I left the baby girl there, and planned to sleep through the night and morning in the room with Julie.
I was holding Julie’s tired little hands. Her wide eyes showed nothing but innocence during the whole birth. She’d not been taught yet about what happens when you give birth. She was frightened, scared and worried the baby was being hurt.
Throughout the whole birth, she kept asking - exasperated and exhausted - “Is my baby OK? Is this normal?” the Doctors told her yes over and over, but she did nothing but worry.
We all kept telling her to be brave, that she was doing just fine. She looked so scared, her blue eyes wide - showing more emotion than she’d ever shown. I could clearly see the love she felt for the child - although all she’d ever done is say how she wanted it out of her. She never let on any feelings about the child. But, now, her eyes and face revealed all emotions. She was petrified, and she kept hold of Gary and my hand, squeezing so tightly. Her mother stayed by her right side, opposite me, wiping her forehead and holding her shoulders.
Towards the last hours of the birth, she did nothing but cry. She was weakened, but she could do nothing but keep trying.
Finally, when the little red face was shown to us, she smiled, and glowed, before passing out and finally resting. The nurse holding the child asked Gary, “Are you daddy?” Gary laughed loudly - Julie didn’t even stir.
“I’m her older brother,” He said happily. “He’s the closest the little thing will get to a daddy.” He smiled warmly toward me. The Nurse looked confused, but let it drop.
“I’ll just clean up.” She took the baby off to the corner, cleaned it up and brought it back toward me - wrapped in a little pink cloth. A baby girl. The Nurse held her out to me, my eyes bulged. I held up my palms, saying “no, no, no...”
“You are the father...aren’t you?” The Nurse looked confused, I just looked down to the little face. Her eyes were closed, and her fingers were jutting about as she stretched.
“I wish I was,” I sighed lightly, “A Naval officer used her.” the Nurse nodded in understanding.
“We’ve all been there.” She sighed, “Are you going to be the daddy? She needs one.” I gulped, hard.
“I’m not sure, it all depends on Julie.” I smiled at the baby softly.
“Here,” Said the Nurse, beginning to pass her over. I couldn’t resist. I took her in my arms. “Just remember to support her head, and hold her slightly diagonal... That’s it, you’re a natural.” She smiled, and left the room along with the doctors. It was 6pm, I walked over to the large window to show the new baby girl her first sunset.
“Hey,” I said lightly, she began to grumble and make a little noise, “shh, it’s OK. Mamma’s asleep. I’m Chaddy.” She held out her hand, I put my baby finger in her hand. She held on tight. “Hey, hey... don’t brake my finger,” I laughed lightly, but she kept her grip on my finger. Someone tapped my shoulder, I turned gently and saw the Nurse from before holding a bottle. Gary and Janet, Julie’s mom, had left.
“She’ll be hungry - you’ll want to try and feed her. This is only formula, but we really can’t wake up her mom - she’s so young and exhausted.” She passed me the bottle, and I put it to the baby’s mouth and she started drinking straight away.
“Don’t they usually cry when they’re hungry?” I asked simply.
“This one isn’t a crier...she didn’t cry when she was born.” The Nurse smiled and left, shutting the door behind her. I stood facing the window, the sunset, feeding the new baby girl. The Nurse popped in every half an hour to help me stop feeding, burp, and change diapers and so on.
She told me I’d be a brilliant father. I just kept looking at the baby.
It was 7, and Gary and Janet came in to say hello. I offered them each to hold her, but they said they would when Julie has held her baby.
“You look great as a daddy.” Said Janet softly. “You’re so natural with her.” I thanked her shyly. “Have you any idea what Julie is going to name her? Did she talk to you about it?”
I shook my head, “She kept all that to herself - didn’t tell a soul.” I looked down at the baby. “She deserves a pretty name, though.” they left soon after that, letting us spend quality time together. Late at night, once the baby was falling asleep, I took her into a room with many babies. I plopped her into a little incubator, and looked at the name-plate on her little crib. Hill - so Julie had already planned to give the baby her surname. She was more organized than I gave her credit. I left the baby girl there, and planned to sleep through the night and morning in the room with Julie.