Forever Ends Too Soon
Matthew
Zach’s POV:
“Are you ready for bed?” I ask Laurie around ten.
“No, Zach, we have to leave.” She looks at me and I can see the fear in her eyes. I grab her bag and a coat.
“Let’s go. You’re having a baby.” I tell her.
“I’m having a baby.” She says, just standing there.
“We have to go now.” I tell her and she slowly walks over to me. I get her in the car and drive to the hospital.
“I’m having a baby.” She repeats as they get her in a room.
“And everything will be fine.” I tell her.
“You better hope you’re right.” She tells me and I laugh. They get her hooked up to machines and four hours later she’s holding Matthew.
“Happy anniversary.” I tell Laurie and she looks at me.
“What do you mean?” She asks me.
“Today is February 10th, the day we met at the concert.” I say and she smiles.
“Matthew, you have a very special birthday.” She tells him.
“Do you want me to call the others?” I ask her and she shakes her head.
“Wait until they’re awake. You can go home and sleep if you want to.”
“And leave you? No, not a chance. Besides, I want to spend as much time with him as you are.” I tell her and she laughs.
“I knew there was a different reason you were staying.” She laughs and I reach for Matthew.
“This is your daddy.” She says as she hands him over. I hold him and he starts crying.
“No, Matthew, don’t cry.” I bounce him and he screams. A nurse walks over and takes him, making him scream harder.
“Good job, Zach, you broke him.” Laurie jokes. The nurse makes sure everything is okay and then hands him back to her. He stops crying.
“Well, someone just wanted his mom.”
“Oh, honey, I’m not going anywhere. Mommy’s always right here.”
“Until mommy goes back to college and, eventually, work.” I remind her. She covers his ears.
“Zach, not now. Let me have my time with him. No one said I have to work yet. There’s still more schooling after I graduate, anyway.
“Don’t say that around him.” I tease her and she gives me a look that could kill. “You’re getting your mom look.”
“Good, I'm going to need it.” We stay up talking until around eleven.
“I’m going to call the others.” I tell her.
“Oh, but Jen and Michael just got back from their honeymoon two days ago. They’re probably catching up on sleep.”
“They’ll be okay.” I tell her.
“Marcella and Cameron were probably up late planning the wedding. Our parents are old and need to sleep.”
“And you’re being possessive of your baby.” I say and she laughs.
“Fine, call them all.” Pretty soon the room is full of people wanting to see Matthew.
“Ten more minutes before we move him to the nursery. He needs to sleep and so do you, Laura.” A new nurse tells us.
“Alright, let’s pass him around quickly.” She says and it begins.
“Are you ready for bed?” I ask Laurie around ten.
“No, Zach, we have to leave.” She looks at me and I can see the fear in her eyes. I grab her bag and a coat.
“Let’s go. You’re having a baby.” I tell her.
“I’m having a baby.” She says, just standing there.
“We have to go now.” I tell her and she slowly walks over to me. I get her in the car and drive to the hospital.
“I’m having a baby.” She repeats as they get her in a room.
“And everything will be fine.” I tell her.
“You better hope you’re right.” She tells me and I laugh. They get her hooked up to machines and four hours later she’s holding Matthew.
“Happy anniversary.” I tell Laurie and she looks at me.
“What do you mean?” She asks me.
“Today is February 10th, the day we met at the concert.” I say and she smiles.
“Matthew, you have a very special birthday.” She tells him.
“Do you want me to call the others?” I ask her and she shakes her head.
“Wait until they’re awake. You can go home and sleep if you want to.”
“And leave you? No, not a chance. Besides, I want to spend as much time with him as you are.” I tell her and she laughs.
“I knew there was a different reason you were staying.” She laughs and I reach for Matthew.
“This is your daddy.” She says as she hands him over. I hold him and he starts crying.
“No, Matthew, don’t cry.” I bounce him and he screams. A nurse walks over and takes him, making him scream harder.
“Good job, Zach, you broke him.” Laurie jokes. The nurse makes sure everything is okay and then hands him back to her. He stops crying.
“Well, someone just wanted his mom.”
“Oh, honey, I’m not going anywhere. Mommy’s always right here.”
“Until mommy goes back to college and, eventually, work.” I remind her. She covers his ears.
“Zach, not now. Let me have my time with him. No one said I have to work yet. There’s still more schooling after I graduate, anyway.
“Don’t say that around him.” I tease her and she gives me a look that could kill. “You’re getting your mom look.”
“Good, I'm going to need it.” We stay up talking until around eleven.
“I’m going to call the others.” I tell her.
“Oh, but Jen and Michael just got back from their honeymoon two days ago. They’re probably catching up on sleep.”
“They’ll be okay.” I tell her.
“Marcella and Cameron were probably up late planning the wedding. Our parents are old and need to sleep.”
“And you’re being possessive of your baby.” I say and she laughs.
“Fine, call them all.” Pretty soon the room is full of people wanting to see Matthew.
“Ten more minutes before we move him to the nursery. He needs to sleep and so do you, Laura.” A new nurse tells us.
“Alright, let’s pass him around quickly.” She says and it begins.