January 20th, 2017
India Tor woke up at around 3am on the morning of the 20th of January feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Today was her due date and she had found that, over the last week or so, she almost hoped to find herself standing in a puddle of amniotic fluid. She couldn't see her feet. Felt like she weights an even 500 pounds, even though she knew she didn't. Just an overall uncomfortable.
"Please be prompt, baby girl." she looked at her overround belly, already mildly annoyed that she had not been awakened by going into labor.
She rolled herself out of bed, used the bathroom and, after a moments thought, brushed her teeth and took a shower. It was doubtful she would be able to go back to sleep. Going back into the bedroom, she slipped her favorite, most comfortable dress over her head and decided she'd done enough to get dressed.
Moving down the hall, she leaned in the doorway of the second bedroom. "It's time for you to move into your room, Jayla." she rubbed her belly softly. "I love you ... but ... get out." she chuckles and shuffles back down the hall and down the stairs.
Moving into the kitchen, she put on a pot of coffee and found a coffee roll, which she forced herself to place on a small plate while the coffee brewed. In the meantime she found herself sitting on a chair in the dining area and looking at the dark and peaceful city of Cedar Point from her window.
Ryan rolled and reached out in the bed to find India not in it. His eyes popped open as he was on high alert these days. It could be any minute, literally. He was instantly wide awake, in pajama pants and a t shirt and walking around to look for her. He found her in the kitchen and visibly exhaled "Hey Baby....are you feeling OK?" He leaned down to kiss her lightly.
India has picked up her coffee roll and now sets it down to move over to Ryan. She returns the kiss and rubs at his arms. "I am, Just can't seem to sleep." she sighs deeply. "I know I should be getting all the sleep I can, but ..." she shrugs slightly. "I didn't wake you, did I?"
Ryan shakes his head and then leans his forehead into hers "Bed was too empty...I worried. Radar's on right now." He laughs.
India chuckles and leans forward. "Tell me about it." she sighs and straightens. "I was told I could give birth any day now a week ago and NOOOOOOO." she rubs her belly. It felt so ... hard and full .... She was ready even if Jayla wasn't.
Ryan puts a gentle hand on India's belly "I figured you'd move out last night Jayla...sorry for the jostling about..." He jokes and then smiles at India "Maybe we need to shake things up again?"
India laughs. "I know, right? But it was beautiful." she arches her brow at him. "That sounds like a good idea." she replies. "After all ... they say 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again'." she moves a little closer to him ... as close as her huge belly will allow.
The logistics of getting it on with India's belly were always a trick lately. He looks around and nods to the counter, thinking she'll be able to lean back a bit when they get to it and be more comfortable. He kisses her and steers them to it as a unit, gently and carefully lifting her up onto it "Mmmmm..." He pulls her legs tighter to him, letting his hands begin to wander, one to her ass and one to a breast.
India is amused with Ryan's idea and gets on the counter with only slight difficulty. She pushes her coffee roll out of the way. "For after." she murmurs. It was nowhere NEAR breakfast anyway. She sighs happily, living the feel of Ryan's hand on her breast. If nothing else it was a distraction. Ryan always made her feel beautiful and she adored it ... and him.
Ryan leans forward around the side of her belly and attacks her neck with kisses, pushing her knees apart a bit as he presses against her already hard and ready to go. He grinds his hips and moans into her neck, his hands still caressing. "Oh Indy....mmmmm..."
India sighs into the kisses and can feel that Ryan is ready and glad she'd passed on her pregnancy bloomers. "Ryan..." she whispers, kissing him deeply. And then she feels it. As if she has peed herself ... but ... 17 times all at once. "Oh! Ryan!" she exclaims. She can't stop the feeling ... and she can't stop the liquid ...
Ryan feels the wetness and at the first second smiles and then steps back in total alarm as he's literally soaked down the front of his pajamas "Holy shit.....your water?" It just pours out of her like there's not tomorrow for a really long time, forming a giant puddle on the floor and under his feet "It's still going!" He says in fascination before it slowly ebbs and stops."Indy..." He says looking at her with a grin "This is it...."
India sees Ryan's pajama bottoms when he steps back and stares for a minute. Her water. "I ... yea ...." she swallows hard. It WAS it. A wave of fear covers her. "Um .... alright ... we ... we ... " she draws a blank. "The list!" she remembers. "We follow the list!" on which are the numbers of who should be called in the ORDER they should be called and .. basically a childbearing checklist Michelle and Susan wrote up for them.
Ryan doesn't care about the mess but sees her fear "First, deep breath. I'll get the list OK? Indy, we got this....it's OK."
India remains on the counter and nods. "We do!" she nods to herself. "You get the list." SHE reaches for the coffee roll to calm her nerves.
Ryan gets the list and his phone and sets them on the counter. He dashes to the bathroom and pulls out the mop but doesn't fill it until he makes the calls. He calls Michelle and she reassures him she's heading out right away. He calls work and Angie can be heard literally squealing at the other end and of course he's got the day, and several more off. Then he calls Steph's cell. She'll tell Michael and call the rest of the family. That was the plan from the start. Next he checks back in on India "Any contractions? I was going to mop...but if you need me...." He looks a little hyper now and sees the coffee roll "Are you allowed to eat?"
India had stayed on the counter, annoyed that she had pushed the coffee roll completely out of her reach. She was afraid to slide off of the counter and was leaning to reach for it when Ryan spoke. She froze, suddenly trying to remember exactly what Michelle had said about eating. "I ... shit .. I don't think so ... for either .. no contractions, but no eating either." she closes her eyes as if in pain, but its no contraction. "God, get it out of my face." she demands. :And please mop because I'm afraid I'll slip in the stuff and have to have her on the kitchen floor." which was NOT in her birth plan.
Ryan smiled ruefully at her and took the coffee roll to the cupboard and just stuck it on a random shelf. He then dragged the mop bucket to the bathtub and filled and came back as fast as he could, after a lightning fast pj pants change to mop up the amniotic fluid. He moved the mop to one side of the kitchen, not dumping it yet, just in case and then reached out his arms to help India down "Are you still leaking? Do you want me to grab you a washcloth and a change of clothes...we could sit you on a towel at least so you can relax."
India watches Ryan clean, completely missing where he even put her coffee roll. She hugs Ryan as she slides onto the floor. "Ugh yea. I wonder if I can take a shower? I swear Ryan, everything they told me about childbirth feels like it came out of me with the water." she looks at him, clearly still very afraid but at the same time very happy.
Ryan offers his arm "I'm sure you can shower. Michelle's bringing a kiddie tub in case you want to have a baby in it...a shower should be fine. I'll come in with you if you're nervous. She's on her way...had the bag and supplies ready to go."
India takes his arm and heads for the stairs. She giggles. "I am getting a very strange mental image about having a baby in a kiddie pool." she works her way slowly up the stairs and grabs one of her gigantic shower caps. "I am VERY glad I washed my locs. They'll probably get all sweaty anyway but ... well .. maybe if I have to wash them again you can blow dry them." she had a blow dryer and usually just did it herself. It was a long process, in any event. "Who all is coming to this little concert we're putting on now?" she wonders as she begins to undress.
Ryan stands by ready to help with anything she needs or wants "You and I and Michelle and eventually...Jayla. Did you want me to invite more people?" He teases and then looks serious "Steph offered if you want another birth companion. She reminded me it can take a long time."
India takes off the dress. "I'll pass, thanks." she chuckles. "I always liked smaller venues." she steps carefully into the shower after covering her locs. "I know I have to shelve my pride. Kagiso offered to come by and play music for me ... like I don't have all his albums." she begins to shower. "I think you three will be enough. Glad we got that damn paper signed, or who KNOWS who all'd be at the hospital."
Ryan takes off his clothes and steps in with her, reaching right over her head for the soap as he's prone to do "Don't worry I'll keep it to myself. I remember Michelle saying nothing internal after the water breaks." He teases and then washes off any residue. He had just whipped on clothes to be back downstairs for her before but not actually washed. He's about to offer her the soap and then looks at it "Shoot, I should get you a fresh bar so we don't cause an infection...dammit..." He steps out of the shower and spring clicks the cupboard door and then washes his hands before even touching the new bar and bringing it to her.
India is opening her mouth to protest when Ryan steps back out of the shower. She laughs at him, because his fastidiousness just fascinates her. When he comes back she looks at him with more than the usual adoration. "You love me." she states, as if she knew it, but she is being hit with yet another wave of it.
Ryan nods "Mmmhmm......I do. I'm going to get you a perfectly fresh towel too. Don't have a baby while I go down the hall OK?" They had lots of towels. Stephanie always gave everyone in the family towels for Christmas like ti was some kind of obsession.
India giggles and showers while Ryan is away, thinking it may be the last time she has to deal with the humongous belly. She sighs and tries to relax, but her nerves are on end. The only thing she isn't worried about is being able to afford a child. Everything else, she was still terrified.
Ryan comes back dressed in a t shirt and black sweats and stands by with a lovely fluffy blue towel that's fresh washed "M'lady, when you're ready..." he quips.
Indie steps out of the tub like royalty. "Thank you m'lord." she inhales and exhales. "Alright ... now what?" she rubs her belly and takes his hand and places it there as well. "Maybe ..." she smirks. "We should have chosen to have the baby at Adum's house. She was conceived there." she teases.
Ryan grins "Shorter trip for the midwife and I don't know if I ever told Adum..." He laughs "Someday..." He caresses India's belly and then leans down and kisses it through the towel "Do want...clothes? A robe? I don't mind if you're naked but I don't know what you want on for when Michelle arrives."
India laughs. "We should. It will be part of out birth story." she smiles and suddenly looks shy. "Yes please. I don't see much point in dressing at this point."
Ryan sees her look and smiles "I'm sure she's seen it all Indy." But he goes to get her bathrobe and holds it out for her.
India mock snatches the robe to her. "I don't care. All my dignity bout to go out the window. Give me my last few minutes of pride." she giggles and slips into the robe.
Ryan hugs her after she's in it "Let's take your mind off this....we'll watch a movie or Parks and Rec, just chill until contractions start ok?"
India nods and smiles. "Yes ... relaxing sounds like a fine idea, baby." she heads for the stirs and slowly descends. "Maybe a movie? I'll get into Parks and Rec and want to see all the seasons." she giggles.
Ryan snorts "Yes we best not interrupt a marathon binge with childbirth...." he chuckles.
India nods and goes to sit on the couch, laying, leaning trying to get even a little comfortable. "The sun will be coming up soon." she murmurs.
It's an hour and a bit into a movie they've both sen many times ((you can decide what:)) and Ryan sweetly massages her lower back "Any sensations yet?"
Michelle is in the traffic line up coming off the ferry at Tsawwassen, a bought coffee from the ferry Starbucks in her hand as she waits with all the day trippers. She's calm and listening to REM's Best of album, head swaying a bit with Man on the Moon as she sips and edges forward.
India is actually starting to relax. "A bit ... it's all ... kinda ... tight." she adjusts herself and groans a little.
Ryan looks worried "Tight? Like a contraction tight?" He just lets his hand rest on her back now but doesn't rub, not sure what she needs.
Michelle pulls onto the 99 and is heading for the dreaded tunnel. Murphy's law kicks in and there's emergency crews on the scene and tow trucks, dealing with the remains of an accident from the wee hours of the morning after the bars closed. She deflates a bit at the sight of it as traffic is routed down to one lane "Shit shit shit....." She truly hopes the people involved are OK, but she has a baby to catch and she's hoping this labour is blessedly slow.
India gets up. "Tight like cramps." she reports. "Like I need my period right now." she frowns. "What do I know about contractions, Ryan? Its ... tight." he's being minorly irritating ... and the tightness isn't stopping.
Ryan can't help but chuckle a bit "Like it's...contracting?" He offers. Remember the breathing stuff, just go slow. Do you want to sit differently?" He looks at her body position.
Traffic completely stops as tow trucks get in there dragging away some horrific wrecks. Michelle winces at them and then puts her car in park and take out her phone and texts Ryan "Accident in the tunnel, delayed here. Sorry."
Ryan feels his phone buzz and takes it from his sweats pocket and then frowns at it, not telling India the message just yet.
India begins rolling around, trying not to lay but to stand. "I guess. Maybe that IS it." she gets to her feet after a sort of creative left, left, left up roll. she begins to head for the dining room .. and the window outside. "I want to walk. Don't they walk on television?" she groans again, but it is far from a groan of pleasure.
Ryan nods "If your body says walk, then walk baby. It's still the same? I thought they would be small with time between them?"
India puts both hands on her back looking out on a slowly lightning Cedar Point. Usually its so beautiful and peaceful at this time of the day. But her back was bothering her. "My both hates me right now." she complains.
Ryan is ever the dutiful father to be "I can massage again? Did that help."
Traffic crawls. Michelle curses it. A delivery van weaves through and cuts her off just as she's able to move up and she slams into it's bumper "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?" She yells though the closed windows at the other driver. The van pulls over to exchange info and Michelle know she has to and does the right thing, but she'd really like to just take off on the guy. She grabs her licence and insurance info and steams towards the delivery guy who's standing there leaning over his open door.
India sighs and nods. "Please?" he asks, all discomfort. "Did Steph go through all this?" he asks, not sure she wants to know. She peers out of the window for Michelle's car. "And where the HELL is Michelle?"
Ryan walks up to her and massages her as she stands "Yeah she did.....and Michelle....is a little stuck in traffic. The tunnel you know? I was hoping she'd text again by now but I also just hope she's driving.
The delivery guy pops out of the van with a grin at Michelle, not taking her murderous look as a social cue "Gave me a little bump there....just finding my stuff....one moment."
Michelle's gaze bores through him "I'm a midwife and a woman's in labour. Could you hurry it up a bit please?"
India physically turns from the window to look at Ryan. Her looks suggests she is near homicidal. "I. Beg. Your. Fucking. PARDON?" because she could NOT have heard that right.
The delivery guy is a lanky middle aged man with wispy sandy blonde hair, adult acne and an underdeveloped goatee. He's wearing grey coveralls and a matching baseball style cap that both have a logo on them that say Rug Rats. He also has a sewn on name tag that says Bob. There's a lighter grey rat inside the circle of the logo with the words going around it. "Midwife eh? That'd be a stressful job." Mr. Rug Rat was digging in his coverall pockets after having gone through his entire jacket first "I musta forgot my wallet. Can you believe that?"
Michelle is almost shaking with irritation "Alright Bob. Give me your phone number and the licence plate for this van and I'll give you my info. I REALLY need to get back on the road NOW."
Bob pads his pockets again, looking a little dim "Haven't got a pen have you Missus?"
Ryan shrinks back slightly from India. He's never seen this look before "Uh......" is all he can manage before a terrified gulp.
India is in a mode she doesn't get in much. Full on ghetto pissed. "Michelle can't be on the ROAD .. fuck THAT. I'm having a BABY over here. You go to get her OFF the fucking road and HERE, Ryan." she points to the floor, indicating the place beside her. "Call someone. Nick or Michael and get her OUT of traffic and between my legs where she fucking BELONGS!"
Michelle finally gets back in her car after sorting both her own and Bob's info exchange. She quickly keys India and Ryan's address into goggle maps and the app indicates it should be only 15 minutes. She frowns at the slow but now moving line up of cars and texts Ryan "Probably 20 - 30 minutes away. Sorry."
Ryan's eyes go wider than India's ever seen and he holds up his hands protectively "Baby I'm not sure I can..." He starts to stammer and then his pocket buzzes and he carefully grabs for his phone, watching India like she's an escaped Tiger from a zoo, considering him for prey. No sudden movements....no sudden movements. He looks at the text and tenses up repeating the message out loud in a small voice.
India looks at Ryan, clearly fuming and groans again. She cries out in pain ... that was a bad one. "Fuck 20 - 30 minutes." she snatches the phone from him and goes through his contacts for Chief Callahan's number and presses CALL. "Call someone in some fucking AUTHORITY here! Sheeeeit!"
Ryan chances at trying to rub India's back again, looking worried about her pain. There's a little bit of a "nice kitty" energy to his attempts though right now and he just lets her take the phone and do what she wants "Yes dear...."
Nick is on shift, joking around with Angie when he feels his own phone go off "I totally ate the last maple glazed...and you can tell Nault that too..." He looks at the number curiously "Huh...Yamada..." then clicks to answer, thinking it's Ryan "Did your beautiful mama pop one out that quick Yamada?"
Angie is in the background looking suddenly ready to burst for baby news.
India does appreciate the back rub, as much as she can through her discomfort. "NO!' she snaps when Nick answers. "The fucking midwife is stuck in TRAFFIC! Godamnit." she groans in pain again as another of those crampy things ... contractions ... hits her. "Go clear a fucking path, goddamnit! You're the chief of police ... clear a path and i will personally double your budget for 2017!" and while she can, she doesn't seem to be aware that, in her labor pains, she has just bribed Cedar Points top cop.
Nick almost drops his phone "Oh shit India. I'm sorry...and I can't. We had reports of crews dispatched from Surrey to the tunnel. Is she on the 99? It should be clearing now and there's nothing impeding the way here once she's through...Just do that breathing thing right?" He offers meekly looking at Angie like he's a drowning man.
Angie starts quietly chuckling, deep in her belly, as she tunes into what's happening to Nick, and India.
Ryan just rubs his woman's back and hangs his head, hoping to god he doesn't get fired before he's a father.
India straightens and groans loudly with another contraction. "I don't know where she fucking IS!" she yells into the phone. "She's not HERE!" she moans in pain again. "I DID the breathing thing!" she screams. "I don't want to breathe anymore, I want this baby OUT! Oh God why am I wasting my time with you if you can't even direct traffic?" and she clicks the phone off. "Oh Ryan what am I going to do?" she bemoans and then turns back to the window. "Where is she. We cant do this alone, can we?" she sniffs and would cry but another wave of pain hits her.
Ryan still gently rubs her back, worried as hell by the level of pain she's in "Oh god...I don't know Indy...I'm so sorry..." Her agony takes precedence over his job and his boss.
Nick just stares at his phone like it just caught fire after India blasts him and hangs up. Angie lets her laughter out and pats Nick on the arm "You'alright there Chief? That's just how it goes. Been too many years for you...."
Cody walks to the box of donuts by the break area and mutters "Dammit who ate my maple? I bought two...just in case...."
Michelle pulls into the parking lot beside the Poseidon building and looks at how many loads she needs to haul up. She decides on her medical kit and the big bag containing the birth pool in case she needs to start filling it and heads into the building.
India yells in pain loudly again. "Oh you SHOULD be sorry." she snaps and then sighs. "But I was there, too. I blame Adum. Leaving us alone. Some fucking host HE is. Leaving us alone like that! I'm going to give that man apiece of my mind." she begins to scroll through contacts again but another contraction makes her scream and drop the phone.
Michelle arrives at the door just in time for the scream and mutters "Must be the place...." She knock loudly and calls out "Baby catchers R US!"
Ryan looks at the door like it's the gates to heaven and they've just been saved "It's Michelle!" He beams and quickly scoops up his phone while he dashes to answer "Please come in....please."
Michelle casually walks in. She'd seen it all of course. She steps out of her shoes and goes right to India "Oh pretty strong eh?" She can see it in her face and puts a hand lightly on her back "Let me wash my hands and get some gloves on to check you. You're not going to like me for a minute."
India makes a grab for the phone but Ryan gets it first. She looks at Michelle with big eyes. "Nothing should hurt like this, Michelle!" she proclaims. she heads over to one of the ottomans and sits. "If you can make this happen I'll love you more than HIM at this point." she swings her head at Ryan who not only knocked her up, but kept her from calling Adum and making him face HIS part in all of this.
Ryan looks like a scared little puppy, holding the phone and his hands someone protectively before his groin. He's heard the stories.
Michelle tries not to laugh, looking between them. They're at THAT point. She grabs her kit, pulls on the latex gloves and sinks to her knees in front of India's "Ok, I need to get a little personal and take a look here." She gently pushes India's legs apart and looks and then snaps her head up "Uh....you're basically crowning..." She pulls a cloth from her bag and lays in under India "Do you feel ready to push?"
India blinks. "Is THAT what I feel?" she nods. "Please? Can I ... I really want to push ... yes ... is this too fast? Never mind, I don't care ..." and she prepares herself to push.
Michelle rapidly pulls a bunch of stuff to the top of her bag so she's ready and then points at Ryan "Do you want Ryan behind you holding on? Or do you want him to see everything happen holding your hand in front? Do you want a mirror so YOU can see?"
Ryan looks totally freaked out for a second "Oh my god it......it's now....the baby is now.....holy shit...it's now...."
India loves Ryan, but she is still in a malicious mindset. "In front. It ain't like he hasn't seen it before now." she reaches for him. "And yea ... I think I'd like to see it. Man how conceited is THAT?" she wonders and takes in another breath from the pain.
Ryan quietly gulps and does what he's told. He's very fine with between her legs but when he moves and sees how open things are and the beginning of a head he just about trips as he crouches down holding her hand. India was a whole world right now, a universe even. It was beautiful and terrifying to watch.
Michelle chuckles "Not conceited, just natural. It's quite amazing to watch, and you get to meet her very soon." She gets out a mirror and hands it to Ryan "OK you hold this for her because I need both hands for the rest. Now Indy, when you push, do it on a contraction and then stop when the contraction does and wait for the next one to push again OK? You'll get less tearing that way. And push to the back like you're having a poo." She puts her hands right under India's opening and waits "When you're ready....and make sure to breathe through it..."
India looks and smiles. "Wow ...." she holds one of Ryan's hands and nods at Michelle's instructions. She waits. "Come on Jayla." she coaxes and when the next contraction comes she does push and has to scream a little through it. Through the pain. suddenly its hot, but she is a little too busy to complain ... she simply sweats it out. Literally.
Michelle's hand slips under the back of the top of the baby's head "Ok doing great India....keep breathing....one more push and we'll have the head all the way out...this is the hear part but you got this...." When she can see the intensity build again she coaxes "And...breathe...exhale and push......oh hello there..." Suddenly there's a full head out between India's legs and Jayla lets out a wail "That's what we want to hear from you.....good girl...Just one more push India...then you can hold her...."
Ryan is holding the mirror still but burst into tears as he sees his daughter's head and hears her cry. He squeezes India's hand and looks up at her with absolute pure love.
India nods and pushes, as instructed. It's painful but also .. she has a goal in mind. Ryan's daughter. Her daughter. In a way the baby symbioses more than just the love of two people. She nods again and gives that final push, hearing Ryan cry and unable not to cry herself.
Michelle catches the rest of Jayla as she slides right out, still letting out a healthy cry "Lungs are clear..." Michelle says with a big grin "Everything's here..." she wipes her off a bit and hands her up to India with the umbilical cord still attached and pulsing.
Ryan stands up following the path of their baby like he's mesmerized by her, be cause he is. He's also completely bawling now and leaning into India's shoulder as he connects with the family they're about to become.
India is laughing and crying as she takes the baby into her arms. "There you are." she croons. "Not a minute old and you already in trouble. Made me yell at your daddy .. and the chief of police." she sniffs and laughs. "Oh god .. Ryan I am so sorry for what I said ... and to you too, Michelle.' all is forgiven and suddenly she laughs aloud. "Oh god ... Nick!" she looks at Michelle. "I think I bribed the police chief!" she sniffs and laughs again. "That's coming out of your allowance, young lady." she looks at Jayla with absolute adoration.
Ryan laughs at India and reaches out a hand to hold onto the side of their baby too as he hugs India "It doesn't matter...none of it matters. Only you little Jayla...matter....and you Indy." He looks at her teary eyed "Thank you...I love you, both of you."
Michelle has stepped back after handing them their baby. The cord could wait, the cleanup could wait. The bonding was golden. She walked over to the window and smiled back when she was spoken to from afar, giving them room to connect.
India is absorbed in her little family. "Ryan .... could we ask Nick to .. you know .. maybe .. be a god GRANDfather?" she asks, meekly. "I mean ... he reminds me of Daddy ... and ... well ... maybe then he won't arrest me?" she teases, leaning her head against his. "God she is just gorgeous." she breathes.
Ryan runs his hand over Jayla's forehead and cheek. Her crying has cried and she's looking at them both with the awesome lucidity and wisdom of a newborn before they hit the all the time sleepy stage. "I think Nick would like that. And I'm sure he gets it. He did have a daughter himself so I assume he was there when Eryn was born. She really really is gorgeous. You are Jayla.....what do you think she's thinking?"
Michelle slowly moves back into the space and starts doing things that probably won't even be on their radar as they coo at their baby until she has to check India again "Sorry to invade. you don't seem to have passed the placenta yet. I'm going to clamp and cut the cord and then see what's happening there OK? Just relax though...then we could move you to a bed or the couch as you like....and you'll need some big nasty maxi pads."
India is looking at Jayla and absurdly counting fingers and toes. It isn't that she doesn't trust Michelle, but she is just double checking. "She's probably thinking its cold and where's that room I promised her.' she jokes, in a MUCH better mood. She looks at Michelle aware the is still there. "Let's do it." she agrees. "And yes, I have those maxi-pads someplace. How long exactly am I going to bleed like a human sacrifice? And did I break myself?" she doesn't feel torn, but she figures she is on endorphins.
Ryan winces at what India's poor body is going through but can't take his eyes of Jayla. Hers are just starting to close and he strokes her head lovingly.
Michelle deals with the cord and then looks over India "You are in great shape down here. You'll still swell and bleed, particularly starting when I go in and get the placenta so try not to kick me OK? Actually...pain killers first...I'm not a monster....." she takes off her gloves and discards them and then goes to wash her hands and get India a glass of water to take some Tylenol with codeine.
Michelle makes a face and shakes her head "Well when it births....just try not to kick me and tell me when the drugs kick in. I'll do it then unless you just want it out. You guys don't want to like make a placenta cake or some hippy dippy stuff like that do you?" She asks wryly "I can put it in the freezer, or I can dispose of it at a facility on my way back home."
Ryan looks up from his bliss in horror "Placenta CAKE?"
India nods. "Give me a few minutes to be happy. I'm assuming this won't efffct the breast milk?" she belatedly asks and then is complete distracted by the words placenta cake. "The fuck is THAT?" she shakes her head. "No .. no .. HELL no ... people EAT ... no .. just ... god."
Michelle just laughs "Hey it's a question I have to ask in the mix. Answer noted. and no it won't affect your breast milk. You should put a diaper on her before you nurse...things happen....loud meconium poopy things that will make your heads spin around. Her first few bowel movements will look like molasses but don't worry. That goes away." She checks Jayla's belly where she cut the cord and cleans it again, putting on a little gauze wrap and tape "Be gentle here and keep it clean."
India listens and nods ... and begins to float. "Ohhh yea ..... that's the feeling ..." she looks at Michelle. "Codine is beautiful stuff. Do your worst." she looks at Ryan. "Would you like the first diaper, handsome?"
Ryan is literally happy to do anything "I don't want to take her from you...but the change table's upstairs. May I?" He reaches out for the baby.
Michelle decides to wait until India's not holding Jayla and once that happens she regloves and then reaches inside India, which even on painkillers will probably be really uncomfortable "Sorry..." she says as she does it and then yanks the placenta out and puts it in a special case to transport it to be incinerated later. She tidies India up afterwards and the padding and cloth under her is now quite horrid so she changes it. "Once Ryan's back down with you, I'll go get you some panties so we can contain things."
India watches Ryan take Jayla away and then looks at Michelle as a great deal more discomfort starts. "Holy shit, that's ... really not a lot of fun, Michelle." she groans. After the cleanup, she does feel a bit better. "Should I be worried if the bleeding doesn't stop?" she asks thinking in hindsight that was a pretty stupid question.
Michelle comforts her "It'll stop, but generally yes. You didn't lose an abnormal amount though during the birth. I'm not worried. You shouldn't be either." From upstairs comes a little scream from Ryan. Michelle walks partway up the stairs "Everything alright?"
Ryan laughs and then calls back "Just a little surprise and we're down an extra diaper." Then Jayla starts crying,unhappy to be changed and cold and Ryan coos at her "Oh baby...almost done....but you had to pee everywhere I'm sorry......"
Michelle walks back down "Alright he's got it. When they're back and you have a pad, you should try and nurse. She's awake and I'll help you get the latch."
India almost jumps up with Ryan shouts and Jayla begins to cry, then realizes that is not gonna happen. But she is relieved when its not serious and smiles softly. "Jayla is really going to trigger his OCD isn't she?" she asks and then nods. "Thanks ... you're a real lifesaver, Michelle."
Michelle grins "Just my job Ma'am. And yes if he likes it clean...whoooo!" She laughs.
Ryan comes downstairs with Jayla, changed and in a little outfit that's perfectly adorable and coordinated with a little hat even. "There's Mommy! OCD, what OCD?"
Michelle stifles a laugh and starts for the stairs "Underwear for padding you is where?" she asks India.
Indie laughs and tucks that info away for lazy mama days. Then Ryan comes down with Jayla and she almost melts. "YOUR OCD, baby ... god ... she is gonna have fashion sense and to spare between the two of us." she calls after. "Mine are the BIG diapers."
Ryan holds Jayla like a pro already and looks at India with a smirk and then says "How are you feeling?"
Michelle brings down a "big diaper" and says "that's very efficient, better that the overnight ones we usually try. Let me help you into this and then you can be a bit more mobile, as well as get comfortable and start to nurse her." She gets right to India's legs and slides it up her and on. then she stands "OK, where so you want to be? Couch? Bed? It might take awhile the first latch..."
India watches Ryan with Jayla and just feels warm and cozy. "I'm tired and I hurt and I'm happier than I've ever been." she replies and then gets into her new undies with help and sighs happily. "Couch please. I just want to be down here for a little bit." she looks outside the windows. "At three this morning I was up and pregnant .. and now its what? Seven? Eight? And I'm a mother ...." she eases onto the couch. "Alright ... teach me, Michelle. Someone has to."
Michelle reaches out to Ryan "I'm going to have to steal this beautiful creature from you so she can eat. Can you go grab some bed pillows? We'll figure it out and get comfy."
Ryan pretends like he's going to run away with Jayla and then smiles and passes her over and then goes for pillows.
Michelle hands her to India "OK let her just be on you with the robe open. She'll start rotting when she feels your skin....in fact....take off her little shirt because skin on skin is helpful for their instincts. We need to make her hungry."
India smiles seeing Ryans feint but in the end, takes off Jayla's little shirt and lays her on her chest, holding her like the pictures shes all but memorized tole her too. Indeed, Jayla does root and India, with very little help from Michelle gets the baby latched on. India stares, fascinated. "Just .... wow ....." she swallows hard and looks at her daughter.
Ryan comes back with pillows and then looks at his little family in happy tears. He's never seen anything so beautiful.
Michelle does a quick shove of a few pillows and then wanders off to tidy "You got this. I'll be in shouting range...but I won't hover."
India is entranced with the baby and her eyes move from Jayla to Ryan and back again. "How did we do this, Ryan?" she is amazed at this. She knows the biology but this was more amazing than she thought.
Ryan comes closer and leans down and kisses India's cheek, and then lightly, the baby's cheek, not wanting to disturb "It's amazing. I had no idea. I mean I've seen it...but when she's ours...." He trails off.
Jayla isn't going to let something like her father get between her and a meal. "It's really different. All those videos I watched .. nothing compares, huh?" she looks up at him. "I love you, Ryan Yamada."
Ryan just watches his daughter and nods and then meets India's eyes "And I love you India Tor. Hey we didn't talk about her last name but her middle name definitely needs to still be Sakura. Jayla Sakura....someday Daddy will tell you about the Jedi and all the other nerd things."
India gives no indication of really paying attention, but she looks up and addresses Michelle, not Ryan. "Can I fill out her birth certificate now .. please?" so she HAD heard.
Ryan looks curiously at India and then Michelle.
Michelle pulls out a soft file case from her bag "Yep, got it. Need a pen?" she brings both "Can you do this while you nurse Supermama? Male person..." she shoves it at Ryan "Scribe please."
India giggles. "I'd better learn. Cause I am not giving up EVERYTHING just to nurse. She DOES switch Jayla to her left breast, freeing her right hand. "Give me that pen, please." she begins to fill it out. "Mother's name .... father's name .... date of birth ..." she looks up. "Time of birth? I hope SOMEONE was paying attention cause I sho nuff wans't."
Michelle smiles "Just after 7 am...7:02 on your DVD player to be exact. I still need to weigh and measure Jayla. So once she's had enough from that breast I'll take her."
Ryan exhales "Shit that was fast right?" He looks between India and Michelle "We woke up at 3.."
India smiles and fills in those parts. "Yea ... she's like her mama. Once her mind is made up she just DOES IT!" she smiles. "Now for your name ...." she stops speaking then and just writes, then hands it innocently to Michelle and goes back to nursing Jayla and staring at her intently.
Michelle takes the form and smiles at the name "Aww." and makes like she's about to file it in her leather file case for paperwork.
Ryan looks between India and Michelle incredulous "Uh hello? Scuse me.....can I.....seriously? Can I read it?"
Michelle winks at India and then laughs at Ryan "Just fucking with ya Daddeo." She pulls the form back out and hands it to him. He practically snatches it from her hand.
"Jayla Sakura Yamada-Tor." He reads aloud and then smiles. He leans down and kisses India lightly and then cups his daughter's sweet little head and kisses her cheek "It's perfect, like her."
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