Christmas Blessings

They started their new lives together with a quick honeymoon to an island hide-away then home to their three children. Life was good to them, gifting them with days that were filled with love and nights filled with bliss as they explored their passionate natures.

In April, Dara came to him, a look of surprised happiness on her face. She held a white stick in her hand, a plus sign in the small box on the front. Nathan greeted the news ecstatically, wrapping his arms gently around her as they celebrated with the children. They planned the nursery, with the help of the kids, not changing the daisy patterned border that Dara liked so much until they found out if they were having a boy or a girl.

Visit's to the doctor went well, the ultra sound showed a busily growing and active baby who was stubborn enough to not show his sex. Much to Nathan's dismay who jokingly groused about his son having to start off life in a room decorated with flowers.

November passed and Thanksgiving was over, Dara's mom left to go back to Detroit, having visited with them and getting to know her new grandchildren better. She left smiling with promises to return in time to help with the baby whose due date was December 26. Everything was wonderful until three weeks before that.

Dara was in the kitchen, helping Maria make cookies, enough so that Nathan could take some into the hospital to share amongst the people he worked with. She felt the first pain and passed it off as a kick. A few minutes later, another pain came, tightening low upon her belly, until the skin seemed hard enough to break. She took a deep breath, moaning at the pain, alerting Maria.

"Dara? Are you okay?"

"I...I think the baby wants to come a little early, Maria." She let the small woman help her to a chair and bent over, trying to breath through the pain. "Call Nathan?"

She had twelve more pains before Nathan came blasting into the drive, fresh snow spurting under the tires of the SUV. He ran into the kitchen and hurried to his wife, bending over her with concern in his eyes. "Dara, love?"

"I think we should go to the hospital, Nathan. I think we're finally about to meet your son." She clutched her stomach, her face pale and shiny as he stroked her fine hair. Maria ran to get her coat.

Nathan carried her to the car despite her protests and buckled her gently into the seat, throwing the suitcase Maria brought to him into the back seat. He drove to the hospital carefully, holding her hand through the worst of the pains, offering love and encouragement.

They hurried her through admitting and whisked her away to the maternity ward. When Nathan arrived, she was in a bed, a monitor hooked to her tight belly. Things progressed quickly and soon she was ready to push. Her blood pressure shot up and the doctor decided he wanted her taking into a delivery room instead of the birthing room she had been put in.

And then she pushed. She smiled at Nathan when she could, the pain blindingly intense at times. He held her hand and then leaned behind her, supporting her weight, helping her in every way he could to deliver his child.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear as she strained and pushed, finally delivering a healthy, if small, baby boy. The doctor laid him upon his mother's stomach and Nathan cut the cord. He held Dara, kissing her as she looked down at her son.

Suddenly, she looked at Nathan. "I feel strange," she said, her voice hushed.

"Strange how, honey?" Nathan leaned over her as the nurse took their tiny son. "Dara?"

She didn't answer him, her face almost white, her eyes closed. One of the nurses grabbed Nathan's arm, pushing him from the room as he saw the doctor bending over his wife. "What's going on?" he asked her helplessly.

"I don't know," the nurse answered calmly. "You know the routine, Dr. Carter. Let her doctor work, he'll be out when he can." She turned and quickly went back in the room, closing the door behind her.

Nathan stared at that closed door feeling his world leaving him again. He felt the panic well in his stomach and close his throat and thought he would scream. When the door opened suddenly, he leapt forward, only to be pushed back as a nurse wheeled his son out of the room in a tiny plastic crib. Despite his questions, she couldn't tell him much and took the baby down to the nursery.

Nathan paced the halls for what seemed hours. He turned when the door opened again, this time the doctor coming out, wiping his hands that were covered with blood, a look of such seriousness on his face that Nathan felt his legs weaken and despair welled up in him.

~~~~~~~

Music played solemnly in the church as Nathan stood and shook the hands of those who had come. The children stood quietly near him, the somber attitude of the church having its effect on them. They finally took a seat, taking the pew in the front of the church as they waited.

Nathan felt a hand upon his arm and turned, staring down at the vision of his lovely wife, a diaper over her shoulder, his son cradled in her arms. "All fed?" he asked quietly, taking the sleeping baby from her.

"Yes, he was hungry." She draped the cloth diaper over his suit shoulder and then caressed his arm, staring with love in her eyes at the wonderful man that God had sent to rescue her in so many ways. "I think he'll be quiet now during the baptism."

She stared around the church that was so full with their friends and family, all come to join them in welcoming their new son Kenneth James. The church was decorated for the Christmas Eve mass that was to be held later that evening. Poinsettias were around the alter in bright red, white and green. In the corner, a huge Christmas tree, decorated in white with doves and snowflakes on the branches and at the very top, a beautiful Christmas angel shone brilliantly. It was just what she had wanted.

She'd almost lost her life, delivering little Kenny as they were calling him. The doctor had performed an emergency hysterectomy on her, saving her life but preventing her from having any more children. Just the same, she considered them blessed with the four they had. And with Nathan as her loving and devoted husband, she couldn't ask for anything more.

She felt a presence, and glanced again at the tree, feeling the same peace she had felt the night her memory had returned. A peace that had radiated throughout her and caused the joy she now knew. She smiled at the tree and then up at her husband as they walked towards the alter carrying their precious newborn.

"I love you, my one and my own. We have so many Christmas blessings." She smiled into his eyes.

"That we do, my love, that we do."

A bell was heard throughout the church and Meghan glanced up at the tree from where she sat next to Maria as the ceremony started. She smiled at the sight of a beautiful red haired angel that watched as the baby was named.

For a moment, the Angel seemed almost sad, then she smiled, blowing little Meghan a kiss and was gone, fading into the glowing white lights of the Christmas tree behind her.

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Thanks so much for reading me. Please remember to vote and to leave a comment if you'd like. Take care,

Danielle.