Hero in Cowboy Boots Chapter 3

Hero in Cowboy Boots Ch. 3 V.1 wc1650

LITTLE MAN GETS A NAME

The door opened to a nurse in blue scrubs, wearing a name tag that read Stephanie. She had a wheelchair and it was turned so Jayda could sit easily. She told Jayda, she would be taken straight to delivery and asked for Jayda’s wallet with her insurance information so she could be processed in admissions.

“Do you have a regular doctor?” Stephanie bent down close to Jayda and smiled.

“No-o-o,” Jayda moaned, in another contraction. The nurse placed a hand on Jayda’s abdomen and  felt the rigidity. She timed Jayda’s contraction and then hustled her to the Delivery Room, Jayda’s bag and purse on her lap.

Another nurse appeared to show Mark where the Obstetrics waiting room was located. He looked a little panicked. The nurse explained that it might take a few hours, or it might take a few minutes. She expressed an opinion it might be a few minutes in this case. She smiled and asked if he wanted to remain until the baby was born, or if he needed to leave.

“Oh I’m in this for the long run. This is the most exciting thing I’ve ever done, since my military days.” Mark grinned, relieved that his responsibility for getting her to the hospital was over. He couldn’t wait to see what the baby would be like, and he wondered how this all fit into his life.

It occurred to him. He’d always wondered what it would be like to have kids. But was Jayda married? If so, where was her old man? He should be here with her, not Mark. Anger welled up in Mark’s heart. He’d like to get his hands on the jerk who left her to deliver and possibly die in that ditch.

He sat in a recliner in the small waiting room, put his feet up and closed his eyes. He tried to think about Jayda, not her old man. That jerk! He should be hung by his---.

Mark interrupted his thoughts with more Christian thoughts. He didn’t know her situation yet. He shouldn’t condemn him until he had the whole story.  He might not even know he had a baby coming. He might be dead. He might be military overseas. There could be any number of reasons why he wasn’t there for Jayda. Mark didn’t know what her story was, but he was intrigued and wanted to learn more.

Two hours later, Mark woke with a nurse gently putting a hand on his shoulder. He jumped at first, instincts reacting from his military duty in the war. But the angelic face smiling down on him certainly didn’t look like a threat.

“Mr. Reeves? My name is Angela. Are you here for Jayda Michaels? She would like you to come to her room, if you wish.”

“Jayda? Is she ok? Did she have the baby? Is the baby ok? Is it a boy or girl? Yes, I would like to see Jayda. Lead the way.”

The nurse led Mark down a hall toward the north end of the hospital and up three floors to where a sign above a double-door read Labor and Delivery. She buzzed in  on an intercom, and the doors opened. A nurse’s desk positioned right in front of the doors was occupied by several nurses and doctors, busy with their paperwork and computers. She led the way to the nurse’s station and spoke to a pretty nurse behind the desk with the name Gina on her name tag.

When Angela stopped in front of a door with the number 5 above the door sill, she stopped and asked Mark to wait just a second while she made sure Jayda was ready. Mark stood there, smiling and looking all around him.

The nurse stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. A few seconds later, she opened the door and motioned Mark in.

“She might be a little woozy yet from the anesthesia, but she’s fine. The baby is with her in the room.” Angela turned and left them alone.

“Hi,” Mark said softly. “How are you?” He held his hat in his hand, slowing turning it around in his fingers by the brim. Jayda was sitting up in bed, wearing a hospital gown. She had an IV in her left wrist, and the obligatory plastic bracelets on her wrists also. His eyes were on Jayda, on everything in the room, on the bundle she was holding in her arms. His gaze stopped there. “How’s the baby?”

“I’m fine. The baby is fine. He’s a little hungry right now, but he’s got ten toes, ten fingers, long skinny legs, and a set of huge lungs! He really screamed when he came out!” She laughed. “I don’t think he liked all the bright lights. Can’t say that I blame him. I don’t like bright lights either, unless it’s the sun on a warm day. Hey, thanks for waiting. I was hoping you would.”

“Hey, you didn’t think any self-respecting hero would just disappear, did you? That was a pretty exciting night. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Mark grinned at her and held it against his chest.

Jayda grinned. “It was exciting, wasn’t it? The nurse told me a tornado blew right through where I was in that ditch. Destroyed a barn just five miles north of my location. I don’t know if my farm was hurt or not. Did you have any damage?”

“I really don’t know. I haven’t been home yet.” Mark frowned. He hadn’t even thought about that. He took a deep breath and asked, “So how’s the little guy doing? Are you getting acquainted with him?”

“Oh Mark, he’s so adorable. Come here and see him.”

Mark tiptoed over to the bed and reached down to gently stroke her dark brown hair. So soft and fine. And skin like a porcelain doll. Exquisite! He daydreamed about the day he would have a son of his own.

He sighed and returned to the here and now, with no one to welcome him home after a hard day’s work. No one to cook for him and no one to enjoy life with. His expression turned to sadness just for a moment, but Jayda caught it.

“What’s wrong, Mark?”

“Huh? Oh I’m sorry. Nothing wrong. I was just woolgathering. So what are you naming him? Got any family you want to name him for? I hate to be nosy, but where’s the father? He should be here now, not me.”

 

Jayda frowned. “Oh no! I can’t let him see her. It’s not safe!”

“Not safe? What do you mean? Who is he? Is he in prison or married to someone else? What’s going on here? I’m sorry for being so nosy, but I’m concerned about the two of you. Who’s your support system? Do you have anyone else you can depend on?”

Mark moved closer to the bed and sat on a plastic and aluminum chair.

“Who helps you with your bills? You do have insurance right? Who’s going to help you with little guy while you heal? You’re not going to be a hundred percent right away, you know?”

Jayda’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I know. I’ve been stupid not to get things arranged for us. I guess I just hoped that Brad would realize that he loved me and would stick with me. But that was naïve, and really dumb. He could care less about me or little man. He said he’d rather see me dead than stand by me.”

Mark, shocked, said, “Brad? That’s the dad? He actually told you that? Why that---! How could any man do that to a woman he purported to care about?”

Jayda put her head down to her chest. “Yes, he told me that, and a whole lot more. I don’t know why I ever spent time with him. He’s definitely not the type of person I’d want to spend my life with.”

“I should say not!” Mark stood up, agitated. He paced the tiny room, rubbing his hand through his dark wavy hair. “If I had a woman like you, I’d treasure you, and your child. Even if it’s not my child. I’d love to have children. I never had any with Lucinda. I’m glad of that, because of our faulty relationship, but I can’t even fathom someone getting a girl pregnant and then just dumping her, and threatening her to boot! That just makes me furious!” Mark was almost shouting at this point.

Jayda put her fingers to her lips and quieted him.  “Mark, you need to be quiet here. I understand you are angry, and rightfully so, but please don’t wake the baby and everyone else in the hospital.”

Properly chastised, Mark sat back down. “They’ll probably be chasing me out of here pretty soon. I was curious. Have you given any thought to little man’s name?”

Jayda thought for a little bit. She looked down at little man, then at Mark. She stroked his fuzzy head and bit on her bottom lip in thought.

“Mark.”

“Yes?”

“No. I mean Mark. I want to name him Mark Lee, after you for saving me, and Lee after my dad. What do you think?” She glanced at him, hopeful he wouldn’t feel offended or angry.

It was quiet for a moment. Mark was staring at Jayda and little man, shocked and humbled by what she had just said.

“You don’t have to do that, Jayda. I would have helped anyone in that situation. I’m deeply honored, but you should name your baby after someone in your family. Your dad’s name, that’s good, but maybe it should be the first name---you know, Lee something or other, Jr. You know what I mean?”

“I know what you mean, Mark, but I’ve decided. Little man is now Mark Lee Michaels.”