Work Text:
“Have a baby they said. It’ll be easy they said; all you gotta do is have sex with you husband and boom, pregnant,” I huffed, flopping down in a chair.
“Excuse me, you’re not the one in labor right now,”
“Yes, you’re in labor with my baby, therefore, I can complain about the easiness of having a child,” I laughed, holding my friends’ hand in mine and she rode out a contraction.
My husband, Daveed, and I have been trying to have a child since before we got married; about two years. While the trying was incredible, the only positive result we got was a good time. It turns out I was the problem, not him.
I slumped down in the front seat of our car. “Of course, it’s my fault we can’t have kids. You’re perfect! You’re gorgeous, you’ve got great hair, you’re extremely talented and humble! And here’s me, short stumpy and baren,”
Daveed reached over and held me close. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. They never said we can’t have kids, just that you can’t carry them,”
I snorted. “They compared my uterus to Siberia. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.”
He kissed my temple gently. “I may have to include that in a new song. But seriously, Kate, this isn’t the end for us. We can adopt, we can find a surrogate. You and I are going to have a family one way or another. Cute little mixed babies. With hair like mine and smiles like yours.”
“You’re going to be such a good dad, Daveed, “I said, kissing his knuckles. “An incredible dad to our future girls.”
He smiled. “I like the sound of that. Daveed Diggs…Girl Dad,”
I smiled at the memory. We found our surrogate shortly after; Daveed’s cousin Nicole. When we told the family about our issues with conceiving she volunteered. Nicole and her husband Joe had two kids of their own and were more than happy to help us become parents.
Nicole’s labor was going well. We were just missing one thing. Daveed. He knew we were having the baby today via c-section. He wasn’t out in the lobby with our families and he wasn’t answering his phone. We’ve had this day planned for months, where the hell is he?
I put my hand on Nicole’s belly, close to the heartrate monitor and leaned in close. “Alright my love. Your eviction day has arrived. There are so many people who can’t wait to meet you, but none more than me and your daddy. Daddy isn’t here yet, but he’ll be here soon. Now, be a good monster and be nice to Auntie Nicole. She graciously let you live rent free for nine months,” I kissed the bump gently. “Je t’aime ma petite,”
As Nicole would be having a section, I would be in the room with her while my daughter was born. She would be handed to me as soon as they cleaned her up and I would take her to the room set for us to bond as a family. While we still had some time to wait before the surgery was to begin, they set us up in the pre-op room so she could be monitored.
The nurses got her settled and I scanned the room. It was empty except for a couple in one corner and a familiar head of blonde hair against the opposite side of the wall.
“Rafa? What are you doing here?” I asked, walking over to him.
He looked up and visibly relaxed. “Kate! Thank god!”
“Where’s Daveed?”
He hugged me. “Operating Room six. He wasn’t feeling well and was complaining about his side. Since I’m without appendix I noticed the signs. He’s currently having it out right now.”
I hugged him back. “So that explains why he wasn’t answering my calls. How long has he been in there? Is he ok? Rafa what the hell! It’s baby day and he goes off and loses his appendix!”
“It’s been about twenty minutes. It seems to be going well, you can see his monitor up here,” he pointed to a screen. “They said it should only take about an hour from start to finish,”
“Kate! Come over here. The doctor needs to talk to you,” Nicole called, waiving me over.
“Sorry Doctor Lopez, my cousin is currently being flayed in operating room six.”
She nodded. “I checked on him before I came over. Surgery is going well. They should be done soon. Now, Nicole was supposed to be taken into that room but since it’s occupied, we’re going to use number four. Number four, unfortunately, is smaller so we can’t have you in the room.”
I nodded. “Honestly that’s for the best. I don’t know how I feel about seeing Nicole’s insides while I hold my daughter. Could I make a request though? We’re going to be in room 1789 for a few days before we get to go home as a family. Would it be possible to have Daveed and baby brought up there? I’ll wait there with Rafael.”
She smiled. “Absolutely. I’ll let his post op team know to bring him straight upstairs and put him in the bed with you and baby. Alright Nicole, I’ll see you in five minutes.”
I smiled at Nicole one last time before I grabbed Rafa and we headed upstairs to wait. I got comfortable in the window seat and waited. Rafa came and sat next to me, bowing his head in prayer. A quiet knock and the creak of the door made us jump and we saw a nurse walk in carrying a pink blanket in his arms.
“Hi Mommy. A little girl is desperate to meet you. Daddy is right behind us,” He smiled, bringing her over to me.
I cradled her in my arms and looked down at her. She was absolutely perfect. She had little wisps of curly black hair on top of her head. Her nose was little like a button; her lips a perfect cupid bow. I held her close and kissed her forehead. She opened her eyes and looked at me with hazel orbs.
“Hi. I’m your mom. I’m so happy to finally meet you,”
“Exciting day for us all,” I heard a tired voice call from the bed. I looked up and saw Daveed blinking owlishly back at me.
“No kidding! Scoot over we get our cuddle on,” I smiled, walking over to the bed and slipping my shoes off. Daveed moved over a little and I climbed in, pulling the blankets across the both of us.
He let her wrap her hand around his finger. I heard him sniffle as he rested his head on my shoulder. “We made that,”
I kissed his forehead. “Yeah, we did. She needs a name though. Do you want to hold her? Bond skin to skin?”
Daveed nodded and we lowered his hospital gown. I unwrapped out daughter and laid her gently on his chest. One of his giant hands supported her bum while the other rested on her back. He drew shapes on her back gently and watched her fall asleep.
“Hannah,” he said, looking up at me.
I smiled, cuddling close to him. “Hannah Elizabeth Diggs.”
“Well Miss Hannah, welcome to the family. I’m dad, you’ve met your mom. We’ve waited a long time to have you and we know you’ll blow us all away,” He smiled, looking at me.
I leaned in and kissed him gently. “You feeling alright, daddy?”
“I’m in bed with both my girls and an iv line of prescription pain killers. I’m good. I’ve never been more in love with you. Let’s do this again soon eh?”
I flicked his ear. “Let’s keep her alone for a while first, and you healthy.”
Rafa took a picture of the three of us to use as the Instagram birth announcement. Once I posted it, I looked over to see both of them asleep. Sneaking a picture for myself, I snuggled close and drifted off, finally with a family.