Atie's Love

Writers Note

This is the twelfth and final chapter about Katie. The dates go from April of 2009 until the present. This chapter is long but there is a lot to be told. There is one section involving BDSM that might upset a few folks but that is not the focus of the story, even though it is a part of it.

I have really enjoyed putting all these memories down for people to read, even though it was hard at times, and I have also enjoyed all the great comments and emails that I have received.

T

Karen called me when she got back to New York and the next month went by quickly. Finally the week came around when it was time for Karen to give birth. Her due date had been calculated a few days before, but I had a pretty good idea of what day that it was actually going to happen on. I talked to Karen on Monday and Tuesday morning and chatted with Jean on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday morning I got up at 5:00 AM and was on the way to my shop by 5:30 AM. I turned my cell phone on after I started the truck, it rang a few minutes later and I looked and it was Jean.

I answered, "Good morning Jean."

She said, "Where in the name of hell have you been? Karen woke up an hour ago and she said it is starting."

I replied, "Relax Jean, we have a lot of time. I will be at the shop in about thirty minutes."

Jean said, "Make it twenty, there is a limo waiting for you there," and she hung up.

I said to myself, "It is going to be a long day."

I stopped for a coffee at a place a few blocks from my shop and the limo was double-parked out in front of my shop. I have a packing space behind the building, which I pulled into, got my cell phone, and coffee, then I walked out front. I went over to the limo and the driver had the window down.

I said, "I will be ready to go in ten minutes."

He replied, "The broad that rented this has called me three times already wanting to know why we aren't on the road."

I answered, "Relax, I will deal with her."

I went inside, did a quick check of my email, and of course there was one from Jean that read, "Quit screwing around Tony and get on the damn road!"

I laughed and just shook my head. I shut the email down and headed back out to the limo.

The driver said, "She called me again!"

I got in and we were on the road. I am not a very good passenger, I do too much driving and well it is just the way that it is. There was a sliding glass partition between the driver's compartment and the back. I tapped on it and he opened it.

I said, "I hope you don't mind talking a bit."

He said, "Fine with me. That crazy broad said that I am not supposed to stop for any reason at all."

I replied, "Well you had better have a bucket stashed back here because if I have to piss, I have to piss."

Jean had rented the limo from an outfit that was local to me so we just bullshitted about this and that. The ride from my shop to New York is close to three hours and about every twenty minutes I would hear his cell phone ring and I knew it was Jean because he was telling her where we were.

After the third call the driver said, "I hope you don't mind me saying this, but that broad sounds like she seriously needs to get fucked."

I laughed and answered, "I have fucked her in both holes and it doesn't do any good."

He looked back at me in the rear view mirror, shook his head, and replied, "I feel like telling her to go piss up a damn rope."

I said, "That would not be a very smart thing to do. Trust me on that," and again he looked back me and I just smiled.

When we were two hours on the road, I said, "Find me some place to take a piss and get another coffee."

The driver answered, "She ain't gonna like this."

"Too fucking bad," I replied.

He pulled off at the next exit and stopped at one of those big gas stations. I went and pissed, then got another large coffee.

I walked back to the car and he said, "Son of bitch, she must have fucking radar because she called and wanted to know why I had stopped."

I laughed, then I called Jean on my phone and said, "Will you relax Jean, we have a lot of time."

She replied, "I don't understand why you are screwing around so much. This could happen any minute."

I answered, "No Jean, it isn't going to happen any time soon."

Jean said, "Well just get here damn it!" and she hung up.

We got close to the city, got stuck in rush hour traffic for a little while and it was after 9:30 AM before he pulled up at the hospital.

I handed him a twenty-dollar bill and said, "I will make sure that she sends you a good tip when she pays the bill."

He said, "Thanks. Good luck."

We shook hands and I walked into the hospital. Jean had called and told me what floor and room that Karen was in. I went up the elevator then headed to her room.

As I walked by the nurse's station, the one nurse asked, "Where are you going?" and I answered with Karen's room number.

She asked, "Are you family?"

I replied, "No, but I am expected."

The nurse said, "You cannot go back there unless you are family."

Just then my cell phone rang and it was Jean, so I answered it and said, "I am out here at the nurse's station and they won't let me come back."

Jean growled, hung up, then I saw her come flying out of a room about halfway down the hall.

She walked up the nurse and said, "He is with me!"

The nurse got a scared look on her face and answered, "Sorry Ma'am."

Jean grabbed my arm and led me back to the room.

"Damn it to hell, she said as we walked, "I made a big donation to this dump just to make sure that crap like this didn't happen."

We went in, I walked over to Karen, leaned down on the bed, and we had a hug and a kiss.

I gave her breast a light feel through the hospital gown and said, "Feels like they got bigger."

Karen laughed and replied, "Screw Rhode Island, I am going for Massachusetts!"

Jean shook her head and said, "Teenagers."

Karen added, "My water broke about thirty minutes ago, so I guess there is no turning back now."

I said, "Nope," then I asked, "How are the contractions?"

She answered, "Not too bad."

I replied, "Let me know when the next one starts and I will talk you through it."

Karen said, "I have been doing pretty good so far."

I answered, "Yes, but once things really get going, it will be easy to forget, so let's just practice it now."

She said, "Okay," then she added, "Well here comes one."

I took her hand and replied, "Just breathe slowly and gently. Don't tense up, just let your body do the work. Find a spot and focus on it, but keep breathing slowly."

Jean was holding her other hand and Karen did as I asked. When it was done, we went back to talking. Fifteen minutes later, she had another contraction and I talked her through that one.

When it done I said to Jean, "You do the next one."

She gave me one of her looks but she did when the next contraction came, and we kept alternating after that. We were talking and having a good time in between them. Once in a while I play with Karen's nipple a little and we would sneak a quick kiss.

After one of those times, Jean said with a smile, "If you two teenagers start screwing, I am going to get a trashcan full of cold water and dump it on you!"

Then around 11:00 AM, the doctor came in with a nurse to check on Karen and the nurse said to me, "You can wait outside."

Karen said with a smile, "Don't worry about it, he has seen me naked before."

The nurse rolled her eyes and replied, "Okay."

The doctor checked out her progress and talked to Karen a little. Everything was going fine, but they attached a fetal heart monitor to her belly, just to keep track of things. While the doctor was in there, she had another contraction and I talked her through it.

After it was done the doctor said to me, "I see that you have done this before."

"A few times," I answered.

He replied, "It is going be a while yet, but just let the nurses know if she has any problems."

I said, "I will."

They left the room and we went back to talking. Karen had a bunch of new jokes to tell and we were laughing a lot. The nurse brought Karen a light lunch at noon and around 1:00 PM, I decided that I needed something to eat as well.

I said, "I will be back in a few minutes."

Jean replied, "Don't go too far!"

Karen just shook her head and I walked out of the room. I stopped at the nurse's station and asked where I could find some vending machines. They pointed me to a waiting room down the one hallway and I walked down there. I spent more money for a soda and a couple of candy bars than I would have getting two full meals at any fast food joint by me, but what are you going to do. After I was done with them, I went back the room.

I said to Jean, "Now you go get something to eat," and told her where the vending machines were located.

She said, "I am fine."

I growled and replied, "Go get something to eat Jean. Nothing is going to be happening for a while."

Jean gave me one of her nasty looks and I gave her one back.

Karen looked at her and asked, "Please Jean?"

Jean answered, "Okay," and she went in her purse and got some money, then she left the room.

Karen said, "I am so glad that you are here Tony. I am really worried about her."

I answered, "Just stay focused Karen and let me deal with her."

Jean came back in the room carrying a soda and a couple of packs of cheese crackers, then she sat down and started to eat.

I said, "No, you didn't miss anything."

Karen laughed, then another contraction started and I talked her through it.

She rolled her eyes and said with a smile, "They are starting to get a little wicked."

I answered, "You are doing just fine," then I asked, "Right Jean?"

Jean replied, "Yes, she is doing fine," then she reached into her purse and pulled out a silver whiskey flask and said, "If you need a hit Tony, just ask."

"There will be plenty of time for that later Jean," I replied and she put it back in her purse.

The rest of the afternoon went on pretty much like that. The contractions got harder and the interval between them got shorter, and while I could tell that Karen was hurting from them, she always managed to smile after they were done. Through all of this I could feel Katie there in the room. Once in while she would give me a kiss, sometimes even giggle at one of Karen's jokes, but most of the time it was just that soft feeling of her being there.

The doctor came back in to check Karen again at 3:00 PM and I said to Jean, "Let's take a walk."

She gave me another one of those looks, but Karen said, "Go ahead Jean, I will be fine for a few minutes."

We walked down to the end of the hall and back quietly a couple of times holding hands until I saw the doctor leave Karen's room.

As we got close Jean quietly said, "Thank you Tony. I am just so damn scared for her."

I replied, "I know that you are Jean but she is doing really good and I know that she will be fine."

After we got in the room Karen, "Yep, there is a baby coming today. He said that it should be a couple more hours yet."

The next two hours went by quick enough. The nurses were coming in to check on her every thirty minutes. The contractions got stronger and there were a couple of times that I could see that Karen was almost close to tears but she always managed to smile afterwards and say something to lighten the mood. Jean was getting very tense every time Karen had one as well, but she managed to keep herself together and helped talk her through them.

When the nurse checked her at 5:00 PM, she said, "I am going to call the doctor. She is very close."

She left the room and I said to Karen, "Getting down to the easy part now."

Karen said, "I will take your word on that Tony," and she went into another hard contraction.

The doctor arrived ten minutes later along with two nurses. They got the bed ready for the delivery and then it was time to wait. The doctor took over coaching Karen, and I kept on tell her how good she was doing. Jean and I were holding her hands, but by then Jean looked liked she was ready to start crying and she didn't say anything.

Finally the doctor said, "I want you to push and hold it until I tell you to stop."

Karen looked at me, grabbed my hand very hard and started to push. I looked down and saw the top of the baby's head appear.

The doctor said, "Rest," and Karen relaxed but was still breathing very hard.

I turned my head back to Karen and said to her softly, "You are doing great," then I looked at Jean who was still looking at Karen's face, motioned my head towards the doctor and said, "Watch Jean."

Jean turned her head towards him and the doctor said, "Start pushing again," and this time the baby's head came out of Karen, and the doctor said, "Stop."

"Almost there Karen," I said to her.

Seconds went by, then the doctor said, "Now push again."

Karen drew in a deep breath, squeezed my hand even harder, and pushed. I turned my head back towards the doctor and at 5:36 PM on April 15, 2009, Katie Elizabeth was born to this world. I watched as the nurse wrapped a blanket around her and the baby started to cry a little.

Karen said as she heard it, "Oh my God!" and I looked at her and she was crying but smiling as well.

Jean and I started crying at the same time and just then Katie let go with this intense burst of happiness and I got this feeling from her almost like she was crying as well. Whatever it was, was so strong that I looked at the nurses and both of them had tears in their eyes.

The doctor asked, "Would either of you like to cut the cord?"

I looked at Jean, but she shook her head no, so I said, "I will."

I let go of Karen's hand and moved down. The doctor handed me the scissors and I cut it. The one nurse took the baby, and showed her to Karen. She reached out and touched her for a second, then the nurse took the baby over to a table to clean her up and check her out. In the meantime Karen started to expel the afterbirth and when that was done, she finally relaxed.

The nurse brought the baby back over to her and I said, "Six pounds, fifteen ounces, and nineteen and one-half inches long."

She looked at me and said, "Either you have damn good eyes or that was a really lucky guess."

Jean looked at me with a bit of surprise but I just smiled. That was something that Elizabeth had told me about when she told me about Katie's birth. I didn't remember what they were, but I had them written down in my notebook and had looked at it a couple of days before this.

The nurse handed the baby to Karen and she started crying again and well so both Jean and I. Katie was still there beaming with joy in her own special way. The doctor stayed there for another twenty minutes and then left. Jean got out her cellphone, took a couple of pictures of Karen and the baby which she sent to Karen's mother, who called back a few minutes later and talked to Karen for a little while. I reached over with my hand and the baby grabbed my finger tightly. I know it is a reflex but it still the greatest feeling in the world.

We were there for another ten minutes then I said to Jean, "She really needs to get some rest Jean."

Karen managed a laugh and said, "I don't do nothing but lay around in bed all day." I leaned over, kissed her and Jean did the same. Karen said, "Have fun tonight," with a smile.

We left the room, and as we were walking over to the elevator, Jean said softly, "I am so glad that is over."

I answered, "She really did well Jean and the baby is beautiful."

"Yes she is," Jean replied. We got on the elevator and after we got off of the elevator Jean said, "I am going to take you to the best restaurant in town tonight."

I replied, "If this one of those places where you get a couple of postage stamp sized pieces of food for five thousand dollars a plate, I am not interested Jean. I really need to eat something."

Jean laughed and said, "You are right Tony, I know just the place."

We got to her limo and when the driver got out to open the door for us, she said something to him and we drove off. After about fifteen minutes of driving we stopped in front of a small Italian restaurant that was on one of the side streets.

There was an old guy behind the bar and when he saw us walk in, he called out, "Jeanie!" in a thick Italian accent.

Jean said quietly, "He is the only one in world that can call me that and live."

He walked up to us, and after giving Jean a hug, she said, "Tony this Sal," and we shook hands.

He replied, "Everybody calls me Pop," then he asked, " Tony? Gumba?" which is an Italian slang word for friend.

I answered, "On my father's side."

"Good enough for me!" he said with a smile.

Then he asked Jean, "Where is Karen?"

Jean answered, "She had the baby today. A baby girl."

He said with a big smile, "That is great! We are going to celebrate!" We started to head to a table but he said, "The back room is open, you can have that tonight."

We walked back farther in the restaurant and he opened up a pair of wood sliding doors that looked to be heavy enough to stop a blast from a tank cannon. There was a large round table with a few smaller ones on the side. Jean and I sat down at the big table.

Pop asked her, "The usual?"

Jean smiled and answered, "All the way." He walked out of there and she said to me, "You will love this Alfredo."

He came back a minute later with a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses. There was no label on the bottle and the wine he poured was a clear blood red in color.

Jean and I touched glasses and I said, "To Karen and Little Katie," and I took a taste.

She said after taking a sip from her glass, "This is his homemade stuff. He isn't supposed to sell it but it is so damn good. I keep asking him how he makes it but he won't tell me."

I took another sip and smiled. Pop came back in with basketful of garlic bread sticks and couple of bowls of marinara sauce to dip them in.

He asked me, "How do you like the wine?"

I answered, "It is very good. What is it, half elderberry?"

Jean got a look of surprise on her face and he smiled, then replied, "Not quite half. You know your wines."

My parents have made wine for as long I can remember and I even made a few batches over the years. They always blended their grape and elderberry wines just like this. Pop and I talked about wine making for a while and Jean sat quietly with a smile on her face.

After we were done, Pop said to Jean as he was leaving the room, "I like this guy Jeanie. Keep him around."

Jean looked at me and said, "I almost bought a winery a couple of years ago."

I replied, "Don't get any ideas Jean, you have to be damn chemist to run one of those places. It ain't like messing around with a few gallons of grape juice."

We finished up the breadsticks and the wine, and Pop brought out our main meal, which was a huge bowl of Alfredo with chicken. I was feeling a little full from the bread sticks, but Pop made a large pile of Alfredo on my plate. One of his waiters came in at the same time with an unmarked bottle of white wine and two clean glasses. We made another toast and started to eat.

Jean said after a few forkfuls of food, "This is the second best Alfredo I have ever eaten."

I smiled and said, "I watched her make it a few times but she had everything in her head."

We ate and talked as we did. I managed to eat two plates worth, Jean did as well and we had no trouble finishing the wine either. Pop came in a few times as we ate and his wife, who worked back in the kitchen, came in to talk with Jean for a little.

Finally I told Jean, "I am full. Thank you, this was great."

Pop came back, took our plates, and then he walked in with two small plates that had a small canoli on each one.

I said, "I can't eat another bite."