Chapter 64

“Well, it would have been real rifles but the doctor would kill me and so would my wife”, David chuckled.  “She doesn’t tolerate me doing anything see views as foolish.”

“And I won’t allow him to do anything I think is foolish”, Miranda said, her hand caressing his thigh.  “Well, foolish that doesn’t pertain to his job.”

Brie nodded.  “Yeah, I know.  Been there, dear.”

“Hey Callan”, Hunter called.

“What’s up, Hunter?” Callan responded.

“Come shoot with me.  Eli has been the only competition I’ve had.”

“Let me sit down for a little bit with my wife, and I’ll come shoot with you.  Isaiah and Eli are good shots.”  James stepped up and started shooting with his oldest son and let Callan rest for a little bit.  “I guess I’m a bit of a novelty”, Callan chuckled.

“You’re the shiny new toy”, David said.  “They see you and they want your attention.  Once the new wears off you’ll have a little peace.”

“Or once Grace is born”, Brie added with a smile.  “Sometimes it takes another new toy to distract them so that you can get a break.”

“Well, I know that they’re ALL going to have to wait their turns with Gracie”, Callan said.  “Grandparents and great- grandparents get precedent over aunts, uncles and cousins.”

“Speaking of grandparents, were your parents going to come up so that they could be close for the birth of little Grace?”

“They’re on their way as we speak, as a matter of fact.  All we can do is hope that she holds on until they land and can get to town.”

“No one is picking them up?” David asked.

Callan shook his head.  “Malachai offered, but they declined.  They would rather have a rental car so that they don’t feel that they’re having to rely on anyone to pick them up and take them anywhere.”

“They’re not even going to stay at the house, even though Dad offered them the guest room”, Miranda told her grandparents.

“That’s their prerogative”, Brie said.  “If they don’t want to stay at your Dad’s house then they don’t have to.  It’s totally on them.”

“I know”, Miranda said.  “I just don’t feel right about them staying so far from the house.”

Her grandparents nodded.  “We get that Miranda”, David said.  “But if they would rather spend the money on a hotel room then you have to respect that.”

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The festivities continued as each of the men- and a few of the women- decided to participate.  David and Skyler just sat back with their wives and watched.  Miranda was a little bummed that she couldn’t join in the fun but she knew that if she tried there would be 20+ people on her ass about being in her condition and doing something stupid being so close to delivery.  She really didn’t want to hear it.  So she sat and watched her brothers, cousins, aunts and uncles, and husband have all the fun. Instead she just sat and laughed as everyone talked trash with each other and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the family having a good time together.

More paintball guns were retrieved and Callan went up with her brothers and several of her cousins.  They stood in a line and prepared to fire on James’s mark.  Miranda was laughing so hard she couldn’t catch her breath.  “They look like a firing squad about to carry out someone’s execution”, she said.

Miri was close at hand and laughed with her as she hummed a funeral dirge and handed her older cousin a bottle of water from the cooler.  “We who are about to die salute you”, she laughed.

“That quote has nothing to do with what’s going on Miri”, Matt laughed.  “You know that right?”

“Yes Matt, I know.  I passed AP World History with a near perfect A.  I was just making a funny.”

Miranda kept laughing as her uncle James gave the mark for the men to take aim.  She loved to listen to her cousins banter about the things that their parents were knowledgeable in.  As James gave the first mark, Miranda felt a kick.  She ignored it.  It wasn’t anything unusual.  Gracie was kicking a lot here recently.  The further along she got the more active Gracie seemed to be. 

A second shot was fired in the succession of five and nothing happened.  The same with the next two.  Right as her Uncle James was calling for the boys to fire their next shot Miranda felt a gush from between her legs and heard the liquid splatter on the ground.  Her grandparents heard it, as did her cousin Miri who was still pretty much right next to her.  All eyes that were close enough to hear the event flew to her as she cursed under her breath.  “SHIT!” she said out loud.  “UMM… AUNT KENNA!”

Kenna Draiman rushed to her niece’s sided.  When her husband heard her curse, his shot was fucked.  Callan heard Miranda call for her aunt and immediately handed the gun off to someone so that he could be with her.  “Are you ok baby?” he asked after practically doing a baseball slide to be next to his wife.

“Callan, my water just broke and I’m in labor.  It hurts.  Am I ok?” she asked as calmly as she could manage.

Brie looked at Kenna.  “You guys can take the golf cart.  Take someone with you to come back out here to get Dad and me.  I need to lie down for a little while.”

Kenna nodded and called for Hunter.  “Hunter Shane Draiman, come help me move your cousin to the golf cart and get her to the house to have this baby.”

Hunter set his gun against a tree and ran over to help Callan and his mom move Miranda into the golf cart.  After getting the keys from Callan he mover the cart over and jumped out to help move Miranda after the contraction was over.  His mind raced as he thought about his girlfriend Candace.  He knew that, in theory, Candy would be going through the same thing about seven months but actually seeing it first hand from one of his female cousins was something very different.

Miranda was moved to the house with Jake accompanying them.  Kenna had asked him to be on standby in case he was needed.  According to all of the tests that had been run throughout Miranda’s pregnancy, Grace was going to be fine but it never hurt to be prepared.

Hunter came back out and helped his grandparents into the golf cart with Miranda’s parents joining.  “Feel free to continue”, David called back to his family.  “We need to get inside for a little while.”

“Anyway, I want to be close by for the birth of our first great- grandchild”, Brie laughed.  “I’ve already called dibs to hold her first.”  And with that, Hunter drove his Aunt Mandy and Uncle Malachai, as well as his Gramma Brie and Grampa David back up to the house.

When they came in the back door, Miranda screamed from the pain.  “OH MY FUCKING GOD!  WHY DO CONTRACTIONS HURT SO MUCH?!”

“It’s the nature of the beast”, Kenna said.  “That’s just the way it is, dear.  Believe me, I asked the same question when I was in labor with Gabe.”

“Well it sucks!”

Brie and David laughed as they made their way into the living room.  “I remember similar conversations”, David laughed.

“Oh yeah, I remember them too.  I called you horrible things when I was in labor with Maddie”, Brie said, laughing as well.  “But you were so cool about it.  I’m so sorry.”

“I was over it then and I’m over it now.  That was 43 years ago damn near.”

She smiled.  “Why don’t we go into the living room and see how Miranda is doing?”

“I like that idea.”  He kissed her temple and went into the living room.

Miranda was sitting back against the couch and trying to catch her breath.  When she spotted her grandparents she was sure to ask her grandmother the question that burned in her mind.  “Gramma, how did you do this with as many sets of multiples as you had?”

“The same way your mother had the triplets”, Brie laughed.  “Well, with the quads and the last set of twins.  My first four I carried to term and delivered completely naturally.  Hell, my last two were home births because there was no other way to deliver them.  I didn’t have the option of going to a hospital.”

Miranda nodded.  “Any tips you can give me for my first?”

“Someone needs to get a wet rag and some ice chips to help keep you cool and hydrated.  As for you, breathe through it, slow and deep.  If you need to move around, let someone know.  Don’t try to do too much moving through the contractions themselves.  There are several different things I could show you from my massage and midwife training that will help the baby drop if you’re interested.  I’m sure that Aunt Kenna knows them as well.  If you don’t want to be touched, let them know but try not to be a total bitch.  And if there are other people you want present, you need to make that known.  This is about you and your comfort.”

Miranda nodded.  “I’ll give all of that a little thought in between contractions.”

Brie walked over and kissed her granddaughter’s hair.  “Just stay strong.  Callan’s here and something tells me that it would take a jack hammer to pull him away from you right now.”

Callan chuckled.  “Nah, it would take an industrial strength acid to get me to leave her right now.  And I need to call my parents to see when they land in Denver so that they’ll know their new granddaughter is on her way.”

Brie smiled and cupped his cheek.  “Such a sweet young man.”  She looked down at Miranda.  “Do what it takes to hang onto this one, baby.  He’s a good catch.”

Miranda smiled.  “I plan on it, Gramma”, she said with strain in her voice.  “Now, if you’ll excuse me I need to scream.”

And that’s just what she did as her grandparents made their way upstairs to rest for a little while.

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Miranda did what she said she would and thought about who she wanted in the room as she gave birth to her daughter. First and foremost she wanted her Gramma if possible. "Let me rest for a little while and I'll be down, dear. I need to give my back a break", Brie said when she found out how far labor had progressed.

All Miranda could do was nod as a new contraction hit her and she squeezed Callan's hand with everything she had in her. She tried to breathe through the pain, but it wasn't easy.

The other person she wanted for sure was Miri. Her mother in law was negotiable once she arrived.

After the contraction ended and Miri was close by Callan stepped away to call his parents. "Hello?" Anessa Maguire said when she answered her cell.

“Mom, please tell me that you and Dad are at least on the highway and one your way here?” Callan said in a hurried whisper.

“We’re on the way.  We’re about thirty- five miles from the address you gave us for the Draiman house.”

“Which house?  My father in law’s?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok.  You want to enter a new address into the GPS and get here as fast as you can.”  Callan rattled off the address to Homestead.

“Why the new address?” he heard his father, Elliott Maguire, ask.

“Well, if you want to be present for the birth of your granddaughter, you need to hurry up and get your asses here.  Miranda is in labor as we speak.”  Miranda groaned in pain and Callan was quick to get off of the phone.  “I gotta go, Mom and Dad.  Call when you get here.”

When he hung up and was immediately at his wife’s side, her hand in his as she squeezed with everything she had and tried to remember to breathe through the contraction.  “Oh God, Callan it hurts”, she cried.

He took the cool wash rag and wiped her forehead with it.  “Shh… I know.  I hear you.  The pain is this baby making her way out of your body.  You’re almost there, Miranda.”

Miri held her cousin’s hand as she timed the contractions so that she could call their aunt so that she could measure them.  When Miranda relaxed Miri smiled at her cousin.  “You’re doing so well Miranda.  I hope I’m as strong as you’re being when I finally have kids.”

Miranda smiled.  “Thanks Miri.  I’d ask for a hug but I know that I’m sweaty and I stink.  I look a mess.  I’m not used to looking like this.”

Callan chuckled.  “Nonsense”, he said, kissing her knuckles.  “You look gorgeous.  You are absolutely beautiful.”

She looked at her man.  “Callan, stop kissing ass.  It’s unbecoming.  I look like hell.  I know I do.”

He shook his head.  “If you say so, my love.”

“Where are your parents?” she asked.

“They said they were about thirty-five miles from your parent’s house.  I gave them the address here.”

Miri’s eyes grew wide.  “You had better let my Dad know that we’re going to have two extra here soon”, she said.  “He doesn’t like surprise visitors.  You can’t imagine the lecture I got when I brought Jax home and didn’t warn him.”

Callan nodded.  “Next time he comes back into the room I’ll let him know.  I’m not leaving my wife’s side and I’m not going to disturb Gramma and Grampa.”

Miri nodded in response.  “I understand that.  I just hope I find a guy like you who will stay next to me like you are with Miranda.”  Little did she know, she had one and before they left to go back to school in Chicago would he was ask her if she would be his wife.

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“OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD”, Miranda cried out as most intense contractions hit.  She knew she had to be getting close.

Kenna came into the room as she put on her gloves.  “You’re pretty much there Miranda”, Kenna said.  “Scream when you feel like you have to push.  I’m going to go make sure that I have the things I need to wrap the baby, clean him, and weigh and measure.”

“Aunt Kenna, did you ever get the water run?” Miranda called after her Aunt.

“Would you believe that Gramma insisted on doing that?”

Jake laughed in the kitchen.  “Sounds like something Mom would do”, he called.  “Everything is ready in here”, he said as he came into the room.  “It’s being moved to the trauma/ medical room by Sammi.  She wasn’t feeling all that hot and stayed up here.”

“So you asked her to help set up for the baby and she agreed?”

“Something like that.  Mom’s old scale was up in the attic and she’s a lot younger than I am so I had her climb up there so that we could test it out for this to see if it was still properly calibrated.”

“Was it?”

“The software needed severely updated because it’s been in storage for 15 years, but hey.  It happens”, he said with a shrug.

There was a knock on the door.  Jake walked across the room and opened it.  “Hi, we’re looking for Miranda and Callan”, the man standing at his front door said.

“We’re Callan’s parents”, the woman said as well.

“Names?” Jake asked.

“Anessa and Elliot Maguire”, the man said.

“Callan, come here a moment please.”  Callan jogged over to the door.  “Are these your parents?”

Callan peeked around the door.  “Those are my parents”, he said before jogging back to Miranda’s side.  “Sorry I don’t stay over there and greet everyone.  My wife needs me.”

Jake chuckled.  “He has not left her side since her water broke.”

“Not a surprise”, his mother said.  “I’m sorry, but I don’t recall meeting you.”

“I’m Miranda’s Uncle.  My name’s Jacob.”

“You’re the neurologist”, his dad said.

Jake nodded.  “Amongst other things.  Come on.  Miranda doesn’t want parents in the room at the moment, so I’ll show you to the back where Malachai and Mandy are waiting after Miranda’s moved to the bathroom.”

“Why is she going to the bathroom?” Callan’s mother asked.

“Water birth.  It’s something of a tradition in the family that if the baby is born at home it’s a water birth.  Started with our sister Maddie.  There have only been a few of the grandchildren that were born at home that weren’t water births.”

“Interesting statistic.”

“I like to think so.  Remember how big the Draiman clan is.  Someone’s got to keep those stupid little factoids in mind so that they can pass them on the future generations.”  He looked over his shoulder and saw that his couch was empty.  “If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to the back porch now.  Malachai, Mandy, and I believe my father will be waiting with you.”

Meanwhile in the bathroom, everyone was in place.  Callan was in the tub with her so that she could brace against him.  It was a very familiar scene for Brie, though this time she wasn’t the one catching or in labor.  She was holding one granddaughter’s foot while another held the other up so that she could push.  It was one of her daughters in law that was catching.

“Please Aunt Kenna; tell me it’s time to push.  I really need to push”, Miranda’s voice was strained.

Kenna nodded after putting on a pair of gloves.  “Why don’t we deliver this baby, Miranda?  I know you’re in between contractions right now.  On the next one, Gramma and Miri are going to lift your feet and I want you to push with everything you’ve got.”

Miranda nodded.  “Cal, hold me tight.”

“I’m not going anywhere”, Callan said, squeezing her gently.  “You couldn’t tear me away.”

A new contraction hit and her feet were pulled up, her knees as close to her chest as they could get, and she pushed with everything she had left.  The labor had taken a lot out of her.  She was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.  In the background she heard her grandmother and cousin counting out loud.  Once they got to ten she had enough time to catch her breath before she was pushing again.  The contraction ended and her aunt told her to relax.  Brie reached up and brushed her Miranda’s hair from her face.  “You’re doing so well, baby.  Rest for now.  I see her head.  She’s almost here.”

Miranda was taking quick labored breaths.  “Gramma, I’m so tired.  I don’t know if I have it in me.”

“Miranda Jayde, you are a Draiman.  Dig deep.  You’ll be glad you did.  You have another contraction coming soon.  Dig down and push.    You’re can do this, Miranda.”

The new contraction hit and Miranda pushed with everything she had.  Mustering the strength to do so was a bitch, but she managed.  After a total of six pushed, Kenna pulled the baby free and cleared her airways- the first cries of life echoing through the downstairs.  Kenna smiled.  “Mr. and Mrs. Maguire, congratulations.  It’s a girl.”

Miranda cried tears of joy as her bloody newborn daughter was handed to her.  “Hi there, baby girl”, she said, kissing her head.  She looked back at Callan.  “Isn’t she beautiful, Cal?”

“One of a kind, baby girl.  They certainly broke the mold with this one.”

“You wanna name her?”

“My pleasure.”  He brought up a hand and rubbed the baby girl’s head.  “Grace Irian Maguire, welcome to Earth baby girl.  Mama and I are so happy to finally meet you.”