Picture Perfect?

DEVLIN'S POV :

"Where do you want this ?" , Jake inquires , as he and Inna walk through the front door , holding gift bags .
"Hand 'em here , I'm putting everything on the kitchen island until it's time to open stuff ." , Ash tells him , holding out his hand .
After passing their gifts to Ash , they both walk over to hug me , and Jake gives my tummy a quick rub ."For good luck !" , he says , grinning .
"Jacob , she's not a Buddha , for pity's sake !" , Inna scolds him .
He just laughs , and walks into the living room to talk to the rest of the guys , who are already here .
"Don't worry about it ." , I tell her . "CC did the same thing when he got here ."
Ash comes back from the kitchen , and we introduce Jake and Inna to Emma , who has come out with Tony for the baby shower . Paul and Holli weren't able to schedule time off , and my folks are coming out in a couple of weeks , to be here when Liam is born , so they're the only family members that could make it .
Over the next few minutes , Jazy , Markie , and my receptionist , Mindy , show up and join the crowd . Ash got with a friend of his , who owns a couple of restaurants , to bring in several platters of different finger foods , so we didn't have to spend a lot of time cooking before the party . So everybody can help themselves to miniature sandwiches or pizzas , teriyaki chicken skewers , marinated shrimp , or little tomatoes stuffed with cheese . And to top this off , Tony has made a metric fuck - ton of cupcakes , decorated to look like little cowboy hats and cameras , so everybody should be able to get a nice sugar rush going .
Everybody gets something to eat , and we hang out in the living room , talking and laughing for awhile . Emma seems to be getting on with everyone pretty well , and she gets into a conversation with Jazy and Juliet on ideas for decorating their houses .
After an hour or so , Ash looks at me and says , "Are you ready for me to bring the gifts in here , darlin' ?"
"Yeah , open stuff ! I wanna see what you think of mine and Tiff's present !" , CC exclaims .
"All right , you go get the stuff , I'm gonna go to the restroom . I'll be back in a few ." , I tell him , and make my way to the bathroom .
After I finish , I go to the sink and wash my hands . As I reach over to pick up the towel , I feel like someone has suddenly wrapped something tight around my stomach , and then there's something wet spattering the floor around my feet .
"ASHLEY !" , I yell through the door . "COME HERE , NOW !"
I hear footsteps , then the door opens , and Ash pokes his head inside .
"What's the prob ...? Oh , holy shit !" , he exclaims , as he realizes what's just happened . He flings the door open and slips his arm around me , leading me out of the bathroom .
"Sorry , guys , party's over !" , he shouts , as we walk into the living room . "The guest of honor and I have to bail !"
When they realize what's happening , everyone sort of springs into action . Tony comes over and takes hold of me from the other side , helping Ash keep me upright , while Juliet and Markie run to the bedroom and grab my bag , and a blanket to throw into the car seat , so I don't destroy the upholstery . Andy grabs Ashley's car keys and says that he'll drive , so Ash can focus on me , Jinxx , Jake , and their girls offer to wrangle the dogs and Tinsel , and lock everything up , and Jazy , CC , Tiff , and Emma start calling my family and Ashley's .
Juliet and Andy hop into the front of Ash's car , while the two of us get in the back , and Andy takes off , with Tony and Emma right behind us .
"Remember your breathing , darlin' ." , Ashley says . "Try not to stress , and it'll be easier ."
"Yeah , yeah , I know that's what they said in the class , but I'm not sure how it's gonna work in reality ." , I inform him .
We pull up to the hospital , and Ash and Juliet help me out , then Andy goes to find somewhere to park . We get through the door , and a nurse has a wheelchair almost immediately , and they get me into it and head down the hall , while Ash gives them the information they want .
By the time he finishes , and makes it to my room , I'm already in a hospital gown , and Dr . Hong has shown up . When Ash walks in , he immediately asks , "Doctor , is everything going to be okay ? He wasn't supposed to be here for two more weeks !"
"It should be fine , Mr . Purdy . There's always a bit of leeway on the due dates , and he's not excessively early . We'll be doing another ultrasound here shortly , just to be sure , but I don't think you have anything to worry about ." , she says .
"Another ultrasound ? Why ?"
"It's standard procedure , just to make sure that there aren't any problems before labor progresses too far , so we can deal with them if they happen ."
Before he can ask anything else , a nurse wheels in the machine , and I get slimed again . Dr . Hong runs the scanner over me , and says , "Everything looks good . He's in the correct position , and the cord isn't tangled , so we can get started whenever he decides he's ready ."
Just a few seconds after she says this , I feel like someone is squeezing my stomach again , and she takes out a stopwatch and looks at it until it happens again .
"Four minutes apart . We'll go ahead and move to the delivery room , but we probably still have a bit of a wait . Will you be joining us , Mr . Purdy , or are you going to sit this one out ?"
"I wouldn't miss it !" , he tells her .
"All right , then . Nurse , please take Mr . Purdy to get cleaned up and suited , while I get things ready ."
The nurse takes Ash out of the room , and Dr . Hong follows . After a few minutes , a guy comes in , helps me get onto a stretcher , and wheels me down the hall to a room with a bunch of equipment . He shifts me onto the table there , and a minute or so later , Ash and the nurse come in . He's wearing a hospital gown , with a little cap over his head , and gloves .
"Okay , darlin' , I'm ready when you are ." , he informs me .
"Then maybe you should tell your son that !" , I grumble at him . "He doesn't seem to be in any sort of a rush ."

________________________________________________________

"See , I told you he wasn't in a hurry !" , I say through my teeth . "I've been doing this for the last five years ! If we have any more , next time YOU can do it !"
"You're exaggerating , love , it's only been thirteen hours ." , he says .
"Close enough !"
" You're almost done , Devlin , I can see his head !" , Dr . Hong tells me .
"It's about time !" , I say , as Ash lifts me up to help me push again .
After about another ten minutes or so , I feel him being pulled out , and then he lets out a scream .
"Well , we know his lungs are okay !" , Ash says .
"Would you like to cut the cord , Mr . Purdy ?" , Dr . Hong inquires , and he moves to the end of the table and takes the scissors . He cuts the cord , then they lay him on my stomach so I can see him .
"Look at that , babe ! It looks like he has a puppy on his head !" , I tell Ash .
He laughs , and says "I wouldn't have thought of it that way , but yeah , you're right . I didn't know babies had that much hair to start out ."
" He's gorgeous , he's even cuter than I expected him to be ." , I say .
"Yes , and he'll be even cuter when we get him cleaned up ." , the nurse replies . "I'll take care of that , while you finish up here , then I'l bring him to you when you go back to your room ."
She takes him away , and Dr . Hong helps me get the placenta out , then they take me back to my room , and Ash joins me there after he gets out of his hospital garb .
"Babe , you'd better go out there and let everybody know he's here , before they freak out , or CC gets bored ." , I tell him .
"Oh crap , we definitely don't want that to happen ! I'll be right back !" , he says , and walks out of the room .
The nurse wheels the little crib thingy in just after Ash leaves . She takes him out , and hands him to me , saying , "Here you go , little guy , you can spend some time with Mama now ."
I check him over , making sure that everything is where it should be , and then he decides he's hungry , so I move my gown and let him pig out . Ash comes back in while I'm feeding Liam , and just stands there watching , like it's the most fascinating thing he's ever seen .
"You're staring at me , Ash !"
"Yeah I know . I can't help it , this is just so ..." , he trails off .
"Yeah , it is , isn't it ?"
The nurse helps me figure out how to burp him when he's finished , then she leaves , and I pass Liam over to Ash , who , at first , holds him like he's afraid he's gonna break or something .
"Hey there , little dude , I'm your dad . I didn't expect you so soon , but I'm glad you're here . Daddy loves you , buddy , we're going to have all sorts of fun together when you get a little bigger ." , he murmurs to him , and I can't help but wish that I had one of my cameras with me , because this is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen .
"He looks up at me and asks , " Do you feel up to seeing the gang ? They're out there about to explode ."
"Yeah , go ahead and let 'em in , they've been here forever ."
They'll only let them in a few at a time , so Tony , Emma , Andy , and Juliet come in first , then everyone else , in groups of three or four . They all coo over Liam , who decides that he's bored with it all and goes to sleep .
After everyone leaves , the nurse comes to take Liam back to the nursery , and Ash decides that , since Tony and Emma are at our place with the animals , he's going to stay with me tonight . He tries to sleep in the chair , but he just looks so uncomfortable that I can't even stand it . So he curls up next to me in the hospital bed , and we finally fall asleep , looking forward to being able to go home , with our beautiful little boy .

Notes