Love Beyond Anxiety

Chapter I-IV

Ty kissed her softly when she gave him one of her deep and intimate yet soft smiles and then smiled back.

Skye smiled even more and she moved closer and then kissed him hungrily. She let out a gasp just after the kiss when a sudden pain hit and tightened her grip on him.

“Skye.” Ty said and he tucked her hair in behind her ear. “Talk to me.”

Skye tried to take a deep breath and she groaned while trying to get something to hold onto, feeling a little disorientated and out of breath.

“This is not good.” Ty said and he got her to move so she could lie against the pillows before he pulled his jeans on again and then pulled his extra length hoodie on for her. He looked at her and then took his phone and tried to think when she gave a scream of pain. He turned when the door opened and felt the tears just welling up when Arend, Cartia and Karla came in and he began crying into Arend’s chest when the middle-aged man just wrapped his arms around him.

“It is okay.” Arend said softly. “She is going to be okay.”

Ty nodded and he turned and looked at his wife when she coughed.

“Deep breaths, angel.” Cartia said and she opened the oxygen tank a little further and then took her daughter’s hand. “It is okay.”

Skye shook her head and she looked at her mom. “Early.”

“I know it is early.” Cartia said. “Uncle Samuel called an ambulance. Your doctor said that as soon as you go into early labor you are a high-risk pregnancy because you are carrying small and she was not happy with your vitamin counts last week. Daddy cannot load you into his car because his car does not have the right tires on.”

Skye nodded and she turned her head. “Ty.”

Ty moved away from Arend and he climbed on the bed and allowed her to move onto his lap and he pulled the hoodie down when she turned on her side on his lap with her one leg between his legs and the other one thrown over his leg. “I think we scared kiddo.”

Skye smiled and she buried her face in his chest and calmed down when her mom tucked her favorite soft and fluffy blanket in around her before dimming the light and switched her instrumental music on. She closed her eyes and snuggled her head into Ty’s chest when he moved a little and was very drowsy when the paramedics came in.

“Someone looks drugged out.” The male paramedic said, and he placed his hand on Skye’s forehead. “She is running a fever.”

“She bumps her toe and gets a fever.” Arend said and he smiled when his daughter smiled.

“What are you wearing under this blanket, young lady?” The paramedic asked.

Skye looked up at her husband and then closed her eyes again.

“One of my longer hoodies.” Ty said. “She has selective mutism and chronic anxiety, like claustrophobia on a super high level.”

“I understand that.” The paramedic said and he did a blood pressure test before doing a blood sugar test. “They are both average. Her heart rate is a little high but that is normal for someone who is suffering from shock. We will have to take you in and see what Doctor Shiloh said. That means you will have to get up.”

Skye shook her head and she pulled her arms in when Ty took the blanket off after pulling the hoodie down properly.

“Skye, you have to move to the gurney, my angel-bug.” Cartia said and she tucked her daughter’s hair in behind her ear.

Skye shook her head and she buried her face in Ty’s chest as best she could with the oxygen mask still on.

Ty rubbed her back and he patted her back when she coughed and then looked at his wife in completely shock when she began throwing up just after another coughing fit started.

The paramedic pulled the mask down in a flash and turned her face away from Ty’s chest. “Has she been having irregular spells of sickness?”

“Only until about two weeks ago.” Cartia said.

“Okay.” The paramedic said and he got Skye off Ty and then got her midsection higher than her head before he began patting her back while sending Ty out to shower until her body stopped heaving completely. “I am going to leave so your mom can change you into something clean.”

Skye nodded and she got up with help from the female paramedic and had a quick shower before she pulled her hoodie on that came halfway to her knees. She smiled when her mom did a quick job blow drying her hair before she rested with her arms on her dressing table and then rested her head on her arms. “I am so sore.”

“It is pretty normal, monkey.” Cartia said and she got her to move to the gurney and then took the clean duvet from the wardrobe and tucked it in around her before she took the phones and Skye’s backpack.

“Let’s go.” The male paramedic said when he got allowed in. “You look nice and snug.”

Skye smiled and she turned her attention when Ty came in.

Ty leaned down and kissed her softly before he took the stuff from Cartia. “Thanks mom.”

“You are welcome. I will start cleaning up.” Cartia said.

Ty nodded and he kissed her cheek before he hugged Karla and then left the room with the paramedics. He pulled his parka on and then took Cartia’s parka and climbed into the Ambulance and for once he was glad that they stayed a decent walking distance from the hospital for someone who was used to taking walks. He climbed out at the hospital and helped the paramedic to get the gurney out before he went in with them and filled the forms in that he got handed. He followed a nurse after the forms were filled in and left their stuff in Arend’s office before he got taken to his wife. He crouched at the bath where they had her in, and he kissed her softly before he wiped the hair from her forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“Lousy.” Skye said softly.

“Tyler, a word with you please?” A doctor asked coming in.

Ty stood up and he left the room. “Evening Doctor Shiloh.”

“Evening.” Shiloh said. “Your wife is suffering from a very mild case of anaphylactic shock as a result of the food she had for supper. She is as of today not allowed any form of spicy food, and the chances that your child will be allergic to spicy food, is very high. She is currently getting pumped full of anti-histamine that is safe for the baby and we are giving her a steroid injection every two hours until she enters active labor. I cannot afford to stop the contractions and we are monitoring the baby’s heartbeat, and as soon as it thinks of dropping or spiking, I am taking her in for an emergency c-section. She is not in for a c-section because right now the baby is okay, and she needs steroid injections to help the baby’s lungs.”

“Okay, so what can we do?” Ty asked.

“Pray, start thinking up a name for a boy and a girl just to be ready, and do not do anything that makes her upset or tense.” Shiloh said and she left.

Ty took a deep breath and then went back to his wife and he sponged the warm water over her back and shoulders. He kissed her head every now and then but by late morning they were sitting on a bed and she was lying half asleep against him with no progress. He drifted off to sleep once she had her steroid injection at ten and woke up every time someone came in to check on Skye. He woke up with a jump when someone touched his shoulder late afternoon and looked at Shiloh.

“She is going to take another lengthy bath. I suggest you stay on the bed and catch a nap. She has been sleeping since twelve, where you did not.” Shiloh said. “And her mom is here.”

Ty nodded and he helped his wife get to the bath before he fetched a pillow and their duvet and then made himself comfortable on the floor and went to sleep as soon as Skye was relaxing with her mom tending to her.

Skye looked up at her mom at one point and rested her head on her hands in such a way that her neck would not get tired from watching her mom. “I want my daddy.”

“Daddy cannot come in here.” Cartia said softly and she rested her hands on her daughter’s back.

“I know.” Skye said softly.

Cartia kissed her head and then continued sponging water over her back. She woke Ty about four hours later when Sky got restless and smiled when her son-in-law climbed into the bath and then sat on the broader rim. She got Skye to move to him and smiled when he crossed his arms over his knees with hers.

“I think you need to tell that little lady that she needs to make up her mind if she wants to stay in there for another two or three months and if she is going to come out and get this over with.” Ty said. “I am tired, you are tired, I am sure mom is tired, and it is not going to get better until this is over with.”

Skye smiled and she closed her eyes when she felt him close to her neck and she enjoyed the soft kisses in her neck, shoulder and on her back at the base of her neck. She lifted her head a little when he rested his mouth in her neck and she smiled when he kissed her softly. She lifted her head completely when he moved away and allowed her eyes to do the asking.

Ty gave her a firm look and then kissed her softly and he moved away when she wanted more than just a soft kiss. “You need to focus on this baby.”

“Taking her focus off the baby every now and then while she is just having contractions but not having active labor, is a very good thing.” A nurse said coming in. “And we could use some good feelings to help mommy and baby.”

“I think mommy wants a full on makeout moment.” Ty said.

“And some silly old contractions and two women who knows all about weird and wonky cravings as teenagers and as pregnant women are going to stop you from giving it to her?” The nurse asked after she winked at Cartia. “And I am sure her teenage hormones and pregnancy hormones are teaming up against her really well.”

Skye smiled and she pushed her hand through her hair to get it out of her face.

“And that move makes daddy crazy.” Cartia said.

Skye looked up at her husband and she smiled when he kissed her softly. “Do you like it when I push my hair back like that?”

“I love how your hair falls back differently and frames your face, rather than just being in the way.” Ty said softly and he kissed her lightly. “I love you.”

“I love you more.” Skye said softly and she got lost in his eyes. She gasped when he landed in the water and she looked at her mom.

“You have slept with him, made a baby with him and I'm sure you have had a shower with him. Taking a bath with him is not going to kill.” Cartia said.

“This is not a bath.” Skye said.

“Grumpy.” Ty said and he kissed her full on her mouth. “Now you can cuddle with me for a little bit.”

Skye smiled and she climbed on his lap and then giggled when he made a spider over her belly before kissing it softly.

“Young lady, you need to get your little bum in gear and get out of here now so your mommy can go to bed.” Ty said in a soft but firm voice. “Do you hear me?”

Skye smiled and she laid her hand on her belly when she got a kick. “I think that was a yes.”

“Good.” Ty said. “If you are not out by lunch time tomorrow, they are going to have to cut you out, and that is gross and unnecessary.”

Skye smiled and she rested against her husband even while his hands were on her belly. She looked up at him when he kissed her forehead and she smiled at him before she got lots of small soft kisses on her mouth and the bridge of her nose. She gasped softly when she felt a gushing before she tried to get a grip on something when she felt a big need to push.

“There we go.” The nurse said and she laid her hand on Skye’s back and waited for the tension to cease. “Nice and strong. Let’s turn you around. No one is going to be able to catch the baby like this.”

Skye shook her head and she moved a little away from Ty’s chest but kept her head against his shoulder.

Ty took her hands in between them and he made sure he had a proper grip hold on her hands and then kissed her head. He kept his focus on her even when Shiloh came in and he felt the strength coursing through her body with each contraction. He let her hands go when she flexed her hands and he rested his hands on her legs. “You can do this.”

Skye nodded and she rested her hands on his stomach and groaned heavily.

Cartia rubbed her daughter’s back and then just rested it on her lower back. She prayed quietly for her daughter when it appeared as if they hit a space of no progress while Shiloh was getting a bit nervous because she could not get the young woman to move so they could do scans, and she smiled when her daughter began crying out in pain.

Ty rubbed her legs and he moved his hands in under her when her voice got an extra pitch to it and felt his heart stopping for a moment when he felt the baby, but he relaxed when a gloved hand rested below his.

The nurse showed Cartia to move around and she laid her hand on Skye’s back.

Cartia stood up and she went around to Ty’s side and squeezed his shoulder before she watched as his face changed almost every five seconds from the moment they heard the baby crying, until Skye sat up and he could see his child lying on his hands.

Ty looked at his wife and then at his daughter before he kissed her softly. “You did it.”

Skye nodded and she took her daughter from him and laid her against her chest and she took a couple of deep breaths. She leaned into her husband’s touch when he tucked her hair in behind her ear and she leaned a little forward.

Cartia placed her hand just above her daughter’s stomach and smiled when her daughter took it for the support it was, and she helped her to rest against Ty again.

“Thanks mom.” Ty said softly and he rubbed Skye’s back when she began crying. “It is okay, angel.”

Skye cried into his chest for a few minutes and then had a whirlwind of stuff happening once she felt a little better. She smiled up at her mom when her daughter got handed back to her after the water in the bath was changed and she smiled when her husband gave her a big kiss on her cheek while hugging her close.

“I cannot believe she is so small.” Ty said softly. “That is like ten times smaller than Adrieka’s baby doll.”

“Now you are exaggerating.” Skye said and she kissed her daughter’s head. She moved her a little when she began crying and then got her to start nursing before she looked up at her husband.

“Now that, is a miracle of its own.” The nurse said. “Usually they do not have the sucking motion right yet at this age.”

“She is definitely getting those antibodies.” Cartia said and she showed her daughter the creamy yellowish substance forming around her daughter’s mouth. “That is always a good sign, okay?”

Skye nodded and she smiled up at her mom. “I love you, mommy.”

 “I love you too.” Cartia said and she kissed her daughter’s head.

Skye smiled and she took the soft cloth lying on the side of the tub and she wet it and then began wiping her daughter down very carefully and she kissed the tiny fingers that wrapped around her thumb. She got her finger out carefully and then carried on wiping her down and she smiled when Ty placed a kiss in her neck. “She is so beautiful.”

Ty smiled and he hugged her gently. “Just like her mommy.”

Skye looked at him and she smiled and got a couple of kisses before she looked at her daughter again.

“I can see mommy is busy fighting sleep.” The nurse said and she pulled the plug and then threw a dribble nappy over baby. “Let’s get you both settled down for some shut eye.”

“Mom and dad, or mom and baby?” Ty asked.

“Mom and baby.” The nurse said. “You are big and strong enough to take care of yourself.”

Skye giggled and she stood up with the nurse’s help and then climbed out onto the thick bathmat and she smiled when the nurse put a very large thick fluffy towel around her. She smiled up at her husband when he climbed out next to her and kissed her cheek and then rested into his chest when he wrapped his arms around her.

Ty hugged her carefully and he looked at his daughter under the dribble nappy before he kissed Skye’s cheek and then said a quick prayer of thanks for their health and safety before he hugged his wife again. “Now I need to go and find some dry pants.”

Skye giggled and she kissed him softly before she followed the nurse with her mom.

Ty wrapped the towel he had been handed around his waist and he crouched to get the excess water out of his jeans and then looked up when the door opened, and he smiled at Arend. “Hi dad.”

“Hi.” Arend said and he hugged the young man before handing him the backpack and then squeezing his shoulder. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Ty said and he opened the backpack and took the clean dry pair of jeans out with a hoodie.

“That is a special hoodie.” Arend said. “Cartia got me one when Kendri was born prematurely, so I went out to go and get you one this morning.”

Ty nodded and he checked to make sure the door was closed before he had a quick change and then pulled the hoodie over his head and looked at the pocket it made in the front with an extra hoodie.

“It is designed for kangaroo care.” Arend said. “So it is meant to not have any fabric at the pocket and then baby lies in the pocket with only a diaper on. It also works wonders with mom and baby when baby has a fever and just wants to cuddle with mom, and I already got three of them at the school to get the right badges and stuff worked on so it can be approved as school uniform for Skye.”

“You are the best, dad.” Ty said and he took the hoodie off and then looked in the bag again before he put the hoodie in and then picked his soaked jeans up and wrung the water out before he left with Arend. He went to where one of the nurses told him and he smiled when he entered the fancy private room in the maternity ward and found his wife sitting on the bed with a mug of something hot while Cartia was busy rubbing lotion into his daughter’s skin.

“Hi daddy.” Skye said softly.

“Hi angel-bug.” Arend said and he went to her and kissed her head before he hugged her. “I am proud of you.”

Skye smiled and she watched as her husband watched her mom, the wonder and curiosity clear on his face.

“Does this mean we do not have to spend months in NICU?” Ty asked at one point.

“She is slightly underweight, so they will not release her until she is a healthy weight.” Skye said.

“And they want to make sure that she latches on properly and does get sufficient amounts of milk every time.” Cartia said.

“Do not ask me how they will know, but they will.” Skye said.

“A newborn feed about every two hours, maybe three. You and Eden fed every hour and a half but it was hard keeping up enough milk for five healthy babies, so we gave you guys a formula at breakfast and supper time once you were three-months-old and then I expressed so we could do breastmilk every other time in the day and have enough.” Cartia said. “If she wants a feeding every hour, then there are alarm bells going off even though it can be that she only eats a little at a time, because it is tiring for a little being like this to get enough milk out to keep her satisfied for two hours, so they will then see if she sleeps better if they give her a bottle feeding, because bottle feeding is easier than breastfeeding for the baby. If you do not want her to bottle feed for the first three months, like a lot of pro-breastfeeding moms do, then you will have to live with it if she wakes you up every hour if they confirm that it is just because she is a little small to feed enough to last her two or three hours.”

Skye nodded and she smiled when she saw her husband had completely lost focus on what her mom was saying and was enamored with his baby girl.

“I think it is time for daddy-daughter time.” Arend said and he took the hoodie he gave Ty. “Pick her up, she is not going to bite.”

Ty smiled and he picked his daughter up carefully and kissed her forehead. “Daddy’s baby girl.”

Arend smiled and he pulled the hoodie over his son-in-law’s head and then helped him to get it on without dropping the baby girl and he smiled when Ty just crossed his arms over his chest under the baby girl.

“She is so nice and warm.” Ty said softly.

“Do not laugh at me again next time that happens if I am dying of heat and just not wanting cuddles because I am getting too hot.” Skye said.

Ty smiled and he went to his wife and laid his hand on the baby’s neck before he kissed her. “I am sorry I thought you were crazy.”

Skye smiled and she kissed him again and then finished her coffee before she placed the mug on the cabinet. “I think now would be as good a moment as ever to go to sleep.”

“Good idea.” Ty said and he waited until she was lying flat before he tucked her in under the duvet and then kissed her head. He dimmed the lights and then left with his parents-in-law once she was sleeping.

“You need to go and crash out with your wife.” Arend said. “We will see you in the morning.”

Ty nodded and he kissed his daughter’s head. “Thanks for everything.”

“You are welcome.” Arend said and he hugged the young man carefully before he left with his wife.

Ty took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly before he went back into the room and made himself comfortable on the armchair. He looked at his daughter when she stirred and then kissed her head before he closed his eyes and went to sleep.