Say Amen, Again by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Author:ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery Books

Chapter 22

Rachel stared down at the bundle of joy nestled in her arms. Her baby girl was so adorable. She had Lester’s sandpaper coloring and reddish brown hair. But everything else about her was the spitting image of Rachel.

“Hey, the nurse needs to take the baby for some more testing,” Lester said, approaching the bedside. He looked unsure, as if he was still worried about whether he was welcome.

Rachel was so exhausted that she didn’t have the energy to let any negativity reside in her space.

“Isn’t she precious?” Rachel asked.

“She is,” Lester said, regarding the baby lovingly. “Just like her mother.” He swallowed, then waited patiently as the nurse took the baby out. Once she was gone, he went on. “Look, I’m sorry I was sitting outside the house. I don’t want you to think I’m a stalker or anything, but I was really concerned about you being alone so close to the due date. I—”

Rachel held up a hand to cut him off. “I’m glad you were there.” She shifted, trying to ease some of the pain shooting through her abdomen. “Did you talk to my dad?”

“Yes, Brenda told me to call when we were ready for her to bring up the kids. I figured we’d let you get a little rest, then we’d let them in. You know they’re dying to meet their brand-new sister.”

Rachel stretched as she tried to no avail to get comfortable.

“You should get up and walk.”

She cut her eyes at him. When they’d arrived at the hospital, they’d had to do an emergency C-section because the cord had been wrapped around the baby’s neck. Rachel had never wanted a C-section because, in her mind, real women delivered their babies naturally. But with all the pain she’d been enduring, that mentality had gone out the window. All she’d wanted to do was deliver a healthy baby.

“Knock, knock. Can I come in?” Twyla stuck her head in the door. She was carrying a stuffed teddy bear with a bunch of balloons.

“Hey, girl,” Rachel said.

“How’s the mommy?” Twyla asked. “Hi, Lester.”

“Hi, Twyla,” Lester replied.

“Hey, girl. What are you doing here so soon?” Rachel asked.

“Girl, please, as soon as Lester called me, I came.”

Rachel glanced over at Lester and her heart momentarily warmed. Despite everything they’d been through, Lester always took care of her. Between waiting outside the house and making sure everyone was notified, he’d made sure things were taken care of. That was one of the things she had always loved about him.

“Well, if you two will excuse me, I’m going to go stand outside the nursery and idolize my baby,” Lester said, interrupting her thoughts.

As soon as the door closed, Twyla said, “First of all, how are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. The baby is precious, of course.”

Twyla excitedly sat down in the chair next to the bed. “Okay then, secondly, tell me, what is he doing here? I mean, not that I’m knocking it, because I think it’s great that he was here for the delivery of the baby, but when I talked to you last night, you were going to bed alone.

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