A year later - the birthing center of GH
Another contraction hits and Ariel digs her fingernails into Stefan'supper
arm as he calmly says, "That's right, Honey, breath. You arealmost
through it."
Through clenched teeth Ariel reiterates to Stefan, "If you ever touchme
again I will lop off those family jewels of yours."
"Yes, Honey, I understand. Now breath like you were taughtSThat's
right." The contraction subsides, "There that was that bad wasit?"
"Okay, smartass, you can have the next one. Which by mycalculations
should be in about six minutes."
"Okay, Honey, I would if I could," Stefan tells her.
"Quit patronizing me!!"
Stefan smiles as Ariel continues with a monologue on what she wasgoing to
do to him because he got her pregnant. He thinks back to the nightat
Luke's when they were celebrating the birth of Kevin and Lucy'sdaughter.
Mike had just finished pouring the drinks for them to toast Lucy andJade
Dominique, her and Kevin's new daughter. It was 12:30 a.m. andLuke,
Sonny, Mike, Robert and Stefan were gathered with Kevin to celebrate.Luke
raises his glass and says, "To the prettiest new mother and herlovely
daughter. Kevin, you are a lucky man."
The others raise their glasses and in unison say, "To Lucy andJade."
"Now tell us how is the new father doing?" Sonny asks.
"I'm fine. I just have to keep telling myself what Lucy said she willdo
me was said because of the pain and she really won't do any ofthose
things."
Mike and Luke start to laugh. "Don't bet on it, Doc. When Laura wasin
labor with Lucky, she threatened to tear every one of my familyjewels out
one by one if I every touched her again. The first night she was homefrom
the hospital with Lucky, I tried to hold her in bed and she wouldn'tlet me
touch her and reminded me what she would do to me; she wasn't goingto go
through that again."
Sonny and Stefan start to look a little green, since both of theirwives
were six months pregnant.
"So is that why it took ten years before you had another kid, Luke?"Mike asks.
Laughing, "I wanted to make sure I would come through unharmed.Actually,
by the time the doctor said we could make love again. Laura was morethan
ready, if you know what I mean," Luke says with a raised eyebrow."So
don't worry too much about what Lucy said while in labor. I bet shewon't
remember much of what she told you. It seems that God is on ourside.
When they see their baby, they forget everything else."
"Yea, Kevin, don't worry about it. When Michael was born Adellawas
telling me the same things the whole way to the hospital. I think itis
something that must be in the women's handbook -- When in labor,threaten
to maim your husband." The men laugh.
"You mean it's natural for women to say those things while in labor?"Sonny
asks dubiously.
Mike puts his hand on Sonny's shoulder, "Michael, don't worry aboutwhat
Brenda will be saying in labor. When she holds your child, shewill
forgive you everything. They always do."
"I hope so," Sonny says.
Just then Dr. Meadows enter the birth room. "How are you doing,Ariel?"
"Okay, I guess. I just wish this baby would get here."
"Well, lets check and see how much longer it will be," Dr. Meadowssays.
Just then another contraction starts and Stefan talks Ariel throughit.
When the contraction is over, Stefan wipes the perspiration off herbrow as
Dr. Meadows starts her examination. "I don't think it should bemuch
longer, Ariel. Your baby should be here within the next half hour orso."
Ariel looks up into Stefan's eyes, "Did you here that. Our baby willbe
here soon."
"Yes, Sweetheart, I did," Stefan says as he leans down and kisseshis
wife's forehead.
"Okay, I need to go and check out another patient, now. I'll be backsoon."
"How is Brenda doing?" Ariel asks.
Dr. Meadows smiles at her, "She is not quite as far along as you are,but
she is doing fine."
"And Sonny?" Ariel asks.
Dr. Meadows looks up at Stefan and answers, "About the same asStefan."
"Oh, that bad," Ariel remarks.
"Hey, I'm doing okay."
"Sure you are, Darling."
Dr. Meadows leaves and Ariel starts to have another contraction.
In the next birth room the same scene is being played out with Sonnyand
Brenda. "Okay, Brenda, you are doing a good job. It won't be longnow."
"How do you know, Sonny. Where is Dr. Meadows?"
Just as Brenda was asking, Dr. Meadows comes in. "Well, how are youto
doing in here?"
"Brenda seems to be in a lot of pain."
"That is why it is called labor," Dr. Meadows tells him.
"Isn't there something you can give her?"
"No, Sonny! I'm not going to take any drugs. I can do this."
Dr. Meadows smiles and pats Brenda's hand, "Yes, you can, Brenda.Now
let's have a look." She starts her examination. "Everything looksfine
here. You're are doing just fine."
"How is Ariel doing?" Brenda asks.
"She is fine. You both will have your babies before the end of theday."
"Did you hear that, Honey. Our baby and Ariel and Stefan's will havethe
same birthday. Won't that be nice."
"Yea, that will be great," Sonny says as he looks lovingly at hiswife.
"Okay Ariel, your baby is ready to make its appearance. Now on thenext
contraction, bear down and push," Dr. Meadows instructs Ariel.
When the contractions starts, Stefan supports Ariel and says, "Thatis
good, Ariel. Push."
"I can see the head," Dr. Meadows says.
As the contraction subsides, Dr. Meadows says, "Another good push andyour
baby will be born." The contraction starts. "Okay, Ariel, push.That's
it." Then they all hear a baby's cry. "Congratulations, it's agirl.
Stefan, do you want to cut the cord?"
"Sure I do," Stefan says with tears in his eyes. He kisses Ariel,"Thank
you, darling," before he takes the scissors to snip the umbilicalcord.
After the cord is cut the baby is wrapped in a blanket and handed toAriel,
"Here is your daughter, Mrs. Cassadine."
With tears streaming down her face, "Isn't she beautiful, Stefan.Our
little girl."
Stefan puts one of his arms around Ariel and the other on theirdaughter.
"She is as beautiful as her mother," he tells her.
Nikolas has Victoria in the waiting room. "I want to see Mommy andthe
baby," Victoria demands.
"We have to wait until Uncle Stefan comes and gets us. We don't evenknow
if the baby is here yet," Nikolas tries to explain.
Victoria sees Stefan walking towards them. "DADDY!" Victoria runsover to
Stefan and he picks her up. Nikolas walks towards Stefan.
"Well, Princess, do you want to see your new little sister?"
"YES, YES!!"
"Congratulations, Uncle."
"I want to see the baby," Victoria demands.
"Okay, lets go see her and Mommy."
Victoria runs ahead of Stefan pulling on his hand. Stefan noticesthat
Nikolas isn't coming, "Just a minute, Victoria. Nikolas, don't youwant to
see the baby?"
"I don't want to intrude on your time with your family."
Stefan walks over to Nikolas and takes him by the shoulders lookinginto
his eyes, "You are just as much a part of my family as Victoria andthe
baby. Now come and see your new little sister." Stefan puts hisarm
around Nikolas' shoulder and takes Victoria's hand and leads themto
Ariel's room.
When they enter they see Ariel with a bundle in a pink blanket."Nikolas,
Victoria come over here and see your sister."
Victoria runs over to the bed and looks at her new sister. "She isso
little." Just then the baby lets out a cry. "And loud."
Stefan, Nikolas and Ariel laugh, "Yes, she is. But she will growfast,"
Ariel tells Victoria. "If you climb up here you can help me holdher."
"I can?!" Victoria climbs up on the bed and sits by her mother.Ariel
puts the baby in Victoria's arms as she supports Victoria holdingher.
"You are going to make a good big sister," Nikolas tellsVictoria.
Victoria smiles up at Nikolas then looks back down to her sister.
"What did you decided to name her?" Nikolas asks.
Stefan smiles at Ariel. "Why don't you tell them," he says.
"We have decided on Natasha Anastasia.
"Natasha, I like that," Nikolas says.
"Do you want to hold her Nikolas?" Ariel asks.
"Is it okay?" Nikolas answers.
Stefan puts his arm back around Nikolas' shoulders, "Of course, it isokay!
Just watch her head."
Nikolas takes Natasha from Victoria supporting her head like he hasbeen
taught to do in pediatric. "Hi there, Natasha. I'm Nikolas. I'mkinda
like your big brother." Natasha stretches her arms and then putsher
little fist in her mouth and opens her eyes appearing to lookdirectly at
Nikolas. "She is looking at me," Nikolas says to Stefan andAriel.
"She knows she is in good hands with you," Ariel says.
"Okay Brenda, this is it," Dr. Meadows tell Sonny and Brenda.
Within a few minutes Sonny is cutting the umbilical cord of his newson.
Brenda and Sonny are beaming. The baby is wrapped in a blanket andgiven
to Brenda. She kiss his head and says, "Welcome to the world,Michael
Joseph III. I'm your mom and this guy here," indicating Sonny, "isyour
dad."
Within the next few minutes Sonny and Brenda had counted two ears,ten
fingers and toes, a noseS They had proclaim their son perfect just asthe
nurse comes over to them.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Corinthos, I need to take the baby for a few minutesto
finish cleaning him up and to put his id bands on." Brenda isreluctant to
give her son to the nurse, but does. As the nurse starts to take thebaby
to the other side of the room where a table has been set up, sheturns to
Sonny, "Mr. Corinthos, would you like to come and watch your songet
cleaned up."
Torn between not wanting to leave Brenda and wanting to be with hisson,
Sonny hesitates. "Go on, Honey. I'll be right here." Sonny kissesBrenda
and walks over to where his son was.
The nurse expertly cleans the baby and then reaches for two id bands.She
hands them to Sonny, "Please check these to make sure they arecorrect."
Sonny looks at the bands. On each is imprinted, "Baby Corinthos."He
hands them back to the nurse. "They are correct, but why are theretwo of
them?"
"It is for security reasons," the nurse explains. "One is place onthe
right wrist and the other is placed around the left ankle. We havethe
fathers or the birthing coach check them before they are put on thebaby to
make sure they are correct. The bands are placed on the baby beforethey
leave the delivery room so there is no mix ups." She has justfinished
affixing the second band as she finishes her explanation to Sonny.She
wraps the baby in a clean blanket and hands him to Sonny, who takeshim
back to Brenda.
Mike and Jason are waiting for news on Brenda and the baby. "It'staking
too long," Jason says.
"Babies come in their own time. It could be several more hours,"Mike
tells Jason. Just then they see Sonny coming towards them. They walkover
towards him. "Is the baby here? How is Brenda?"
"Slow down, Pops. You are going to need some of that energy to keepup
with your grandson."
"It's a boy?" Jason asks.
"Yea. He is perfect. Come, you have to see him." Sonny takes themback
to see Brenda and Michael the Third.
"Brenda, you look beautiful," Mike tells her when he comes into herroom.
He looks at his grandson in awe. "What a handsome little boy. Hithere,
little one, I'm your granddad." Mike puts his hand on the baby.
"What did you decide to name him?" Jason asks.
"Michael Joseph III, after his father and grandfather," Brendaanswers
beaming at her child, "we are going to call him Stone."
Mike looks at Brenda, "Thank you," he says hoarsely.
"Would you like to hold your grandson, Dad?" Brenda asks.
"Can I?"
"Of course," Brenda says as she gives the baby to Mike.
"Stone, huh. Robin will like that," Jason says.
"Jason," Sonny says, "Brenda and I have something we want to askyou."
"What?"
Sonny walks around Brenda's bed and takes her hand. "We would likeyou to
be Stone's godfather. Please say yes. Robin has already said shewould be
his godmother," Brenda says.
"Are you sure?"
In unison Sonny and Brenda answer, "Yes!"
"Then, yes, I would be honored."
"Would you like to hold your godson?" Mike asks Jason.
"I don't know how."
"Here, I'll show you. It is not hard," Mike says as he shows Jasonhow to
hold Stone.
With Stone in his arms Jason says, "I guess this isn't that hard."Brenda,
Sonny and Mike laugh.
It is much later in the night. Both Natasha and Stone are in thenursery.
Stefan is standing outside the viewing window watching his daughtersleep.
Sonny comes up beside him. "Congratulations, Stefan." Both mencontinue
to watch their children sleep.
"Congratulations to you, Sonny. I see you have a son. What did youdecide
to name him?"
"Michael Joseph III, but we are going to call him Stone."
"After your friend who died?"
"Yea. Did you and Ariel settle on a name? The last time I talked toher
she said the two of you had it narrowed down to six names for agirl."
"We decided on Natasha Anastasia."
"That's pretty."
"Thanks. By the way Sonny, Ariel and I would like you to be oneof
Natasha's godfathers."
Sonny smiles, "I would love to. Thank you... Who else are you askingto
be her godparents?"
"We have asked Alexis to be her godmother. And we are planning toask
Robert and Frisco if they will also be her godfathers. Ariel did notwant
to choose among the three of you, so we decided there is no rule thatsays
she can't have three godfathers."
"If she turns out to be as beautiful as her mother, you are going toneed
three godfathers to help you keep all those boys away from her."
Laughing, Stefan asks, "Will that include your son?"