As Joe was reading the Christmas Story Mari was driving back from the mall. It was about three o’clock the afternoon of Christmas Eve. The pain in her back that had been plaguing her for the last day or so changed as she was pulling out onto Hall Road . The dull ache morphed into an uncomfortable twinge that begin at the small of her back and radiated to her belly region. Mari ignored it, blaming it on indigestion, which she seemed to suffer from constantly, or possibly from all the walking she had done at the mall that day. She was not due for another three weeks, so the thought of labor pains did not really cross her mind.
At seven o’clock, while Joe was anxiously squirming in the middle seat in the coach section of the crowded plane, Mari could no longer ignore the pain, but was still unwilling to believe her labor had actually begun and the long expected baby was on the way. She wrapped the gifts she had purchased that day at the mall, stopping as each contraction hit. When the wrapping was finished Mari walked slowly around the room, occasionally leaning up against the wall to relieve the pain. Walking seemed to lessen the contractions and she tried to convince herself that they were just Braxton-Hicks contractions and they would go away soon.
At nine thirty, as Joe’s plane touch down at Detroit Metro Airport
At eleven, when Joe’s car was squealing into the driveway of their home, Mari was lying next to the bed, paralyzed with fear. Contractions pounded her exhausted body. Her face glistened with sweat, her hands gripped her belly and she was crying out for Joe.
Joe threw open the front door and paused, listening, not sure Mari was even home. Her car was in the drive, covered with a light coating of snow, but it was possible she had caught a ride to church and gone to Gretchen and Glen’s afterwards, which is what they usually did on Christmas Eve. Christmas lights glowed in each room but there was no sign of Mari. He paused for a moment trying to determine what he should do. All was silent, then a faint cry made it to his ears. He cocked his head, listening carefully, and it came again. This time he could make out his name.
“Mari!” Joe shouted, taking the stairs two at a time, frantically calling her name. He rushed into their bedroom, stopping dead in his tracks. His eyes widened in panic as he saw his wife lying on the floor next to their bed, her arms wrapped protectively around her belly. Her eyes were closed and tears dripped down her cheeks. He could see her lips moving but could not hear any words. Suddenly Mari’s body clenched and she groaned in pain.
“Joe,” she whimpered, before opening her eyes to see her husband standing in the doorway. He came forward, leaned over her, and gently pushed the tumbled mass of brown hair away from her face. “You’re here,” she whispered.
“Yeah, I’m here,” he whispered back. He carefully lifted her and placed her on the bed. “Why are you still here, honey? You should have gone to the hospital.”
Tears fell. “I’m so scared,” Mari whispered. “It hurts so much, Joe.” Another pain gripped her. She grabbed his arm, panting hard, body clenching. Joe winced at the strength of her grip. He never realized how strong she was.
“Been working out since I’ve been gone?” he teased, when the pain had finally passed.
A weak smile appeared. “I wanted to be able to knock some sense into you.”
Joe’s eyes darkened in pain. “That won’t be necessary, sweetheart. I think I’ve finally come to my senses.” He gently pulled her into a sitting position. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”
Just as he was leaning down to scoop her up, Mari eyes became wide as saucers and she looked down. Joe’s eyes followed and they both watched as a wet spot appeared on the white comforter. The spot grew wider and became tinged with red. Mari’s startled gaze flew to Joe’s and he could read the naked fear in them.
“Don’t panic,” he ordered, as she began to whimper. Another pain hit, stronger this time, and the stain widened and grew crimson against the white of the comforter. He waited for the pain to subside then the leaned over her to grab the phone on the bedside table. He dialed 911 and spoke as calmly as he could.
“My wife is in labor. She’s bleeding… I can’t tell how heavily…3120 Abbott…Thank you.” He put the receiver down. “They’ll be here soon, honey.”
“My doctor’s number is next to the phone downstairs,” Mari panted through another contraction.
“I thought you were seeing Marla.”
“Marla thought it would be better if I saw someone else,” she told him as she gritted through the pain. This pain was longer and stronger than any of the previous ones. When it was over she sagged back against the pillows, feeling like a limp rag. “She felt a high risk ob would be better.” When Joe looked even more worried, Mari smiled wanly. “I’m old.”
“You aren’t old,” he said.
“There have been days when I’ve really felt it.” Mari grasped his hand as another contraction hit. “Marla has a friend who specializes in high risk pregnancies. She was willing to add me to her patient list. She works out of the same hospital as Marla so the two have been working together on my case,” Mari panted out the explanation.
“I think I hear the ambulance, Mari. I’m going to go down and let them in.” Joe rushed out the door. Mari grasped the edge of the bed, curling in pain, fighting against the contraction.
A short time later the paramedics banged up the stairs and hurried into the room with Joe following close on their heels. Seeing Mari lying on the bed, one came and leaned over her, observing the blood stained comforter with a critical eye. The woman slipped on latex gloves and carefully removed Mari’s maternity pants. “I’m a trained midwife. I just want to do a quick exam,” she told Joe, who was watching them with fear in his eyes. She gently examined Mari, watching carefully as another contraction hit. She glanced over at her partner. “I don’t think she’s going to make it to the hospital, Daryl.” Mari’s eyes grew wide in panic. “You’re fine, Mrs. Conley.” As she was pulling Mari’s tunic lower to cover her, Marla bolted through the door.
“I thought I told you to wait until at least December thirty-first, Mari. That way you get a tax break all year with only a few hours of actually having the kid.” She spoke softly to the paramedic who had examined Mari, then leaned down to brush the hair from Mari’s face. Spotting Joe sitting on the other side of the bed next to his wife, Marla shot him a look that said she would wait until later to tell him just what she thought of him. Joe nodded in understanding and turning his gaze back down to his wife who was beginning to experience another sharp contraction. Marla rested a hand on Mari’s hard swollen belly, then bent down to lift Mari’s shirt. “Hand me a pair of gloves, will you, Daryl?” Slipping them on, she did a quick examination then said, “It’s going to be very soon, Mari. You need to do just what I say, do you hear me?”
“The neighbors can hear you,” Mari whispered as the pain eased. “Is the baby okay?
“The baby appears to be just fine, as far as I can tell. But I don’t want to deliver in the ambulance and that’s what would happen if we left now. It’s not ideal, with your blood pressure problems and all, but being here is definitely better than being on the road. Jenna, here, will monitor your blood pressure through the delivery. As soon as the two of you are stable after the birth, we’ll get you to the hospital and we can check both of you out.”
“What about the blood, Marla?” Joe asked, anxiety filling his voice.
“From what I can feel the pressure of the contractions has appeared to cause some kind of tear in Mari’s vagina. It’s not a common occurrence but not unheard of. Normally she would have been in the hospital with the doctor and nurses helping to prevent this kind of thing. Mari may need some stitches but I’m pretty sure nothing else is wrong.”
Joe gripped Mari’s hand tightly. He could not lose her. As another pain struck, Joe closed his eyes and prayed as he had never prayed before. When he opened his eyes Mari was watching him with hazel eyes filled with so much love Joe’s heart swelled.
“I missed you so much,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
“I missed you too, honey. We’ll talk later I promise, but right now you have to concentrate on delivering this baby.” Just as he said the words another contraction came and Mari cried out in agony.
“Okay, Mari,” Marla said. “It’s time to bring this little bundle into the world. Don’t push until I tell you to. I need to make sure the cord isn’t wrapped around the baby’s neck. It’s going to hurt, but there’s nothing I can do about it.” For the next moments Marla gently felt to make sure everything was okay. Mari groaned as another contraction hit. Marla coached her through it and Joe held her hand.
“I need to push, Marla,” Mari cried, her forehead drenched with the sweat of her labor. “It hurts so much.”
“I know, sweetie, but you have to wait a couple more minutes,” Marla commanded. Finally she gave Mari the okay to push and moments later a squalling baby boy was delivered into Marla’s hands.
“Twelve oh one,” the female paramedic announced. “Merry Christmas!”
Joe leaned over and saw his son for the first time. “He’s perfect, Mari,” Joe’s voice was awed, and tears ran down his cheeks.
Marla handed him a pair of scissors. “Want to do the honors, Dad?” she asked. Joe took the scissors from her hand, knowing that she had indeed given him an honor, one that he did not deserve. His hands trembled slightly as he cut the baby’s cord. Then the newborn was wrapped in a soft cotton towel and laid on his mother’s chest.
“He’s beautiful,” Mari whispered, tears flowing freely. Joe leaned over and gently enveloped his wife and the baby in his arms.
Marla stepped away from the bed to allow the couple a few moments of privacy then directed Joe to take the baby over to the other side of the room so she could talk to Mari. “We’ll finish here, then we can move you and the baby to the hospital,” she instructed. Several minutes later she motioned for Joe to come back over. He did so, carefully putting the baby into Mari’s hands.
The paramedics packed up their equipment before loading Mari and the new baby onto a gurney. They secured them in the ambulance and drove away with Joe following in his car. After Mari was situated into a room, he waited impatiently in the hall outside as the on-call obstetrician gave her a thorough examination. The baby had been whisked off to the neonatal unit to also be given a comprehensive exam. The nurse brought the baby back before Mari was finished and handed the warmly wrapped bundle to Joe. “You can bond with your son for a few minutes,” she smiled. “He’ll want to eat soon but your wife should be finished by then.”
Joe gazed down at the small life held in his hands. The baby’s eyes were open and looking up at him. Joe could see they were a bright blue, like his own. “Oh, Lord,” he whispered. “Can it really be possible? Could you have really granted me a miracle?” A small arm had escaped the blanket and Joe carefully grasped it. When he gently lifted the tiny arm to his lips, Joe saw the small, tear-shaped birthmark on the underside of the baby’s wrist. He gasped in awe. His father and grandfather both had that birthmark, the same one Joe had. Tears gathered in his eyes. “Thank you,” he whispered looking up.
The doctor came out of Mari’s room smiling at the sight Joe made with his son. “Your wife should be just fine. The delivery was kind of rough on her, but as long as she gets the proper nutrition and a lot of rest, she should make a full recovery.” She looked down at the baby. “He’s a handsome fellow,” she commented. “Looks a lot like you.” Then she walked away.
Joe quietly entered the room and saw Mari, eyes closed, lying in the bed. She looked so fragile, so delicate, and so beautiful his breath caught. He walked over, speaking softly to his son as he did. “That’s your mom, little guy. She went through a lot to get you here. But she won’t have to do the rest alone. I’ll be here to help.” He reached the bed and leaned down to brush a kiss across her lips. Mari’s eyes fluttered open at the contact and a smiled blossomed.
“Joe,” she whispered. “You’re really here.”
“You said that already,” he joked softly, positioning himself gently on the edge of the bed. He held the baby lower so Mari could see him. “He has my eyes,” Joe said. Mari looked up at him. “I’m so sorry, Mari,” Joe apologized, tears filling his eyes. “All this time wasted because I refused to believe in you and trust in God.”
“You’re forgiven,” Mari’s eyes were misty as she smiled. “He looks like you.”
“Thank you so much for this gift,” Joe said. He bent his head and holding the baby in one hand, took Mari’s hand in the other. “Lord, thank you so much for this precious gift you’ve given us. And thank you for Mari’s forgiveness. Watch over us, Lord, as we try to raise this child in a way that would please you. Amen.”
Mari lifted her eyes. “We never discussed names, honey.” Joe looked at her. “The baby is not supposed to leave the hospital without a name. I was thinking Joseph Anthony Conley, Jr.”
Joe smiled. “That sounds good, but how about Isaac Joseph Conley?” When Mari looked confused, Joe’s smile grew to a grin. “Isaac. ‘He laughs’. I kind of feel like Abraham when he didn’t believe God could give him a child in his old age.”
“You’re not that old, honey.”
“Yeah, I know.” His brow wrinkled. “I think. But I didn’t believe God could give me the miracle of a child. At least Abraham laughed. I sulked and ran away.”
“But you’re back.”
“Yes. To stay. To stay with the woman I love and the miracle God gave us.” Joe turned away for a moment. “This little boy has the Conley family birthmark on him Mari. I know he’s mine.” He turned back to face her, and looked directly into her eyes. “But even if I didn’t know for sure, he would still be mine. I came back because I love you, Mari. I came back because God chose to give me a child through His means. And no matter what happens, Mari, I will love you both, always.”
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