My Southern Gentleman 1

"Here, have some of this banana bread," Damian softly urged his wife as he sliced the banana bread. "See? It is still warm, even."

December returned to the recliner, and Damian served her the banana bread and brought her a glass of milk to go with it. Then he cut a slice for himself and sat on the sofa to eat it. December moved to the sofa herself so that she could cuddle with him.

"It's too quiet in here," she complained after awhile, so Damian put a CD in, and the soft strains of Kenny G helped her not to mind so much the lack of a baby's cries in the house.

After finishing her banana bread, December pumped milk again and then rested some more.

She awakened the following morning with her breasts engorged and leaking. Damian quickly fetched the breast pump for her. After filling two cylinders, her breasts still ached with fullness, so she filled a third and most of a fourth. Then they both dressed and went to the hospital.

Although she realized that it was probably just wishful thinking, December thought that Violet looked just a tad larger than she had the previous day. She still lay quietly sleeping in the incubator with tubes inserted into her nostrils and held in place with surgical tape. December couldn't help but imagine what the effect would be on Violet's paper-thin skin when the tape was eventually removed.

"Can I watch while she's being fed?" December asked the nurse as she handed the breast milk over to her.

"She's being fed constantly through her nasogastric tube," the nurse replied. "As soon as she's able to suck and swallow, you can start breastfeeding her."

December was allowed to cuddle with Violet right next to her skin as she had the day before, and Damian covered the baby's body, which was underneath the blanket, with one hand lying on top of the blanket. It occurred to December that her husband had yet to physically touch their daughter.

Damian had to return to work a week later. Jewel was able to stay for a little bit longer, and as it was summer, Gage and Gina weren't in school, so were able to visit often as well. Fawn, busy spending time with Walter, didn't visit at all, which, although she wasn't willing to admit it, was a relief to December.

For the remainder of July, December's days primarily consisted of spending most of the morning at the hospital with Violet, then coming home to rest and prepare dinner for Damian. She'd taken an indefinite leave of absence from her job at the library and found that she missed the interaction with her co-workers. Occasionally one of them, especially Amanda, the co-worker to whom she felt closest, called, but of course it wasn't the same as seeing them face to face every day.

Damian asked about Violet's progress every evening when he returned home, and to December it seemed that there was never any news worth sharing. Ounce by ounce the tiny infant slowly gained weight, but she was still much smaller and less developed than a full term newborn.

July ended and August began. Rather than taking relaxing strolls along the beach, swimming and sunning, December pumped breast milk and took it to the hospital, spent the morning visiting with Violet, and returned home. On Saturdays Damian accompanied her. At home he spent many hours on the telephone with his family. He'd written to tell them of Violet's birth, and his mother in particular wanted to hear news of her often. She planned to visit again when the baby finally came home, probably bringing other family members along as well. Damian sent her photos of Violet in her incubator and of December holding her.

In late August Gage and Gina returned to college, and in early September, December returned to Dr. Keller for her six-week postpartum examination. "The last time you were here, you were still pregnant," Dr. Keller remarked.

"That seems so very long ago," December replied wistfully. "At that time, I was still planning to take Lamaze classes and give birth naturally with Damian coaching me..." "She sighed. "When my son was born, I was all alone. I'd just lost my husband, and when I went into labor, I had to have my parents drive me to the hospital. They sat in the waiting room the whole time I was in labor, but I gave birth all alone except for the medical personnel. I was so hoping that this time would be different."

"How's she doing now?"

"She weighs about three and a half pounds now. They're...we're...hoping that she can come home in October."

"That's good." Dr. Keller quickly examined her. "Do you still have pain at your incision site?"

"Not really, but it itches sometimes."

"That's to be expected. Has the bleeding stopped?"

"Yes."

"I'd say everything's going fine, then," Dr. Keller concluded cheerfully. "I'm referring you back to your regular doctor."

"What about sex?" She'd almost forgotten to ask.

"Why, as soon as you like." Dr. Keller smiled. "Good luck, Mrs. Kelly. I hope your baby continues to do well."