Drama Momma (Surprisingly Perfect Sequel)

Officially Parents

 "Hey, stay awake," I whispered to Chase. His eyes fluttered open. "We can get some sleep as soon as we introduce her to everyone."

"Sorry. I've been awake for almost twenty-four hours."

"Me too," I said, lightly rocking Daisy.

She kept grunting and making little noises. I was so worried that something was bothering her. I held her close. I couldn't stop staring at her. Because of her Down Syndrome, she didn't look like a regular baby, but she was still my baby, which made her perfect.

She had a ton of Chase's blond hair, which was perfectly straight. Definitely no crazy curls like Chrys or my dad. Her eyes and nose looked just like mine. We kind of figured she'd have blue eyes, since both Chase and I have them. I lifted the top of her hat so I could kiss her forehead again, right as there were footsteps coming down the hallway.

"I love you so much," I said to her.

"Love you too, Gumdrop," Chase said, his head leaning on the wall and his eyes closing again.

"Surprise, we're all here!" Mom said, standing in the doorway with a massive bouquet of pink balloons.

Chrys was right behind her, wheeling in the two boys in their double stroller. They were both still asleep. Destiny came in, skipping past all them so she could get to me first.

"Whoa...it's like someone made you into a baby doll! She looks just like you!" she said.

"Except for the hair, but thanks," I said, yawning.

"Grandma wants to hold her first!" Mom said, holding out her hands.

"Wait, stop calling her, 'her'. Let's hear the name you've been hiding from us this whole time," Chrys said.

Chase and I looked at each other and smiled.

"It's a good one," Chase said.

"Just say it! I've been up all night!" Destiny said.

"Well, since Chrys and I have flower names, I kinda wanted to stick with that theme," I said. "So anyway, this is Daisy. Daisy Jennifer Hetcher."

"What? You named her after me?" Mom said, clasping her hand over her mouth.

"Well duh! You're an awesome Mom, and I know you'll be a great grandma to her, like you are with Ollie and Blaze."

"I think that's the perfect name for her," Chrys said.

"I mean, I'm kinda biased," Mom said, blushing.

"I also wanted her name to start with D, because Destiny has been my bff my whole life." I looked over at her, watching as she used her hands to fan herself like she always did when she was trying not to cry. "She's been the greatest friend I could've ever wished for, and she's been by my side this entire time, even after I switched schools."

"Girl, stop. I don't need to start crying right now!" Destiny said.

"I want to talk about the other thing," I said to Chase.

"You do? Now?"

"Yeah."

"What other thing?" Mom asked.

"Chase and I want Daisy to know from the beginning that she has a twin sister in heaven who we'll never forget. Who will always be looking down on her," I said.

"And if we're going to refer to her twin her whole life, that twin should have a name too, even though she's no longer with us," Chase said. "I let Poppy pick out the name. It's a little 'out there' and different, but unique."

"And beautiful. You forgot about that part," I said.

"Aww. That's lovely," Mom said.

"Yeah, let's hear it, guys," Chrys said.

"We settled on the name Dandelion Nevaeh Hetcher, but we'd always refer to her as Dani," I said. "The Nevaeh is because it's heaven backwards, and that's right where she is: in heaven."

"Well uh...I like Dani!" Chrys said, giving me a half smile.

"As your supportive best friend, I like the whole thing," Destiny said.

"Me too," Mom said, but I could tell that she was lying.

"I was hoping we could get some type of plaque to put over the fireplace, someplace where Daisy can always see it and think of her sister," I said.

"I think that's a perfect idea," Mom said.

"So, who wants to hold Daisy first?" I asked.

"Me!" Destiny said, raising her hand all the way up in the air. I extended Daisy out to her and she put her arms out. "Yes girl! Come to your favorite auntie!"

Mom held her next, then Chrys while a nurse came in to write up her birth certificate. Daisy was an adorable, pudgy nine-pound-five-ounce girl born at 3:03 a.m. Three hours sooner and we would've had the same birthday.

I was totally desperate for sleep, so I had the nurse take Daisy away to the nursery down the hall. Chase and I had to be out like lights the second everyone stepped out of the door, because I couldn't even remember everyone leaving.

I woke up at one in the afternoon, pressing the call button so I could beg for pain meds. The pain from my C-section was almost as bad as the pain I was having from labor. They got me going with the IV and the pain was gone in about thirty minutes or so.

Chase and I had a gross hospital breakfast or well, lunch, and then it was time to see Daisy again. I had to keep walking even though I was sore so I didn't get blood clots and you know, die or anything.

We spent the afternoon practicing diaper changing and bathing Daisy with the nurses. After lunch I had to get another round of pain meds for my C-section. The doctor who came to check on me said my incision was healing really well, but that the pain would last for a few more weeks. Right when the doctor left, Chase got on his phone and cancelled the appearance he had three weeks from now.

"I need more time to spend with you, so I can help and you can heal," he said.

Later that day, I also had a totally embarrassing breastfeeding session with one of the hospital's coaches. I made the decision right then and there that I was just going to use Chrys's old pump and bottle feed Daisy that way, using one of the many bottles I'd bought geared towards special needs babies.

I felt sad and frustrated, because my little Daisy was one day old and already struggling. She couldn't even feed from her own mother. They had to remove her and do more tests, just to make sure nothing else was wrong. Thankfully it wasn't, it was just due to her low muscle tone.

With a nurse on standby, I was able to pump and use two different bottles I brought with me. The first one didn't go well, but the second one was a success. It was ten at night and my baby was finally eating. I could let out a big sigh of relief.

"I just feel like this road is going to be longer and harder than I thought it would be," I said to Chase while I still fed Daisy.

"I know. It won't be easy, but at least we'll be in it together," Chase said, putting his arm around me. "Here, let Daddy have a chance with her for once."

I carefully handed her over and Chase started burping her. She was already so wiggly. I leaned back and rested my head on the pillow of the hospital bed. This was going to be crazy hard, but the perfect man next to me, who was holding my perfect little girl made this whole thing worth it.