A Very Special Christmas Present

The snow was falling, and traffic was a nightmare, but it didn't make John Rogers drive any slower. He had to get to the hospital, and he really needed to be there already.

The hospital was all the way across town. He had just left work, as soon as he could after Christina's mother had called him.

John's wife Christina was in labor, this time for real. It was pretty close to the actual due date, and their baby, they already knew it would be a son, was coming. Her mother Tracy had called him this afternoon and told him they were going to the hospital. She had kept John up to date throughout the evening about what was going on and how much time the doctors thought he had to make it to the hospital before he missed the birth of his first child.

The only problem was that John worked the police beat for the local newspaper, and even on Christmas Eve, crime didn't take a holiday. It also didn't care that John was about to be a father. The snow that had been falling all day caused several traffic accidents, some included fatalities. John had been on the phone all day with various public information officers trying to get details about the accidents and news on the victims.

His editor was very understanding of his situation, but she also had a newspaper to put out and John was one of her best reporters. He kept in contact with Tracy and even spoke with Christina a few times, when she was in the mood to talk, but he wasn't able to leave work, until about five minutes ago.

He called Tracy's cell phone again, but this time she didn't answer. He hoped that didn't mean she was too busy holding Christina's hand through the birth that she couldn't answer the phone.

The clock on the dashboard said it was 10:30 p.m. Christina had been in labor for nearly six hours, but according to Tracy the doctors weren't worried about her condition in any way, and were confident the baby would be born within the hour. That's why he was worried that he might already be too late, the last call he got from Tracy was a half an hour ago.

John started daydreaming about the time when Christina told him she was pregnant, about the first ultrasound and about the agonizing decision on what to name their son. He favored David after his father, she preferred John Jr. In the end, they settled on David John Rogers.

The traffic light in front of him turned red just as John blew right through it. He hoped nobody had seen him, but that hope was soon dashed when he saw police lights behind him. He quickly pulled over and hoped it would be an officer he knew so he could get to Christina and his child.

"License and registration," the officer asked when he approached John's car.

"Officer, can you please call your station and talk to Lt. Jack Parker," John asked. "Tell him you pulled over John Rogers and he was in a mad dash to see the birth of his child."

Skeptical the officer waited a moment. "You are really going to the hospital?" he asked.

"Yes I am, I should've been there by now but I got held up at work," John said. "Lt. Parker and I have been talking on the phone all day about the accidents you guys have responded to around town. I work the newspaper's police beat."

"Oh yeah, I recognize the name now," the officer said. "You are always fair to us. You do a good job."

"Thanks," John said. "But I really, really need to be going."

"Look, you can't speed through town like a maniac blowing through traffic lights and stop signs," the officer said. "But a police escort would help."

"You could do that for me?" John asked.

"Let me call Lt. Parker and get it cleared, but it is Christmas Eve after all," the officer said.

Moments later he returned to John's car.

"Just follow me after I pull out," he said. "By the way, the name's Walter Shelby."

"Officer Shelby, you are a life saver," John said.

And for the next 20 minutes John practically tailgated Officer Shelby through town. The snow had died down and the streets were less dangerous than they were earlier in the day when there were several accidents. John felt he would safely get to the hospital, it was just a matter of whether or not he was too late.

During the drive he called Tracy again. This time, she answered.

"You aren't too late yet," she told him. "But if you aren't here soon you'll miss it."

John told her he was getting a police escort through town and he should be there a little before 11 p.m. He heard Tracy relay his message to Christina.

"You always did know how to make an entrance," he heard her shout.

Good, he thought, she still has her sense of humor. Either things are going smoothly, or she's in so much pain she just doesn't know how to act anymore.

Officer Shelby pulled up to the emergency entrance with John behind him. He tossed his keys to the officer and raced inside to get to Christina.

"Where is room 202!?" he shouted at the people on the front desk.

He had to go up a flight of stairs, take a left down the hall, and it was the second room on the right.

He punched the button for the elevator to take him up, but all of the elevators were coming down from the very top floors of the hospital.

John was too impatient to wait, he had to get to room 202. He pushed open the door leading to the stairs, and took them two at a time until he got up one flight. He ran as fast as he could down the hall, trying not to bump into people or carts as he prayed to himself that he wasn't too late.

As he turned down the hallway he saw his family and Christina's family gathered outside the room. They all looked concerned.

"Is everything alright?" John asked.

"Just get in there!" they yelled at him.

John pushed the door open and heard the nurses telling Christina to push. The doctor was at the end of the bed, and Tracy was holding her daughter's hand. Their son was about to enter the world.

"Thank God you are here," Tracy said, letting going of Christina's hand and moving out of the way so John could hold it.

"I love you baby," he told her. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"Shut up and let me squeeze your hand," she said to him before she started screaming again.

Two more big pushes, and David John Rogers was born.

What happened next was a whirlwind of action for John. The nurses asked him to cut the umbilical cord, they took David away to check on him and he was left holding Christina's hand and telling her how amazing she was.

"I'm glad you made it," she told him. "I love you so much."

"Not like I love you," he said. "And thankfully a nice police officer pulled me over, otherwise I might've missed out."

John and Christina received a round of congratulations from their relatives, and they both called their best friends and told them the news. Christina's best friend Amy was on her way to the hospital.

Even Officer Parker stopped by. He had to give John his car keys back and he told him where he had parked his car. He gave John his cell phone number just in case he needed anything else through the night.

John got to see David in the nursery. The doctor and nurses assured him that his son was fine, nothing was wrong and he would soon be brought back to Christina's room.

"So now I am in charge of a life," John said to his father. "Is it OK to be scared right now?"

"It's understandable son," his father replied. "But I know you, and I know Christina and the two of you are going to be great parents."

They shared a nice hug, his mother came over and kissed him on the cheek. Then he went back into Christina's room.

She was sound asleep. She did all the work today, John thought, she earned a nap.

He sat by her bedside and watched her sleep. He was more in love with her than with anyone or anything he had ever seen in his life. Their wedding day was definitely the greatest day of his life, and now they had started a family. He wondered if things could get any better.

A few moments later a nurse came into the room with David in a portable crib. The nurse said she would stay with them for awhile in case David needed anything, just so John and Christina didn't freak out at all.

Christina woke up shortly after, she was delighted to finally get to hold David without anyone needing to take him away. John looked at his wife and his son and realized, that yes, things could get better. He had never been happier.

The nurse gave them some privacy and said she would be back in just a few minutes. John sat on the bed with Christina and David. He glanced at his watch and noticed it was after midnight.

"I figured right about now I'd be sneaking out of bed to place your presents under the tree," John said.

"And I figured right about now I'd be faking cravings to go put your presents under the tree," Christina said with a smile.

They both looked down at David and then back at each other and smiled.

"This was unexpected on Christmas," John said.

"Yes, but I think it's the greatest present we could've given each other," Christina said.

"Merry Christmas Mommy," John said with a smile.

"Merry Christmas Daddy," Christina said, returning the smile.

And then once again they were joined by family and friends. The nurse returned to move David back to his crib so Christina could get some sleep.

John stayed up and watched his wife sleep as long as he could. He couldn't believe the two of them had created a life, and were now parents. He knew everything would change, hopefully all for the better. He tried to be as optimistic as possible.

He loved his wife, he was surrounded by family and friends, and he had a beautiful, healthy son. Life was good, and it was Christmas. This time he was sure things couldn't get any better.