Carlos and Cyd’s new arrival
Written By: Sandie Davis


Cyd has spent the early morning walking in the flower garden, touching the soft petals of the flowers and smelling their delicate aromas. It reminded her of the garden where Carlos had proposed and the flowers from their wedding ceremony. She hadn’t slept much the past few days. It had been unseasonably warm lately and combined with the pregnancy, she couldn’tseem to be comfortable for any length of time. She patted her bulging stomach lightly, plucking a dahlia with her other hand. Smiling, she let the petals lightly skim the top of the pink, cotton dress that covered her tummy.
As she stood a moment, making the simple patterns, Carlos watched from the window. He had been worried about her not sleeping well. He wanted to be a good father, love Cyd and Leila Elena. “My two beautiful flowers… one in full bloom, the other, a sleeping bud not yet ready to blossom.” He thought to himself as he turned to walk to the door.

As he approached her, she smiled and turned to face him. “Good Morning.” She whispered, taking him into her arms.

Carlos smiled, kissing her deeply as he hugged her close. “How are the loveliest ladies in the whole world this morning?” He whispered softly, as he gazed into her dark green eyes.

She smiled before taking his hand and resting it on her stomach. “This lovely lady is waiting to see her handsome daddy. I am trying to walk off the aches and pains coming from my back. I think she wants to make her debut soon, Carlito.”

His hand once again, felt the flutter he had come to love… a greeting from his baby girl saying ‘Hola.’ He wouldn’t forget the first flutter he felt on their wedding day, nor any of the hundreds since then. It warmed his heart as he thought about how she would look and what she would be like. He was going to be a very proud papa. He wanted Leila Elena to look like Cyd; Cyd wanted her to have Carlos’ honey brown eyes and beautiful smile.

Moments later, they continued to stroll through the garden, arm in arm. As they watched the birds and butterflies as they walked, Cyd remembered the end of their ceremony. She lightly touched the pendant on the necklace he had given her, hoping she wouldn’t have to take it off at the hospital for the delivery. As they headed back toward the villa, Cyd’s eyes widened suddenly and she gasped. Carlos looked at her with fear in his eyes.

“Querida, what’s wrong? Is it….. “Carlos said, as he turned to face her. Cyd nodded, resting her hands on his shoulders and gripping them tightly.
Carlos pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial for Cyd’s doctor. A few hasty words were exchanged as Cyd closed her eyes, rested her forehead against his shoulder, and started to breathe deeply. As her breathing continued, Carlos held her close, stroking her hair softly. As he held the phone away from his face, he whispered to her gently, “That’s it Querida, breathe… breathe… in and out… in and out. “ As soon as Cyd’s breathing returned to normal, he spoke again to Dr DeLuca’s office.
An hour later, Cyd and Carlos were at the hospital. As Carlos completed the paperwork, the nurse helped Cyd undress and put on a hospital gown. She asked Cyd to remove her necklace and give it to her husband for safe keeping.

“No, she doesn’t have to take it off…” Dr DeLuca said bluntly. “It’s not against hospital policy and it’s not a health hazard to her or the baby. Let her wear it. I know it’s important to her.” He was standing at the foot of the bed, waiting for Cyd to get comfortable. He smiled at her, showing the dimples she had come to adore. “Hi Cyd, how are you doing now? Are the contractions coming closer together? Where’s Carlos? I know he was with you when he called.”

“Mr Marin is finishing the admission paperwork Doctor. I wasn’t sure if Mrs Marin wanted some time to herself or not, so I brought her here to get started until you could arrive. “The nurse said calmly. “First time moms don’t always know what to expect, so I wanted to give her some time to re-group and prepare. Some dads just seem to get in the way.”

“Carlos… I would like to see him please…” Cyd said quietly. “Will he be here soon? I don’t want him to be this close and miss the baby being born… please?”

“You have plenty of time for that Cyd. You aren’t quiet ready for the delivery room. “ Dr DeLuca stated, finishing his preliminary exam. “Another few hours and we’ll give you the epidural we talked about. I’ll see what’s keeping him.” He flashed the smile with the deep dimples and walked out of the room.

The nurse had just finished putting in the IV needle when Carlos walked into the room. “How is my beautiful mama to be?” He said, kissing her warmly. He let his hand rest lightly on her cheek as he gazed into her eyes. “What is this IV for? She only said an epidural…. Isn’t that just a shot? Oh goodness, is something wrong?” He said, looking to the nurse.

“No, nothing is wrong, the Doctor wants her to rest while she can. It’s to keep her hydrated and comfortable. The epidural will come later. Too soon, and it won’t last the delivery… too late, and she will not be able to have it. I’m Maggi, your wife’s nurse, for this shift at least. Nice to meet you, Mr Marin. I’m not a fan of your music, but some of the patients and staff here are. I’m a rocker exclusively. Sorry…We thought a non-fan would be better, no distractions from your fame.”

Carlos nodded, as he continued to focus on Cyd. “Thank you. What ever she and the baby need are fine with me. I’m trusting the loves of my life to you and this hospital… I can’t… won’t let anything stand in the way of that.” He gently brushed his fingers through Cyd’s hair and kissed her forehead softly.

“I’m here until midnight, if you need anything Mrs. Marin. Doc will be back in about an hour to check on you. It’s been a busy day here. We’ve been delivering baby boys all morning. No girls yet. There’s a lounge down the hall Mr Marin if you need a break. I’ll show you where the coffee and soda machines are if you don’t know already.” Maggi smiled and checked the fetal monitor before leaving quietly after Carlos thanked her.

The afternoon crept by, with Carlos trying to stay calm as the contractions came closer and closer together. Dr DeLuca, true to his word, came back frequently to check on Cyd and her progress. At 4:30, he announced, “I believe we can get this show on the road. The curtain will be coming up in the next hour…. It’s show time Mr and Mrs Marin! Carlos, we need to start the epidural now. Would you please help Maggi keep her completely still. Hold her hand and talk to her… sing even, just keep her still.”

Dr Deluca prepared the area and gave Cyd the epidural as Carlos held her hand and softly hummed “Per Te” to her. It had always been special for her from their honeymoon. As he hummed the song, Cyd lightly touched the pendant on her necklace and remembered the first time he had sung it to her. A few minutes later, Cyd was on her way to the Labor Room with Carlos at her side. At the doorway, Maggi took Carlos to a locker room, handed him the surgical scrubs he was to wear and told him to be ready in 10 minutes or less if at all possible. She would be waiting outside the door. Carlos changed quickly as he tried to remain calm.

In the Labor Room, Cyd was moved onto the table and her vital signs as well as the babies were checked again. As they waited, Clara smiled at Cyd and said, “Dr Dimples… Oh, I mean DeLuca… is just scrubbing up. He is the best OB at the hospital. I love working with him.” As she patted Cyd’s shoulder, “Are you doing alright hun? “

Cyd nodded, taking deep breaths and looking for Carlos to appear. A moment later, Carlos and Dr DeLuca came into the room. Soon, Cyd could feel pressure as Dr Deluca talked them through what was happening. As he said, “The baby’s head is crowning now… One more big push and we should have lift off Cyd. Carlos, you might want to be down here in the next few seconds, if you want to see your baby come into this world. It only happens once ya know.”

Carlos looked at Cyd’s face and could see a tired, but determined look. Clara took Cyd’s hands from Carlos, saying, “Mr Marin… Carlos, see your child come into the world. I’ll stay here for you. You need to greet your baby.”

Carlos hesitated, looking to Cyd for an answer. She nodded briefly as she took another deep breath. Carlos stepped back to stand near Dr DeLuca.
“Ok little girl, Daddy’s waiting to see you…. Cyd, you’re doing great. One more push and that’s it. Don’t push any more, even though you feel like you want to. ..”

Carlos’ eyes widened as he watched his daughter being delivered into Dr DeLuca’s strong but gentle hands. A nurse was standing by with a warmed blanket as soon as it was needed. A moment later, a lusty cry was heard from such as little baby. The nurse opened the folded blanket and wrapped it around the beautiful baby after another had cleaned her up. A moment later, she handed the child to a very quiet Carlos.

Dr DeLuca smiled, “…another satisfied customer… and finally a girl! Carlos and Cyd, there are lots of boyfriends for her to choose from in the nursery now.

Carlos held his daughter in his arms as tears trickled down his cheeks. "Hola mi pequeño petalo de flor" (Hello little flower petal) he whispered softly as he caressed her cheek and touched her fingers. He turned to smile at Cyd as she held their child in her arms. “Say Hola to your mama.” He kissed Cyd deeply. “I love you and I love our baby.”

“Carlos, would you like to cut the cord? Literally, not figuratively… that is. She’s a bit too young to be on her own just yet and ummm dating. “ Dr DeLuca said jokingly.

Carlos nodded, touching Cyd’s cheek and kissing Leila Elena softly. In a moment, he was holding Cyd’s hand and smiling. After a few minutes, Clara picked up Leila Elena and said, “Congratulation Marin family. We need to get her weighed and measured. It will only take a minute. 3.4 km (7.5 lbs) and 43.18 cm (17 inches)” Clara announced soon after. “Nice size and weight. She’s beautiful, like her mama and papa. She has her papa's eyes.” as she returned the baby to Cyd’s arms.

A few minutes later, Cyd was resting comfortably in her room. Carlos sat on the bed beside her, rocking Leila Elena in his arms softly. He would call the guys later. As Cyd drifted off to sleep, he dimmed the lights in the room before quietly moving to the window. Cuddling his daughter in his arms, he stared toward the sky. “Another full moon to mark this special event.” He whispered softly to his daughter before he began to sing:

Mi Niña Bonita

les debe pasar lo mismo = I'm sure you may also feel
que cuando van a hacer padres = That when it's time to become a father
quisieran tener un niño = All men would like to have a boy.

luego les nace una niña = But when a baby girl is born
sufren una decepcion = At first you feel disappointed
y despues la quieren tanto = Yet later you love her so much
que hasta cambian de opinion= That your opinion changes

(Chorus)

Es mi niña bonita = You are my precious little girl
con tu carita de rosa = With the face of a rose
es mi niña bonita = You are my precious little girl
cada dia mas preciosa = Every day more enchanting
es mi niña bonita = You are my precious little girl
hecha de nardo y clavel = Made up of petals of joy

es mi niña bonita, = You are my precious little girl
es mi niña bonita, = My darling little girl
cuanto la llego a querer = Every day I love you more.

Si un dia se casa mi niña = And if one day you should marry
vestida de blanco armiño = Dressed in purest of white
recordare que soñaba = And if I should remember
con que al nacer fuera un niño = That at your birth I wished for a boy

Por eso rezo y le pido = For that I pray to the Lord
al señor de gran poder = To forgive my transgression
que el hombre que se la lleve = And to grant you a husband
la sepa siempre a querer = Who will always knows how to love you.

(Chorus repeated)

Es mi niña bonita= You are my precious little girl
con tu carita de rosa= With the face of a rose
es mi niña bonita= You are my precious little girl
cada dia mas preciosa= Every day more enchanting
es mi niña bonita= You are my precious little girl
hecha de nardo y clavel= Made up of petals of joy

es mi niña bonita,= You are my precious little girl
es mi niña bonita,= My darling little girl
cuanto la llego a querer= Every day I love you more.

Cyd heard Carlos singing and awoke as she listened to him quietly. She knew his voice well. She was happy for their daughter as now she had a special song of her own as well. As he finished singing, he kissed Leila Elena’s forehead and hugged her warmly as he hummed the chorus softly.

In the hallway outside of Cyd’s room, Maggi smiled as she brushed away a tear. “I guess I’m no longer a rocker exclusively…” as she walked down the hall. The bottle of champagne that was given to the new parents was returned to the refrigerator for Carlos and Cyd to enjoy another time.



Cyd's Moving Day


Carlos had been in contact with Urs in the UK and had told him of the surprise he had gotten for Cyd and Leila Elena when they were released from the hospital. In 24 hours he was bringing them home to the house instead of the villa. He wanted to know if Urs and Siobhan could come for a few days, check out the house and make sure all was ready for Cyd and the baby when they got there. Mathew was in the UK and would fly them over to Spain. They would be there in the morning before Carlos left to pick up Cyd and the baby.

Carlos hung up the phone thinking, “Do I have everything ready?”

Camille would arrive in a few days. She would be the final touch he would decide for the zoo and the animals; Cyd would add anything else she wanted as the mood struck her. Carlos wandered around the house going from room to room looking, checking off the things finished as well as those still needing attention from the list in his mind. Satisfied he could do no more at the moment, he sighed. Quietly, he turned off the lights downstairs, checking the locked doors before he made his way up the long staircase. In the bedroom, he called the hospital to check in with Cyd. She was sleeping the nurse said, so he didn’t disturb her. Instead, he asked the nurse to let Cyd know he had called when she woke up. Carlos decided to go to bed early so he would be up and ready for Urs and Siobhan’s arrival. He was not used to sleeping alone, without Cyd; he missed her very much. He snuggled up next to Cyd’s side of the bed and cuddled close to her pillow. He could smell her Oceanus perfume scent on the sheets as he closed his eyes to dream of her.