Chapter 255

At the hospital, they found John Sr. in the maternity waiting room. “Carol’s in with Tori.” He eyed Richie but didn’t say anything.

“How is she?” Jon asked as Dorothea headed down to the room John indicated. Richie wanted to go with her, but wasn’t sure he’d be welcome.

“A little scared, but that’s to be expected. Hell, I was scared! Her water broke in the car. I’m just glad we made it here before she gave birth!”


Down in the labour/delivery room, Dorothea walked in to find Tori in the midst of a contraction, and Carol holding her hand and coaching her through it. She glanced up when Dorothea set her hand on her shoulder. “Oh thank God! I’m not trained for this. In my day you just suffered through them until the doctor told you to push.”

Dorothea chuckled and even Tori managed a smile as she rested and waited for the next contraction. “Geez Tori, do you do anything the easy way? Don’t you have enough drama in your life?”

Tori rolled her eyes at her as she took the seat Carol vacated beside the bed. “You know, before I met all of you, my life was very calm and ordinary.”

“Well, Jon warned you that being part of his life would never be boring.”

“Where is he anyway?” Carol asked.

“Down in the waiting room with John….and Richie.” She turned to Tori. “He’d like to be here with you.”

Tori thought for a moment then shook her head. “No.”

“Tori think about it. This moment only happens once and if you deny it to him and regret it later, you can’t redo it.”

“I know.” She closed her eyes as another contraction started. “Missing this is part of his punishment.” She groaned. “Is it possible to give someone a kidney stone?”

The nurse looked up at that. Dorothea chuckled. “Got anyone in particular in mind?”

“Richie. I’ve heard that passing a kidney stone is the closest a man gets to the pain of childbirth.”

The nurse laughed. “I’ll have to remember that one.”

“Unless you need me here, I’d better get down there and referee or Peanut may be part orphan before he even takes his first breath.” Carol stated dryly. “I’ll check back in a bit.”

Tori nodded as her body relaxed. “I’m okay. Remind both Johns that I don’t want him hurt.”

For the next few hours, Dorothea supported Tori through her labour. She walked with her, fed her water at first, then ice chips, rubbed her back and coached her breathing, praising and encouraging her all the while. She noticed the nurse coming in more and more frequently, but didn’t think anything of it. Her focus was Tori. Carol came every half hour or so to check on her progress.

“How are the men holding up?” Dorothea asked during one of Carol’s visits.

“Your Jon is sitting reading a magazine – or at least pretending to. He says he’s been through it too many times to get too uptight at this stage. My John is pacing a little and sucking back bad coffee. Richie…” She glanced at Tori. “Richie looks like he’s the one about to give birth! He’s up and down like a yo-yo. By the way, Tori, I called your parents and they’re on their way.”

“Thanks.” Tori leaned back against the pillow, exhausted. Another contraction started and she groaned. “How much longer?”

“You’re doing great Tori. Pretty soon you’ll have a beautiful baby to hold in your arms and light up your life and make all this worth it.” Dorothea assured her.

“Hang in there Tori, you can do it.” Carol added her support.

The next time the door opened the doctor came in, followed by the nurse. “Hello there Mrs. Sambora. Let’s have a look and see how you and baby are doing.” Tori nodded and introduced Dorothea. The nurse murmured something to the doctor, who nodded and murmured back. “Okay, things are progressing well. You’re almost fully dilated. Have you felt the urge to push yet?”

“Nothing too overwhelming so far.” Tori panted.

“Okay. Your blood pressure’s been rising a bit, so we’re going to watch that a little closer. I don’t want you to worry. If it keeps going up we’ll give you some medication to help.” Seeing Tori’s frowned she smiled. “Nothing that will hurt the baby. You’re doing great. I’ll be back in a few minutes to check you again.”

As soon as the door closed behind the medical personnel, Tori turned an anxious gaze on Dorothea. “Do you think something’s wrong?”

Dorothea was a little concerned, but didn’t want to let on to Tori. “I’m sure everything’s fine. If it wasn’t they’d be doing something, not leaving the room.”

“Yeah. I guess you’re right. Oh God, here comes another one.”

When it ended, Dorothea wiped her face and neck with a cool washcloth, and offered more ice chips. “That’s it, you’re doing wonderful.”

Half an hour later the doctor and nurse came in again. After checking her blood pressure again, Dorothea saw a slight frown crease her forehead. Pulling back the sheet she checked Tori and nodded decisively. “Okay Mrs. Sambora, with your next contraction I want you to try to push.”

“Please call me Tori.”

“Okay, Tori try just a little push first.” Tori did. “Good! That’s very good. On the next one try a bigger one.”

For the next hour, Tori panted and cursed and pleaded her way through contraction after contraction.

“I can’t do it anymore. I’m so tired.”

“Yes you can.”Dorothea assured her. “I know it feels like you can’t, but you’re stronger than you think. You’re a Bongiovi. You’re about to meet your baby.”

Tori shook her head. “Can’t. I’m too tired.”

“Victoria! You can do this. I did it four times. I know how you feel. Come on! Just a few more pushes and you can rest.”

The doctor nodded approvingly at Dorothea. “She’s right. I see women do this everyday. I’ve done it three times myself. You’re doing great.” She felt the tension grip her patient again. “Now push! Come on Tori, big push.”

Dorothea helped as much as she could while Tori pushed as hard as she could. “That’s it! I can see the head. Good girl! Now breathe.”

Three contractions later, the baby slid from Tori’s body into the doctor’s hand. A lusty wail announced his arrival.

“It’s a boy!”

Dorothea cut the cord and turned back to Tori. “You have a son!” The look on Tori’s face had her frowning. “Tori? What’s wrong?”

Tori reached for her hand. “Something’s not right. I feel……headache…seeing black spots.” She struggled to focus on her sister-in-law. “His name…” Her voice was getting weaker.”

“You can name him later after you’ve rested.”

“No! His name…is…Stephen Adam….promise me.” Her grip on Dorothea’s hand was almost desperate.

“Tori, don’t talk like that! You’re just exhausted.” She looked to the doctor for confirmation, but both the doctor and the nurse were moving busily around the room and watching Tori closely.

“Dot promise me! Please!”

“Okay, okay. Stephen Adam. Got it.”

Suddenly, Tori’s eyes rolled back into her head and her body convulsed.

“What’s going on? What’s wrong with her?” Dorothea turned to the doctor while the nurse rushed to the medicine cart then back to Tori.

“I’m sorry, you’re going to have to leave the room.”

“Not until you tell me what’s happening!” Dorothea watched as another nurse rushed in and took the baby.

“She’s having an eclamptic seizure. Now, please, let us look after her.”

“But she’s going to be alright, right?” Neither answered her. “Right?”

“We have to get her blood pressure down. We’ll come find you as soon as she’s stable.” The nurse assured her and ushered her from the room, stepped out and called down the hallway. “We need some help in here! Call the code!

Dorothea found herself staring at a closed door. Taking a tremulous breath she turned and walked down the hall, barely avoiding the crash cart hurtling towards Tori’s room, fighting to bring herself under control before she faced the waiting family.

Jon saw her first. “Hey honey! Well?”

“How is she?”

“What about the baby?”

She met Richie’s gaze. “Stephen Adam Sambora, is just fine.”

His heart swelled. They had discussed names, but hadn’t reached a decision…or at least he thought they hadn’t. That she’d named the baby after him and his father, after everything that had happened, made him feel totally unworthy of her.

Something in his wife’s face had Jon’s stomach knotting. “And Tori?”

“I…I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” John Sr. spoke up.

“She….she started convulsing. They called it an eclamptic seizure. Something to do with her blood pressure being high. That’s all they’d tell me. They kicked me out of the room.”

Jon spun and glared at Richie, who’d turned ashen. “I wonder why her blood pressure was high!” With that he drew back his fist and let it fly, knocking Richie to the floor.

“Jon!” Carol grabbed his arm.

He shook her off and pointed a finger at Richie. “If she doesn’t pull through this, that’s just the beginning of the pain you’re going to feel!”