Josie Brianna

When I decided a long time ago to make Julie pregnant for the second time, I knew from the beginning that I wanted her to have triplets. I had all these funny scenarios in my head about what it would be like for Bill as well as Tommy and Jack to watch her grow and blossom carrying three babies. I had so many ideas.

And then Bill was shot, and in the course of this tragedy, I began to understand what had to happen. It was tragic and horrific and all of the worst adjectives a person could think of, but it was real. Julie was going to miscarry the boys and it was going to devastate both of them.

I knew Bill would blame himself. I knew he would look at the miscarriage as a direct result of how he let his family down. I knew he would take it as a total reflection of him as a man.

I also knew it would destroy Julie. She is such a strong woman and wife and mother. She handles the struggles of being an army wife with grace and dignity and she loves Bill more than she could ever express. She knew what this loss would do to her husband and it was at a time when he needed every bit of strength to help himself heal.

It was through writing those scenes that I began to see Josie. I pictured a little spitfire with her mother’s tenacity and her daddy’s passion. I saw her as a uniting force for her parents and the thought of Bill having a little girl just made my heart melt.  I also wanted to address the loss of the two boys in the way Josie’s personality developed. She became fiercely independent, almost proving to her parents that she deserved to be here. She was also deeply connected to Bill. She wakes up at night and calls to him. She holds his hand a little tighter and needs a little more reassurance from him.

It bothers Julie a little, but she also knows how Josie feels. Bill is simply their hero and their safe place. Josie knows her daddy would move heaven and earth to make her smile and that is the best and most important gift he could give to his children.

Ending Breaking Point the way I did was hard. Josie is a part of me, as is every member of this Family by Choice. Having Bill try to save her was just what he would have done. Having Julie see the collision was heartbreaking.

Book 16 will be out at the end of February, beginning of March. I hope you will stick with me as I begin to wind down our story and move to the final chapters.

Until then, here is when we first met our beautiful Josie.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

“Jules, look at me, honey,” Brittany said as she rubbed her sister in law’s cheeks.

Julie’s eyes fluttered open and she tried to focus.

“That’s it, you can do it.”

“What happened?”

“You passed out because of a spike in your pressure. You are stable now and we need to keep going. Your daughter is almost here,” Brittany smiled and put a cool cloth on Julie’s forehead.

“Where is Bill?” she asked weakly.

“He is in the hall. We made him leave but he will be here as soon as they get him in a gown. He is a bit frightened, but I think we can help him calm down by delivering a healthy baby.”

Julie nodded.

“The baby is okay?”

“So far so good. If we see any change, we have an OR standing by,” she looked up as Bill came back in, wearing a gown and looking shell-shocked. He sat down next to her and touched her cheek.

“You okay?” he asked with a glitch in his voice.

“I’m okay,” she said and began to pant again as another contraction came over.

“Here we go,” Brittany said. She helped Bill get somewhat behind his wife and Brittany watched as Julie pushed and Bill kept his eyes on her.

“Stop pushing,” Brittany said and Julie panted as the doctors worked. She lay back and Bill looked at her.

“You need to breathe,” Julie said and Bill exhaled.

“Sorry,” he grinned.

“Bill, come look,” Brittany said to him.

“Down there?”

She grinned. “Yes, come see.”

He walked over and looked and Julie tried to look up.

“What is it? What do you see?”

“She has a head,” he said giddily and Julie grinned.

“I’m happy to hear that,” she said. “I have to push,” she cried. “Oh God.”

Bill walked back over and helped her sit up as she began to push. “Not too hard, just a short push, sweetie, you’re almost there,” Brittany said and watched as the head was delivered and Julie and Bill watched as they suctioned out the nose and mouth. The doctor expertly maneuvered the baby’s shoulders as Julie delivered the rest of the way. The doctor quickly placed the baby on Julie’s stomach and rubbed her. They all waited and there was a tiny wail that pierced the silence.

Brittany watched as her brother looked at his girls and his tears fell silently out of pure love and joy. The doctor picked up the baby and motioned to Bill. “Would you like to cut the cord?”

Bill nodded and cut where they said. The nurse walked and handed the baby to Julie. “Hi my sweet baby,” she said softly as she looked at the tiny girl. She looked at Bill. “Look what we did.”

He was overcome and held Julie as he looked at his tiny daughter. “I love you so much,” he said and kissed her.

*****

Brittany stood up and covered Julie before she walked over and looked at their girl, making a note of the measurements and then picking her up. She walked to Bill. “Would you like to hold your daughter?”

Bill looked at Julie who touched his cheek and smiled. He nodded and Brittany handed him the baby. Bill was floored. “My daughter?”

Julie memorized the image as she looked at her husband and their baby. With all Bill had been through, Julie had prayed this moment would come for them. To see him there, holding their baby was simply the most amazing sight. She could tell he was thinking the same thing.

Brittany wiped her eyes and smiled at them. “I need to go tell everyone you are okay.” She waited for them to say something but they were simply enamored by their baby. Brittany grinned and walked out.

********

Tommy looked up and saw her first. “Well?” He stood up and Stephanie, who had fallen asleep against Jack, came around.

“She is beautiful; 6 pounds, 2 ounces and 18 inches long. Everything is perfect. Julie is doing fine, just exhausted.”

Tommy hugged her and Jack hugged Stephanie and they all stood for a minute in pure happiness. “Did she deliver the boys?” Tommy asked her.

“Yes, she did great. I am so proud of both of them.”

“Can we see them?” Jack asked.

“Let me go see if they are ready,” she smiled and walked back to the room.

Julie was holding the baby and Bill was taking a picture when Brittany came back in.

“Hi,” she smiled. Julie looked up at her and her eyes were shining. “She is just beautiful, thank you.”

Brittany chuckled. “I had nothing to do with any of this. You did all the work. I’m just glad you let me be a part of it.”

Bill smiled at his sister. “No, we are the lucky ones; thank you.”

“I’m having trouble holding the rest of the family back, can they come in and meet your daughter?”

Julie smiled. “Of course.”

Brittany walked and got the rest of them and they all piled into the room. Julie beamed at them and Bill sat on the bed with her, cradling their daughter.

“Jules, she’s beautiful,” Tommy said and leaned over to kiss his sister.

“Thank God she looks like you,” Jack said and Bill rolled his eyes. “

She is perfect,” Stephanie said. “Congratulations.”

Julie looked at Bill and he kissed her forehead as she looked at them. “We would like to introduce you to Josie Brianna Kastan. Josie, after her brave Uncle John who gave his life protecting us, and Brianna after her beautiful and strong Aunt Brittany. She will always know what it means to be happy and to live with integrity and faith.”

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading 🙂