Access Denied
Brooks couldn't help the tears running down his cheeks. There was no way of holding them back. The soldier was used to quickly boarding flights, but he was surprised to hear the word "stop" being shouted as he arrived at the boarding gate.
They were denying him access through the boarding gate. Suddenly, he felt the warmth of bodies surrounding him, and the buzzing of voices reverberated through his skull. It soon became too overwhelming for the soldier.
The Lindsey Family
When Brooks and Haley met, it was like something out of a movie scene. Sparks flew when their eyes locked together, and nothing could keep them apart… nothing except Brooks’ dream of becoming a combat soldier in the U.S military.
Blinded by their love and emboldened by youth, Brooks enlisted with Haley’s full support. Two years later, Brooks got down on one knee and asked Haley to be his wife. But a surprise loomed in their future.
Tough Choices
The relationship between Brooks Lindsey of Jackson, Mississippi, and Hailey felt like a whirlwind romance. And It wasn’t long after their marriage that the couple was blessed with exciting news; they were expecting their first child.
However, Brooks had been enlisted as a soldier, and his career was taking off. He knew that this meant he’d have to make sacrifices in the future. He just never realized how much some of them would hurt.
Deployment
Soon after learning that Haley was pregnant, Brooks received his papers and learned that he was destined for a 9-month long deployment to Kuwait.
The couple hastily did some calculations and realized that he would be cutting it close to the time when their daughter was due. As Haley reached the 7-month point of her pregnancy, the young couple got some sad news.
Training
Before shipping out to Kuwait, Brooks would first have to undergo special training. For this, he would have to fly out to Texas and the timing couldn’t have been worse.
The period when Brooks would need to be in Texas clashed with the baby’s due date. Hoping to find some way around this, the couple began looking into other options.
The Red Cross Process
After making some inquiries, Brooks learned that the Red Cross did have a process that provided special leave for soldiers to be there for the birth of their children.
This gave Brooks and Haley new hope. However, when the couple looked at the requirements to apply for that type of leave, they were left crestfallen.
Special Conditions
There was no way around it. The Red Cross process only granted this kind of leave in special circumstances where it could be medically proven that either the mother, the baby, or both, were in distress.
No father in their right mind would ever hope for such a thing to happen. Brooks, therefore, had to face the painful realization that he’d have to miss the birth of his child.
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is in a soldier’s blood. He would sacrifice the time with his new wife to fight for his country. The day ultimately came for Brooks to leave his wife behind and it was the hardest thing he had ever done in his whole life.
It was confirmed that the couple was going to have a daughter and they both decided on the name, Millie, for their little girl. However, all too soon, a serious problem arose.
Flying Out
When the time came for Brooks to fly out for his training, it was a tearful goodbye. Brooks said goodbye to his then seven-month pregnant wife and soon-to-be-born baby girl, and he left to begin his new military journey.
The couple did their best to stay in touch in between Brook’s grueling training regiments. Facetime became their best friend as they planned for the big day.
Complications
Haley had been sticking to her routine checkups and so far everything had been going well. However, during her last checkup, the doctor noticed some complications.
Haley was told that she would have to come in for delivery earlier than anticipated. Brooks stayed in contact with her and on the day in question, things got worse.
Worrying News
When Brooks checked in with the doctor on the day, he was informed that there were further complications and they would need to rush Haley in as the baby was in distress.
Although deeply worried about his wife and daughter, Brooks also realized that this twist of fate meant he could now try to apply for special leave to be there with them.
Jumping Through Hoops
There were so many hoops to jump through to try to get Brooks cleared to come home for the birth. The rules were firmly set in place and facts were simply that men often did not get approval to leave their post to join the birth experience back home.
The Red Cross only approves this in particular situations when the pregnant woman is in distress. They didn’t fall into that category so they had to come up with a plan.
Not Coming Home
The only good thing about missing such a life-altering event is that everything is well and good, and there is no need to worry. Since soldiers can’t come home unless the woman is in distress, it’s meant to seem like a blessing that everyone is well. Sure, they would love to be there with the mother of their child, but they should also feel blessed that nothing is wrong with the pregnancy.
Since Haley only had mildly high blood pressure, it didn’t look like Brooke would be able to come home at all. But when Haley showed up for what appeared to be a routine checkup, everything changed in a moment.
Change Of Plans
Haley’s blood pressure was alarmingly high at her next doctor’s appointment. He was concerned that there could be a complication with baby Millie. Haley was instructed to go home and rest while the doctor ran a full battery of tests. What would the results show?
Haley suddenly realized she could use her Brooks support. Concerns over the baby left her feeling helpless and perhaps now they would approve his return. And then she got a terrifying phone call.
The Phone Call
When her phone began to ring, Haley was almost too scared to answer, but concern for Millie made her click the answer button. It wasn’t good news. The doctor told her everything she had been worrying about.
Her high blood pressure was affecting her internal organs. But even more importantly, the situation could also affect the health of the baby. The doctor made the decision. The health risks for both mother and child were too great. They were forced to take action immediately.
Worrying News
When Brooks checked in with the doctor on the day, he was informed that there were further complications and that they would need to rush Haley in as the baby was in distress.
Although deeply worried about his wife and daughter, Brooks also realized that this twist of fate meant he could now try to apply for special leave to be there with them.
Inducing Labor
Haley was rushed to the hospital within the hour for round-the-clock observation. The doctor decided that they couldn’t take any chances and that they had to induce labor. It was such a turnaround that the change in plan left Haley reeling.
Thank goodness she had the presence of mind to let Brooks know the situation before she left. Optimistically, Brooks was excited. It was his chance to be there with her for the birth of their firstborn child.
Getting Approval
Now there were more hoops to jump through. Among the crush of emotions, there was a lot to do. Haley had to inform the Red Cross about her change in condition in order to get Brooks’ leave approved. She had to provide confirmation from her doctor, which she did as soon as she arrived at the hospital.
Now that he was permitted to join his family, Brooks had to deal with the uncertainty of his wife and child’s health. He didn’t know what to expect from the coming days.
Trying To Get Home
The Red Cross process had been agonizing and had required a written confirmation from the doctor first. Once confirmed, Brooks rushed to the DFW airport and finally got a connecting flight by way of El Paso.
Luckily, Brooks hadn’t yet left for Kuwait and was relatively close. All he needed was the first flight out of there. But there was trouble at the connecting flight that no one could have predicted. When he arrived at the airport in El Paso, he found out that he would need to have a layover in Dallas, all the flights were full.
Cruel Twist
He was forced to wait for the next available flight, which was only at 10:00 am the next day. He felt helpless and stranded, but all he could do was sit it out and hope against hope that Haley could wait for him.
However, fate cruelly intervened once again. The flight was delayed, and there was now no way that Brooks would make it on time.
Mom To The Rescue
The crestfallen soldier drew many stares from other passengers. When he explained his situation, the people around him were very sympathetic. Back at the hospital, Brook’s mother took his place in the delivery room.
Also heartbroken that her son was missing the birth of Millie, she decided to do something about it. Despite protests from the doctor (who eventually allowed it), she took her phone in and Facetimed Brooks. To Brook’s delight, he could now also witness the birth.
A Long Way From Home
As if on cue, Haley’s water broke, and the labor began progressing, but Brooks was still stuck in El Paso. He struggled not to run through security and right up to his boarding gate. After boarding, he finally felt like he was on his way to his wife, but he was still a long way from home.
The feeling of helplessness only grew as he sat still in the tiny airplane seat, not knowing what was happening down below.
Stranded
Finally, he made it to Dallas, and he all but sprinted to his connecting flight back home. But there was bad news waiting for him when he got there. His flight was delayed by two hours.
Getting to Haley while still in labor was quickly slipping away from him. The doctor told Haley that birth was happening. Right now!
Time To Go
Holding the small screen in both hands, Brooks spoke reassuring words to Haley over long-distance. He cheered her on as she progressed through the labor, continually telling her how great she was doing.
The flight called to start boarding, but Brooks was glued to his phone screen. All of a sudden, it was all too much to keep inside. Still in his fatigues, the soldier sat against a wall near the terminal, staring at his phone screen and crying uncontrollably.
Anxious Moments
Unfortunately, the flight was now boarding. Brooks would have to soon switch his phone off, and Millie still wasn’t born. Pitying him, the other passengers tried their best to delay boarding, but, eventually, they were all out of time.
The flight crew instructed Brooks to switch off his phone. With a broken heart, he was just about to when he heard the doctor suddenly shout, “Stop! Don’t let him board that plane. She’s here! She’s here!”
A Good Day
Brook’s face lit up with excitement when he heard this. Other passengers were enthralled by his situation, and cheers rang out for him. Some of them explained what was happening to the flight crew, and Brooks was graciously allowed a few moments to witness the big moment.
After the emotional rollercoaster of a day, Brooks finally got to experience what he had been dreaming of for so long. Finally, his little girl was born, and he was able to see it all.
A Blessing In Disguise
Baby Millie finally made it out to the world, and there was a whole crowd ready to welcome her. Everyone celebrated in that beautiful moment when they heard her cry for the first time. It was an incredibly special moment to see all these strangers so happy for Brooks.
What had initially seemed like an obstacle resulted in him being able to witness the birth of his baby girl.
Good News
Like any other birth, the most important thing is the health of the baby and the mother. Both Haley and baby Millie were feeling great, as Haley’s blood pressure quickly began to stabilize following the birth. At birth, Millie weighed a healthy 7 pounds and 6 ounces.
And knowing that Brooks was on his way made everything that much better. The way this story unfolded is just more proof that everything happens for a reason.
Millie
Despite the complications and distress Millie faced, the doctor’s quick action resulted in a smooth birth, and baby Millie was born in perfect health.
Being able to witness her coming into the world filled Brook’s heart with joy, and he wore a smile on his face for the rest of the day. Now there was just one thing left to do.
Boarding
Finally, the twice-delayed flight boarded, and the flight turned out to be a pleasant one for all on board. So many other passengers had shared in Brook’s tension that day that his personal joy was shared by them all.
With positive vibes all around, everyone relaxed and enjoyed the flight. Brooks settled in and awaited his next big moment, knowing that soon he would be able to finally meet his daughter in person too. In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.