Chapter 17
In the 7th month of my pregnancy,
everything had set up. Chris was working at a company as an employee. Though my
father didn’t like it all, he wasn’t saying anything. I was so proud of my
boyfriend. Chris was spending most of his money on me and our soon-be-borned
child; buying clothes, diapers, toys, everything needed for a child. Vanessa’s
navel was as big as mine and day by day even a simple thing, such as walking,
was turning into a very hard job to do. In the mornings we’d place ourselves
comfortably infront of the TV, taking our meals, drinks and chips and would
watch everything from soap operas to documentaries to cartoons. Only my dad’s
phone calls and Chris’ visits would break us and TV apart for a good two or
more hours.
After my dad came back from his tour,
we got into decorating our babies’ room. We both hadn’t wanted to learn the sex
of our children before they were borned so we were quite not sure which colors
the rooms should be. Finally, we decided on soft yellow for my baby, and soft
green for my dad’s and Vanessa’s. We then bought the furnitures; little bunks,
blankets, pillows, toys and every other detail we spent our next two months on.
At night of my birthday, September 2nd,
as well as Uncle Brian and Auntie Leigh’s anniversary, after we had celebrated
both events, we were chilling out at their place.
“So have you decided a name for the
baby yet?” asked Uncle Howie to Vanessa.
“Uhm...if it’ll be a girl we want
Megan, otherwise it’s gonna be Randolph.” She answered.
Andrea piped up from her seat:
“Maybe it’ll be twins, a girl and a
boy, so i’ll have two new cuz called Meggie and Randy!” she giggled, while
everybody laughed at her comment.
“What about you?” asked Auntie Kathy,
who was holding a sleeping Nymph in her arms.
Chris and i looked at each other as he
answered:
“Well Sky wants Piper for a girl and
Philip for a boy...”
“That’s soo cute!!” Andrea chirped. “Maybe it’ll be twins also!” Again
everybody laughed.
“Sky, when this baby gonna get out?”
Natalie asked innocently placing herself
on my lap, well on the part left from my navel.
“In sometime soon.” I answered. But
Natalie and her twin Ashley weren’t the type of children that would be
satisfied with such a plain answer. And as i expected, she continued asking
questions while her look-a-like twin Ashley sat on the floor in front of my
legs.
“How did your navel grow like that?”
Ashley asked which caused all adults burst into laughter and Chris turn into a
crimson red. Pleading with my eyes, i looked at Uncle Kevin and Auntie Kristin.
They smiled and Auntie Kristin cleared her throat:
“Nat, Ash, I guess I’d explained it to
ya before.”
“Yeah but mom you told us how we
borned NOT how we got into this navel. Only Tim told us and now we wanna hear
it from Sky too.” Natalie answered. While all adults burst again into laughter
except Uncle Kevin who’d frowned, it was Tim’s turn to turn into a bright red.
“Timothy Gerald Richardson, we’ll have
a talk later.” Uncle Kevin demanded, pointing his 15 year-old son with his
finger.
Suddenly, i felt a sharp pain inside
my stomach. Taking a deep breath, i waited for a minute. As i was thinking it
got over, a sharper one cut off my breath. “Not now” I thought inwardly. “It
couldn’t be, not right now.” I took another deep breath but i guess the
expression on my face had changed because Harry and Mark suddenly rushed over
me and while Mark took Natalie from my lap, Harry kept asking if i was okay.
The adults who had engrossed in chatting, realised what was going on and
everybody got agitated instantaneously. As Kathy and Leighanne went upstairs to
pack a suitcase for me, Uncle Brian, Kevin and AJ went outside to unpark their
cars. From the corner of my eye, i saw Tim phoning my grandma to tell that i
was gonna give birth.
Chris wanted to carry me till the car
but my dad refused it and took me in his arms. Pain was such unbearable that
tears were gushing from my eyes. As my dad positioned me carefully in the back
of Uncle Brian’s car, Chris jumped into my left and Vanessa to my right. My dad
sat on the passenger seat and Uncle Brian started the engine mumbling what a
strange day it was. Yeah it definetely was...
Between my tears, i saw others crowded
into AJ’s, Kevin’s and Howie’s cars. Immediately we sped off. As we went onto
driveway, my pain got a lot sharper that i couldn’t even have the breath to
scream. I just cried, and sqeeze Chris’ hand. By the way, Vanessa was directing
me when to take breath and release it....if i could. While Chris kept mumbling
that he was gonna be a dad unbelievably. My dad tried to relax him who was
extremely cool against my thoughts:
“Don’t worry son, everything’s gonna
be alright. Why are you making a scene? She’s gonna give birth to your own
child!”
“That IS why I’m making a scene
Mr.Carter,” Chris refused. “She’s gonna give birth to MY CHILD!” he cried.
I started laughing. Then again, pain
started to increase, as i did what Vanessa told me, taking and releasing
breaths at every second. But i noticed Vanessa was not giving directions
anymore. When i looked at her side, I saw her holding her navel with her hands,
and a weird but yet a mischevious smile on her face.
“Vanessa are you alright?” i asked
worriedly, forgetting my own pain for a second. She just nodded as her smile
grew wider.
“Nick...” she spoke. “I think our baby
decided to come out too...” This information made a sudden shock effect on us,
especially of course on my dad. He started saying “I’ma be a dad” repeatedly
which made Chris snicker.
As for me, I was more excited than
him...I was going to have a brother or sister! Well, half sibling but it didn’t
really matter. To top of it all, it was gonna be at the same age with my baby!
Wasn’t it cool?
Finally we arrived to the hospital. I
can’t remember clearly now, what had happened. I just remember that they took
me inside the ER with an extreme poverty. Then i found myself in the operating
room with Chris right beside me, holding my hand tightly. I could tell, he was
more scared than me. My pain was
diminished a bit so now i could see what was happening around me. The doctor whom
was at most as old as my dad, and three young nurses were preparing the stuff
needed. Dr.Parker came near me and held my other hand.
“Ok Skylar, are you afraid?” he asked
nicely as i shook my head no.
“That’s good I’m gonna help you give
birth to your child.” He said smiling. “Are you ready Skylar?”
“Yeah i am.” I answered meekly.
The next fifteen minutes was the
hardest time of my life. But when i heard my little babygirl’s cry, i suddenly
became the most happiest woman in the world. As the nurse placed her in my
arms, I saw the cutest creature in the whole world. And i swore to God that i
would meet death before i let my little Piper meet harm. She was looking sleepy
so i kissed her forehead and gave it back to the nurse. When she was out, the
room filled with my loved-ones. Everybody was thrilled and was talking loudly.
My eyes searched for my dad but learning him was still in the maternity, i just
smiled dumbly and fell into the arms of a peaceful sleep.
***
