Chapter 90
1221words
Mai and the others held a small get-together for me. Ethan’s friends and all of mine were there. The small celebration was simple, yet so lovely. Some of Ethan’s friends, do have kids too. So it was nice being around there, before time.
”I can’t believe I’m about to be an aunt, Anna. I’m so excited.” Mai says while jumping and clapping her hands.
“Oh, trust me, I wasn’t sure about going through with it at first. But who am I to question the beauty of birth?”
“You’re right, having a baby changes everything. Not to mention a massive load of spending expenses carefully, but I guess that won’t be a problem for you.”
“Oh, yeah. Not because we don’t care about the expenses. Ethan and I decided to treat our daughter not too extra and not too low. We don’t want her to be raised like a spoiled kid of a billionaire daughter.“
”Well, if you don’t spoil her, I will,” Hailey added, laughing.
-Clink clink clink-
We look over at the sounds of glass clinking and see Ethan making a toast. At first, I give him a ’please don’t embarrass me’ expression, but then it goes straight to sweetness for everything and our daughter.
“A little toast here, everyone. Ahem.” Everyone laughs as Ethan mimics crazily.
“First, thank you all for coming here and joining us on this special occasion. We can’t express how happy we are to have shared this moment with our loved ones.“
”I, for one, still can’t believe that I’m going to be a father, but I guess for playing that role with the woman I love, and getting to call her my wife. Hearing the baby’s first words as mommy is all I’m up for.”
“So, I guess all I’m trying to say is this. Thank you all for coming and, Annabelle Cooper, I love you.”
”To Angel!”
To Angel.
Everyone clinked their glasses as Ethan walks over to me. He held my belly up for a little relief and kissed my cheek.
“I love you, With all my heart, Anna.”
“I love you too,”
And we share the most innocent romantic kiss right in the middle of the celebration. We didn’t care if people were watching. All we needed was to make sure we were safe in each other’s arms.
And finally, a week was left.
Ethan and I were in the hospital. Mai and Hailey accompanied us. And I was fucking scared. All those videos I watched about childbirth fucked me up.
How do women do this? Like how? I know the pain wouldn’t matter when the baby will come out but….HOW?
Every single day Ethan brought me a bouquet of roses, Lilly’s even daffodils. One day, he bought this lovely black rose. Unusual, but lovely.
“Mrs Cooper, how’re you feeling?” Dr Bruno asks.
“TERRIFIED.“
“Haha, well, you don’t have to be. I’ve seen cases where women do feel pain but bearable. And don’t you worry, it’ll all end once-“
“The baby is out, I know.”
Dr Bruno laughs and walked closer to me. He gripped my arm and smiled.
“It’s going to be okay, Mrs Cooper. It will be. And as far as it looks, you’re due by Tuesday. That gives you two days to prepare yourself. Well, there’s actually nothing to be prepared for. But you know.”
“I’ll have the nurse look over at your every 4 hours. If you feel anything unusual, you know what to do.“
“Thank you, Doc.”
He smiles and walks away.
“Oh…fuck…” I say, whimpering, and Ethan sits right beside me.
“Calm down, Anna. You know stress isn’t good for the baby.”
“I know, I know. I just…”
“I know you’re scared, but I’ll be here right with you the whole time, you know that, right?”
“I know.”
He kisses my forehead and caresses my hair, letting me fall asleep.
----
I wake up instantly. I was sweating. I see Ethan laying right beside me as I feel immense pain down my back.
”What…the?”
“E-Ethan. Ethan!”
He woke up instantly and looks around to figure out what was happening. And at that time, my water broke.
“What the hell is that?” I ask anxiously.
“Anna, we…You…We’re having…”
“NOW?”
“Let me call the doc. Just hold on, okay?”
“No, no, no! Please don’t…don’t leave me!”
“Baby, I’m right here, but if we don’t call the doctor right now, it’ll have consequences. I’ll be our just for a sec, trust me?”
“Okay, okay. Just..come back soon…Aahhhh.”
“I WILL!”
Ethan runs outside and quickly calls the doctor and the nurses. I was there hyperventilating. Ethan comes within seconds and all the other staff rushes me towards the delivery room.
”Oh, shit, oh shit.”
“Hey, look at me. It’s going to be okay. I’m here.”
”Mrs Cooper, try to speak to Mr Cooper. It’ll help.”
“Oh, okay. Sh- has it been two days?”
“Oh, he, Anna. Yes. It’s been two days. It’s time, okay? I need you to be strong because I know you’re strong. I know it.”
“I’m strong, I’m strong.”
We enter the room, and everyone prepares for the delivery. Dr Bruno comes in fast and wears his gloves like a flash.
“Okay, ready?”
He sits right in front of my, well, lower abdomen, concentrating.
“We still have 3 inches to do. This shouldn’t take much time.”
“It…hurts.”
“Hey, hey, look at me. It’s fine. Think about Angel. Our daughter, think about her.”
“One more inch,”
“Oh shit,” Ethan holds my hand as strongly as he could as I close my eyes, feeling this terrible pain.
“Make this…fast.”
“Here we go, Anna. Start pushing.”
“Ooh, shit.“ tears were streaming down rapidly. Ethan was trying to be hella supportive but let’s face it, when you’re having your first baby, none of you really know what’s happening or how should you tackle it.
”Push Anna, otherwise the baby will take ours to come out. You need to push.”
“I can’t, I can’t. Do something!”
“You can, Anna, you can,” Ethan encouraged
”You know I bought a house for you and Angel. It has a swimming pool and a view of mountains, just like you always wanted.”
“Oh, Aha.”
“Picture all three of us together, enjoying, laughing, and living.”
And I really could. I could only try to picture how our baby would look like in this new house, smiling and playing all around.
“Almost there, Anna. Keep going.“
“Just think of us, make her live the life she deserves,“
”Okay, stomach, knees, and…”
Ethan looks down and I finally feel some ease. I force myself down on the bed and close my eyes. Still picturing. And I hear the noises of a baby crying.
“She’s-she’s here, Anna. Angel is here.”
I come to my senses and look down while they cut the cord. They wrap her up in a towel and pass her to me.
“Careful, she‘s just born, please be-“
“They’re being careful, Anna. Look.”
“An-Angel,” Ethan was crying, literally crying as he give her to me. He bend down on his knees and kissed Angel’s forehead and then mine.
“She’s beautiful, She‘s so beautiful,” I say.
“She is.”
“Our little Angel, our ray of sunshine.”
