Behind the Scenes

E: Awake

Elizabeth Brooks

The lights burned as I opened my tired eyes. My body was limp from the multiple cords that were connected to my veins. I groaned as I turned on the small bed, careful not to roll over.

“You’re awake”

I turned to the unexpected voice, frighten that I wasn’t alone like I thought. Sara smiled at me ecstatically, taking my hand in hers. I turned to look around the room, realizing that I was still at the hospital. Everything just seemed so drowsy.

I turned to the empty square container in the corner beside my bed. “Where’s my baby?” I shrieked but it came out as a mire gasp.

“With Kimberly” Sara told me as she took the spot beside the bed. “The Carter family is really interesting.” She promised. I frowned at her, my voice unable to come out.

But I was anxious. Anxious to see my son for the first time. “Where’s Jake?” I wondered out loud.

“He spent the night at the hospital waiting for you to wake up, so I sent him home to freshen up. He should be back any minute.” She smiled “So how do you feel?” she placed her hand on my forehead for unknown reasons.

“Fine, Sara” I rasped. My throat felt unnaturally dry and the pain medication seemed to be wearing off.

“Hopefully, I’ll be giving birth too” she cooed, clearly in her own world.

“Are you…?” I raised a brow suggestively at her stomach

“No, no… but we’re working on it.” She told me standing to her feet.

I felt his presence in the room as soon as he entered. He smiled at me from the doorway, capturing my attention. He made me feel naked, as if I was underdressed.

“I’ll leave you two” Sara left the room to us. I sat up as carefully as I could without disrupting any cord.

“How are you feeling?” he asked quietly.

“Considering I just pushed a human being from my v****a, not too bad actually.” I smiled weakly.

He sat down beside me on the bed, cupping the back of my neck. “I am very proud of you” he acknowledged, capturing my lips with his slowly.

I signed at his approval. “Have you seen him?” I wondered.

“I have.” he nodded as his smile grew wider. “Precious, just like his mother.”

I smiled up at him wanting nothing more to just go home and be with my family.

“I want to see him” I urged, irritated I haven’t seen my own child yet.

“Of course” he nodded. “I’ll go find Jake Jr.”

“What?” I glanced up at him “Please don’t tell me that you’ve named him that.”

“I haven’t signed the certificate yet but what’s wrong with that name?”

“What’s not wrong with that name?” I joked

“I’m greatly offended.” he chuckled. “What would you like to name him?” he soothed, running his hand down my cold arm.

I kept quiet as I thought it through seriously. “Omar” I smiled but then frowned when he shook his head ‘no’

“Denis?” I replied, but it quickly got rejected once more. “Zachary” I begged, having no more names left.

He kept quiet as he peered at me with stars in his eyes. “Zachary” he tried the name, testing it on his tongue. “Zachary” he approved.

“Bring me my Zachary” I giggled, tired of waiting to see him.

A group of people entered into the room, none of which was my baby. It was Jake’s parents and a man in a lab coat, probably the doctor.

“Great, you’re here. We need to talk” Mr. Carter indicated.

“I want to see our son first” I growled in impatience.

“That’s just it.” Mrs. Carter shook her head “He’s not our grandson.”

My head began to spin on cue, the walls falling in on me.

“What are you talking about?” Jake questioned harshly.

“We got the doctor to take a DNA test” His dad intervened

“Without my permission?” Jake stood to his feet, his hands balled into fits.

“Not with you, but us. There was no link between our blood line.” His mother shook her head at the news. But my mind was going crazy.

“I never allowed anyone to run tests on my son” I grumbled. I didn't care what s**t they were throwing this time around, but they were not involving Zachary.

“Our son” Jake corrected before he continued. “What do you mean no link?” he asked the doctor.

“Can you guys continue this discussion outside please, and can someone bring me my child?” I almost screamed. Jake’s fingers held mine in an effort to comfort me.

“It’s not your son” the doctor informed him.

He turned to me in confusion at the same time his parents did. Tears bottled up in my eyes as my breathing increased. “Get out” I order quietly. When no one move, I began to scream. “Get out!”

I increasingly began to hyperventilate, my anxiety rising. I silently thanked God that I was in a hospital at this moment.

As the doctor ushered Jake’s parents out, Kimberly entered with a yellow blanket in her arms.

I reached for him, needing something to relax me. She hurried over to me, placing my newborn baby in my arms. I let out a sigh of relief as all the pressure that was building inside me released. I felt like I could face anything.

His small arms rubbed against his cheeks and towards his eyes as he stretched. His bright eyes opened wide when I whispered “hello”, a smile growing widely on his face.

Jake sat down beside me, taking his small hand into his large one.

“Later” I promised. I couldn’t deal with what was happening at the moment, I just wanted to spend time with the person that occupied my body for almost a year.

“Later” he nodded in agreement.