Murdered for love

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Natalia

Elijah and I take turns sleeping over at each other's houses. Not all the time but a lot of the time, even though there is school the next day. Our parents let us because we keep up our good work in school. I love sleeping beside Elijah, he's always warm and it's so cozy, I definitely sleep better together with Elijah, if I don't sleep beside him, I can wake up a lot of times during the nights. This night however and we get a call in the middle of the night. It was his brother, Tim, telling us that Sam and Kathy are on their way to the hospital. Kathy is having their baby.

Of course, he flies out of bed to get dressed, so am I, we have to get to the hospital, this is what everyone has been waiting for. We take my car and head down, only when we arrive we find out that Sam and Kathy haven't arrived yet. We wait for five minutes and then they show up, Kathy with a pretzel in her hand. That doesn't seem right.

"How the f**k did we beat you here? Aren't you the once having a baby?" Elijah asks, he's annoyed with them, he thinks that they should've been the first once here. And he's right.

"Kathy just had to have a pretzel, she almost tore my eye out when I said that we didn't have time to get pretzels right now", Sam sighs, clearly irritated and tired but still alert and jumpy.

I just burst out laughing. Kathy is in labor, but she sure as hell was gonna have that pretzel, even if it meant her delivering on the street. Ever since she was the third month of her pregnancy she would cut the hands-off anyone who tried to take a pretzel from her. Pregnant woman's cravings are not something to be taken lightly. It's a life and death business. I somehow love that Sam tried to deny Kathy a pretzel.

Sam gives me the stink eye and sighs, he is not happy that I'm laughing at this, maybe he sees it as encouragement for bad behavior or something. Tim suddenly shows up with their mother. I guess that their father is home with his sister and her kids, whisper very likely asleep right now.

I return Sam's stink eye with a sly glance. He will never get my mood down. I mean come on, a child is about to be born, I can't be anything but happy, I love children, I'm not ready for my own children anytime soon, but I love children and I long for the day when I'm actually ready to become a mother.

"Well I've got my pretzel, I'm all ready to have this baby now", queen Kathy says with so much power and glows it's actually insane. I which I was half as cool as she is when I have a baby.

Kathy is sitting in a wheelchair. Sam ran it here in panic but she seems calm enough. Like this isn't a big deal. She's got her pajamas on, and her hair is up in a messy bun, which I assume she slept in before her water broke. Her big green eyes don't even look tired or in pain, which she probably is, but she looks excited. Of course, she's excited, she's having a baby for god's sake.

Kathy is not only beautiful but she's fearless and freaking awesome, I admire her so much, she's such an inspiration.

They take Kathy to a room, only Sam can go with right now. A nurse told us which waiting room to be in and so the rest of us went there. Elijah got me some hot chocolate and coffee for himself. There's always someone who questions me about drinking hot chocolate. Like "shouldn't you drink coffee" or "Isn't hot chocolate for kids?" Hell to the no! No one is ever too old for hot chocolate, and if I don't like coffee, I don't have to drink it. I mean I do like coffee, but I don't think people should just assume that everyone likes coffee. And I should not drink coffee during the nights, my stomach becomes all rumbly and I could never fall asleep again.

I wonder what it's like to give birth. I mean yeah, obviously it's painful, like very, but maybe there's something there anyway. Despite the pain. Like, it was to be... I don't know how to explain myself, I just, a bond of some sort, the mother, father, and the baby share that bond. I long for the birth of my children, all that pain has to be worth getting something you will love and cherish forever. I kind of feel that way with Gabriel, even though I did not give birth to him, but I was older when he was born, I remember everything. When Aska was born I was only 4 years old, I don't remember anything. I still love her to the moon and back.

All around us, we hear women scream. They scream so loud, so much. It makes a cold appear in my stomach. The pain has to be unbearable. But yet the pain has to be what makes it feel real, and holding the baby must be what makes it feel worth all the pain.

"They're really screaming their heads off", Elijah says. "It makes it crawl under my skin".

"Well it's childbirth", I giggle. "It's not very pleasant, it hurts, a lot".

"Yeah I know but it sounds like they're dying", Elijah says.

"Sometimes that happens", I say. "A mother dying in childbirth I mean".

Elijah's eyes widen in horror.

"You're serious? Even with doctors around?" He asks.

"Yes, sometimes from blood loss or some other reason", I say. "Childbirth is a complicated business, some girls tear really badly as well and has to be stitched together, and others have to get cesarean".

"You know a lot don't you?" Elijah's father asks.

"Aska gave me nightmares by telling me this a few years ago", I say and Tim starts laughing.

"Ahh Aska, she's really something that girl", he says delightful. "I remember when she was six and she told me about all kinds of infections a girl can get by having s*x if the p***s is dirty, and yes, she said p***s and she said dirty, and yes she was six years old, she will never stop to amaze me".

I burst out laughing. A nice change against all the screaming. Tim is right about one thing, Aska really is something, she will grow up and do some great things with her life, I'm sure of it, she's out of this world, she's too smart for this world.

But when I stop laughing, I feel how tired I am. It's still in the middle of the night, and I'm really tired. I wake up again 4 hours later, feeling how hungry am I am. So I send Elijah off to go buy us breakfast. He comes back with four sandwiches, two large cups of coffee, and one Snapple, he knows it's my favorite drink.

Right in the middle of my third sandwich, yes I only let Elijah have one, a nurse walks up to us and tells us that we can see the baby.

So it took Kathy five hours to get the baby put off her. That's impressive. I've heard horror stories, yes from Aska, about some women being in labor for over 48 hours. Some babies don't make it and it fills my heart with sorrow just thinking about it.

Of course, we leave the waiting room and go to see the baby and Kathy. That's why we're here, and to support Kathy and Sam. When we arrive at the room, Sam is standing beside Kathy's bed. He's holding a pink baby bundle and Kathy is watching him with a smile on her face. She looks tired and drained of energy. Her face is pale but her cheeks are starting to pink up a bit. She's still beautiful, even though she just had a baby and should be looking horrible. Again, queen Kathy.

Sam is looking down at the bundle, tears in his proud eyes, which are also filled with so much love. It's incredible how fast you can start loving someone. I mean I haven't even seen the baby's face, and yet I'm still already in love.

We walk further into the room, Same now notices us and smiles big and proud.

"Hey guys", he says.

"Hey, how are you, Kathy?" I ask, walking straight up to the bed.

"Sore, very sore, but happy", she giggles. "And yeah I'm tired".

"I'd say, you've just delivered a baby", I say and hug her. "Congratulations, I'm so proud of you".

I look down onto the baby. Oh my, it's the most beautiful baby I've seen in my life. She already has hair, a lot to be a newborn. It's flaming red, and she's got her mother's freckles, but the bluest eyes from her father. Big and blue and so beautiful. It's almost unreal.

"Oh my, she's so beautiful", I say, almost out of breath, this baby is taking my breath away.

"You wanna hold her?" Sam asks.

"Can I?" I ask.

"Of course", Sam says and puts the baby in my arms.

I know how to hold a baby, the staff at the hospital taught me when Gabe was born. One arm under the body and one under the head because the baby can't hold it on head up.

I remember when Gabe was born, it was a rough day for everyone, and I was so mad at everything and everyone and I didn't really want a baby brother but I hadn't told mom and dad anything about that because I know they'd be upset. But when I saw him the first time I just knew immediately that I'd always love him and that I'd always protect him.

And I know I'll always protect this baby girl right here. The Jones's are my family and this girl right here is the newest member.

"So what's her name?" Tim asks.

"We've had a hard time deciding to be honest", Kathy says. "We still haven't figured it out, so for now just call her Babygirl or something".

"Hey Babygirl", I smile and look down at her. "You are so beautiful it's insane".

Babygirl looks at me with her big eyes and smiles.

"Her first smile!" Sam says excitedly.

"She must really like you Natalia", Kathy laughs.

"Who doesn't?" Elijah asks and puts an arm around.

I give Babygirl to Mr. Jones and put my arms around Elijah's waist.

I can feel the happiness in this room, it's such a good feeling.

Suddenly I hear Babygirl scream. I turn around to see Tim holding her. And she's screaming her head off, he's looking a bit scared, unsure of what to do.

"Aww poor uncle Timmy", I say. "Having a hard time bonding with your niece I see".

Everyone starts laughing and Tim gives me the evil eye. I love provoking Tim and he loves provoking me. It's our thing, his and mine. We provoke each other and really stretch the limits.

I wonder what it'll be like when Elijah and I have a baby. What would the baby look like? What would its name be? What gender? Sometimes I feel like I could have a baby right now, in a moment of weakness, but I know better than that. And besides, if I got pregnant now I'm sure our parents would have a heart attack each. Poor parents.

But in a few years, I will have a baby and I think that they will be happy about it, and when I say a few years I, of course, mean, when we're out of college and after we are married. I could never get pregnant right now and feel like it would be the right thing because I know that it wouldn't be. Until I have a baby of my own, I will have other babies to cuddle with, like Baby girl, and I think even Tim will have a baby before Elijah and I do, I hope at least. But you never know.