Choices (32 page)

“I know sweetheart. You’re a pro at this. Everything is going to be fine. You’ll see. We’ll get you to the hospital and you’ll have that baby, which, I bet will be a baby girl and everything will be just fine.” Bonnie smiled at her reassuringly and got up to check on the boys.

Joni came running back in, “911 will get here as soon as they can. They might be delayed due to the storm. Shit!” She saw Kristy sitting there by herself and now she really looked panicked.

“I’m sorry, honey, I wouldn’t have blurted that out if I had known you were alone. Where is everyone and why are you alone?”

“What you mean they’re going to be late. This baby’s coming now!” She started to blow out breaths now and her face was beginning to contort with pain.

“Oh, the pain is coming now, isn’t it?” Joni moved forward to begin rubbing her back.

“Yes. Jesus, this is going to be quick, much quicker than the others. I’ve never had my water break first and then the pain. It was always the other way around. This one must be a girl, already doing things her way, just like a girl.” Kristy choked out. She was breathing heavy now and holding her contracting stomach. Oh, hell MIIITTTCCCHHHH! Where are you?” The others came running back into the kitchen. George actually got there first.

“Okay, Kristy, don’t panic, stay calm. I’m not an obstetrician, but I played one on TV.” George tried to joke to lighten the mood. We laughed and then he became serious. He checked her vitals, reminded her to breath and stay calm.

“Joni? Bonnie said you called 911.”

“Yes.”

“Good.” George was checking Kristy’s eyes now.

“NO, not good.” Kristy cried as a contraction shot her off the chair and she flung George’s hand away from her face. “Oh, forget sitting! I need to walk. Mitch?” She searched the room for him.

“I’m here, honey. I’m here. Hold my hand and we’ll walk around the first floor. We’ve been through this five times now, piece of cake.”

“So says you!” She grunted.

“Okay, so will someone tell me why  the ambulance is delayed?” George asked exasperated.

“
Look out the window George. They said that their going to be late because the snow storm picked up.” Joni cringed in sympathy as she watched Kristy shuffle around the living room.

Now, the kids had gotten out of bed and were curious. We could hear them bound up the stairs. There they stood, eyes wide and full of questions, Joni’s two, Bonnie’s three, and Mitch and Kristy’s four, expectantly waiting for answers at the top of stairs.

“What’s going on? What’s wrong with Mommy?” asked Kristy’s oldest Spencer.

“Why is Aunt Kristy crying and moaning like that? She sounds like she’s in pain.”
It was Bonnie’s oldest, Michael, who figured that one out.

“She’s in pain? Well, that’s terrible! Mommy please, take away Aunt Kristy’s pain.” Little Mandy’s eyes welled up with big fat tears as she ran toward Joni. I was actually glad mine weren’t here. Thank God, for small favors.

“It’s alright. Aunt Kristy is fine everyone. She’s having the baby, Spencer, you’re going to be a big brother again just, a little sooner than we had planned on that’s all. Let’s go back to bed and in the morning we’ll go the hospital and see the new baby. I bet it’s going to be a girl. What does everyone else think?” I walked over and gave Spencer a huge hug and ushered everyone back downstairs to the basement and the sleeping bags. I settled them in again quickly and trudged back up the stairs to see that Kristy had progressed even quicker.
              “The contractions are coming faster.” George walked over to the phone and called 911 again. Bonnie walked over to his side.

“We may have to deliver the baby here.” He whispered into Bonnie’s ear. Well, Mitch wasn’t having any parts of that scenario.

“OH NO! Marc did you drive your SUV tonight?” He bellowed.

“Yeah, I did, but Mitch you can’t go out in that snowstorm. That’s just an accident waiting to happen. George is a doctor and Kristy’s delivered before. Everything should be fine. Why don’t w…” He couldn’t even finish his sentence before Mitch had his coat, grabbed Kristy’s and threw Marc his coat.

“Grab your keys, Marc. Please, let me take your SUV and get Kristy to the hospital.”

“
Mitch, I think I know what I’m doing! We don’t need any macho He-Man heroics. Marc’s right though, Mitch.  We should wait for the ambulance. It is dangerous. It’s probably best to wait.” Kristy groaned and stopped still and then dropped immediately to the floor.

“Sorry boys, the waiting is over. I can feel the head coming.” Kristy panted.

“WHAT?” Mitch grabbed her and helped her to the floor of the living room. Kristy was passed the point of no return now, I could tell. She was heaving and pushing. We had to work fast.

“Alright, c’mon George we can do this. I’m a pediatric nurse and you’re a doctor. Let’s get moving! Ther
e’s no time now!” I said as I began removing Kristy pants. Joni was still holding Mandy.

“I’ll go downstairs with the kids, I’m sure they’re going to hear all the commotion and come back upstairs again.”
She turned toward the basement steps.

“Hold on Joni, I’ll come with you too.”
Bonnie offered.

“Here, Kristy, I’ll sit behind you and
you can rest against me.” I scooted up behind Kristy and held her back and shoulders for support.

“Wait! This isn’t going to work. I’m not going to be able to hold her. I’m going to need to sit up against the wall. Mitch, can we scoot her and me together up to the wall beside the couch.” Mitch helped Kristy scoot by pulling her shoulders and George and I supported her legs.

“You know, honey, one day we are all going to look back on this New Year’s Eve night and laugh our asses off.” I grunted as I helped with the scooting.

“Right now all I want is this baby…OUT!”
She screamed and clutched a handful of my hair.

“Ouch! Honey, I love you but not the hair, Kristy! Holy smokes,
I can see the head.” I shouted.

“Okay, honey, you’re close and the baby has a ton of hair thanks to its Daddy. Push and push hard with every pain you feel.” George was still checking her vitals and suggested to find some alcohol and a small sharp pair of scissors and a blanket.

“Mitch where are the scissors and the alcohol and a baby blanket?” George asked as sat up and attempted his mission.

“What? I dunno know.”
He stammered obviously distracted by the birth of his latest addition.

“Oh, for God’s sake…oh, this is a big one, Mitch…owwww…George, the scissors…owww… are in the…owwww kitchen… junk drawer. JESUS CHRIST! OWWWW…it’s not stopping! Alcohol…owwwwoowwww…medicine cabinet…our bathroom.”
Kristy grunted.

“I’ll get them.” Mitch snapped back into action.

“C’mom, honey, you’re doing great, keep pushing.” I encouraged.

“As
.If.I.Had.A.Choice!” She bit out.

“OWWWWW…baby blanket in…my room…closet…floor
…bin…marked new…born. I can feel it. It’s… coming.” She threw her head back against the wall and grabbed onto Mitch’s hand.

“Kristy, one more push the head is out.
Wait, let me clean out the mouth.”

“I can’t wait! Here she comes! AHHH!

With one final push, out she came all purple and pink and mad as hell. Mitch came back just in time with a warm washcloth, alcohol, scissors and the blanket. I rubbed her down with the warm washcloth and George cut the umbilical cord with the disinfected scissors and neatly tied it off.

“It’s a girl! A girl! I told you you were goi
ng to have a girl.” I shrieked.

“A girl! Hot damn! I did it!”
Mitch was beaming.

“You did it? Funny, I seem to be the one doing all the pushing!”
              “And a hell of a job you did, there, Little Missy, hell of a job!” Mitch kissed her and brushed the hair back that had fallen into her eyes.

“Apparently, I’m not done yet.” Another push and out came the afterbirth. The doorbell rang.

“That must be the ambulance. Come in.” I shouted.

“Whew, just in time! What the hell are we supposed to do with that.” Mitch grimaced as he looked at the afterbirth.

“Some people save it, plant it in the ground with a new fruit tree sapling and then eat the fruit.” I volunteered. Mitch grimaced again.

“It’s just a suggestion.” I rubbed my back as I stood up.

“It’s a wonderful idea, Laurel. I’m going to do. Thank you! Thank you everyone for bringing my little Emily into the world. Thank you.

The ambulance took Mitch, Kristy and George to the hospital. George said he had patients to check on and he wanted to make sure Kristy and the baby had an uneventful ride to the hospital. Bonnie, Joni, Marc and myself tried to get some sleep downstairs with the excited little people, but no such luck. We snatched some sleep but the little people were too excited and wanted to know what happened.

“So, what happened? What do I have?” Spencer asked anxiously with eyes as bright and huge as Kristy’s.

“Well, you have a baby sister!” I said tiredly as I slowly lowered myself into the leather recliner.

“WOOWHOO!!! Pay up people, pay up!”

“Pay up?” Bonnie asked.

“Our little bookie, here has bee
n taking bets from his friends. Obviously, he won.” Marc filled us in.

“Yeah, that’s right, hand over the cash! It’s a girl.”
Spencer was elated!

“Oh, Spencer, really! Enough, party’s over, everybody back to sleep. NOW!”
I shooed people back to bed.

We snuggled everyone back into bed for yet a third time in one evening. I watched as the snow fell silently and said a silent prayer of thanks to a God I wondered listened. He did tonight and I was incredibly grateful my best friend in the entire world was safe and so was her baby. What a wonderful way to start the
New Year.

I faintly heard the sound of the phone ringing in the background of my wonderful dream of the Greek island Santorini. Since, I’m sure there are no phones on the beach of Santorini I figured the obnoxious sound was coming from the office.
Everyone was still sleeping and I painfully got out of the recliner and answered it.

“Hello.”

“Laurel, she’s gone!”

“What? Who’s gone?”
It sounded like Kristy, but she wasn’t making any sense. Things were rattling around in my head. “What are you talking about?” I looked out the window to make sure I was indeed awake and in the present time since my head was still foggy from sleep.

“Did you hea
r me? She’s gone! Someone took my Emily! My baby girl is gone!”

I can’t imagine losing a baby. I can’t imagine losing a baby to biological misfortunes. Even worse I can’t imagine losing a baby to something other than biological mishaps. How does one recover from having a baby stolen; stolen right out from under your nose? Life is so fragile and it’s constantly reminding you that you’re never really in control. You just play the hand you’re dealt or figure out what do with all those lemons that get thrown your way. Everyone was so numb. We were all so excited about a New Year’s baby. Kristy even made the news for having the first baby of the New Year and received a fifty dollar check from the township. Now, she’s making the news for other reasons. This was the first time in my life I honestly didn’t know how to comfort. I just didn’t have the words. They were stuck in the back of my throat and ones that I could think of just died on my lips. They seemed so empty, so hollow. I couldn’t wrap my brain around the fact that I saw the baby and now she’s gone. Gone, like yesterday’s newspaper. The police have questioned all of us and Kristy is a pillar of strength and fortitude as always. She’s so positive in the wake of immense tragedy and despair. She believes her baby will be found. She’s so sure that she’s pumping and freezing her milk so she’ll have it ready for her Emily when she returns. Kristy is so amazing that people call to offer their support and condolences and she’s comforting and consoling them.  I find myself constantly touching my own stomach, rubbing and holding it, talking to a small entity that rules my entire existence at the moment. In my silent prayers at night I whisper
please God, don’t let it happen to me, I don’t have Kristy’s strength
.

Bonnie, Joni and I are here every chance we can manage, taking shifts and maki
ng sure the other kids are fed and chauffeured to where they need to be. Mitch is an absolute mess, feeling responsible and failing as the protector. He lost his baby too. Mitch is so expressive, which is one of the qualities I love so much about him, whereas, Kristy will put on a brave face, spout the right words but I know that wellspring of strength she keeps locked deep inside her soul will one day explode.  She can’t avoid forever, even though she’d like to.

Honestly, we really don’t have much to do because Kristy is up and about putting things into order, doing the dishes, was
hing the clothes, making dinner, filling her day and constantly moving to avoid the pain. I’m trying to help her and Mitch as much as I can but she’s determined to have things run smoothly but I know that this is Kristy’s way of dealing, keeping busy, so busy so she doesn’t need to think about what’s really happened. Other people see it as her strength and she is strong but I see it as her way of avoiding the hard stuff, the painful stuff. Kristy’s always been a pillar of strength but one that comes with a price; being emotionally handicapped when the hard stuff comes.