Inspired by the song Women's Work by Kate Bush. I hope you like it.
Declaimer: A Precious Gift is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of mine imagination mixed with the borrowed imagination of The Powerpuff Girls' creator Craig McCracken. Any resemblance to actual events, locals or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
"Once more, Mrs Jojo! The baby is almost here! Just give us one more push!"
Blossom, exhausted as she was, complied with the doctor's wishes. She squeezed Brick's hand and pushed once more. Her efforts were rewarded at she heard the cry of her baby. Breathing heavily, she looked over to Brick with a worn-out but satisfied look. Brick gave a loving kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes in bliss. He whispered to her on what a great job she did. Blossom couldn't be happier.
"Would the new Daddy like to hold the baby?" a nurse asked Brick.
Brick turned from Blossom and looked at the nurse holding his baby daughter in a pink blanket. Letting go of Blossom's hand, he went over and carefully held her. 'Dad'. It had a nice ring to it as he smiled at the sleeping baby. She was perfect. She was his perfect daughter and it was all because of his perfect wife.
Nothing could go wrong now. His life was now perfect.
Their little angel began to weeper. Brick figured the little one was hungry. "Bloss, I think she's hun-"
He didn't finish his sentence. As he turned around, his eyes widen. Blossom didn't look alright. In fact, her face became very pale and she was breathing irregular. And, just like that, the heart monitor stopped beeping and everything became chaotic.
"BLOSSOM!" Brick was being pushed out of the room as more doctors ran inside. He had to get to Blossom. She needed him. He didn't know where the baby was because a nurse took her away but Brick didn't care. All he cared about was getting to Blossom. Blossom was always his main concern. "Let go of me! Blossom! Blossom!"
The last thing Brick saw before the door closed on him were doctors surrounding his wife.
...***...
"Ugh! I can't stand you right now, Brick!"
Blossom screamed at him and really, he deserved it. Though that didn't stop him from smirking at her as the two sat in after school detention. So maybe it was his fault that they where here but he didn't really care. All Brick did was grab Blossom's ass in the hallway. Not his fault that a teacher happened to see Blossom punching him in the face.
Besides, it wasn't like it was going to affect her walk. They still had four more weeks until graduation. Four more weeks before they can leave high school forever.
Now, two hours after his stunt, Brick was sitting on the desk top as Blossom walked around the room. Swearing, glaring and hissing at him every five seconds. He couldn't help it. She looked hotter when she was angry. As she paced around the room, Brick got up and walked to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.
"You know, you look mighty sexy when you're pissed."
He smirked when she blushed. He couldn't help it and stole a kiss.
...***...
Brick sat in a chair as he waited for someone to tell him what the hell was wrong with his wife. His left leg kept tapping rapidly and he couldn't stop. Every time he saw a nurse or doctor walking on by, his heart would stop, thinking it was for him to only release the air he was holding when they walked by.
He was losing it. He needed to calm down but he just needed to know she was okay. He needed to know if Blossom was alright. His heart couldn't handle the pain anymore. With shaky hands, Brick pulled out his pack of cigarettes. As he lit it, a nurse came to him.
"Sir, I will have to ask you to put that out."
"Fuck off."
Brick held the cigarette in his mouth as he took off his hat and ran his hand through his red hair. He didn't have time for this.
"Sir, it's against hospital policies."
Brick shot up from his chair, knocking it over as he did. "Would you fuck off! I don't give two shits about the damn rules!" He was furious and the nurse just happened to be here at the wrong time. "My wife just got done giving birth and now, something went wrong! She's white as snow and she stopped breathing and I don't know what the fuck is wrong with her!"
His eyes were burning as he felt the tears begging to release but he wasn't done yet. "I don't know if she's…"
He couldn't finish. Brick sat down in the chair next to him as he hid his face in his hands. The tears wouldn't stop. As he cried to himself, the nurse only turned away and left him alone.
...***...
"Brick, where are we going?"
"You'll see."
Brick led Blossom to the forest near their hometown. It was their third year anniversary since they started dating. Who knew that, that one kiss he gave her in their senior year would lead them to this. Brick didn't mind though. He loved every minute with her and after tonight, Brick planned to make it forever.
They walked hand in hand through the forest until they finally came to a clearing. Stopping, Brick stepped behind Blossom and covered her eyes. Slowly, they walked and when he removed his hands, Blossom gasped.
She was standing in a flower field that stretched for miles on end with a small river running through it. She saw a picnic set up near the river and she couldn't help but cry just a little. It was a romantic picnic out in the moon light.
Turning around to give Brick a hug, she found him down on one knee and Blossom's heart started to beat a mile per minute.
"Blossom Utonium, from the first moment I saw you in high school, I knew I had to have you. You're the most beautiful, intelligent, funniest girl I ever met. Your heart is pure of gold and I can't even begin to describe the feelings that I get when I see you. Every moment I'm with you, I feel like I'm the luckiest man on Earth. I know that I'm not worth a minute of your time but I will like to try. So, with that being said, would you marry me?"
He pulled out a silver ring with a simple pink diamond in the shape of a heart. Blossom cried as she bent down and gave him hug. Kissing him with passion; all the while saying yes.
...***...
Brick felt like he couldn't breathe.
It has been over two hours since he was pushed out of the room and still, no one came to tell him what the hell had happen. He just wanted to be by Blossom's side. Was that too much to ask?
His heart felt like it weighted a ton and he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't stop the feeling of dread. He couldn't stop the feeling of fearing the worse. He was supposed to help Blossom. He was her husband and the fact he couldn't be by her side when she needed him the most, hurt him the most.
Why the hell hasn't anyone come yet?
Breathing in deeply, Brick removed his hands from his face. Crying wasn't going to get him anywhere. He just needed to know if Blossom was okay. She just had to be okay. She couldn't leave him alone. She was his everything and Brick didn't even know what to do if she wasn't even here. He couldn't live without her, he just couldn't.
Where the fuck was that doctor!
"Mr. Jojo?"
Brick's head shot up and stared at a doctor standing in front of him.
"Are you the husband of Blossom Jojo?"
Brick didn't answer. He didn't have time for this anymore. With the doctor out of the room, Brick ran down the white hall. Ignoring the doctor screaming after him and the nurses that moved out of his way.
None of them mattered. All that mattered was for him to make it to Blossom. The hall was a blur as he ran. He was amazed that he even found the right room. His hands shaking, Brick griped the door handle and pulled.
...***...
"Brick, I have to tell you something."
Blossom was standing in the door way of their room. Five years of marriage and Blossom didn't look a day over twenty. How did he get so lucky for all these years?
"Yeah?"
She didn't move as she played with her hair, biting her lip as she did so. She was thinking, that was easy to tell but Brick didn't know about what. Was it dealing with the reason on why she has been all moody lately?
"Brick, I don't know how to tell you this but I…I'm…"
"You're what?"
"Pregnant."
She turned her head away from him as Brick blinked. Pregnant? She was pregnant? Brick placed the bills down on the bed and walked over to his wife. Cupping her face, he made her look at him and kissed her. Pulling away, Brick rested his forehead on hers and smiled.
"Blossom, this is great news. You and I, we're going to have a family. Don't worry about a thing, alright? I'm going to be here to help you once the baby arrives. You're not going to do this alone."
She only looked him in the eyes and smiled before kissing him.
...***...
Brick walked in the room and saw Blossom lying on the bed. She was breathing but slowly. The small sound of the machine was low and it made him feel uncomfortable but he moved on.
Walking ever so slowly, Brick made his way to the bed and sat down next to it. He took her hand, pale and cold, and held it gently. Brick fought back a sob and brushed some of her bangs out of her face. She looked peaceful sleeping.
She stirred and opened her eyes. She gave him a smile but it looked like even doing that was too much for her. Her bright pink eyes were dull and Brick tried his best to not cry. She was alive. So, why did he have a sickening feelings that everything wasn't alright?
Because she was dying. She was dying and Brick couldn't do a damn thing to stop it.
"Brick?" Her voice was raspy and it cracked as if she hadn't had a drink of water in years. She tried holding his hand back but she was just too weak. Just talking seemed to have drained whatever strength she had.
"Yeah, it's me."
"The baby…where is she?"
Brick looked over to the other side of the bed and realized that the baby was in a clear crib next to her. Something twisted inside of him. That moment of joy when he first held her, disappeared and turned to something else. He didn't want to hold the baby. He didn't want to touch the baby because it was the entire baby's fault. Because of the baby, Blossom was in this state.
"Can I…see her?"
Brick could only nod and he went to pick up that thing. Sitting back down, he held it so Blossom could see it. She tried to touch its face but she moved her hand an inch before stopping. She was too weak to go any further. Her breathing worsens and Brick couldn't help it as tears fall.
His beautiful flower was wilting before him. His greatest treasure that he vowed to protect in front of their friends and family was being taken from him. He was losing his only love and Brick couldn't do a damn thing.
"She looks so…beautiful, Brick." Blossom stared at her child with so much love that it broke Brick's heart. Here she was, dying and all Blossom could think about was the thing in his arms.
He could hear it. He could hear how it was taking a toll on Blossom to just breathe. He just wanted it to go away. He wanted all the pain to go away. He wanted the pain that Blossom was in to go away. If Death was going to take her, why did it have to make her fucking suffer first?
"Brick, don't blame…the baby." Brick looked at Blossom as she tried to keep her eyes open. "She's…perfect. Don't ever…forget that." She took in a breath and for a moment, Brick that she was gone but she opened her eyes again and looked at him. "I don't regret this. We made…such a wonderful gift. I love you, Brick…Forever."
Tears falling, Brick leaned in and kissed Blossom. He felt her kissing him back and when he pulled away, Blossom was gone.
...***...
"What should we name the baby?"
Blossom was looking through a book of names, lying down on the couch with her legs on Brick's lap, getting a relaxing feet rub from him.
"I don't know. Maybe if you let the doctor tell us the gender, we can pick a name."
She was six months through her pregnancy and Blossom would refuse to hear the gender. She wanted it to be a surprise and wait until the big day. Blossom only looked at him and stuck out her tongue.
"I was thinking 'Dylan' for a boy and 'Jasmine for' a girl." She placed the book down on her massive stomach, while wiggling her toes as Brick continued to rub them. "What do you think?"
"'Blossom'."
"What?"
"'Blossom'. I like the name 'Blossom'."
She only blushed as Brick gave her a smirk. "And, for a boy?"
"'Blossom'."
She laughed. "You're really going to name your son 'Blossom'?"
Brick only shrugged as he bent over the arm of the couch and grabbed a bottle of soft pink nail polish. Shaking it, he opened the top and started painting her nails. "What can I say; I love the name 'Blossom'."
...***...
As Brick sat there, tears falling, the baby stirred awake. Even though his heart was broken, Brick looked down. Blossom's words playing through his mind as the baby opened her eyes.
Brick let out a sob when he looked into the baby's pink eyes. Just like Blossom's.
Then and there, all the hateful feeling he felt towards his daughter, disappeared as he held the baby to his chest. She was perfect. This was the creation that Blossom and he created together. This was the precious gift that she left him with.
Blossom. His little Blossom.
As she cried in his arms, Brick rocked her gently. "Shh, it's okay. It's okay now. Daddy's here. Daddy's here." She stopped crying and Brick looked down at her.
Her big pink eyes looked at him curiously and as she stared at him, she smiled. Brick's heart filled with joy as his baby looked even more like her mother. The baby giggled and Brick noticed how she had her nose and mouth. She had her hair color even. It was a mini version of her and Brick knew Blossom wasn't gone.
She was here with him still.
Leaning down, Brick kissed his daughter on the head. "Blossom. My precious, little Blossom."
Revised: Friday, 21 August 2015
I want to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, favorite, and followed this short story. I'm thrilled to see that even though this piece is a year or two old, A Precious Gift still receives a lot of readers. If I missed any spelling or grammar errors after this, please feel free to tell me.
~Rosa