The year was 1991...
Egon Spengler paced the waiting room of the hospital nervously along with the others. In an odd and absurdly ironic fashion, it seemed that all of them, Egon, Ray, Peter, and Winston, were becoming fathers on the same day. Quite the coincidence. Ray would consider it something otherworldly, perhaps even a sign. Egon didn't know. What he did know was that his wife was laying in a hospital bed in the next room, giving birth to their first child.
Aside from battling a hulking marshmallow monster on the top of a building overlooking Central Park West, this had to be the second most scariest moment of his life.
"Everyone can calm down now," the nurse stepped into the waiting room, a smile spread on her face as she observed their anxious behaviour, "Your daughters were all born healthy."
Peter was the first to hold his daughter, Jennifer Louise Venkman, who was born at 8 pounds 11 ounces. She hadn't stopped screaming until they placed her in her father's arms. Then, baby Jenny's wails seized.
"Aren't you a beauty. Huh?," he cooed. His index finger caressed her face lovingly and his eyes stared straight into hers, completely enamoured.
The nurse handed Winston his daughter, Candace Susannah Zeddemore, and her angelic face made his eyes brighten with ecstasy. She was surprisingly bigger than Jenny, weighing around 9 pounds, 10 ounces. Because of her weight, Tiya Zeddemore had to undergo an emergency c-section and was slowly recovering as the doctors wrapped her in bandaging in the next room. "There's my beautiful princess," he said proudly.
Ray was next and burst into tears before his daughter was even in his arms. Delilah Jane Stantz was 7 pounds and 3 ounces, and reminded him of a cabbage patch doll. Chubby cheeks and round eyes wide with innocence. Tears ran down his own cheeks. "I love you so much," he cried, placing a kiss against his daughters forehead carefully.
Finally, there was only Egon left. Before the nurse handed him his daughter, he nervously wiped the sweat from his hands and cleared his throat in preparation. Accepting her carefully, Egon felt the warmth of her body, her life, radiating from under the blanket. As soon as his eyes met hers, he knew he could never look away. She was just so perfect. Her eyes were closed and she wiggled around in his arms. After a while, she finally opened her eyes, making Egon's heart fill with warmth. He let her tiny fingers wrap around his long index one, gripping tight.
Turning to the nurse, he cleared his throat and commented in an even, but enlightened tone, "She looks quite healthy."
"Barely made a sound when she came out. The doctors thought she wasnt breathing until she opened her eyes and let out a cute little gurgle. Congradulations fellas," she gave them a dismissing nod and disappeared out of the visiting room.
"Man, I feel like a million bucks right now," Winston smiled, eyes still glued to his daughter, who wiggled around like a worm in his arms.
"Tell me about it. I'm ready to bet a thousand dollars on the Red Sox," Peter cradled his daughter delicately, as if he feared that his strength would crush her with the simplest amount of pressure. She gurgled up at him and Peter comedically replicated it, smiling when Jenny would gurgle back.
"This is the best moment of my life," Ray continued to cry, careful to wipe the tears from his face before they landed on his daughters sleeping face.
Egon worried that his daughter (whom they agreed would be named Katherine Victoria Spengler) was too quite. The way the other girls moved, they looked lively and real. Katherine was still. Calm. Her eyes stared up like two sapphire gems, contemplating the new world she was in. Egon's heart warmed, pumping to the beat of his daughter's as they both examined each other's faces thoroughly.
"I've never confided this to anyone else, but my parents never taught me about the importance of love. I promise I'll always love you, like my parents couldn't. You are my greatest creation."
He leaned down and kissed her soft forehead. Her tiny fingers reached up and brushed against his nose. He smiled. It really was the best moment of his life.
