Bonnie Parker had never been more scared in her life. It was one thing to be a famous out law, it was an entirely different thing to be a pregnant famous out law, giving birth in the back of a car. Blanche for her part was playing the roll of midwife. Buck and Clyde had parked the car on some dusty old dirt back road. And left, William had gone with them. Not wanting to hang around for the birth, as Blanche tried her best to make Bonnie as comfortable as possible Bonnie started thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Everyone heard the horror stories of women dying in childbirth. Stories whispered in hushed
frightened tones, amongst the gossips of West Dallas. She didn't want to die she had so much to live for! "Blanche, I'm scared." Bonnie said as she thought of what would happen to Clyde if she died and their child lived. Blanche looked up at Bonnie and said,
"Honey, we all are." Bonnie then lay down across the back seat with her back propped up against the closed door. The contractions hurt pretty bad and she knew they'd only get worse. Under Blanche's instruction, she gritted her teeth and held her breath as another contraction ripped through her body, blinding her with pain. She moaned as it ended. For nine months the impending birth of their child had haunted Clyde and Bonnie, Clyde wasn't thrilled that she was pregnant. And at first neither was Bonnie, but she had slowly warmed to the idea of motherhood, and tried to figure out how they were going to raise a baby on the run. It would be hard, but Bonnie was convinced they could do it. She screamed now, unable to hold back any longer, and a pool of liquid formed between her legs on the seat. Her water had finally broken, after hours of increasingly painful contractions. That could definitely only mean one thing. She lay there for what felt like an eternity although it was probably only a few hours. She wondered if she was even going to make it. She wondered if she would die here, Bonnie wondered what would become of Clyde and the baby if she left them, would he resent their child? Or would he keep the baby as a reminder of their love?
"Blanche, if anything happens… promise you and Buck will take the baby. If Clyde doesn't want it." Blanche slapped Bonnie and said shortly,
"Shut up Bonnie, nothing is gonna happen to you!" Soon, the pressure became too great, and Bonnie began to bear down. She propped herself up against the door to brace herself and pushed, eyes closed, breath held, with every ounce of strength she could muster. A cry soon broke the silence and she fell
back, sobbing. She wanted to go home. She wanted her Ma, even to have Clyde here holding her hand would've been a small comfort.
Blanche picked the baby up, cleaning both the child and Bonnie up as best she could before wrapping the babe up in a dusty old blanket and handing Bonnie the baby.
"It's a girl," Blanche smiled warmly, "a healthy, beautiful little girl." Bonnie smiled, tears of joy beading at the corners of her eyes. It was a girl, a girl with a brown mat of hair and bright blue eyes. She
stared up at Bonnie for a moment, melting her mother's heart with her crystal blue gaze. She was the most beautiful child Bonnie had ever seen. Just then Clyde and the boys came out of the trees across the road. "Clyde Barrow, get over here!" Blanche shouted. Clyde said something to William and came
over to the car where Bonnie lay.
"Hey, Sugar," Clyde drawled stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"Hey Daddy, you wanna meet your daughter?" Bonnie smiled, Clyde frowned and fixed his gaze on his scuffed up shoes.
"We can't keep her, Bonnie," was all Clyde said. And just like that, Bonnie's perfect little world came crashing down. Bonnie knew Clyde's word was law; there was no point in arguing for their daughter to stay, and Clyde meant business. "Jones is gonna drop her off at the next church, churches take
babies, Bonnie, she'll be fine." Clyde continued, Bonnie just stared at him dead-eyed. The baby fussed quietly in Bonnie's arms, "I'll give you a few minutes with her before Jones takes her." Clyde said turning to leave,
"At least hold her," Bonnie whispered holding the baby out to Clyde. He seemed hesitant at first, but finally took the baby, unable to deny his Bonnie anything. "Support her head," Bonnie reminded him. Clyde did as Bonnie asked as the baby began to cry, "just talk to her, Clyde." Bonnie encouraged, Clyde shook his head and looked away from the beautiful little girl in his arms.
"You got a few minutes," he said handing the baby back to Bonnie and leaving. Bonnie was heartbroken, but she knew her time was brief, gently she fed her daughter, nuzzling the soft brown downy on her daughter's head, drinking in the unique scent of newborn. Bonnie held her tears at bay as she
whispered to her tiny miracle baby,
"We love you so much, Honey. And I want to keep you with us, but your daddy says we can't. But you're gonna get a new mommy and daddy, and they're gonna love you, and spoil you rotten. They're gonna give you every thing we can't." Tears burned Bonnie's eyes, blurring her vision, the baby finished eating and Bonnie lovingly cleaned them both up. Time was short so Bonnie burped the baby and then cradled her close. "I'm gonna name you Clara, that's my last gift to you, Sweetheart. I love you baby girl," just then the baby's tiny hand escaped her blanket and wrapped around Bonnie's finger,
squeezing it with that spectacular strength newborns seem to possess. Bonnie managed a watery smile and gently kissed her daughter's tiny fingers. William walked up to the car his hands awkwardly stuffed in his pockets. He didn't want to do this, he was just a kid, a kid who idolized Clyde and would do as he
asked no matter how much he didn't want to. Without looking at Bonnie William held out his arms, at least have the guts to look me in the eye as you take her from me! Bonnie thought, quickly kissing Clara goodbye Bonnie placed the baby in William's arms, and forced herself to watch as the youth carried her baby away. Clara started to cry wanting her mother, Blanche, who had been distracted by Buck, heard the sound and started screaming. That did it, Bonnie burst into tears but William kept walking, taking the infant farther and father away. Bonnie could hear Blanche screaming about how William couldn't take her, but it did no good. An hour later William was back, without Clara, and the Barrow gang
was on the move again.