Waco Texas was not ready for the strong line of curse words parading out of the Latino woman's mouth that echoed off buildings and into the night. "Get this devil child out of me!" She was being shoved down the hallway by doctors and nurses, but they never made it to the room as right there in front of the door, at exactly 4:00 in the morning on May 5th, little Leo took his first breath and cried. "My little lion, you do have one mighty roar." She got to hold him as he finally calmed down, taking instead to play with her hair. "You will be so strong when you grow up, I can almost see it."
But what she didn't see was the cloaked woman who stood over her child's crib as they both slept. "You have a new life now. Use this chance wisely." She kissed his forehead, bestowing a blessing upon him.
Halloween was always an event to be seen at the Johnson house, with decorations lining the streets and doors, with candy galore. But this year, the house was plain and the lights shut off. Because ten miles away, in the only hospital within that small town of Shelburne Vermont, was the Johnson's. The husband holding out his hand for his wife while she screamed in pain as her biggest contraction hit her and she was forced to push. And so, at 11:59 on Halloween, a dirty blonde newborn opened up his blue eyes and wailed. "Oh, he's perfect." When he was nestled in his dad's arms, the baby just looked up at him with curiosity in his eyes. Like he was questioning something. "Hello. I'm your papa. It's nice to meet you Hayden."
It was a cold winter night, December 20th to be exact, when a woman with pitch black hair started her screams of pain as contractions hit her full force. "Honey, she's coming!" She grabbed onto her husband's hand as she wobble to the car in her slippers, ready to be free of her week late daughter who decided to come out while they were getting ready for bed. It was a short ride to the hospital from their small town house in Seattle Washington, with the roads cleared and the snow no longer falling. It was as if everything was waiting to see their baby arrive. It was a long labor, at least for the woman. It took exactly eight hours for the screaming black haired blob to take her first breath, to fight everyone who tried to swaddle her and to curl up in her mom's arms, finally quieting at 5:30 in the morning. "Hello Artemis. Welcome to the family." And as if giving a cheer, the snow started falling lightly, the moon shone brighter and the stars danced. If anyone was watching they could have sworn that the huntress constellation actually kneeled down, as if to take a closer look. But no one was watching but the small family in the hospital. At least, human wise.
Of course when a child is born, everyone is bustling about and getting present, a waiting a name. But that was not the case for poor Damian. His family was excited of course after his birth two weeks before, a family was never happier in Framingham Massachusetts. But that wasn't the problem. "What do you mean you're going away again? You just went to Bermuda for a week and you barely came home for New years, which might I add was the day your son was born, can't you stay to be with your family?" The small and fiery redheaded woman glared at her husband, holding her newborn son in her arms. He had her red hair but his father's curls and freckles. "Where are you going and how long will you be there?"
Of course the man before her was lying through his teeth when he explained it was a forced business trip. He was only thinking of the exotic mistresses he had around the world and how he was so glad the company was letting him advertize in Italy again. "I'm going to Parma in September, not in a month. I'll be back before Thanksgiving planning has even started, I promise. I wouldn't want to miss your famous stuffing." He kissed her forehead before pulling back to give her his most charming smile.
"Alright, at least they gave you notice this time. And you know I start planning after Halloween so you better be here before then." When he nodded she left to go sit in the living room. "What am I going to do with your father?'
The little boy's only reply was gurgling and reaching to play with her glasses for the third time that day.
Usually New Orleans was festive and fun, even during the cold that came with December. It was only a week before Christmas Eve after all! But not for the recovering mother in the hospital bed while her two babies lay curled up with each other in their bed. She had just come out of surgery, her c section, and the painkillers were wearing off. But she smiled softly as she looked at her baby girls. They were fraternal, and very obviously so. Ruby got her looks from her father, with dark skin, curly brown hair and if she opened her eyes you would see their golden brown color. Angel on the other hand looked like her mom. Jet black tufts of curly hair, pale pink skin and dark ebony eyes. But they were perfect none the less, if only their dad could see them. He was off on his last tour, but whether he was coming back was a different story.
"Is momma getting an owie fixed?" Little Hayden looked up at his father with his bright blue eyes, confused as to why he was getting walked through what looked like the doctors to go see his mom. "Or is the baby in her tummy getting an owie fixed?"
His dad laughed, shaking his head. "The baby in mommy's tummy decided they were big enough to leave mommy's tummy. So the doctors are just making sure the processes goes smoothly and that the baby is okay." He was very glad his son didn't ask how the process went because he was not having that conversation with an 18 month old. He pushed open the door to the hospital room where his wife was relaxing with the little bundle cooing in her arms.
"Do you want to meet your baby sister?" His mom smiled down at him with her matching eyes, smiling as he nodded eagerly. "This is Billy. Can you say hi to her?" The little girl in her arms had pale blonde hair just starting to come up, big blue eyes and the biggest smile. They had decided to keep the name Billy, even though they thought they were having a boy. Of course it wasn't definite because they wanted it to be a surprise but still.
Hayden was easily distracted by his baby sister. She was tiny but she had a big pair of lungs and an even bigger smile. She was born on April 13th so they decided to name her Billy Angel Johnson. Something about an old tv show they loved to watch.
Boston Massachusetts was used to noise, to fighting. What it was not used to was the eerie quiet that followed the heart monitor letting loose a loud beep, as the overwhelming pain and adrenaline stopped a birthing mothers heart. The doctors and nurses started frantically trying to save her but it was no use. They only had time to do a rushed C section before the baby could die as well. It was at 12:30 in the morning on June 3rd that Jacob was born and his mother passed. It was at 1:00 when his father finally got to hold him, only to realize he was a miniature version of himself. There wasn't a race of his mother on him. And it was at a month old that he was handed off to his grandparents, mother's side, to be raised as his father left every painful reminder of his wife behind. That was the first time little Jacob was abandoned. It was not the last.
"Damn it! I thought these two would hold off till we at least got to the hospital." The latino woman was again cursing, but this time was not left on her lonesome by some douchebag who was actually married when he was dating her. Her giddy fiance was holding her hand, trying to calm her down. They had known that the babies were coming but they didn't know they were going to be two weeks early as that was when they were visiting his family. "I should have known better."
The man next to her was shaking his head. "Don't say that, love. At least you're in one of the best hospitals in Virginia!" He was just glad that his step son was with his parents, the 14th month old would not have done well with this. They quickly got settled into the room and not long after a high pitched wail could be heard throughout the hospital.
The doctor looked up at them, smiling happily. "It's a girl." They had waited to see the gender of their babies so they could pick the name that fit best. "Alright your second one is coming soon so I'm going to need you to start pushing again in a second."
And for the second time on June 5th, a scream pierced the room. And for a second time that day, she gave birth to a baby girl. "They're beautiful." She held the first one, smiling down at her sleeping form. Her soon to be husband was holding their second born. "What do you think about Luna for this little one?" She kissed her forehead, earning a content sigh in return.
"I think it's perfect. What do you want to name her?" He held up the chubby little girl in arms for her to see. She had thick wispy curls of dark hair on her head and bright brown eyes. She was giggling and grabbing for his nose.
Before she could answer, the door was pushed open and in came the grandparents with little Leo walking between them. He reached for the bed, signaling he wanted his mom. His grandmother quickly lifted him up to sit with them, smiling down at the little girl in her soon to be daughter in law's arms. "And who might this be?"
"Luna. Luna Amelia Jackson." She held out her arms so that the woman next to her could hold the small baby as well. "And her little sister...well we aren't sure. What do you think, hijo?" She picked up her baby boy as he walked over with their un named daughter. "What should we name her?"
Leo actually seemed to think about it as he lightly reached out and traced her nose with his finger. "Mi. Mi...ah." He seemed to be trying to copy a name he had heard. Of course Mia was his grandmother's name and had heard his mom call her that many times.
"Mia it is then. Welcome to the family, Mia Fay Jackson."
For Alaska, July that year was pretty warm but for some reason it was pouring rain. Thunder claps rang out and lightning struck. It was almost hurricane weather. And for one family, their little boy decided that he wanted to be born right in the middle of it.
"Ahhh! Get him out of me already, I want him out!" Her screams were timed with the thunder and her calm by the lightning. The rain seemed to be going at the same speed as her heart as it poured down over their heads. She was sprawled across her living room floor as her wife held her hand. "Why couldn't you be the one to get pregnant?!" She seemed to realize what she said. "I'm so sorry, baby."
That was all she got out before the midwife was announcing their little boy was here, only to be cut off by him giving his own introduction as an air piercing scream. And with that, it all cut off. The thunder, the rain, the lightning. It was like he was calling it to a close. As he was placed in his mother's arms, he looked up at them with bright blue eyes and the start of little blonde hairs on the top of his head. He was staring at them like he couldn't understand something. And then he reached out for one of his mama's curls that had fallen away from her ponytail while she looked at the baby in her tired wife's arms. He cooed as he played with it before suddenly crying again. He was one hungry baby and he wasn't having none of this slow service.
On the other side of the world, in Parma Italy, was an American a mixture of Italian and English profanities as she was being rushed to the hospital. Not only had she recently learned her boyfriend from Americas was married, but he was also cheating on his wife with not only her, but eight other women around the world. If that wasn't bad enough, her daughter wanted to pop out in the middle of her favorite restaurant. "Come on love, you can stay in there a little longer..."
As it turned out, her baby was a complete mama's girl. She stayed put until they reached the hospital, where she decided to pop out right there in the entrance to the hospital. A screaming blob of curly dark hair and wailing fists. Only when they were finally settled in a room did she stop fully, seemingly on pause as she stared at her mom. "What should we name you darling?"
One of the nurses walked in, before smiling at her. "Hello ma'am. I'm Esperanza..." Before she could finish her sentence, the newborn started wiggling and moving until finally coming to a pause when she could see the small nurse. "Hello beautiful. What's wrong?"
The mother laughed. "I think she likes your name. Do you mind if I steal it for her?" And she'd never seen someone beam so happily or such a small baby smile to sweetly.
While waiting for her ex husband to arrive with her baby girl, Artemis, she just stared at the little boy in her arms. Could she take him away from his sister? Or his father? She had decided she either didn't want either of them as he had almost full custody of their little girl or she wanted both of them. She had quit drinking as soon as she found out she was pregnant again and refused to go near a bottle of alcohol. She got herself a better job with higher wages and insurance. She moved in with her sister so she wasn't in that shit hole she was left with when she got divorced, not realizing she was pregnant till a month after they had both signed the papers. She saved up for everything she needed and with help from her family she actually got a decent tutor house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms a kitchen, a living room and a laundry room in the garage. She walked to work every day and had just generally gotten better all because of this little boy. And now...she had her heart set in stone. There was no way in hell she was losing her baby boy. Or her little girl.
So when the year and a half old walked in with a nurse instead of her father, her mind was made up. "Hello sweetheart, do you want to meet your baby brother?" As she was lifted up to see him, her eyes widened in amazement. "His name is Chase."
He looked nothing like either of them, with his light hair and grey blue eyes. But he immediately started playing with Artemis's fingers and refused to release them, much to the girl's delight. "He likes me!" She kissed his head like her mom used to do to her. "Mommy can you come home?" She looked at her mother with a sad expression. "Now that he's okay, can you come home?"
"Actually baby, I was wondering if you wanted to stay with me." She knew it wasn't something she should ask an almost two year old but she was smart and was learning faster than most babies.
"I go with you? No more Daddy?" When she waited for the tears and tantrum, she wasn't expecting a nod. "I don't see daddy, only nannies. He's off with new mommy, I don't like her. I want you to stay my mommy." She curled up with her, falling asleep in minutes with her finger still being held by Chase.
And so four months later to the day, on November 12th, they became a whole family. And for them, that was all they needed.
They thought they couldn't have kids. They thought they would have to adopt. So this little girl was their miracle. With dark hair and green eyes, she looked like her dad. With her almond shaped eyes and petite nose she looked like her mom. She was their miracle, their precious baby girl. She had been born early so she was kind of small and had to be checked up on more but otherwise she was healthy and breathing and theirs. And to them, that's all that mattered.