What I Always Wished For
I never believed in love at first sight. I was quite the athlete in high school. I don't want to brag about myself, but every girl in the school wanted to date me. You know, if you're the athlete, every girl want to look good, so they ask you out. It happened to be that I never made the first move, I had freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors come up to me asking me to the mall or someplace popular. I remember exactly one girl I had a crush on, she was beautiful. We were both seniors, in the same class, and she was really educated and smart. One day, I decided to ask her out. We went out for a couple of months, and then she broke my heart. She said she was forced to go out with me, meaningless information being thrown in my face. I was heart broke, and I didn't date a girl the rest of my senior year.
What she said to me that night broke my heart. Since I had dated so many girls, I was used to breaking up with them. But this one girl, Claire, I really felt something for her. She was beyond special. From then on, I couldn't think of another girl, but the blonde, blue eyed girl I met in the hallway.
Years had passed, and I was a senior at UCLA. I had a couple of relationships, but I devoted my time to sports and study. I realized that maybe I should stop playing around and handling my life like a ball. I noticed I needed to take a break from dating girls, and for a while I did.
Then came one night, I was sitting in a café, studying and drinking a cup of warm coffee. I saw a girl, running up to me, and for a moment, I watched it begin again.
That same instant, I noticed the young, beautiful women running towards me was Claire. I panicked for a second, and then I felt a strong feeling for revenge. I couldn't take it any longer, and when she came up to me, my love for her hid the powerful feeling of revenge.
"Ryan. It's you! I know you're not going to believe me, but trust me"
"What? You've hurt me Claire"
"I'm so sorry Ryan. Let me speak. They forced me"
And then I felt guilty. Who could have done such a thing? We loved each other so much and then all of a sudden, Claire tells me she doesn't feel the same way.
"Who forced you Claire? Speak now."
"Your ex-girlfriend back then forced me to."
"What? How did it happen? Tell me Claire."
"She told me that if she couldn't have you, then I couldn't either"
"But how could that stop you. Claire please tell me the truth all of it."
"She sneaked into my house one night, and she threatened to kill you. She put a bullet through my head, and she told me you and my family would die!"
By then we were hugging, and the story began.
It's been 6 years and I'm thirty years old. I'm sitting in a red couch next to my beloved wife. Her name is Claire, and she's holding my baby boy Liam in her arms and inside of her awaits our second baby. Liam is 5 years old, he loves his mommy, and he gets mad when I hug her. My boy is mad jealous, inherited from his father of course. I can't stand to see my wife next to anyone else. I went to her office once, coming from work, I stopped by and I see a guy flirting with her. My wife looked rather annoyed. My impatience and jealousy grew wild, I ran into the room. I grabbed the man by his tie and I dropped him to the floor. I hit his face with all my might and I warned him to never get close to wife.
From that day on, no man gets close to my wife. The only reason they stand feet away from her is to inform her about the status of the company. Claire is the manager of Johnson's Flight Center, where the most rich and famous take their private airplanes and jets. Since Claire is the manager, I have come to see many of my childhood idols. Even Liam has gotten to see Andrew Garfield from Spiderman. Unlike his mother, his father works as a lawyer. I feel rather annoyed by the fact that my wife works, but I can bring up the wildest excuse, and she still refuses to stop working. She loves her job, and she loves earning money for sure.
She teases me about high school sometimes, but I manage to have her forget my stupid years. I've met the love of my life, and now I'm living the dream. I think of when we met, and how I never even thought we would have a future together. Now, we're happily waiting for our second baby.
"Honey, today I would like to go shopping for some baby supplies, the baby is due in three months and we just have the crib and some clothing."
"Oh Yes Honey. I was thinking that you'd go to the doctor and see what the baby's gender is. It's driving me crazy, and I want to buy appropriate clothing."
"Ok. I had an appointment scheduled today. Do you plan on coming? I'm supposed to be there in like an hour."
"Of course I'm coming. Let's go now, so we can stop for a meal somewhere. Come on Liam. We're leaving" I say.
Liam jumps in excitement and drags me to the car. Liam and I get to our Nissan, and we wait for his mommy to get ready.
"Ok let's get going" she says as she gets in the car.
In the car, we listen to Liam telling us about that toy he saw last weekend. He begs us to get it for him.
"Well what is it sweetheart? Tell us about it?" I say curiously.
"It's the Spidey house Daddy. I want it so bally."
"Alright son, wait some time Liam, when your mommy's done at the doctors, we'll go get it for you."
"Yes, thanks Daddy. I love you."
"Ryan do you know how much that costs?"
"No Claire. Well seventy bucks or something"
"Oh Ryan, of course you would"
We finally reach the doctor's office, and we follow Claire as she leads the way to the eighth floor of the medical room. For the first time, we didn't wait as much. Ten minutes past, and we were inside the doctor's office.
The doctor examined Claire carefully, and then he started jotting some things down on a paper. The room was silent, except for Liam asking me excitedly if what I said about the toy was true.
"I see the baby folks."
'Great. How's the baby doctor?" I ask nervously.
"You mean how your little Claire is."
"What's wrong with Claire doctor?"
"Honey the doctor means we're expecting a baby girl," responds Claire.
The doctor said he'd be back soon. I ran to Claire and I noticed Claire was crying. I cried along, happily knowing we'll be so happy with our little girl. We both really wanted a little girl. We have Liam, a little boy, and we really wanted a female.
Afterwards, we took Liam to Toys R us and I happily got him the toy he wanted. We got our baby girl a princess stroller with crowns and princesses all over the cloth, the reason why Claire chose it.
Days have flied by, and the baby is due in two months. On my way home from work, I decided to stop by at Target, the night before, Claire really wanted popsicles so I got her some, I brought some clothing for the baby, and some toys for Liam.
As I reached home, I parked my car in the garage; I grabbed the bags, and rapidly went inside. I found the house environment strange. Usually Claire and my son are waiting for me in the living room and if not there somewhere else, but there's noise. This time, the house seems vacant, no letter, no noise. I rush upstairs looking for my family. I can feel my heart pounding, what has happened. I go to every room in the house, and then I go to our bedroom. When I get in, I see Liam quietly building a puzzle, by then I felt relief.
"Daddy, mommy is sleeping."
Well that made sense. Then I turned around and Claire was on the floor. Then I started to panic there was no way Claire would sleep on the floor. Then, I realized she fainted. I was so panicked that I didn't know what to do. I was screaming Claire, and I got no answer. Finally, I realized I should rush her to the hospital. I held her in my arms, and I managed to bring Liam down the stairs with us to.
I put everyone in the car, and I rushed to the hospital. I think I drove past a red light, but I really didn't care. I got my family to the hospital, and they took Claire in rapidly. I was asked to leave my son, but I refused. How could he stay in the waiting room with a stranger? I felt useless, and I rapidly called Claire's sister.
"Hello." She answered.
"Lindsay, I came home and I found Claire on the floor, I'm at the hospital, and she's in there alone, I couldn't come in with Liam, and I don't want to leave him with a stranger. Please, Pat can you come over here." I say now crying.
"Yes. Ryan. How could you ask me this? I'm going you don't need to beg me. Oh my gosh. I'll be there in a few minutes."
I felt desperate, and I kept asking the receptionist about Claire's condition. I felt desperate to know how my wife and my baby were doing.
Finally, my sister in law came in, I handed her Liam, and I rushed into the doors. The nurse led me to a room, where I found Claire with a million tubes. The nurse left and I started to cry, just seeing Claire lying down hurt me. How is she? How come no one informs me?
Just then the doctor came in.
"Doctor, please tell me the situation." I begged.
"Listen, your wife and your baby are under critical conditions. Your wife is in a coma, and we're trying our best to save them both."
"Doctor NO! This can't happen. Why? Why to me?" I say crying desperately.
"I'm sorry Mr. Edwards, you have to be strong. This unexpectedly occurs to one of one hundred pregnant women. Your wife is one of them. I'm sorry. We're trying our very best sir"
"Well then try. Save them doctor."
I'm left with Claire, her body is covered in a blanket, and I can see the bump in her stomach. I begin to cry thinking of all the possibilities that can emerge from this state of being. I felt lonely and useless. Why did I go to Target? If I wouldn't have, Claire would be awake. Our baby would be fine, we would be happy. My mother in law comes in and starts crying as well. She whispers a million things and I can't keep up. Her talking makes me nervous. Her words seem to be praying for her acceptance to heaven.
"Pat. Are you trying to say Claire is going to die?"
"Yes son. No woman makes it out in her conditions. If it weren't for that stupid baby, my daughter would be fine. There's no reason for you to cry Ryan. You caused it. So if my daughter dies, I'm killing you. Listen. I'm killing you."
"Mam, how could you say that? Don't make me feel worse, I'm hurt already, leave my wife alone, and don't call my daughter stupid. You'll regret it, but I don't let anyone offend my children," I say fiercely.
"Who are you to tell me? I'm done here, and when she dies don't call me. She's stupid herself for marrying somebody as useless as you. How could she fall for you?"
"Listen. Leave. Don't offend Claire in front of my face, I don't care if you're her mother, but I will kick you out myself.
She leaves and I begin to whine and tear up. I lean up close to Claire and I realize her breathing is slow and full of hope. Claire is strong; I know she'll make it out of this. My love for her is stronger than anything, and I'll stay with her, even if it's five years. Just then the doctor came in.
"Mr. Edwards, The other doctors and I decided we are going to take the baby out for a greater chance of survival for both the baby and Mrs. Edwards.
They make me sign some paper work and they take her out. I kiss her goodbye. Unfortunately, I couldn't go in with her so I wait in the room they'll bring her back. I pray to god every minute hoping time would fly faster. Three hours had past, and I was sitting in a chair, lying back imagining how my family would come to be.
Suddenly, the nurses walk in with Claire's bed and stand her bed next to my chair. The doctor comes in with a smile in his face and informs me about the operation that took place.
"Mr. Edwards, It's a girl. We were able to save her and the nurses are bringing her over. However, Claire lost a lot of blood in the process, and she's still in comma. I don't know how long she's going to be in this condition, it could be days, weeks, months, and even years, and I don't really want to say forever."
He leaves and I am welcomed by a beautiful baby. I hold her in my hands and she magically touches my heart as I feel happiness and excitement in my soul. When I look at her, her face is perfectly shaped, her eyes are blue, and her hair is blonde. Instantly, I realize she looks exactly like Claire, she's beautiful. That moment, I knew her name would be Bridget, meaning strong, Bridget Claire to be exact.
Four months have passed, and I'm sitting on a chair, I'm watching Liam hugging his mommy who sleeps peacefully on a bed. Bridget looks at me with her beautiful blue eyes, and we all wait patiently for Claire to awake from her months of sleep. Since the day I found her, she hasn't waked up. I'm scared as the days go by, but I don't lose hope. My son tells me he's hungry, so I leave to the snack bar with Bridget. Liam tells me he wants to stay with his mother, so I let him.
When I returned, I heard voices in the room, when I came in, I see its Claire who's crying and hugging Liam really hard.
"Claire. I scream. You're back. Honey you're back"
"Ryan, I love you. How long was I gone, who's that baby Ryan? Are you married?"
No sweetie, she's our baby. I named her Bridget meaning strong. "
"You mean she made it?'
"Yes love, she made it, and so did you."
"Oh Ryan. I can't believe it."
One year has passed since the terrible accident. We live in our two story house. It's Christmas, and our kids are opening their presents. We sit in our sofa, hugging, watching as our kids smile in delight. I give Claire her present she opens it and says "You bought a house in New York. You knew I always wanted to live there. Thank you so much honey."
As time has passed, I'm watching snow fall from our New York Window. I hear Claire running towards our kids, pretending not to find them. I smile to myself, seeing my beautiful family. The one I always wished for. The loves of my life.