5:00AM

Arnold wet the cloth again, wiping away my sweat. He looked dead tired, though he didn't complain. He simply smiled as he kissed my forehead and did the zillions of other things to keep me comfortable. Except talk about Phil. Ever since they came back neither one of them said a word about him. They just resumed their posts. Arnold next to me with Gertie on his side.

"How did he look?" I asked for the billionth time.

"We don't have to talk about him now," Arnold said, "He's a strong guy. He can get through this."

"But how do you know that!" I distressed. He shushed me as he brushed away the bangs from my eyes, trying his best to look happy. Mr. Simmons studied the fetal monitor while Phoebe studied me. Thankfully her hands had warmed.

"Well, that's a rap people. Ten centimeters and none to go," she said as she flicked her cloves into the trash. "Mr. Simmons could call for a delivery room?" She jumped up and down, clapping her hands. "I am so excited!" Nurse Simmons went to the rooms intercom system and started talking in some hospital speak I could not make out. I grunted though another contraction, feeling tired, sad, and ready to do anything to end my agony. The night was taking its toll on me.

"You can do this Helga. Come on, breathe it out," Arnold cooed, stroking my face. I took huge gulps of air and let them out slowly, bracing myself.

"Don't get tense, you have to relax," Phoebe said. Another nurse rolled in a transport bed next to mine while Mr. Simmons unhooked the fetal monitor straps. He smoothed away the gel he used for their placement and gently lowered my gown.

The contraction ended and suddenly I felt like this was happening to someone else. Phoebe and Simmons swirled around me, lifting me up, setting me on the bed, and pushing me out of the room.

"Good luck Helga," Nurse Simmons waved before turning back into the old room. The hall seemed faded, like a huge cloud had settled in around me. I could hear Arnold talking to me, but his words were hard to get. It wasn't until we got into the large delivery room that my head cleared. The funny thing was I didn't remember how we got there. I tried to recall the details of the hall and the people we might have seen on the way, and got nothing.

"Ok, hear we are." Phoebe said. They rolled me into a large room that had more machines then I could find uses for. The walls were a soft cream of pink. The bed next to me looked like the one in other room, only it had long loop-like handles on the head of it. When I was placed into it I noticed that it was more comfrey only there were no blankets.

"How are you feeling?" Arnold asked as she stood near me. He took my hand and rubbed his up and down my arm.

"How do you think she's feeling Grasshopper? She's about to crap out a head like yours!" She laughed. I growled.

"Oh, come on Ma-ma Bird, I heard Stella was nearly knocked unconscious when she was having this one, so I'd say your lucky!"

"Will you stop talking about the size of his head!" I shouted, "You're freaking me out!"

"Would everyone PLEASE calm down!" Phoebe directed as she placed my feet in the cold metal stirrups. "Alright, now you're going feel the urge to push, and that's good, but you should only push DURING a contraction." Phoebe directed again, smiling. Before I could think about what the urge might feel like another pain stabbed me, ripping out my insides. I screamed, flailing my arm around like a dying bug.

"OH MY GOD!" Arnold moved back some, not sure what to do. I could hear Phoebe telling me something, but my body was too gripped up in utter thought stopping hurt to listen. I whipped my head around to see Arnold, who looked just as scared as I did. That's when I felt something. It was like a slight tickle, only different. Soon, after what seemed like hours of stinging and tearing I finally understood what Phoebe meant. I had push like I was going to the bathroom.

"Come on, give us a big one," I heard my best friend say. I tensed up and then relaxed, gathering myself for what I had to do. It felt so weird, yet so right, like I was born to do this. I pushed hard, then harder as the contraction slowed. When it ended I stopped cold

"I can see the head! I can-oh wow that's some head! Holy Cow!" Phoebe exclaim. Another knife cutting contraction sliced at me and I started pushing again, wanting to scream everyone into silence. I sensed the head coming and it felt like a thousand punches hitting me inside and out. Then, something slipped. The punches inside waned and soon some unknowable object slithered out. It was large, yet felt so fragile and small.

"You did it Ma-ma Bird!" Gertie said as she slapped her knee. "I knew you would!" Arnold said the same, as did Phoebe. But I was too wiped out to hear them. Arnold cleaned my forehead and kissed me passionately.

"Were is he?" I asked when I broke away from the embrace.

"Getting cleaned up. Don't worry. He's right over here." Phoebe said. We all looked over and saw a nurse rapping him up. I nearly fainted when I saw his dome. It was just like Arnolds. In fact, most of what I saw looked like Arnold save for my eyes and nose. His body looked freakishly small under his sizeable head, or maybe that's how he looked all bundled up.

Arnold ran his hands around my arms again, being gentle.

"I can't believe that's him," he said.

"I know…." I wept slightly.

"He really is amazing."

"You bet grasshopper."

"Truly amazing," Phoebe gushed. Everyone quieted when the nurse brought him over. I held my hands out before she could reach me, too eager to hold the thing that almost made want death. When I finally got him into my hands I knew I never wanted to let him go. There was this overwhelming sense that who I was, and who I was meant to be, is his mother. Sappy, I know. But one look at his tiny smile and I was hooked. My whole world was him now.