Not mine. Sorry, I didn't feel like doing it in another language.
"I hate you, you son of a bitch! You are never coming near me again! Do you hear me? Never! Or I'll cut off every man part I can!" I screamed at Ranger. "Oh, don't you laugh at me you bastard. This is all your fault. If I would have known this was going to happen, I would have come at you with a pair of scissors years ago." At this, Ranger paled a little. Finally the contraction passed and I leaned back into the bed.
"Is she always this riled up?" The doctor asked.
"Even more so now."
"Boy, you've got a lot to handle." The doctor shook his head. "I'll be right back Ms. Plum with your epidural."
I sighed.
"Babe, you're doing great." Ranger said to me, pushing a matted curl behind my ear.
"How can you say that when I was swearing at you like a truck driver five seconds ago."
"Because I love you and I know that it's just the pain talking."
"Are you sure about that?"
We looked at each other.
Just then Doctor Howard walked in. "Hello, Stephanie, I'm here to give you your epidural."
"You're a God." I said.
"Just concentrate on Carlos now."
"You thought I was a God a few days ago."
"Yes, well we were in bed and I wasn't in pain." I said kind of loud.
Everyone looked at me and Ranger smiled bigger. I saw the nurses fan themselves.
"Smug bastard."
"Yeah, but you love me anyway."
I shrugged then smiled at him.
"WHERE'S MY SKINNY WHITE GIRL?!" I heard Lula boom down the hall way. All the way down. Then she came in huffing and puffing with security and Tank on her heels. Leave it to Lula to make an entrance. "Thank God, I didn't miss it."
"Miss what?"
"The Batbaby birth. I brought my camera and everything."
"You are not videotaping my vagina giving birth!" I yelled as another contraction hit. I guess the drugs hadn't started to work yet.
"Relax, white girl, it's for your parents and friends. I'll videotape you after the birth. I wouldn't want to see that anyway." She gave a shiver.
Gee, I guess my vagina wasn't good enough for her.
"It's better for me." Ranger said coming closer to my ear.
"Okay, I'm going to need to see how dilated you are."
Ranger shot them a dirty look. "Whoops, that's my cue to leave." She grabbed Tank by the arm. Then he pulled me up and sat behind me.
"Okay, you're at about3 and a half centimeters. We gave you the epidural in time because it looks like your baby is ready to be born faster than anticipated."
Thank God.
Ranger continued to soothe me through the entire labor, even when I repeatedly threatened to cut off his manhood.
Six stressful hours later, I was sitting in bed holding Carlos Marco, weighing in at seven and a half pounds and twenty-two inches. Watching Ranger cut the umbilical cord and hold our son for the first time made me realize that I didn't want to be anywhere else. That if it had been Joe's child, that something would be lacking from this absolutely perfect moment. Director Lula had just left because the nurse had brought him in because it was time for his first meal.
"Now that's a beautiful sight." Ranger said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"What? My breast exposed?"
"No, what's on the other breast."
I looked down at our son. His skin was a shade lighter than Ranger's and he had his hair, nose and lips. He got my eyes and ears and is already showing my personality.
"You know, he might need some pointers there."
"Nope, he's got your sucking skills."
"You sure? I see another one…"
"Nope, we're good. You're just going to have to wait your turn."
"Babe," he came up to the head of the bed and kissed my hair. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For giving me the greatest gift you could've given me."
Awww, that's sweet.
"And for not taking out my manhood."
And there's the other shoe. Nope, still sweet.
"You're welcome."
"Smartass." He kissed me gently on the lips.
My parents came in shortly after I was done feeding Carlos. My mother already had tears in her eyes and they began to fall when she held her grandson for the first time. The expression on my father's face was similar to Rangers. He was grinning farther than I had ever seen him before. He finally got his grandson. Finally, no more girls. His parents came in shortly after mine and took their turns holding their grandson.
Ranger's phone went off. I saw his look of happiness go to his blank face.
No, oh God, no.
When he got off the phone, I knew.
"When do you leave?"
"Tonight."
I closed my eyes and willed that the tears wouldn't fall.
"No, no, NO! They can't do this to us!"
"This will fulfill the contract." I looked at Ranger, there were tears threatening to fall. He came and hugged me. "I know Babe, I know."
"We should get married."
"What?"
"I won't have you going away without that."
"I leave in four hours, there's no way…"
"We'll find a way. We already signed the license, right?"
"Yeah, but…"
"Then we need a priest." I looked up at Ranger. "Don't fight me on this. I will not let you leave if you deny me this."
"Babe, what good will it do?"
Tears were streaming down my face. "I don't want my son to ask his mommy why she's got a different last name from daddy if you don't come home."
He held my face in his hands.
"Father O'Malley is right outside." My mother piped in.
"Tank and Lula," Ranger said quietly to me. I nodded.
My mother rushed to find the priest, Tank, Lula and Grandma Mazur who went up to Orthopedics to find herself a nice package. It wasn't the wedding my mother wanted, but she put on a brave face for me as we said our vows. Hell, its not what I wanted, but I adapted for him.
Exactly forty five minutes after our son was born, I became Mrs. Ricardo Carlos Manoso.
And three hours after that, Ranger kissed me and his son for what I hoped wouldn't be the last time as he went to go serve his country for the last time.
Author's Note: Okay, sorry, this totally came out more angsty than I wanted it to. I was watching Grey's Anatomy and Denny was there (and if you know anything about that show, then you know exactly what I'm talking about) and it made me sad and it inspired me a little, in some twisted way...I think one more chapter? Read and Review! Thanks to those who have already!