Rose was now two weeks overdue to give birth and she had never been in a worse mood. Her body ached all over, her feet were swollen, she was hungry all the time, and most of all, she just could not get comfortable. She was ready to have this baby already! If only the baby would agree.
Jack was sitting at the edge of the bed, portfolio in hand. In the last days of Rose's pregnancy, he had taken to drawing her in several positions, from standing to laying down. From fully clothed to completely naked. He loved the naked ones best. There was just something about drawing her nude belly, full of the life that they had created together. There was something surreal and beautiful about that and he thought that it was his best work.
"How about lifting your dress...a last peak at the concealed life within," Jack grinned, turning to a blank page.
Rose sighed, rolling her eyes as she pulled up her dress to reveal her gigantic stomach. "Honestly, it's twins again. It has to be," She pouted a little, noticing how Jack was back to drawing once again. "Honestly, I think you love this baby more than me."
Jack just laughed. "I adore both of you, Rosebud. You know that. You and the little seedling you carry."
"This seedling feels like a tree," Rose sighed, placing a hand against her belly and wincing at another pain that shot through her back. She's been having a back ache all day. As soon as Jack was finished, she was going to have him give her a massage.
"Keep your hand right there...that's perfect," Jack grinned.
Rose sighed and tried her best to relax while Jack worked. It was hard to do since her back was really bothering her. "Jaaack. My back hurts."
Finishing his drawing, he looked at her and frowned. "Poor Rose. Do you want me to rub it for you?"
"Would you?"
Jack simply smiled. As if she had to ask. He'd do anything for her, really. He got up and had her scoot over so he could sit on the edge of the bed beside her. He gently placed his fingers on her back and began to massage the tight muscles. "Sweetie, you're so tense. It can't be good for the baby."
"I don't think...oh god," She gasped as she felt warm liquid slide down her legs and the pain spread from her back to her abdomen. "My water just broke..."
"Ah, finally. That wasn't a normal backache, that was labor," Jack chuckled, kissing the back of her neck, before getting to her feet. "Relax as much as you can, I'll go get the doctor..."
Rose grabbed Jack's hand and held on tight. "Don't leave me...please..." She couldn't say why, but she was scared. It's been years since she gave birth last and Jack's presence was keeping her from panicing completely.
Jack frowned in concern, seeing the fear in his wife's eyes. "Okay...I'll send mom for the doctor, alright?"
Rose just nodded, biting back a moan. "Tell her to hurry..."
Jack disappeared for about three minutes and then was back by Rose's side, holding her hand in his. "She's getting the doctor and taking the kids to Janie's. Hang in there, sweetie..."
Rose moaned as another contraction gripped her. She looked at Jack with tear-filled green eyes. "I'm scared, Jack...it hurts..."
"I know...I'm sorry, Rose. If I could do this for you, I would..."
"I know...just don't leave me...please..."
"Wild horses couldn't drag me away, my love," he kissed her sweaty forehead.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the doctor arrived, followed by a nervous Irene and a nurse. The nurse placed a gentle hand on Jack's shoulder.
"Young man, I am afraid that you must step outside now. It is inappropriate for you to be here..."
Jack sighed. He knew that it was going to be a fight, but he was determined to stay. He had made a promise and he wasn't going to break it. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going anywhere. Rose is my wife. This is my baby. I was there to see our twins into the world and I'm going to be here to see my new son or daughter arrive and I'm going to hold her hand as I do. I'm not leaving. Now you can either do your job, or stand here and argue with me the whole time. But I rather that you help my wife and let me hold her hand and keep her calm, just like I did before, when she birthed two babies."
"But this is inappropriate! No man stays with the wife during birth! It's against tradition!"
"Nurse Striker, just let the young man alone. There's no harm in him staying as long as he stays out of the way. Now get down here and make sure that Mrs. Dawson is ready for a safe birth," The doctor commanded, not in the mood to argue. He knew all too well how stubborn some husbands can be at the birth of their children.
"Jack!" Rose cried out as another pain gripped her.
"It's okay, Rose. I'm right here. I told you that I was going nowhere, didn't I?" He squeezed her hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, urging her to lean more against him. "Come on, let's take your mind off of the pain...Come Josephine in my flying machine and it's up she goes...up she goes..."
Rose tried to sing with him, but the pain was too much. She sobbed and squeezed her eyes shut, turning her head to press it against his chest. "I'm going to dieee!"
Jack shook his head. "No you're not. You're doing great in fact. You're bringing our baby into the world. Another symbol of the love we've fought so hard for. He or she is going to be beautiful, Rose. And this time, there's no war. We'll raise it together."
Rose screamed again as she felt the baby begin to crown. She tightened her grip on Jack's hand that his hand felt like it was going to be crushed.
"Okay, I need you to start pushing Rose! Come on, you can do it! Push!" The nurse demanded.
She cried as she squeezed her eyes shut and pushed as hard as she could. Feeling her energy seep out of her, she leaned against Jack, panting heavily. "I can't...I can't do it, Jack...I'm sorry..."
"Don't be silly, Rose. Of course you can do it. You pushed Josephine and Joesph out. You can do it again, I know you can. Just squeeze my hand and I'll hold you up. I won't let go. I promise...I just need you to push, one more time."
"That's right, Rose. Push."
She sobbed, wanting to insist that she can't, but she knew that there was no other choice. She had to have this baby and the only way to do that was to push. So she gathered what little strength she had left and pushed and pushed until she felt something tiny leave her body. She fell back into Jack's arms, totally drained of energy.
"It's a girl! You have a baby girl!" The doctor announced, handing the baby to the nurse, who wiped her off before handing her to Rose.
"Please tell me there's not another baby...I really can't push anymore," Rose breathed, remembering the shocking discovery of another baby the last time she gave birth.
The doctor and nurse laughed.
"Not to worry, Mrs. Dawson. There is only one baby this time," The nurse winked. "And a right pretty one she is. The best of both her parents it seems."
Rose looked at the tiny being that she had carried for nine months. Another daughter for Jack. She had strawberry blond curls and blue eyes and Rose's complexion. She was indeed a beautiful baby.
"Claire. Her name is Claire Marie Dawson..."
Jack smiled. He liked the name. There was something gentle and beautiful about it. "It's perfect..."
Looking at their daughter, it was love at first sight for Jack. He loved his new daughter, just as much as he loved his other three children. She was perfect in all ways and in his eyes had gained the beauty of her mother. He planned to spoil his little princess, just as he had spoiled Josephine.
But for Rose...her feelings were quite different as she stared at her newly born daughter. Where she had felt instant love and adoration towards her first two children...she felt nothing at all for her new daughter. There was an emotion there that she knew was love...but it was like...there was a wall between the emotion and her heart. It was there...she just wasn't feeling it as fully as she should and that horrified her! What did that say about her as a mother? Was this how her mother had felt when she gave birth to her? Was she indeed turning into her mother?!
Rose turned her head to look at Jack and saw the instant light of love that all parents had for their children and wanted to cry, because she knew that what she was feeling...it wasn't normal. It wasn't right...and she had no idea what to do about it. She turned her attention back to her daughter, a tear falling from her eyes, hoping that maybe this fog was left overs from the birth. That the wall between her daughter and herself would disappear. She couldn't go through life like this and she certainly couldn't become like her mother...that would be the worse thing of all...
