A/N: Didn't want to wait on this one : )
Ps. Let's hope I got the year right lol

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THIRTY-THREE

THE BOY

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BOSTON

SPRING 1966

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She was tired and she was irritable. They had reached the end of March and were a few days into April and the baby had yet to arrive. They had been expecting his arrival any day. Lana was exhausted and uncomfortable with the situation at hand. Not to mention a bit anxious and impatient as well. The midwife was rather surprised but she said it was often common and didn't seem too worried. She called it post-term and told them the little baby would arrive when he was well and ready to do so. And so she gave Lana a genuine smile, a few supportive words and went on her way.

Before she left, she turned to Oliver and asked him to call her if anything changed. Oliver nodded in agreement and saw her out the door. Judy, who had grown in size since December, perched herself on the windowsill, watching with bright, lemon drop eyes as the midwife made her way down the driveway and to her car. Her sleek, black tail twirled back and forth. She wore a bright red collar with a little name tag that included her name and home address.

Lana looked down at her overgrown belly and frowned, "Get out." She ordered at it.

Oliver chuckled as he closed the door. "I don't think it works that way."

Lana's cheeks were flushed red and she shot an annoyed and rather irritable frown at him, "Don't start with me, Oliver." She huffed.

Her hair was up in a ponytail to help relieve herself of the heat but she looked as she beautiful as she always did.

Oliver wanted to chuckle at her fussy state but decided that if he wanted to live long enough to see his child be born, then he shouldn't push her buttons further. He walked over to the living room where Lana sat on the sofa. "Well, it's been nine months, what's a few more days?"

"That's easy to say when you're not the one carrying a watermelon in your gut." She quipped.

Lana couldn't remain comfortable long enough to sleep so she was awake at odd hours of the night. She had been for a few months now and found that reading to the baby helped to soothe them both.

Her ankles were swollen and her body temperature was always off. She dreaded the mild heat the spring brought and hoped the little visitor decided to sprout soon. Not to mention that his kicks had begun to hurt. Especially when he jabbed her right in the ribs.

"Fair enough." Oliver shoved his hands in his pockets and hung his head. His lips were pressed in a pensive line as he nodded in agreement. "Well, what can I do for you?" He pushed his glasses up with a finger.

"Get this kid out of me." She pouted her bottom lip.

Oliver laughed, "Lana, realistically."

She sighed, leaning back on the sofa. "Can you get me some root beer?"

Oliver raised a questioning brow, "Root beer? I thought you didn't like root beer?"

Lana closed her eyes, biting back the discomfort she felt as the baby kicked against her ribs again. "I know but it sounds appealing right now."

Oliver smiled gently and leaned over to kiss her forehead, "I'll head to the store then. Anything else?"

Lana pondered for a moment and looked at him with that sweet and innocent face, "Can you...can you bring those little powdered donut ball things?"

"Of course." He kissed her lips and looked into her eyes, wondering what he had done right in life to deserve her.

Lana smiled, holding back a nervous laugh, "What?"

"You're beautiful." He didn't hesitate to tell her, "Did you know that?"

Lana's cheeks blushed a deeper shade of red and she averted her bashful gaze, "I'm a mess."

"I beg to differ." He kissed her forehead again and went to retrieve the keys, "Alright Judy, watch over her while I'm gone." He told the cat and left, locking the door after himself.

Judy sat up, eyes alert and curious as she watched him through the window.

Laa remained seated until she managed to catch her breath. She then spent the next couple of minutes attempting to get off the sofa. Once she managed to get on her feet, Judy sat up from her spot on the sill and meowed.

"Are you hungry?" Lana asked her. Judy meowed again, "Come on, then." Lana waved her over as she made her way to the kitchen the best she could. Judy jumped off the sil and followed after Lana with her tail straight up, purring like a motor.

Lana opened the pantry and reached for the cat food. She always made sure Oliver brought home the good brand for Judy.

"Alright," Lana braced herself and slowly bent over as much as she could to drop some food in Judy's bowl. Judy twirled between Lana's legs, rubbing herself against her, the purring never stopping. "There you go." Judy darted for the bowl and began to eat without another meow. Lana smiled at the cat, "Good girl." And stood straight up, placing her hand on her back for support.

She took in a deep breath and exhaled, patting her stomach. "Okay, you. I know I said to take your time in there but you have to meet me halfway here." She leaned against the wall, "Just please go easy on me when you get here. I don't think I know what to do just yet."

There was a knock on the door and Lana froze. "Oliver?" She cautiously made her way to the door. Oliver had the house key, if he had come back for something, he wouldn't have knocked.

She looked through the peephole to see two young men at her door. Lana frowned and became cautious but she opened the door anyway.

Two young men, no older than twenty, dressed in black slacks and white button ups, smiled when they saw Lana.

"Hello, Ma'am, how are you today?" One asked.

Lana studied them before answering. They each carried a book in hand, "Hello. I'm doing as best as could be." She placed her hand on her pregnant belly.

The young men noticed her state but held their smiles, "Do you have a moment to talk about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?"

Lana kept her polite smile, "Oh, well, I've already had the pleasure but I have a neighbor three doors down that could use some saving." She gave them a nod and gently closed the door.

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Judy snuggled against Lana later that night while she and Oliver settled down to watch some television. Lana held the box of powdered donut holes, munching away at them. The baby had started to kick again.

"Hmm," Lana spoke up, "He's at it again."

Oliver sat up and placed his hand on her stomach, "Where?"

Lana placed her hand on top of his and moved it a few inches the side, guiding him to the movement, "Here." She watched as a grand smile spread across his face. There was always a look of pride and disbelief in his eyes when he felt his child move. It was as if he was feeling him for the first time.

"Wow, that never ceases to amaze me." He commented.

"He's a strong little one." She commented, "And very well baked by now." She referred to his lateness.

"Overdone?"

Lana laughed at his joke. "Very."

"Give little Morris a break. He's doing his best."

Lana scoffed, "I wish you would stop calling him that, it's not funny." She placed her hands over her stomach, protectively as if shielding him from his father's cruel jokes.

Oliver chuckled, "Well, what else am I supposed to call him?" They still hadn't settled on a name yet and the child was close to being born.

"Anything but that." Lana waved her hand. "I'll tell you, I can't wait for that joke to be over."

Oliver thought about Lana's list of names and which were at the top. She hadn't spoken her mind out loud but he was sure the right moment would come along.

And so the days passed, one after another. Lana grew even more impatient with the passing time. She took even longer walks in hopes of moving the process along but nothing happened.

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It was a Wednesday that week in April of 1966 when Lana felt a cold sensation down her legs. She opened her eyes to greet the darkness of their room. The clock on the nightstand claimed it was three in the morning. Lana stretched out her feet, confused by the wet feeling and sat up when her mind came fully to.

"Oliver?" Her voice was a hushed whisper. "Oliver?" It grew louder when Oliver didn't wake from his slumber. "Oliver!"

Oliver jolted awake and immediately sat up. "Lana? What's the matter?" He turned on the light and turned to her. She sat there, arms at her side, too afraid to move.

"I feel strange." Her voice broke, "Something's not right."

Oliver's eyes followed hers down to the foot of the bed. He pulled back the comforter to expose the wet sheets at Lana's feet. Her water had broken.

"Oh, Lana." Oliver froze for a moment. He felt as if he was dreaming. It was time.

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It was past six in the morning and Oliver paced back and forth in his living room. Judy had perched herself on the very top of the bookcase in the living room, alarmed by Lana's screams coming from the bedroom.

Ms. Nora had arrived with the help of another woman almost immediately after she received Oliver's phone call. She had advised him to wait in the living room like most fathers did but Oliver was an anxious mess. It had been hours since labor started and the baby had yet to be born. He tried to remind himself that labor often went for hours and in some occasions even days but the nerves wouldn't let him think straight.

He heard Lana call for him multiple times; her voice was laced with fear and confusion. Oliver feared she would fall into another manic episode but Ms. Nora's voice was always there to calm her. The hours passed until the clock hit eleven in the morning and Lana's cries continued. She sounded like she was in utter pain and Oliver couldn't help but to feel completely guilty for causing her such pain. Then suddenly, the door opened and Ms. Nora's assistant waved him over.

"She needs you." Was all she said.

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Lana felt her body tear apart into two and leaned her head back upon the pillows Ms. Nora's assistant had placed behind her. "I can't do this. I can't." She cried.

"Yes, you can." Oliver encouraged her as he took her hand, "You can do this."

Lana felt her body go numb and there was a ringing in her ears. She felt as if her soul had left her body and floated into the air. It was such a strange feeling; She felt herself begin to lose consciousness when she heard it.

The strong wails of new life.

"Goodness gracious." She heard Ms. Nora speak in a soft and loving voice, "Look at this precious boy."

Lana forced herself to sit up; her weakened body rattled and shook something awful but she wanted to see him. "A- a boy?" Her voice was almost gone and her eyes followed Ms. Nora as she turned around to quickly check his vitals.

She was covered in sweat and the tips of her hair stuck to her skin. She had wanted Oliver in the room with her for the birth of their first child and he had been there. He had been asked to wait out in the living room at first as was custom but Lana didn't care for the customs of their time. Now he stood, star struck in silence by the bed.

Nonetheless, in that moment, Lana just needed to see her son.

Mrs. Nora approached her and gently placed the little newborn baby boy in Lana's arms, resting him against her bare chest. Lana collected the new and fragile body, still covered in the remnants of his journey into life, letting him settle against her chest. Tears streamed down her face as she looked down at her little boy. So they had been right all along, it was a boy after all.

"Wow." She whispered to him, "Look at you."

The baby's cries settled down into a whimper; his little body shook from the cold of the new world but soon the warmth of his mother's skin began to calm him. His dark eyes opened into a squint, his little face was scrunched and swollen.

Lana lifted her hand and traced a finger along his plump cheek, feeling the softness of his skin. His fair skin held a pinkish hue and his little head was covered in wisps of dark hair. His fingers and hands were slightly pale and wrinkled as if he had overstayed his welcome in a bath. His hands unclenched from tiny fists, exposing the smallest fingernails Lana had ever seen.

She smiled at him as the tears dripped down from her flushed face, "Hi, little boy. I've been waiting to meet you..."

Even though her body felt torn and her muscles ached, she felt a surge of heavenly bliss. No one said childbirth would be easy or clean but in that moment Lana felt as if she was floating.

She caressed his head, feeling the softness of his hair, just taking in every little part of him. It was amazing to think that she had been terrified of something so small. But her heart broke at the mere sight of him and she found that she could never part with him. Even though she believed that he deserved so much better, her heart was selfish and she wanted no one else to love him but her and his father.

Ms. Nora smiled at Lana, "What do you think?"

Lana couldn't hold back the laughter of joy that escaped her, "He's the most precious thing I've ever seen." She looked up at Ms. Nora in disbelief, "We made this?" She referred to herself and Oliver.

Ms. Nora and her assistant chuckled, "Yes, my dear. He's all yours."

Oliver felt everything stop when he heard the wails of his child emerg into the world with the strength of a title wave. He stood back up to his feet and waited. Every single passing moment felt like an eternity and he was ready to meet his child. Mrs. Nora stood there with a smile. She looked as tired as she must have felt but was elated no less.

"Dr. Thredson?" She addressed him, "Would you like to meet your son?"

Oliver made his way to the foot of the bed, watching in silence, not wanting to interrupt the moment between mother and son. He knew how important it was for the mother and child to bond right after birth and did not wish to disrupt that. Still, his eyes laid upon the bundle in Lana's arms as it moved slightly. Tiny little grunts emerged and Oliver couldn't help but step closer until he found himself sitting at the side of the bed next to Lana.

He had a son; the words still rang in his ears.

Lana looked up at him and couldn't contain her smile. "He's finally here."

Oliver grinned from ear to ear as he got a good look at the infant in her arms.

"He's quite the butter ball, isn't he?" Lana asked with another small laugh and placed her finger in the palm of his hand. She watched as his tiny fingers wrapped around it.

"He is very beautiful, Lana." Oliver spoke gently as to not startle the baby but he smiled from ear to ear, eyes swelling with emotion and pride. His heart filled as if it would burst. "But yes, he is." Mrs. Nora had yet to weigh and measure him but he was a chunk of a newborn. He had definitely benefited from his late check out.

Lana sniffled, speaking in the same calm and soft tone. "He's indeed a very sweet little thing too." The tears continued to stream down her face as her exhausted body slowly began to come down from the adrenaline of it all. Muscles she didn't even know she had ached fiercely and she could barely feel her legs. Childbirth had been an immensely different pain than electroshock therapy.

In that moment, Ms. Nora excused herself and her assistant while they went outside to fetch what they needed to clean and check the boy. Labor had started so abruptly that they didn't have time to unload everything upon arriving.

The baby made a small sound and Lana laid her eyes back upon him. He was so helpless and small Lana felt that same endearing feelings begin to tear the seams in her heart. Lana closed her eyes, the image of the orderlies coming to take the boy away filled her mind and her body trembled.

Oliver noticed her tighten her hold on the boy who gave out a little whine and became worried, "Lana? Are you okay?"

Lana shook her head, her eyes closed shut as her bottom lip trembled. "They're going to come take him. You can't let them take him." Her voice filled with panic and Oliver quickly stood to his feet.

"Lana, Lana, listen to me." He tried to coax her out of the panic attack she was clearly having.

Lana held the baby against her chest as she rocked back and forth. The baby began to wail and squirm about, startled not by the tight embrace of his mother but by her panicked cries. Oliver began to panic but quickly thought on his feet and placed his hands on her face, "Lana, look at me. Just look at me." Lana met his eyes, still in her panicked state. "Breathe, you're scaring him."

"They'll take him." She muttered in between sobs, "They'll take him from me!"

"No, no, I promise you that no one will take him from you. I will not let that happen." He softly loosened her hold on the wailing infant, gently calming her. "Look at him."

Lana looked down at the baby as she felt the fear slowly calm itself. His eyes were closed and he squirmed about, angry for being startled.

"He's safe here with you and me. No one will take him from us. He's ours, alright?" He kissed her forehead and looked into her eyes as he spoke, "He's where he's supposed to be. He's home."