Authors notes: People have been begging and pleading for me to finish Reunion. I post two new chapters and what happens? I get exactly two reviews. Now this is a trend that has to change. I want to hear what you think. No flames please.
Authors Notes II: I had originally planned to write one chapter for each original BSC member (Kristy, Claudia, Mary-Anne and Stacey) with one more as a reunion scene. Hence the title. Well it didn't work out that way. Somehow I ended up concentrating on Kristy with the other characters taking more peripheral roles. Sometimes a story will go in directions you didn't expect and to change that direction ruins the work. Reunion picked it's own path and I think it is a good one.
"Guys! I need a little help here!" Kristy yelled down the stairs, heedless of the sleeping baby. Luckily Mimi elected to remain asleep. Kristy didn't dare move. She didn't want to make more of a mess than she had to.
"What's wrong?" Claudia came charging into the room and headed for the crib. "Is Mimi all right?"
"Claud the baby's fine. It's me who needs help." The rest of the women were crowding into the room as Kristy spoke. "I think my water broke." She gestured to the puddle on the floor. "Sorry about the carpet."
"That's not important. Are you having contractions?" Claudia took charge of the situation, as she was the only one with actual childbirth experience.
"Not yet. You think maybe I'm not in labor yet?" Kristy asked. This was really not the time or place for the baby to come. Her doctor was in Seattle, as was the adoption agency.
"Not a chance," was the cheerful reply. Abby had just finished her OB rotation and felt herself sliding into doctor mode. "Water breaking will only end with the baby coming out. That nice little bubble that it's living in for the last nine months has popped, and now he or she has to be born. And that means we're taking you to the hospital." As she spoke, Abby was leading Kristy down the stairs. "Who's driving?"
"My car's out front. Abby you're coming, and I got room for one more," Mary-Anne said. "Who's it going to be?"
"I'll go," Dawn volunteered. "If nothing else I can pace up and down for you."
"That's settled. Mallory, you and Jessi go over to the Brewers and get Kristy's stuff. And tell Mrs. Brewer what's going on," Claudia was handing out coats and purses while she talked. "I have to stay here. Mimi is still asleep and I can't leave her. As soon as Alan comes home or I can find a sitter, I'll be there."
"I'll stay with you Claudia. No sense in you getting all lonely." Stacey may have apologized to Kristy but she was still uncomfortable with idea of going to the hospital. It was just a reminder of what she couldn't have and the wounds were just still too fresh.
"All right then, let's get going." Mary-Anne dug out her keys and led the little parade out to her car. Abby got Kristy settled in the back, while Dawn rode up front next to Mary-Anne. Kristy was starting to look a little freaked out. Jessi's car pulled out behind them and headed for Kristy's mother's house.
The contractions started about two minutes after they pulled out of the driveway. Kristy was in the very back, propped up against some pillows and sitting on a couple of towels. She felt her entire stomach tighten. The sensations lasted for about 30 seconds, and then subsided. There was no real pain, just a sense of pressure. "I think I'm having contractions," Kristy announced.
"We'll be there soon," Mary-Anne reassured her. "Are you in any pain?"
"No. It didn't last very long and it just felt like pressure." Kristy wiggled around a little to try to relieve the pain in her back. "I think it'll be awhile before anything major happens.
"Have you taken a birthing class?" Abby asked. "Lamaze or Bradley maybe?"
"No. I'm starting to wish I had though." She sucked in her breath as another contraction gripped her stomach. She relaxed again after it passed. "That one hurt."
"How's your back?"
"Hurts, but that's nothing new. I've had permanent backache for the last three months. Are we there yet?" Kristy suddenly had an overwhelming desire to be in a hospital, surrounded by medical professionals who knew everything about childbirth.
"Here we are. I'm going to go around to the emergency room." Mary-Anne followed the red signs and sighed in relief as the ambulance bay came into view. Dawn agreed to park the car while Abby and Mary-Anne escorted Kristy inside. The nurse at the admitting desk took one look at Kristy and brought a wheelchair around.
"Are you in labor honey?" Kristy gratefully sank into the wheelchair. The short walk from the car had left her legs feeling like jelly. She was convinced that she wouldn't be able to stand up for much longer.
"Yeah. My water broke about 30 minutes ago, and then the contractions started."
"The pains are about every five minutes, and last for 30-45 seconds," Abby added. "She's starting to feel some pain, and her back is hurting."
"Okay. I need you to fill out some paperwork for me, and then we'll get you upstairs. Have you called your doctor yet?"
Kristy shook her head and waited for the contraction to pass before she answered. "I'm from out of town. I wasn't due for three weeks."
"Well it looks like this kid would like to come out sooner." The nurse handed over a clipboard with the necessary papers. Mary-Anne got to work filling everything in, with Kristy supplying information between contractions. The pains were getting worse. As soon as the hospital had her medical history and insurance info, Kristy was taken upstairs and settled into a labor room. Abby stayed downstairs to find Dawn, while Mary-Anne went with Kristy.
Before Kristy could really process what was going on, she found herself in a hospital bed and hooked up to a fetal monitor. A different nurse came in to put an IV in her hand, and check the baby's heart rate. Then the on-call doctor came in to examine Kristy.
"You must have been contracting for awhile and not realized it Miss Thomas. You're all ready dilated seven centimeters." Dr. Marissa Hanson was the on-call doctor. She was cheerful and efficient as she read the chart, then checked Kristy over. "You're doing great. How's the pain? Are you holding up?"
"Yeah. I can handle it," Kristy replied. She was feeling more than a little overwhelmed by the events of the day.
"All right then. I'll check back in a little while." The doctor adjusted the drip on the IV, then left.
"Mary-Anne?"
"Yes Kristy?"
"Can you have everyone stay in the waiting room? I really don't want to do the crowd thing right now. This is scary enough." Kristy sighed, then gritted her teeth. The contractions were getting intense.
"No problem. I'll tell them to stay put. Do you want me to stay there, or with you?"
"With me," Kristy managed to gasp out. Mary-Anne nodded and slipped out of the room to deliver her messages. Dawn and Abby were at the nurse's desk talking to Mallory and Jessi. They all agreed to keep the crowd out there. Mrs. Thomas was on her way, along with all of Kristy's brothers and sisters. Karen's friend Nancy agreed to watch Serena, Kelly and Mimi at the Thomas's house. Claudia was going to drop the baby off on her way to the hospital. She and Stacey had decided that they didn't want to sit around the house, and had called Jessi's cell phone to let them know. Mallory handed Mary-Anne the bag for Kristy and told her to tell Kristy they were rooting for her.
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"Kristy is there anyone you'd like for me to call?" Mary-Anne asked about two hours later.
"You mean the adoption agency?" Kristy said with a wry smile. "Not yet. I can't think about that right now. I just want to get through this first." She doubled over as another contraction ripped through her system. It was all she could to keep from screaming. The pains were getting longer each time, and coming closer together. The nurses and doctor were in and out, constantly checking her progress. "I hope this is over soon."
"You're doing great Kristy. Just hang in there." Mary-Anne took her friend's hand and immediately regretted that move. Kristy was very strong and if felt like her hand was being crushed. As soon as the grip eased, Mary-Anne pulled away. Kristy didn't notice. There was almost no time between the contractions now. The pain was unbelievable. It felt like something was trying to claw its way free of her and there was no escape. Despite her best efforts, a scream tore loose from her throat. Mary-Anne went to find Dr. Hanson.
"You're fully dilated Miss Thomas. Let's get this baby born." The room was full of people all of a sudden. A couple more nursed came in, along with a pediatrician for the baby. One of the nurses handed Mary-Anne a green paper gown and mask and told her to put them on if she wanted to stay. Kristy was oblivious to the controlled bedlam around her. She was gasping with the pain and trying desperately to hold on and not scream. Two of the nurses propped Kristy into a semi-sitting position while Dr. Hanson took up the catcher's position at the end of the bed. Mary-Anne finished getting into the sterile drapes and pushed through the crowd to her friends' side.
"This is it Kristy. Push when the doctor tells you to." Kristy nodded and grabbed Mary-Anne's hand. The next contraction came and she bore down with all her might. The baby stayed right where it was.
"That was great. You keep that up and the baby will be here real soon," Dr. Hanson said. "Push with every contraction, nice and steady. How's the fetal heart rate?"
"Steady at 140. Everything looks good." One of the nurses answered as she examined the printout from the fetal monitor. "The baby's in great shape."
"Hear that Kristy? You're doing great." Mary-Anne had no idea what she was doing, but she figured that keeping Kristy's spirits up was part of her job. "It won't be long now."
"It hurts." Kristy began to cry, and then to scream as another contraction seized her. "I can't do it. I can't."
"Yes you can. You can do it. More to the point, you have to do it. The baby is going to come out whether you like it or not," Dr. Hanson said cheerfully. "And you're really close. You give a few more good pushes and the head will be out. That's the hard part. Now push!"
Mary-Anne helped the nurses prop Kristy up again as she pushed with all her strength. Her face turned red and she began to scream with the effort. This kept up for the next hour. The baby decided to be shy, and was no longer as eager to come out. Kristy was beginning to feel like a wrung out dishrag, and Mary-Anne was fairly certain that a bone in her hand was broken. But she didn't dare pull away from Kristy. The young mother had finally settled into a rhythm of pushing and Mary-Anne didn't dare disturb that.
"I've got a good view of the head. Big push now, give it everything you've got," Dr. Hanson called out. Kristy moaned and bore down with the contraction. She felt the baby begin to move with her efforts. The need to push overwhelmed her exhaustion and she gave into it, pushing with all her strength.
"The head's out! Stop pushing for a minute. Relax," the doctor ordered. Kristy complied, falling back against the pillows. She felt so drained she could hardly move.
"Okay Miss Thomas, one gentle push and you're done. With the next contraction. Go!"
Kristy couldn't believe she had any energy left in her body. She took a deep breath and bore down, using the very last of her strength. She let out a horrific scream as she did.
"It's a girl!" Dr. Hanson held up the screaming infant for her mother to see. Kristy fell back onto the bed, utterly drained and unable to do more than stare at the child. Dr. Hanson cut the cord and carried her over to the pediatrician. "Looks nice and healthy, and around eight pounds. Good set of lungs at least." The baby was shouting as loud as she could at her new surroundings. Mary-Anne leaned over and mopped the sweat off Kristy's face.
"You did it Kristy. It's a little girl." Kristy just closed her eyes and relaxed for the first time all day. It had to be evening now. She had no idea how much time had passed or how long she'd been in labor. "Do you want to see her?" The exhilaration was beginning to wear off, and Mary-Anne now remembered Kristy's plans.
The baby quieted down as she was cleaned up, dressed and wrapped in a blanket. The pediatrician finished his exam and declared Baby Girl Thomas to be healthy. She weighed 8 lbs, 4 oz, and measured 20 inches in length. Under the little pink cap she had a dusting of light brown hair. Her eyes were the milky blue of all newborns. Her face was red from her hours in the birth canal, and her head slightly cone shaped. Mary-Anne thought she was just beautiful. "Do you want to see her Kristy?"
Kristy swallowed. This was it. The moment of truth. She'd told herself all through her pregnancy that she didn't want to see the baby when it was born. It would be easier to go through with the adoption if she didn't have to see what she was giving up. But now the baby was here, a girl. She had a daughter. She was a mother. If she said she didn't want to see the baby (her little girl), then she was saying she still wanted to go through with giving her up. If she said yes, she wanted to hold her child then she knew she'd never let her go.
Mary-Anne mad her way slowly down the hall to the waiting room. It was nearly midnight and she was dead on her feet. Her left hand was throbbing and somewhere in her exhaustion fogged brain she suspected that it might be broken. She didn't think about that now. She just wanted to deliver the news to the family and friends in the waiting room, and then she wanted to crawl into bed for about five days.
The waiting room was packed. Mrs. Brewer, Charlie, Samantha, Sam, Stacey, Claudia, Dawn, Abby, Mallory, and Jessi occupied all the available chairs, with Mallory and Jessi sitting on the floor. They all stopped talking and stood up as Mary-Anne walked in. David-Michael, Karen, Andrew and Emily Michelle had been sent home hours earlier to relieve Nancy of her sitting charges.
"It's a girl. 8lbs, 4oz and completely healthy. Kristy's fine too. She's sleeping now." Mary-Anne swayed a little on her feet. She felt lightheaded. "You guys should go on home. You won't be able to see either of them tonight." Nick reached out and caught her before she fell. "She did ask me to stay with her and the doctor said it was all right."
"Honey I don't think that's a very good idea," Nick said. "You need sleep."
"They'll set up a cot for me. I have to stay. Kristy's having a hard time and she really needs me." Mary-Anne fought the temptation to give in and go find a real bed. "I'll see you in the morning."
Talking quietly amongst themselves, the large group made their way towards the exit. Mrs. Brewer hung back and waited until all the others were out of earshot before turning to Mary-Anne.
"Did she say she anything about the adoption?" She was praying that Kristy would change her mind once she saw the child. A girl. She had another granddaughter.
Mary-Anne shook her head. "She didn't want to see the baby. Other than that, she didn't say. The delivery was pretty hard and she fell asleep so fast it looked like she passed out. The doctor said that rest was the best thing for her now. I guess we'll find out in the morning."
"You're so good to her Mary-Anne. Kristy's very lucky to have a friend like you." Mrs. Brewer stretched and picked up her purse. "I'd better get going. Tell my daughter that I'll be back in the morning and that we're going to talk. She's not slinking out of town like she did the last time."
"I'll tell her when she wakes up Mrs. Brewer."
"Please, call me Elizabeth. You're too old to keep up this 'Mrs.' Business."
"Okay. I'll give her the message when she wakes up." Mary-Anne gingerly hauled herself back to her feet and headed for the elevator. She really should get her hand looked at.
Three X-Rays, two doctors and a splint later, Mary-Anne made her way back up to the Maternity Ward and her friend's bedside. Her hand wasn't broken, just badly bruised. The doctor had wrapped it and told her to take it easy for the next two or three days. The cot was waiting just where Dr. Hanson had said it would be. Mary-Anne gratefully sank down and barely remembered to remove her shoes before she felt asleep.
She woke up the next morning to the sound of a nurse moving around the room. Kristy was still asleep and remained so as her blood pressure was taken and the IV removed. The clock on the wall read 7:30 am. Mary-Anne quietly used the bathroom, and then went in search of the cafeteria. The sleep had done her a lot of good, but she desperately wanted coffee. Kristy was awake and staring at a breakfast tray went Mary-Anne returned.
"Hey. Welcome back to the land of the living. How are you feeling?"
"Sore and achy. I can hardly move with something making me wince." Kristy poked the scrambled eggs with a fork and made a face. "I'm starving. In fact I'm so hungry that I could actually eat this stuff." She took a deep breath and downed a bite of the eggs. "Not too bad." Within a few minutes the tray was clean. Mary-Anne settled down in the chair next to the bed and drank her coffee while Kristy ate.
"Your mom wants to see you at some point today. She says that she needs to talk to you."
"Meaning she wants to know if there is anyway to change my mind about giving the baby up." Kristy looked down at her hands. "If you'd asked me yesterday if I was still going to go through with it, I'd have said yes. But now everything's changed. She's here. I have a daughter. And I have no idea what the best thing for her is." She looked up again, her eyes brimming with tears. She'd cried more on this trip home than she had in the last five years. "Isn't that what parents are suppose to do? Do the best thing for their children? I'm supposed to put her first now, not me."
"That's true. But Kristy, you have to think of yourself a little. You have to live with this choice. If it's going to hurt you this much to give her up, then don't do it. Be a mom instead. Raise your daughter and love her and make a life for the two of you."
"But nothing has changed in my life. I'm still single. I have a high- pressure job that involves a ton of travel. Her father still won't admit she exists. I live on the opposite side of the country from my entire family. And I'm not exactly the picture of stable mental health. How can I subject that little girl to a life like that?"
Mary-Anne was silent for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "That's a load of crap Kristy. There are plenty of single mom's out there who do just fine raising their kids. You can change jobs or ask your company to adjust your hours. They have to by law. If the lack of family is bothering you, then move home. As for your mental health, I was worried about you when you got here. I'm not so worried anymore. You may be a sniffling, sobbing mess most of the time but you're allowing yourself to feel for the first time in five years. You're healing and that's good. I can't do anything about Nathan being involved, but he can be forced into child support if nothing else. He's a rat bastard and there's really nothing else to be said about him."
Kristy stared at her friend for a minute. Then she burst out laughing, which soon turned to groans. "Don't make me laugh. It hurts when I do." She took a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself. "What does she look like?"
"Beautiful. She has light brown hair and blue eyes but those could change, as she gets older. She weighed 8lbs, 4oz and is 20 inches long. Her face was kind of red but that'll fade. She looks a lot like your old baby pictures."
"I think I'd like to see her." Kristy took another deep breath and wiped her eyes. "I'd like to see her."
"Okay. I'll go get the nurse to bring her down." She got up and headed for the door.
"This doesn't mean I've changed my mind about the adoption," Kristy added. "I just want to see her before I make any decisions."
"That's fine. No pressure." Mary-Anne ducked out and headed for the nurses station. She was back a few minutes later, accompanied by a nurse who was pushing a bassinet in front of her. Kristy hauled herself up to a sitting position and stared as the nurse picked up the little pink bundle. Carefully, the baby was settled in her mother's arms.
Kristy just stared in awe at the baby she held. She was awake but not crying. Her eyes were open, revealing their milky blue color. "You're right. She looks like those old pictures of me." The baby opened her mouth and made a soft cooing sound. Kristy began to cry again, the tears pouring down her face. "Hi there beautiful. Isn't she gorgeous Mary-Anne?"
"She's lovely."
Kristy ran a cautious finger over the baby's cheek. "Her skin is so soft. And she's so little. How can she be this little? I mean, look how big I got." She looked up at her friend and smiled. "She's perfect, isn't she?"
"She is. You have a perfect baby girl." Mary-Anne didn't want to say too much right now. Kristy had to make the choice on her own.
"Hi sweetie. I'm your mommy. The person you've been kicking for the last five months. I had morning sickness and weird cravings and heartburn and backaches and swollen ankles for you. I got fat for you, and went through hours and hours of never-ending pain to get you here. I worked so hard for you. And I love you so much. I've just met you, how is it that I love you so much?" Kristy was really sobbing now. "Jillian Margaret Thomas. That's your name. I hope you like it. I'm Kristy, your mom. You don't have a dad right now, but I'll do my best to find you a good one Jillian. And I'll do my best to raise you right. Help you grow into a wonderful woman, one who's smarter than her mom. You'll take ballet lessons and play soccer. You can join Girl Scouts and I'll be your leader. We can play softball together. I use to play all the time. I even coached a team once. And you'll have a big, huge family with lots of aunts and uncles and cousins. They're going to love you so much. I can't wait to see their faces when they meet you. You're never going to be lonely or want for anything. You can do anything you want. You've got the whole world in front of you and I'll always be there for you, no matter what." Kristy held her baby tight and continued talking to her as Mary-Anne slipped out of the room. She was going to start crying soon and she didn't want Kristy to see. Besides, that was a private moment between mother and daughter that she shouldn't intrude on.
She came back a few hours later to find Kristy in the exact same spot, still holding the baby. "Hi. Feeling better?"
Kristy smiled, a peaceful, serene smile. "I guess you've figured out that I'm not giving her up."
"I kind of guessed when you started telling her how you would be her Girl Scout leader." Mary-Anne sat back down and watched her friend interact with her daughter. "You look pretty comfortable with this 'mom' thing."
"I just can't imaging not having her. Isn't that weird? I've known her less than a day and I can't imagine not having Jillian in my life."
"I think that's a sign that you're going to be a really good mother."
"I hope so." Kristy shifted the baby to her other arm and carefully began to nurse her. "The doctor said that nursing her was the best thing for both of us right now. It'll help me heal and it's a healthy start for her. She showed me how to do it earlier. Jillian caught on pretty quick but I took awhile. Oww!" She jumped slightly in pain. "She bites like you wouldn't believe."
"I'll take your word for that. Has anyone else been by to see you today?"
"Just Mom. I still have that No Visitor's thing in place. Except for you of course. I think tomorrow the whole world is going to descend on me." She switched the baby to the other breast before continuing. "Mom was thrilled that I'm keeping her. I'll have to stay at the house for a few weeks at least, and she said it was all right. She still has Serena's old crib for Jillian to use. I'm going to ask Claud if I can borrow some of Mimi's old clothes, until I can get some new ones for Jillian. I can't take her on an airplane yet. I called my office too, and told them what happened. I'm officially on maternity leave now." She gestured to the flowers on her nightstand. "My boss sent those. He also said that we could discuss a position in the Hartford office. I'd be recruiting among the Northeast colleges for baseball and basketball. I'll have to do some traveling but not as much as before. I haven't made up my mind on that yet." She took a deep breath and looked down at the baby. "I also called the adoption agency. I hadn't signed any papers yet and I told them that I changed my mind. They weren't happy about it but there is nothing they can do. At least I hadn't picked out parents yet. I'd hate to think of how hurt some couple would be because I had a change of heart." Jillian finished her meal and began to cry. Kristy lifted her up and burped her. "They're going to take her back to the nursery soon. The pediatrician is going to be doing rounds soon and she has to be checked."
"You should get some rest then. Try to take a nap or something."
"I'd love that. But Dr. Hanson said I have to get up and walk within the next hour. It's supposed to be good for me." Kristy made a face at the prospect of moving from her comfy spot.
"And she's probably right." The two friends continued talking quietly until a nurse came to reclaim the baby. Then Kristy was prodded out of bed and made to walk around a bit. After that the rest of the BSC came to see Kristy and Jillian. Around 6 that night Kristy declared that she was exhausted and everyone began to leave. Mary-Anne was the last to go. She was halfway out the door when Kristy stopped her.
"Hey, Mary-Anne?"
"Yeah Kristy?"
"Thank you."
Authors Notes II: I had originally planned to write one chapter for each original BSC member (Kristy, Claudia, Mary-Anne and Stacey) with one more as a reunion scene. Hence the title. Well it didn't work out that way. Somehow I ended up concentrating on Kristy with the other characters taking more peripheral roles. Sometimes a story will go in directions you didn't expect and to change that direction ruins the work. Reunion picked it's own path and I think it is a good one.
"Guys! I need a little help here!" Kristy yelled down the stairs, heedless of the sleeping baby. Luckily Mimi elected to remain asleep. Kristy didn't dare move. She didn't want to make more of a mess than she had to.
"What's wrong?" Claudia came charging into the room and headed for the crib. "Is Mimi all right?"
"Claud the baby's fine. It's me who needs help." The rest of the women were crowding into the room as Kristy spoke. "I think my water broke." She gestured to the puddle on the floor. "Sorry about the carpet."
"That's not important. Are you having contractions?" Claudia took charge of the situation, as she was the only one with actual childbirth experience.
"Not yet. You think maybe I'm not in labor yet?" Kristy asked. This was really not the time or place for the baby to come. Her doctor was in Seattle, as was the adoption agency.
"Not a chance," was the cheerful reply. Abby had just finished her OB rotation and felt herself sliding into doctor mode. "Water breaking will only end with the baby coming out. That nice little bubble that it's living in for the last nine months has popped, and now he or she has to be born. And that means we're taking you to the hospital." As she spoke, Abby was leading Kristy down the stairs. "Who's driving?"
"My car's out front. Abby you're coming, and I got room for one more," Mary-Anne said. "Who's it going to be?"
"I'll go," Dawn volunteered. "If nothing else I can pace up and down for you."
"That's settled. Mallory, you and Jessi go over to the Brewers and get Kristy's stuff. And tell Mrs. Brewer what's going on," Claudia was handing out coats and purses while she talked. "I have to stay here. Mimi is still asleep and I can't leave her. As soon as Alan comes home or I can find a sitter, I'll be there."
"I'll stay with you Claudia. No sense in you getting all lonely." Stacey may have apologized to Kristy but she was still uncomfortable with idea of going to the hospital. It was just a reminder of what she couldn't have and the wounds were just still too fresh.
"All right then, let's get going." Mary-Anne dug out her keys and led the little parade out to her car. Abby got Kristy settled in the back, while Dawn rode up front next to Mary-Anne. Kristy was starting to look a little freaked out. Jessi's car pulled out behind them and headed for Kristy's mother's house.
The contractions started about two minutes after they pulled out of the driveway. Kristy was in the very back, propped up against some pillows and sitting on a couple of towels. She felt her entire stomach tighten. The sensations lasted for about 30 seconds, and then subsided. There was no real pain, just a sense of pressure. "I think I'm having contractions," Kristy announced.
"We'll be there soon," Mary-Anne reassured her. "Are you in any pain?"
"No. It didn't last very long and it just felt like pressure." Kristy wiggled around a little to try to relieve the pain in her back. "I think it'll be awhile before anything major happens.
"Have you taken a birthing class?" Abby asked. "Lamaze or Bradley maybe?"
"No. I'm starting to wish I had though." She sucked in her breath as another contraction gripped her stomach. She relaxed again after it passed. "That one hurt."
"How's your back?"
"Hurts, but that's nothing new. I've had permanent backache for the last three months. Are we there yet?" Kristy suddenly had an overwhelming desire to be in a hospital, surrounded by medical professionals who knew everything about childbirth.
"Here we are. I'm going to go around to the emergency room." Mary-Anne followed the red signs and sighed in relief as the ambulance bay came into view. Dawn agreed to park the car while Abby and Mary-Anne escorted Kristy inside. The nurse at the admitting desk took one look at Kristy and brought a wheelchair around.
"Are you in labor honey?" Kristy gratefully sank into the wheelchair. The short walk from the car had left her legs feeling like jelly. She was convinced that she wouldn't be able to stand up for much longer.
"Yeah. My water broke about 30 minutes ago, and then the contractions started."
"The pains are about every five minutes, and last for 30-45 seconds," Abby added. "She's starting to feel some pain, and her back is hurting."
"Okay. I need you to fill out some paperwork for me, and then we'll get you upstairs. Have you called your doctor yet?"
Kristy shook her head and waited for the contraction to pass before she answered. "I'm from out of town. I wasn't due for three weeks."
"Well it looks like this kid would like to come out sooner." The nurse handed over a clipboard with the necessary papers. Mary-Anne got to work filling everything in, with Kristy supplying information between contractions. The pains were getting worse. As soon as the hospital had her medical history and insurance info, Kristy was taken upstairs and settled into a labor room. Abby stayed downstairs to find Dawn, while Mary-Anne went with Kristy.
Before Kristy could really process what was going on, she found herself in a hospital bed and hooked up to a fetal monitor. A different nurse came in to put an IV in her hand, and check the baby's heart rate. Then the on-call doctor came in to examine Kristy.
"You must have been contracting for awhile and not realized it Miss Thomas. You're all ready dilated seven centimeters." Dr. Marissa Hanson was the on-call doctor. She was cheerful and efficient as she read the chart, then checked Kristy over. "You're doing great. How's the pain? Are you holding up?"
"Yeah. I can handle it," Kristy replied. She was feeling more than a little overwhelmed by the events of the day.
"All right then. I'll check back in a little while." The doctor adjusted the drip on the IV, then left.
"Mary-Anne?"
"Yes Kristy?"
"Can you have everyone stay in the waiting room? I really don't want to do the crowd thing right now. This is scary enough." Kristy sighed, then gritted her teeth. The contractions were getting intense.
"No problem. I'll tell them to stay put. Do you want me to stay there, or with you?"
"With me," Kristy managed to gasp out. Mary-Anne nodded and slipped out of the room to deliver her messages. Dawn and Abby were at the nurse's desk talking to Mallory and Jessi. They all agreed to keep the crowd out there. Mrs. Thomas was on her way, along with all of Kristy's brothers and sisters. Karen's friend Nancy agreed to watch Serena, Kelly and Mimi at the Thomas's house. Claudia was going to drop the baby off on her way to the hospital. She and Stacey had decided that they didn't want to sit around the house, and had called Jessi's cell phone to let them know. Mallory handed Mary-Anne the bag for Kristy and told her to tell Kristy they were rooting for her.
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"Kristy is there anyone you'd like for me to call?" Mary-Anne asked about two hours later.
"You mean the adoption agency?" Kristy said with a wry smile. "Not yet. I can't think about that right now. I just want to get through this first." She doubled over as another contraction ripped through her system. It was all she could to keep from screaming. The pains were getting longer each time, and coming closer together. The nurses and doctor were in and out, constantly checking her progress. "I hope this is over soon."
"You're doing great Kristy. Just hang in there." Mary-Anne took her friend's hand and immediately regretted that move. Kristy was very strong and if felt like her hand was being crushed. As soon as the grip eased, Mary-Anne pulled away. Kristy didn't notice. There was almost no time between the contractions now. The pain was unbelievable. It felt like something was trying to claw its way free of her and there was no escape. Despite her best efforts, a scream tore loose from her throat. Mary-Anne went to find Dr. Hanson.
"You're fully dilated Miss Thomas. Let's get this baby born." The room was full of people all of a sudden. A couple more nursed came in, along with a pediatrician for the baby. One of the nurses handed Mary-Anne a green paper gown and mask and told her to put them on if she wanted to stay. Kristy was oblivious to the controlled bedlam around her. She was gasping with the pain and trying desperately to hold on and not scream. Two of the nurses propped Kristy into a semi-sitting position while Dr. Hanson took up the catcher's position at the end of the bed. Mary-Anne finished getting into the sterile drapes and pushed through the crowd to her friends' side.
"This is it Kristy. Push when the doctor tells you to." Kristy nodded and grabbed Mary-Anne's hand. The next contraction came and she bore down with all her might. The baby stayed right where it was.
"That was great. You keep that up and the baby will be here real soon," Dr. Hanson said. "Push with every contraction, nice and steady. How's the fetal heart rate?"
"Steady at 140. Everything looks good." One of the nurses answered as she examined the printout from the fetal monitor. "The baby's in great shape."
"Hear that Kristy? You're doing great." Mary-Anne had no idea what she was doing, but she figured that keeping Kristy's spirits up was part of her job. "It won't be long now."
"It hurts." Kristy began to cry, and then to scream as another contraction seized her. "I can't do it. I can't."
"Yes you can. You can do it. More to the point, you have to do it. The baby is going to come out whether you like it or not," Dr. Hanson said cheerfully. "And you're really close. You give a few more good pushes and the head will be out. That's the hard part. Now push!"
Mary-Anne helped the nurses prop Kristy up again as she pushed with all her strength. Her face turned red and she began to scream with the effort. This kept up for the next hour. The baby decided to be shy, and was no longer as eager to come out. Kristy was beginning to feel like a wrung out dishrag, and Mary-Anne was fairly certain that a bone in her hand was broken. But she didn't dare pull away from Kristy. The young mother had finally settled into a rhythm of pushing and Mary-Anne didn't dare disturb that.
"I've got a good view of the head. Big push now, give it everything you've got," Dr. Hanson called out. Kristy moaned and bore down with the contraction. She felt the baby begin to move with her efforts. The need to push overwhelmed her exhaustion and she gave into it, pushing with all her strength.
"The head's out! Stop pushing for a minute. Relax," the doctor ordered. Kristy complied, falling back against the pillows. She felt so drained she could hardly move.
"Okay Miss Thomas, one gentle push and you're done. With the next contraction. Go!"
Kristy couldn't believe she had any energy left in her body. She took a deep breath and bore down, using the very last of her strength. She let out a horrific scream as she did.
"It's a girl!" Dr. Hanson held up the screaming infant for her mother to see. Kristy fell back onto the bed, utterly drained and unable to do more than stare at the child. Dr. Hanson cut the cord and carried her over to the pediatrician. "Looks nice and healthy, and around eight pounds. Good set of lungs at least." The baby was shouting as loud as she could at her new surroundings. Mary-Anne leaned over and mopped the sweat off Kristy's face.
"You did it Kristy. It's a little girl." Kristy just closed her eyes and relaxed for the first time all day. It had to be evening now. She had no idea how much time had passed or how long she'd been in labor. "Do you want to see her?" The exhilaration was beginning to wear off, and Mary-Anne now remembered Kristy's plans.
The baby quieted down as she was cleaned up, dressed and wrapped in a blanket. The pediatrician finished his exam and declared Baby Girl Thomas to be healthy. She weighed 8 lbs, 4 oz, and measured 20 inches in length. Under the little pink cap she had a dusting of light brown hair. Her eyes were the milky blue of all newborns. Her face was red from her hours in the birth canal, and her head slightly cone shaped. Mary-Anne thought she was just beautiful. "Do you want to see her Kristy?"
Kristy swallowed. This was it. The moment of truth. She'd told herself all through her pregnancy that she didn't want to see the baby when it was born. It would be easier to go through with the adoption if she didn't have to see what she was giving up. But now the baby was here, a girl. She had a daughter. She was a mother. If she said she didn't want to see the baby (her little girl), then she was saying she still wanted to go through with giving her up. If she said yes, she wanted to hold her child then she knew she'd never let her go.
Mary-Anne mad her way slowly down the hall to the waiting room. It was nearly midnight and she was dead on her feet. Her left hand was throbbing and somewhere in her exhaustion fogged brain she suspected that it might be broken. She didn't think about that now. She just wanted to deliver the news to the family and friends in the waiting room, and then she wanted to crawl into bed for about five days.
The waiting room was packed. Mrs. Brewer, Charlie, Samantha, Sam, Stacey, Claudia, Dawn, Abby, Mallory, and Jessi occupied all the available chairs, with Mallory and Jessi sitting on the floor. They all stopped talking and stood up as Mary-Anne walked in. David-Michael, Karen, Andrew and Emily Michelle had been sent home hours earlier to relieve Nancy of her sitting charges.
"It's a girl. 8lbs, 4oz and completely healthy. Kristy's fine too. She's sleeping now." Mary-Anne swayed a little on her feet. She felt lightheaded. "You guys should go on home. You won't be able to see either of them tonight." Nick reached out and caught her before she fell. "She did ask me to stay with her and the doctor said it was all right."
"Honey I don't think that's a very good idea," Nick said. "You need sleep."
"They'll set up a cot for me. I have to stay. Kristy's having a hard time and she really needs me." Mary-Anne fought the temptation to give in and go find a real bed. "I'll see you in the morning."
Talking quietly amongst themselves, the large group made their way towards the exit. Mrs. Brewer hung back and waited until all the others were out of earshot before turning to Mary-Anne.
"Did she say she anything about the adoption?" She was praying that Kristy would change her mind once she saw the child. A girl. She had another granddaughter.
Mary-Anne shook her head. "She didn't want to see the baby. Other than that, she didn't say. The delivery was pretty hard and she fell asleep so fast it looked like she passed out. The doctor said that rest was the best thing for her now. I guess we'll find out in the morning."
"You're so good to her Mary-Anne. Kristy's very lucky to have a friend like you." Mrs. Brewer stretched and picked up her purse. "I'd better get going. Tell my daughter that I'll be back in the morning and that we're going to talk. She's not slinking out of town like she did the last time."
"I'll tell her when she wakes up Mrs. Brewer."
"Please, call me Elizabeth. You're too old to keep up this 'Mrs.' Business."
"Okay. I'll give her the message when she wakes up." Mary-Anne gingerly hauled herself back to her feet and headed for the elevator. She really should get her hand looked at.
Three X-Rays, two doctors and a splint later, Mary-Anne made her way back up to the Maternity Ward and her friend's bedside. Her hand wasn't broken, just badly bruised. The doctor had wrapped it and told her to take it easy for the next two or three days. The cot was waiting just where Dr. Hanson had said it would be. Mary-Anne gratefully sank down and barely remembered to remove her shoes before she felt asleep.
She woke up the next morning to the sound of a nurse moving around the room. Kristy was still asleep and remained so as her blood pressure was taken and the IV removed. The clock on the wall read 7:30 am. Mary-Anne quietly used the bathroom, and then went in search of the cafeteria. The sleep had done her a lot of good, but she desperately wanted coffee. Kristy was awake and staring at a breakfast tray went Mary-Anne returned.
"Hey. Welcome back to the land of the living. How are you feeling?"
"Sore and achy. I can hardly move with something making me wince." Kristy poked the scrambled eggs with a fork and made a face. "I'm starving. In fact I'm so hungry that I could actually eat this stuff." She took a deep breath and downed a bite of the eggs. "Not too bad." Within a few minutes the tray was clean. Mary-Anne settled down in the chair next to the bed and drank her coffee while Kristy ate.
"Your mom wants to see you at some point today. She says that she needs to talk to you."
"Meaning she wants to know if there is anyway to change my mind about giving the baby up." Kristy looked down at her hands. "If you'd asked me yesterday if I was still going to go through with it, I'd have said yes. But now everything's changed. She's here. I have a daughter. And I have no idea what the best thing for her is." She looked up again, her eyes brimming with tears. She'd cried more on this trip home than she had in the last five years. "Isn't that what parents are suppose to do? Do the best thing for their children? I'm supposed to put her first now, not me."
"That's true. But Kristy, you have to think of yourself a little. You have to live with this choice. If it's going to hurt you this much to give her up, then don't do it. Be a mom instead. Raise your daughter and love her and make a life for the two of you."
"But nothing has changed in my life. I'm still single. I have a high- pressure job that involves a ton of travel. Her father still won't admit she exists. I live on the opposite side of the country from my entire family. And I'm not exactly the picture of stable mental health. How can I subject that little girl to a life like that?"
Mary-Anne was silent for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "That's a load of crap Kristy. There are plenty of single mom's out there who do just fine raising their kids. You can change jobs or ask your company to adjust your hours. They have to by law. If the lack of family is bothering you, then move home. As for your mental health, I was worried about you when you got here. I'm not so worried anymore. You may be a sniffling, sobbing mess most of the time but you're allowing yourself to feel for the first time in five years. You're healing and that's good. I can't do anything about Nathan being involved, but he can be forced into child support if nothing else. He's a rat bastard and there's really nothing else to be said about him."
Kristy stared at her friend for a minute. Then she burst out laughing, which soon turned to groans. "Don't make me laugh. It hurts when I do." She took a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself. "What does she look like?"
"Beautiful. She has light brown hair and blue eyes but those could change, as she gets older. She weighed 8lbs, 4oz and is 20 inches long. Her face was kind of red but that'll fade. She looks a lot like your old baby pictures."
"I think I'd like to see her." Kristy took another deep breath and wiped her eyes. "I'd like to see her."
"Okay. I'll go get the nurse to bring her down." She got up and headed for the door.
"This doesn't mean I've changed my mind about the adoption," Kristy added. "I just want to see her before I make any decisions."
"That's fine. No pressure." Mary-Anne ducked out and headed for the nurses station. She was back a few minutes later, accompanied by a nurse who was pushing a bassinet in front of her. Kristy hauled herself up to a sitting position and stared as the nurse picked up the little pink bundle. Carefully, the baby was settled in her mother's arms.
Kristy just stared in awe at the baby she held. She was awake but not crying. Her eyes were open, revealing their milky blue color. "You're right. She looks like those old pictures of me." The baby opened her mouth and made a soft cooing sound. Kristy began to cry again, the tears pouring down her face. "Hi there beautiful. Isn't she gorgeous Mary-Anne?"
"She's lovely."
Kristy ran a cautious finger over the baby's cheek. "Her skin is so soft. And she's so little. How can she be this little? I mean, look how big I got." She looked up at her friend and smiled. "She's perfect, isn't she?"
"She is. You have a perfect baby girl." Mary-Anne didn't want to say too much right now. Kristy had to make the choice on her own.
"Hi sweetie. I'm your mommy. The person you've been kicking for the last five months. I had morning sickness and weird cravings and heartburn and backaches and swollen ankles for you. I got fat for you, and went through hours and hours of never-ending pain to get you here. I worked so hard for you. And I love you so much. I've just met you, how is it that I love you so much?" Kristy was really sobbing now. "Jillian Margaret Thomas. That's your name. I hope you like it. I'm Kristy, your mom. You don't have a dad right now, but I'll do my best to find you a good one Jillian. And I'll do my best to raise you right. Help you grow into a wonderful woman, one who's smarter than her mom. You'll take ballet lessons and play soccer. You can join Girl Scouts and I'll be your leader. We can play softball together. I use to play all the time. I even coached a team once. And you'll have a big, huge family with lots of aunts and uncles and cousins. They're going to love you so much. I can't wait to see their faces when they meet you. You're never going to be lonely or want for anything. You can do anything you want. You've got the whole world in front of you and I'll always be there for you, no matter what." Kristy held her baby tight and continued talking to her as Mary-Anne slipped out of the room. She was going to start crying soon and she didn't want Kristy to see. Besides, that was a private moment between mother and daughter that she shouldn't intrude on.
She came back a few hours later to find Kristy in the exact same spot, still holding the baby. "Hi. Feeling better?"
Kristy smiled, a peaceful, serene smile. "I guess you've figured out that I'm not giving her up."
"I kind of guessed when you started telling her how you would be her Girl Scout leader." Mary-Anne sat back down and watched her friend interact with her daughter. "You look pretty comfortable with this 'mom' thing."
"I just can't imaging not having her. Isn't that weird? I've known her less than a day and I can't imagine not having Jillian in my life."
"I think that's a sign that you're going to be a really good mother."
"I hope so." Kristy shifted the baby to her other arm and carefully began to nurse her. "The doctor said that nursing her was the best thing for both of us right now. It'll help me heal and it's a healthy start for her. She showed me how to do it earlier. Jillian caught on pretty quick but I took awhile. Oww!" She jumped slightly in pain. "She bites like you wouldn't believe."
"I'll take your word for that. Has anyone else been by to see you today?"
"Just Mom. I still have that No Visitor's thing in place. Except for you of course. I think tomorrow the whole world is going to descend on me." She switched the baby to the other breast before continuing. "Mom was thrilled that I'm keeping her. I'll have to stay at the house for a few weeks at least, and she said it was all right. She still has Serena's old crib for Jillian to use. I'm going to ask Claud if I can borrow some of Mimi's old clothes, until I can get some new ones for Jillian. I can't take her on an airplane yet. I called my office too, and told them what happened. I'm officially on maternity leave now." She gestured to the flowers on her nightstand. "My boss sent those. He also said that we could discuss a position in the Hartford office. I'd be recruiting among the Northeast colleges for baseball and basketball. I'll have to do some traveling but not as much as before. I haven't made up my mind on that yet." She took a deep breath and looked down at the baby. "I also called the adoption agency. I hadn't signed any papers yet and I told them that I changed my mind. They weren't happy about it but there is nothing they can do. At least I hadn't picked out parents yet. I'd hate to think of how hurt some couple would be because I had a change of heart." Jillian finished her meal and began to cry. Kristy lifted her up and burped her. "They're going to take her back to the nursery soon. The pediatrician is going to be doing rounds soon and she has to be checked."
"You should get some rest then. Try to take a nap or something."
"I'd love that. But Dr. Hanson said I have to get up and walk within the next hour. It's supposed to be good for me." Kristy made a face at the prospect of moving from her comfy spot.
"And she's probably right." The two friends continued talking quietly until a nurse came to reclaim the baby. Then Kristy was prodded out of bed and made to walk around a bit. After that the rest of the BSC came to see Kristy and Jillian. Around 6 that night Kristy declared that she was exhausted and everyone began to leave. Mary-Anne was the last to go. She was halfway out the door when Kristy stopped her.
"Hey, Mary-Anne?"
"Yeah Kristy?"
"Thank you."
