"Karen wake up. Come on Karen, wake up." Grace urged while shaking my shoulder.

"What is it Grace?"

"Karen the baby's crying, maybe she's hungry or something."

"Well I don't know how to feed her Grace. Can you bring her over to me and get a nurse?"

Grace handed her to me and ran out to get a nurse. I tried to calm her down, but I had no clue what I was doing. She was certainly pretty angry about something. She scrunched up her face and she was beat red from all the crying.

The nurse brought in some bottles and formula and instructed me how to feed her. She also showed me where I could find diapers and more formula. Before long both the baby and I had the hang of it.

Grace had settled into a chair in the corner of the room and Jack had gone down to the lobby to meet Will who was now on his way.

"Grace, you haven't left my side since this morning, you must be starving. Why don't go get something to eat?"

"Well Karen while you were asleep they brought up a tray for you and well I kind of ate it. Sorry Kare, I was really hungry!"

"It's ok honey I'm glad you had something to eat."

I had just begun to burp the baby when Will popped his head in the doorway.

"Hey there, can I come in?"

"Sure can Wilma, pull up a chair."

"You know Karen, I don't think you're supposed to start beating them this young," Will teased as he took off his coat and pulled up a chair.

"Naw you've gotta start young honey, otherwise they'll never learn!"

The baby let out a burp just as Will had leaned in for a closer look.

"Ha I think she likes you honey."

"Karen she is just gorgeous. I always thought they came out all squished up, but she's really quite pretty."

"Would you like to hold her Wilma?"

"No, no I can't hold her, I mean I'd like to hold her but what if I drop her?"

"Don't be silly, you're not going to drop her, Grace and I haven't managed to break her yet, you'll be fine."

Will sat back in his chair and I gently placed her in his arms. She was wide awake and seemed quite interested in his face.

"Wow, it's kind of weird how she's looking at me, I didn't think they even opened their eyes this soon."

Jack sat on the edge of my bed and asked me if I had settled on a name yet.

"Mm, I've had a name picked out for a while now I forgot I hadn't told the two of you."

"You mean you told Grace?" Jack asked with a look of shock and hurt on his face.

"Oh, don't be upset poodle. I told Grace a long time ago, but so much had changed after I told her and I wasn't sure if I was going to stick with that name or not; it was a name Stan had picked out."

"Well what is it Karen?" Jack asked while taking my hand in his. That small gesture meant a lot and I gave his hand a quick squeeze in return.

"Samantha, Samantha Grace Walker. What do you guys think?

"Well I think it's nice Karen, but I don't see why Grace gets to have her name in there and not me."

"Well honey, Jack is a boys name" I said with a small smirk.

"Well I think it's very pretty Karen, although I am a bit hurt myself; there's no reason you couldn't have used the name Wilma."

Just then the baby spit up all over her blanket and Will's tie.

"Ok, so she doesn't like the name Wilma," Will exclaimed as he quickly handed the baby back to me.

I couldn't help but laugh as Will tried to wipe his tie clean, he finally gave up and just took it off.

I unwrapped her from her soiled blanket and Grace handed me a wet cloth and a new blanket.

"Thanks honey," I said as I took the blanket from Grace.

"Hey Grace, while I've got her naked do you think I should change her diaper?"

"I don't know Karen, why don't you take a peek and see if it needs to be changed."

I laid her tiny body down on the bed in front of me and peeled back the tapes that were holding her diaper together.

"It's wet, Grace could you hand me a new one?"

"Sure, but do you know what you're doing?" Grace asked as she rummaged around looking for a diaper and some wipes.

"Well it can't be that hard Grace."

I removed the old diaper and gently wiped her clean. I lifted the baby up and Grace laid the new diaper out on the bed.

"Oh my god Karen, look at her little butt, it's so cute." Grace said after I lifted her naked body up from the bed.

I turned her around to take a look and had to chuckle, it really was pretty cute. Would you look at that I said as I turned her so her butt was facing Will and Jack.

"Karen you're going to embarrass her," Jack said while turning away."

Grace and I managed to get her diapered and wrapped in a new blanket.

"So Karen, how are you feeling? Was it as awful as they make it look on TV," Will asked?

"It was pretty horrible honey, but I feel great now. Poor Grace though," I said as I patted her hand, "I think she's scarred for life. I should have realized it wasn't a good idea for you to be in there with me honey, now you'll never want to get pregnant."

"I'll be okay Karen. To tell you the truth I think it's made me want to have a baby now more than ever. I mean of course the labor part wasn't all that enjoyable, but the whole experience has been pretty incredible Karen. I'm glad you let me be a part of it."

"Aw that's sweet honey. And honey if you should ever get knocked up and abandoned by the baby's father I'll be here for you too."

"Speaking of the baby's father Karen, have you talked to Stan," Will asked apprehensively?

"No honey, I tried calling him a couple days ago to let him know I was being induced today, but he's out of the country."

"Karen you're kidding right, you mean to tell me he left the country knowing you were ready to go into labor any minute?"

Grace put her arm around me and motioned for Will to drop it.

"It's ok Grace. He's the one who's missing out, not me. He should know that the baby has been born, but I have no interest in hunting him down to let him know."

"Karen why don't you let me handle that for you, you enjoy your new baby I can get a hold of Stan and give him the news."

"I'd really appreciate that Will, thank you."

"We should go, it's been a long day and you and the baby need some rest."

"I'll call you in the morning," Grace said as she, Will and Jack left the room.

"The baby had fallen asleep and I gently placed her back in her basinet. I pulled it closer to the bed so that she was right beside me. I leaned back into bed and watched her sleep. I let my mind wander back to when I first found out I was pregnant. I had been so afraid throughout most of my pregnancy and now she was here and I can't remember what exactly I had been so afraid of. This pregnancy may have cost me my marriage, but this baby has helped put my life back on track and for that I will always be grateful. Who knew a baby was all I needed to make me happy? I used the drinking and pills to help me forget about how miserable I was, but now I didn't need them because for once in my life I was truly happy.