Chapter Eight
::I paced wildly back and forth in the den. Rosie an' Estella had been runnin' in and out the past hours, with towels, water and anythin' else that a woman in labor would need.
She had been cryin' out in pain several times. My stomach would churn when I would hear my lover, my best friend, screamin' and occasionally cursin' my name and swearin'' I'd never be allowed to touch her again.
"How could I do this to her, Merry?"
"Do what?"
Merry was in the corner, readin' a book. He had tried smokin' earlier, but Estella wouldn't allow it. When we first found out there was a baby, Estella banned me from smokin' at all! She said I was only allowed to once the baby came, but I could only do it outside and never ever, under any circumstances around the baby or any room the baby may come in contact with.
"That!" I pointed to the door. "What was I thinking! The weddin' night, the night after that and after that...."
Merry stopped readin' and finally look up at me. "Wait...*every* night?"
I ceased pacin' and folded my arms and shyly replied (while lookin' at the floor) "Well...for the most part."
His eyes grew wide with awe and his jaw slightly dropped. "That's um...that's quiet impressive Pip."
"I'm such a fool!" I went back to pacin'. "This is all my fault! She's in so much pain!"
The door opened and I could hear Rosie (or maybe it was Estella) say 'take these' and Ivy came runnin' out with bloody towels. She paused to look at me, but kept runnin'.
My face frowned and I paced even faster and ran my hands through my hair. "Will you calm down?" Merry asked, not lookin' away from his book.
"Calm down? All that blood Merry!" I pointed to the door. "All those towels! and the waitin'..."
"Pippin, it's part of the whole process. Remember when we were in Fagorn Forest, and I told you about when you were born?"
"Yes..."
"You just need to be calm, I promise that she's fine,"
I dinn'a care how my cousin was tryin' to comfort me. I went back to my pacin' until the door opened again. It was Rosie. She had sweat drippin' from her forehead and sleeves were rolled up past her elbow. I jumped at the sight of the blood on her apron. "She's fine." Rosie smiled. "You can see her now." I looked to Merry, almost askin' for permission.
"Go and see her, you silly fool!" he laughed. I smiled and walked into the room.::
****
I saw him at the door. As soon as our eyes met the tears that he had been trying to hold back, welded and rolled down his cheeks. "Hey." My voice was soft and weak. He quickly approached me and took my hand.
"Are you feelin' all right?"
"I'm fine,"
His other hand brushed back strands of flyaway hair back in place. "I was so worried..." he choked. "The blood..." some more tears escaped and he was no longer trying to hold them back.
He held tighter my hand and his face was stained with tears. I brought him closer to me and whispered into his ear. "I will not say 'do not weep, for not all tears are evil." He smiled but still cried. "We have a baby Pippin."
"I'm a father?"
"Congratulations," Estella approached him with a small bundle wrapped in a fresh white sheet. "Take her."
"Her?" he looked at me as Estella handed him our baby.
"Yes, silly," I attempted to laugh.
"Come on girls," Rosie ushered Estella and Ivy out of the room.
"She's so beautiful, Wisteria,"
I nodded. It was becoming harder to speak and keep my eyes open. "I'm so tired."
"I know," was all he could seem to say. His eyes were heavily fixed on the baby. "I love you, Wisteria." He kissed my hand.
"Me too," and I was out.
****
:: "I guess it's just you an' me then," I said to the tiny babe in my arms. "You gave me a scare. I'm not used to seein'...well, I've never been a dad before...and now," the baby was slowly fallin' asleep. "I'll watch out for you. Always." I placed my thumb under her tiny hand and softly kissed the tiny fingers.
I could feel the tears in my eyes.
I was a father. ::
-----
Short? Yes? No? I don't know. All I know was this was written months ago, during like Chapter 34 of "Shades of Grey" Anywho. Thank you for your encouraging reviews! Keep them coming.
PS- Chapter title is from the Goo-Goo Doll song "Iris"
::I paced wildly back and forth in the den. Rosie an' Estella had been runnin' in and out the past hours, with towels, water and anythin' else that a woman in labor would need.
She had been cryin' out in pain several times. My stomach would churn when I would hear my lover, my best friend, screamin' and occasionally cursin' my name and swearin'' I'd never be allowed to touch her again.
"How could I do this to her, Merry?"
"Do what?"
Merry was in the corner, readin' a book. He had tried smokin' earlier, but Estella wouldn't allow it. When we first found out there was a baby, Estella banned me from smokin' at all! She said I was only allowed to once the baby came, but I could only do it outside and never ever, under any circumstances around the baby or any room the baby may come in contact with.
"That!" I pointed to the door. "What was I thinking! The weddin' night, the night after that and after that...."
Merry stopped readin' and finally look up at me. "Wait...*every* night?"
I ceased pacin' and folded my arms and shyly replied (while lookin' at the floor) "Well...for the most part."
His eyes grew wide with awe and his jaw slightly dropped. "That's um...that's quiet impressive Pip."
"I'm such a fool!" I went back to pacin'. "This is all my fault! She's in so much pain!"
The door opened and I could hear Rosie (or maybe it was Estella) say 'take these' and Ivy came runnin' out with bloody towels. She paused to look at me, but kept runnin'.
My face frowned and I paced even faster and ran my hands through my hair. "Will you calm down?" Merry asked, not lookin' away from his book.
"Calm down? All that blood Merry!" I pointed to the door. "All those towels! and the waitin'..."
"Pippin, it's part of the whole process. Remember when we were in Fagorn Forest, and I told you about when you were born?"
"Yes..."
"You just need to be calm, I promise that she's fine,"
I dinn'a care how my cousin was tryin' to comfort me. I went back to my pacin' until the door opened again. It was Rosie. She had sweat drippin' from her forehead and sleeves were rolled up past her elbow. I jumped at the sight of the blood on her apron. "She's fine." Rosie smiled. "You can see her now." I looked to Merry, almost askin' for permission.
"Go and see her, you silly fool!" he laughed. I smiled and walked into the room.::
****
I saw him at the door. As soon as our eyes met the tears that he had been trying to hold back, welded and rolled down his cheeks. "Hey." My voice was soft and weak. He quickly approached me and took my hand.
"Are you feelin' all right?"
"I'm fine,"
His other hand brushed back strands of flyaway hair back in place. "I was so worried..." he choked. "The blood..." some more tears escaped and he was no longer trying to hold them back.
He held tighter my hand and his face was stained with tears. I brought him closer to me and whispered into his ear. "I will not say 'do not weep, for not all tears are evil." He smiled but still cried. "We have a baby Pippin."
"I'm a father?"
"Congratulations," Estella approached him with a small bundle wrapped in a fresh white sheet. "Take her."
"Her?" he looked at me as Estella handed him our baby.
"Yes, silly," I attempted to laugh.
"Come on girls," Rosie ushered Estella and Ivy out of the room.
"She's so beautiful, Wisteria,"
I nodded. It was becoming harder to speak and keep my eyes open. "I'm so tired."
"I know," was all he could seem to say. His eyes were heavily fixed on the baby. "I love you, Wisteria." He kissed my hand.
"Me too," and I was out.
****
:: "I guess it's just you an' me then," I said to the tiny babe in my arms. "You gave me a scare. I'm not used to seein'...well, I've never been a dad before...and now," the baby was slowly fallin' asleep. "I'll watch out for you. Always." I placed my thumb under her tiny hand and softly kissed the tiny fingers.
I could feel the tears in my eyes.
I was a father. ::
-----
Short? Yes? No? I don't know. All I know was this was written months ago, during like Chapter 34 of "Shades of Grey" Anywho. Thank you for your encouraging reviews! Keep them coming.
PS- Chapter title is from the Goo-Goo Doll song "Iris"