Chapter 22 : A difficult delivery

I apologize for the delay. I have been busy with my works. Once again, thank you for all the support.

Here's the story.

As they reached the medjai camp, Ardeth called for his people. "Get the healer" he said to one of the young medjai. The young medjai ran off to a tent not too far away from them. Ardeth led them to one of the tents. Rick held his wife in his arms and carried her to the room. He lay her down on the bed and gently stroke her forehead. Her body was all perspiration. "Rick, it's hurt" she said. "Shhhhhhh... I'm here baby. I'm here" Rick assured his wife. Suddenly, an old lady came into the tent and said something in Arabic. Rick understood what she said and turned to look at Ardeth. "Please, I need to stay. My wife needs me here" Rick told Ardeth. "My friend, your wife will be safe with her. Come with me" Ardeth said. "No... I won't leave her" Rick said and insisted to stay beside his wife. "Plea-se... plea-se... don't leave me Rick. Please... let him stay" Evelyn cried. The old lady said something again, "All men out. Except you". "Thank you" as Rick understood what she said. "Rick, I want to sit" Evelyn said. He helped her sat and moved to her back to support her, holding her in his arms and stroke her abdomen.

The old lady instructed Rick to undress his wife. Once it was done, she checked on Evelyn's condition whether the baby was due to come to the world. But something was bad. Evelyn was in fever. She was dehydrated due to the hot weather, as well as the perspiration caused by the pain. Time was running. The baby must came now since Evelyn still had strength. They needed her strength to push the baby. The old lady checked on Evelyn once again and confirmed it was the time to push the baby out. "Dear, I need you to push now" the old lady said. Rick was shocked that she could speak English but it wasn't the time for question. Evelyn nodded and pushed. She grab her husband arm and push as hard as she could. Rick could feel the pain on his arm but he knew it was nothing compare to what his wife was going through. "Evy, bite me if you want" he said. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" she said as she noticed she was grabing his arm too hard. "It's ok. Anything you want. You are not hurting me" Rick assured his wife. After so many times of pushing, she was exhausted. Tears running down her face. "I can't do this Rick. The baby is not coming out" she cried. "Shhhhhh... you can do this. You're stronger than me. The baby needs you now. Come on, you can do this. Just push one more time. I promise" Rick said. She nodded. She closed her eyes and pushed one more time. This time with all her strength. After hours of screaming, finally the sound of baby cries fill the tent. It was the best cries that Rick ever heard. "It's a boy" the old lady said. It was so sweet to hear his son cries. "Evy, it's a boy... Evy... Evy" Rick tried few times but no response from his wife. Her eyes closed and her body temperature was high. The old lady shouted and another two ladies rushed into the tent. She passed the baby to one of the lady and said, "Out now". "No, I won't-" Rick refused to leave. "I will take care of your wife. Please follow my people, your son needs you now. Go" the old lady said and started to treat Evelyn with traditional Egyptian's remedy. Rick obeyed to her words and followed the lady out of the tent.

She cleaned up the baby with warm water and wrapped him up with a white cloth. She hand over the baby to Rick. For the first time, Rick holding his son in his arms. He looked a lot like him. Brown hairs and ocean blue eyes. The lady feed the baby with milk as he started to cry. After the feeding, the baby yawned and slept. "Alex" Rick smiled at his son and also worried about his wife. "My friend" Ardeth called as he entered the tent with the old lady. "How's my wife?" he asked. "She is weak. She lost too much blood. She is dehydrated. The birth delivery was too much for her. She could be hard to have baby again. I'm sorry" the old lady said. "Does she know?" Rick asked. "No, I think it's better for you to tell her. I'm so sorry" the old lady said. "It's not your fault. Is she awake?" Rick asked. "She is sleeping now. But don't worry. We got her. She will heal within days. Let her rest now. You, also need rest. We have people to take care of her" she continued. "Thank you so much. Could you help me to take care of him? I want to stay beside my wife" Rick said. "My friend, you can rest. Our people will take care of Evelyn" Ardeth said. "I know. I know I can trust on you guys. But, she feel safe when I am around her. She needs me there. That's the only thing I can do for her" Rick said and left the baby with the ladies. He trusted his friend, Ardeth would protect his son. He didn't know why but he just knew it.

Rick entered the tent and found his wife was sleeping. His heart sank when he noticed she looked pale. He realized he held his breath for too long and for the first time, tears running down his cheek. He felt relief when she was breathing slowly. She was alive. He couldn't live without her. After so much suffering, he felt helpless that he couldn't do anything to keep her from harm. When she was in pain, there was nothing he can do to help her. He sit next to her and kissed her forehead. He held her hand in his and looked at her beautiful face. She had been through so much after she met him. He swore to the God, he would do anything to protect her and his son from harm. Nothing could stop him.

She opened her eyes. Everything came into her eyes was strange. She felt exhausted. Her arm was numb. She looked around and finally, the familiar face came into her view. Her husband rest his head on the bed while holding her hand. She stroke his hair and he opened his eyes. Beautiful smiling face came into his view as he raised his head. Still, she looked pale but she seemed fine. "Hey, beautiful. How are you feeling?" he asked. "I'm fine. Where's the baby?" she asked. "The healer is taking care of him" Rick said. "Him? It's a boy! I knew it's boy" she smiled at him. "Yeah... wait me here. I go take him" he said and kissed on her lips. He helped her sit and poured some water for her before he left to carry his son.

She heard baby cries after few minutes he left. He entered the tent with the old lady carried the crying baby in her arms. "Why is he crying?" Evelyn asked as she was worried. "Don't worry my dear. That's how he tell you that he is hungry" the lady said. She helped Evelyn to unbutton her cloth and put the baby on his mother's arms. "There you go" she said as she situate the baby's mouth to his mother nipple. "Alex" Evelyn said as she feeding her son. "He looks like you Rick" Evelyn said as she looked up to her husband and he smiled back. He was thinking how to tell her the bad news that she was hard to have another baby in future. He couldn't think of how she would response. He don't want to put her in pain anymore. But he couldn't lie to his wife.

Would Rick tell his wife?

*PS: I was going to write the old lady script with Arabic but I don't know a single word for Arabic. So, let's assume she knows English.

Review please.