She screamed again, and resisted the urge to kick Helen in the nose. The contraction was intense, and the noises coming from Lana were a combination of sobs, terrible obscenities and a hiccup/choking sound that was substituting for breathing. "Down, Lana!" Helen shouted at her. "You need to bear down harder." Lana sucked in a big breath and pushed. She'd been given no drugs to ease the pain, despite her tearful pleas, and even though she knew it wasn't true, at this moment she was convinced that Alexander was the biggest baby ever. Helen groaned in frustration. "You're not doing it right!" she shouted at her, and Lana did kick her that time.
Take that Hellbeast!
A maniacal laugh escaped from Lana then, high pitched and crazy, and as the pain finally subsided, the laughing turned to sobbing. "I can't do this anymore," Lana moaned as she rested her head against her pillow. Helen glared at her for a second, rubbing her shoulder, and then finding her composure, said, "You've only been in delivery for an hour Lana, and the whole labor process has only taken 6. That's actually really fast for a first time mother." Lana opened her eyes to look at Helen, who softened briefly to add, "You're doing fine."
Strangely, she took comfort in that, and concentrated on her breathing. 6 hours? It was nice to put a number to the time that had passed in this room. The next contraction would begin any second now, and Lana relished in this quick respite. It seemed as though she and Helen were at battle together, and even though she hated her passionately, for right now, she and her baby both needed her. Her breathing hitched as the new contraction began to build. It rolled over her like a freight train, passing over her entire body before settling at her groin.
Lana launched herself into almost a sitting position, and gripped the sides of the bed for leverage. She inhaled one last time and pushed, her scream echoing in her ears. Her body shook violently and a great pressure descended as the baby finally breeched. "Good, good, now stop pushing!" Helen called, and Lana relaxed, feeling the baby leave her body. Her mind drifted, and she was distantly aware of her body falling back to the bed. A great fog descended, and all Lana could see was the sudden intense glare of the overhead light, its glow dazzling her. No sound. No pain. The world was a dream, and Lana had somehow awakened to a new reality. She breathed in and out, and it felt like waves flowing back and forth. She could see the ocean. It's green-blue water calling out to her, and she ran towards it like a child, splashing and laughing. Happiness, pure and undiluted. She turned to look back at the beach where her parents smiled and waved, and wished that she could stay forever.
A cry called out to her, and the mists suddenly parted. She pulled her eyes out of the lights and looked over to where her child lay, and it occurred to her suddenly that she had become something new. She was not that little girl dancing in the water anymore, and she kissed that memory and put it away. A love stronger than reason and more powerful than time flowed out of her as she looked at her baby. A great void was finally filled, and Lana's eyes drifted closed to sleep.