D-Day

Stephen stood shaving. He swished his razor in the basin and scraped another swath of whiskers and soap. Betty watched his reflection with one

eye. He noticed her watching him in the reflection of the mirror. He smiled and continued shaving. He turned to leave the bathroom and saw her snap

her eye shut.

Silently he tiptoed to the bed and crept up to her, knelt down, and rubbed his face all over her chest, wiping shaving soap on her,"Ooohh! You cheeky

thing!" she roared.

Then he did the unthinkable…he reached under the covers and began to tickle her relentlessly. He laughed almost as loudly as she did while she

slapped his back. He kissed Betty and then kissed her belly. He placed his hand on her abdomen and the baby kicked. He smiled and laughed, "I'll never get

tired of that!"

He pulled up his braces and tied his tie. He fastened his cufflinks, wiped the remaining soap from his face with a flannel, and dragged a comb through his

hair.

"Stephen!" Betty called.

"Yes, Dear?"

"I think it's time."

"Time for what?" he asked, not really paying attention, concentrating on getting ready for work.

"Time!" she urged.

He gasped, "Are you sure?"

She groaned, "Yes, quite sure!" She curled up and held her belly, eyes closed tightly.

Stephen sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed her lower back, "Alright, remember the breathing exercises we learned in the classes.

C'mon…pant-pant-pant…blow-blow-blow…"

She tried to follow his lead, but the pain was greater than she anticipated. Now it was Stephen's turn to care for her. He went over to the clothes

cupboard and removed a maternity blouse and a pair of ladies' trousers from their hangers.

"Do you need help putting these on?" he asked.

Betty nodded and another contraction erupted. She closed her eyes and this time she was able to concentrate on her breathing. The pain passed

and she exhaled, "That was better."

Stephen looked at his watch, "Three minutes," he crouched down and helped her put on her socks and trainers. He picked up the bag she had

packed for her hospital stay.

"Ready?" he invited, eyebrows raised. He offered his hand for her to pull herself up.

"No. I don't want to do this!" she protested.

"It's too late now! I'll be right there with you the whole time. Come on, let's go have our baby!"

He rang ahead to Labour and Delivery so they would be ready for when they arrived. He also rang Mrs. Axelby who said she'd meet

them at the hospital.

The ride to hospital seemed to take forever and poor Betty felt every bump and odd cobblestone in the road. Stephen pulled up at the hospital

entrance. There was an orderly standing by with a wheelchair to take Betty in straightaway. Stephen took the car round to the car park and ran to catch

up with Betty. Mrs. Axelby met them at the entrance and went in to wait in the waiting room.

"Alright, Mrs. Peacock, you need to get undressed," the nurse instructed.

"I just got dressed!" she whined. Another contraction and more puff-puff-puffing.

"Daddy, you need to put these on over your clothes," she said handing Stephen a set of medical scrubs. He slipped the trousers over his own,

pulled on the jacket, and tied it round back. The nurse pulled the curtain closed and Stephen stood by as Betty disrobed. She slipped a hospital

gown on, open part in the front, and wrapped a sheet around herself.

They wheeled Betty into the delivery room. Squeezing Stephen's hand, they guided her onto the birthing table. He positioned himself where he was out

of the way of the doctor and nurses and where he could coach Betty. He reached for her hand and kissed her lightly.

"Betty, this is Doctor Parker, how are you doing?" the doctor introduced himself.

"I'll be better when this is over!" she breathed.

"I can imagine!"

She began blowing through pursed lips as a contraction came on.

"You are doing well, Betty!" the doctor encouraged. Betty relaxed as the pain subsided. "You are fully dilated, so whenever you are ready, you can push!"

Stephen could feel his palms go clammy. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and his heart raced.

"Chin to your chest, Darling," Stephen coached. A contraction resonated and Betty strained to push, moaning loudly.

"That was very good, Betty!" the doctor remarked. Doctor Parker could clearly see the baby. However, when Betty relaxed, the baby went back in.

After a while, she began to get tired and the staff was concerned for her and the baby's safety. Another contraction. Betty clutched Stephen's hand

and cried out in agony.

"C'mon, Sweetheart, breathe! Focus!" he coached softly, "Push!"

The baby barely moved. She shrieked in pain.

Betty grabbed Stephen by the collar and dragged his face to hers, "I don't want to breathe, Stephen! I'm hurting! This is all your fault! You did this to

me!" she sobbed. Disheartened, Stephen blinked back tears.

Doctor Parker looked over at the attending nurse, "The baby is coming out bum first, a complete breach! Betty, now listen to me, you have to stop

pushing!"

"Push! Don't push! Make up your minds! I'm not a ruddy psychotic!"

"Psychic, Darling!" Stephen corrected.

"Mr. Peacock, you're going to have to leave! We're going to have to take the baby!"

"What? W-What does that mean?" Stephen stammered.

"We have to deliver the baby by Caesarean Section."

The nurse escorted him out of the delivery room as they hurriedly prepped Betty.

"I don't want to leave her! Please!" he begged.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Peacock, we've got to get the baby out right away! You can't be in here. I'm sorry," she disappeared behind the swinging doors.

"What's going on? Where's my husband?" Betty became hysterical as more staff entered and the delivery room was a flurry of activity. A mask was placed

over her nose and mouth. Tears streamed down the sides of her face and into her ears, pip-pip-pipping onto the pillow under her head; her lower lip

trembled, "I'm sorry, Stephen! Come back!"

"Now, Betty, we need you calm down and try to relax. Breathe naturally. Now count backwards from one hundred," the anesthetist instructed. She

began counting and all went black.

Stephen sat in the waiting room and dissolved into tears. His hands over his eyes; big tears slipped through his fingers. Mrs. Axelby tried to comfort him.

She put her arm around his shoulder, "It's going to be alright," she said, trying to convince herself as well.

"If Betty dies, I don't know what I'll do. She's part of me…" he wept.

"She's a strong woman, Stephen," Ethel reassured him. She took a tissue from her handbag and handed it to him. He dabbed his eyes and wiped his

nose.

"What about the baby? I have never wanted something so badly."

"They'll both be fine. Do you want coffee? I'll go get us some in the canteen."

Stephen nodded, his head in his hands. He stared down at his wedding ring and remembered Colin's taunting words: "Newlywed!" and smiled a bit.

He felt an arm around his shoulders. He looked up to see the vicar who performed his and Betty's wedding.

"Vicar! What brings you here?" Stephen perked up a bit.

"I'm the on-call chaplain this evening. I will ring Colin and tell him where you are. He speaks well of you! The whole Packing and Maintenance department

are excited for you. They come off like a bunch of hardened dock workers, but they are really a bunch of softies!" he chuckled.

Stephen smiled through his tears. The Vicar held Stephen's hand and said a prayer for him and Betty and their baby. The Vicar sat with him a few

minutes longer until Ethel returned moments later with two coffees.

"Do you want a coffee, Vicar? It's nothing for me to pop back and get one for you."

"Oh, no thank you! I've had plenty this evening. I have a few more rounds to make." He excused himself, shook Stephen's hand, and left.

Stephen sat silently, reminiscing. He thought about their second honeymoon, "That's when I made Betty pregnant!" he laughed to himself.

He looked back on their wedding day and playing football. He thought of the time Betty was sleeping on the settee after the dinner. He had come in with

tea for two. He sat next to her and rested his hand with his cup on her belly. At the Lamaze classes they were wrestling and teasing and flirting. He

smiled warmly and felt his eyelids get heavy and he leaned against Ethel and drifted off.

About 5 hours later, the nurse came out.

"Mr. Peacock?" she called softly, "Mr. Peacock?"

Stephen shook himself awake, "Uh? Yes?" he sputtered, "What is it?"

"You may see your wife and daughter now," she smiled.

"Daughter? It's a girl?" he mused, "It's a girl!" he exclaimed.

"Well done!" Ethel cried, "Congratulations!" She hugged Stephen.

"Come this way!" invited the nurse. She smiled warmly, "Your wife came through the surgery splendidly. She's in recovery right now, but I knew

you'd want to see the baby. She's enchanting. Seven pounds, six ounces, twenty-one inches long."

"Tall and skinny like you, Stephen!" Ethel wisecracked.

"That's my girl!" he stated proudly, straightening up and puffing out his chest.

Stephen and Ethel followed her to the recovery area. Betty rested serenely, IV in her arm, and a monitor beeped in the background. She was so tranquil.

The baby slept peacefully in a bassinette next to Betty. Stephen leaned over and kissed Betty's forehead, "Well done, Love!" he whispered.

"Your wife should be coming out of anesthesia shortly, Mr. Peacock," the nurse stated.

Stephen scooped up the baby and studied her. She jerked in her sleep, startled. She was angelic and perfect. She was sleeping, swaddled and

wrapped tightly. Mrs. Axelby smiled and looked on. He was gob-smacked and looked over at Ethel, "Isn't she beautiful?"

"Yes! She certainly is!"

The baby opened her eyes and blinked, trying to focus. She stared at Stephen's face which made him gasp, "She has my eyes!"

"Oh, not baggy, I hope!" Mrs. Axelby joked.

"No, they're quite pretty. They're grey like mine!" He kissed her tiny face.

She opened her dainty little mouth and let out a yawn. Stephen laughed. She was gorgeous, with wispy strands of sandy brown hair that fell in soft

ringlets. Stephen set her down on the bed and unwrapped her swaddling.

"What're you doing?" Ethel asked.

"Taking inventory. Ten fingers. Ten toes. She has hands like mine! She has my ears. Her belly button looks funny."

"You are daft! That piece will fall off on its own and will look like a normal belly button." She shook her head.

He lifted the baby, held her against his chest, and cried, "I can't believe I helped to create this perfect little person!"

He wrapped her in her blanket and handed her to Ethel. She had Stephen's eyes and lips, Betty's nose and chin. She had Stephen's tapered fingers.

Betty stirred sleepily, "What are you rabbitting on about? Is there something wrong with our baby?"

"No. She's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."

He moved closer to Betty and lightly kissed her cheek, "How are you, Dear?"

"Tired."

He kissed her again, "I love you! You've done very well!"

Betty tried to laugh but still felt the effects of the sedation; all she could manage was a smile and a few titters.

"You have a bonny baby girl, Betty!" Ethel cried.

"Thank you, Dear!"

Ethel moved closer to Betty and held the baby next to her. Betty gazed at her daughter, "Oh! She is so lovely, isn't she, Ethel?"

"She's an angel. God bless her!"

"Thank you, Ethel. It means so much to Stephen and me that you're here."

Ethel cradled the baby in her arms and smiled.

"Auntie Ethel!"

Ethel tee-heed, "It's an honor!"

"What shall we call her, Dear?" Betty asked.

"Name her after me!" Stephen stated matter-of-factly.

"Stephen? That's an unusual name for a girl!" Ethel stated.

"Not Stephen; Stephanie. She could have your name, Betty, for her middle name- Elizabeth."

"You've given this some thought, I see."

"Well…yes!"

Little Stephanie became fussy. Her mouth crinkled and she let out a loud wail.

"She's got your voice, Betty!" Stephen quipped.

"Bloomin' cheek!"