[Angela]
I knew my mood worsened through the pregnancy, and Patrick did a good job putting up with me. Frustration constantly waged through me and I felt the craving for chocolates. Since I couldn't stand the bitter tang of dark chocolate I went for milk chocolate.
Every morning, I woke up and slipped into the routine of showering, rubbing my hands over my abdomen. Slowly, as the days developed, I felt the baby bump. At first it was just a small bump coming out from the lower part of my tummy, almost invisible under my clothes.
I had morning sickness too. Every morning when I woke up, Patrick would be gone, but sometimes he would be there, waiting for me to leave for work together. I would clean up and sit on the toilet, clutching my abdomen until I threw up. After that things usually went easier. Except for constant tiredness I was fine.
When my pregnancy hit the 5 month mark, the baby bump was pretty much visible even with clothes. But people still mistook it for putting on weight though. I rubbed it every now and then, feeling the hard bump, wondering how was the baby. By then we knew it was a girl.
It was a usual morning. Patrick went for work early. As usual, I squatted in front of the toilet, waiting to vomit. Surprisingly, it didn't come up. I still felt a little nauseous, but headed for work anyway. On the way as I stopped at the cross road, bad cramps seized me. My knees almost buckled beneath me as I bent over slightly, clutching my abdomen. Involuntarily I pressed my fists into the baby bump, hoping the pain would subside.
Boy, was I wrong.
The pain intensified into a squirming pit in my abdomen. I gasped as I tried to make it across the road while the green light was on. I staggered a few steps and stopped, pain rippling through my womb.
What the hell was happening? I was only 5 months!
Suddenly my knees gave way as the light turned red. A taxi zoomed past my kneeling figure and I tried crawling to the pavement. Pain tore up my tummy and I screamed in agony. What's happening? Why does it hurt so much?
I turned to the sound of screeching tires.
The next thing I felt was the sensation of flying. No, not flying. Being thrown off the road like a rag doll. My body stretched out, intensifying the pain until I felt like it would rip me apart. I landed on the road with such a jarring impact that my head spun and everything went black.
Through the agony and pain, I clutched my tummy, pleading and pleading that I would be alright, my baby would be alright…