Chapter 23

It all happened too quickly, a blur of excitement - Lou and Murray carrying Mary awkwardly, Rhoda trailing along after, Ted helpless, useless, Georgette trying to keep him from getting in the way. There were paramedics, an ambulance which Mary fought tooth and nail for Rhoda to join her inside of. They were parted, however, upon arriving at the hospital, Mary rushed through two double doors that slammed shut in Rhoda's face.

And now they were waiting. Waiting for what felt an eternity. She hated that Mary was alone. She hated that she, herself, had dutifully called Peter, knowing he would call Mary's parents, hated the fact even more that upon their arrival they were allowed back to see Mary and she was kept in the waiting room.

Rhoda could only pace fruitlessly back and forth, wondering aimlessly by Lou and Murray and Peter - who remained in the waiting room and not back with Mary, somehow knowing Rhoda would not be too pleased with that arrangement. It was at least something, some concession that he made by sitting in the corner with a cup of cold coffee in his hands.

Walter joined them in the waiting area, sitting quietly nearby, nervously twisting his hat in his hands. "Should be a little while yet." He announced to the room. He met Rhoda's bewildered, worried gaze. Their eyes latched on, held one another for a brief moment.

Is she okay? Her eyes asked.

Yes. She's doing just fine. His look assured her.

Rhoda continued on pacing, happy that Dottie had not yet made her presence known. Though that informed Rhoda that she was with Mary and Rhoda wasn't sure she liked that any better. Knowing what Dottie had in store for the child, for the little baby, made Rhoda's fists clench and unclench.

"Uh, I, uh..." Lou was pulling at his fancy tux tie, loosening it about his neck. His face looked pale as a sheet despite the ample drinks he'd consumed at the Teddy's. "I think I'm going to run around the corner. For, uh, a snack. Yeah." He looked ill-at ease as he slid out of the room.

"I'll go with him." Murray followed him out even though Rhoda had silently prayed they wouldn't leave her with Peter and Walter. But now she was alone with them and she was the odd man out, looking crazed as she paced about.

Her arms ached to be there, to wrap about Mary and hold her, to take her hand in her own and squeeze it, hold her as the contractions came, soothe her through the pain. Oh, if only she could be there! Her heart beat wildly, her hands wringing together in apprehension.

She stared at the clock each time she paced and could see it there, hanging on the wall around the corner. The minutes, seconds ticked by leisurely. 10:30 turned slowly into 10:31, melting into 10:32. She was useless here in the waiting area and Dottie there in the room. Oh, she hated Dottie! Loathed her more than she could express in words.

Lou and Murray came staggering back around 11:15. They smelled of scotch and smoke. Rhoda itched for a smoke, but she'd promised Mary. She would keep to her promise.

Rhoda dug up a dollar from her purse and purchased two bags of chips and a cookie from the vending machine. She sat down and ate the whole lot of food in record time. The tight material of her formal gown seemed to groan in protest, but she could care less at this point if the seams burst open. All she needed was to get to Mary!

She stood to throw away her trash and then was pacing again, her feet too restless to sit.

Rhoda's pacing ended around midnight. She collapsed into a chair, fighting off sleep. She glanced to Peter who was slumped over in his chair. Walter was still holding his hat, looking intently at the carpet in the room. Rhoda felt her eyes drooping shut.

Lou was passed out, Murray on his way to sleep.

She felt guilty, but the weight of her eyes pulled her over, tugged her into sleep.

She awoke to the sound of Walter speaking with a doctor. Her eyes landed upon Peter, still asleep. The sun flooded through the blinds. It was morning.

"...healthy baby." She caught the words from the doctor's mouth.

"She had the baby?" Rhoda was on her feet in an instant. She moved towards Walter, needing to know more.

"Uh, excuse me, ma'am, but this is for family only."

"I am her family!" Rhoda blurted out, too exhausted from her uncomfortable, worried night of sleep to hold back.

"Rhoda, please." Walter turned to face her, lowering his voice. "She gave birth this morning at 9:16am. The baby is healthy, she is healthy."

"I need to see her, I - I need to see the baby." Rhoda could hardly contain herself, needing, wanting, desperately, to be with Mary.

"She's had a very rough night and she really only needs her family. Where might the father of the child be?" The doctor glanced around.

Peter stirred, standing from his spot. "That would be me, but I think Rhoda should see Mary." His voice, raspy from sleep, was the sweetest thing Rhoda had ever heard. She wanted to throw her arms about him and hug him but instead she looked expectantly at the doctor.

"You heard him! She wants to see me. So please, let me see her." Rhoda demanded firmly.

The doctor looked from Walter to Peter. Finally he conceded. "This isn't usual protocol, but seeing as how everyone is so insistent..."

"Please, I need to see her." Rhoda begged, running a hand through her wrecked hair, somehow having pulled it all out and down in the night.

The doctor grumbled something and then was leading her through a set of double doors which she had previously been shut out of. Her feet carried her forward, heart racing. The child was alive, was in the world, its own person. Would it have altered Mary? Would she no longer wish to see Rhoda because it would be too painful for her now that the baby was a real, tangible object? How could Rhoda ask her to give it up for her?

How happy they had been merely 24 hours earlier. They had woken up in one another's arms, content, relieved, in love.

Now the child had come into the world, had tilted it all, changed it, altered their reality. Would Mary even want her there now?

Rhoda found herself nervous as soon as they rounded the corner to the room. She felt her breath hitch in her throat, could hear whispered voices, knew that Dottie was inside, had been there for the whole birth and it twisted her gut to know that.

The voices came to a halt as Rhoda appeared in the doorway. She felt shy and uncertain then.

Mary, beautiful, beautiful Mary sat upon the bed with a baby wrapped up, pressed to her chest, tears streaming down flushed cheeks. "Rhoda!" She gasped, her voice hoarse. Had she yelled out during the birth? Had it been painful? Did she hurt? Rhoda wanted to wrap her up in her arms, wanted to hold the baby, but there was a tension in the room, Dottie's ever watchful eye holding them apart.

"Hey kid." Rhoda felt a tear trickle down her cheek, her vigor to get to Mary dying down with each passing second.

"Rhoda she's beautiful." Mary whispered, looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms.

"Oh, Mare! Mary, it's a girl?"

Mary nodded, "she is. She's perfect. Ab-so-lute-ly perfect." Mary hiccupped out between gasping tears.

"Oh, Mary!" Rhoda raced to her side, no more caring what the doctor thought or Dottie for that matter. "Mare." Rhoda stroked Mary's cheek in lieu of kissing her. Her eyes looked down to take in the little slumbering bundle and found the most beautiful little face with Mary's perfect little nose right there in the center. "She is beautiful, Mary. She looks just like you."

"Mother, please don't do it." Mary clenched her teeth, staring at her mother who had backed herself into the corner of the room. "Please." Her voice broke this time.

"It's no life for a child." Dottie's voice wavered, no longer firm in her resolve.

Rhoda let her hand touch the peach fuzz atop the baby's head, tears spilling over. She felt foolish for crying. She looked down at Mary. Their eyes locked. "Mare." She whispered.

"No." Mary spoke firmly through her tears. "No, no."

"Mary, hon, you have to have her. She's yours. She's your flesh and blood and she's perfect, like you. And she deserves the world, Mare. The whole world."

Mary grasped then for Rhoda. "No, Rhoda."

"Yes, yes." Rhoda nodded through teary eyes.

The baby stirred in Mary's arms, yawning ever so slightly. She was so beautiful. God, Rhoda wanted to hold her in her arms, but she couldn't...could she?

"Mary, you need to do whatever you can to have her."

"Rhoda," Mary's body was wracked with sobs.

"Mary has been through so much, perhaps we should leave her alone now." The doctor, curious as to what was transpiring, appeared at Rhoda's side.

"No, Rhoda. Please don't leave. We need you." Mary gasped. "Don't disappear. Please. Mother, mother I'll do anything to have Rhoda and the baby. I'll marry Peter...I'll...I'll pretend I just - I need Rhoda. And I need Morgen."

"Morgen?" Rhoda felt her heart beat loudly in her chest. She'd named the baby.

"Yeah," Mary nodded. "Morgen Faye Richards."

"Oh...Mare!" Rhoda entwined their fingers together. Mary had named her after her! "Mary." Rhoda was speechless, Mary sobbing.

They all heard the sound of the throat clearing in the doorway, Rhoda looking up through tears to see Peter standing there, tears glistening in his own eyes though he tried not to let them show. "Dottie, I couldn't marry Mary. I couldn't do it. Not even if you wanted me to. I can't live a lie." He spoke firmly.

"Don't you go getting involved in this...this misguided affair." Dottie shot off, her own tears strangling her throat. "I thought you were a better man than that."

"Dottie, be reasonable." Peter moved to stand beside Rhoda, to peer down at the baby in Mary's arms. The baby he had helped to create. It was the least Rhoda could do, to move ever so slightly to allow him to see his daughter, the perfect little baby that he had helped into this world, the single most precious thing Rhoda had ever seen in her life. And perhaps it was all unconventional, and all wrong, and nothing felt right, but she knew that she should allow him a glimpse, one viewing. Mary held to her hand, though, as she stepped to the side, allowing for him to see. Mary held the baby protectively, as if no one would ever be allowed to hold Morgen except for her.

"Mary, this is embarrassing. Let Peter hold his child. Let's not go making a scene."

"No, mother. I'm not giving this child up until I absolutely have to. Have me arrested, take me away in handcuffs, but she's mine."

"Dottie, she's under a lot of stress right now. Why don't we go talk reasonably about this in the hallway?" Peter placed a thankful hand on Rhoda's arm and turned to Dottie.

"No, I won't allow this. I will not allow this." Dottie wailed.

"Dottie, please." Peter moved to her, taking her arm and leading her towards the door, though she put up quite the fight.

"Who's making the spectacle now." Mary seethed under her breath, clutching to the baby and to Rhoda. They watched the doctor awkwardly slip out the door, his cheeks looking rather flushed, knowing he was an unnecessary addition to the scene.

"Oh, Mary. Mary, I'm so sorry." Rhoda held on limply, feeling unnecessary, useless to the moment. She was only making things worse for everyone. Her heart hurt.

"We won't let her take her away from us." Mary looked down at the baby and shook her head. "No, you're staying right here with your mother and…and your Mama Rhoda." Rhoda blanched at the term. Was she really her mother as well? It sounded all wrong, yet felt right. She had done nothing to help bring this child into the world, yet she felt so much a part of her.

Rhoda smiled a little, peering down at little Morgen, so innocent, so unknowing, unaware of the events surrounding her. She slept on peacefully, as if she were a porcelain doll. Rhoda's arms ached for her, ached to hold her. "Mare, can I…" the question waivered on her lips.

"Yes, yes, please. I want you to hold her." Mary extended the child to Rhoda who took her up in her arms. The warm weight of her there brought more tears to Rhoda's eyes.

"Oh, you are so beautiful. So perfect. Yes, you are." Rhoda pressed her lips to the crown of Morgen's head, inhaling the scent of newborn, baby powder, innocence. She loved her more than she knew she was capable of loving anyone or anything. She loved her so whole-heartedly and she wanted nothing more than to have her with her and Mary for the rest of their lives.

Dottie huffed into the room then, reaching for her coat and her hat, scarcely able to look at either woman or the baby. "I don't agree with it. I don't agree with a single thing, but don't ever come crying to me when things don't work out. Don't expect a damn thing from me ever again. I'll leave you to your nest of sin and debauchery. It's disgusting. I want nothing more than to take that child from you right now, but instead I will remove myself from the situation. I am no longer a part of your life. You've chosen your path. I tried to help, I tried to make you normal, but you've defied me. So I will give you this, I will give you this child to ruin. I will pray for it every day, I will pray for you, for your soul that you might be able to see the error of your ways. But I don't like it. So goodbye Mary. I hope you come to your senses." Dottie spewed these hateful words, each one stinging, piercing deeper, more painfully.

Rhoda clutched Morgen tighter to her chest with each word, only noticing how tightly she'd clasped her when she took a breath upon Dottie's dramatic exit.

Somewhere in Rhoda's peripheral she could make out the sharp inhales and exhales that Mary was making lying there in the bed. She was gasping, gasping for air, doubled over as if in pain.

"Mare, Mary, hon," Rhoda reached out a hand to run her fingers over Mary's back, soothing her while holding onto the baby.

"Rhoda…oh, Rhoda." Mary groaned. "She's gone."

"She is." Rhoda affirmed, uncertain as to how Mary felt about this, whether she was relieved or upset.

"Rhoda, is she really gone forever?" Mary looked up at her then.

"She's gone. For good. I spoke with her again." Peter appeared shyly in the doorway. "She won't be pursuing the court case against Mary."

"Oh, Peter." Rhoda gasped, "Peter, thank you!" Rhoda sobbed.

Peter nodded. "It was the least I could do." He eyed the baby there in Rhoda's arms.

"Do you want…do you want to hold her?" Rhoda asked, knowing he deserved at least that for all he had just done for them.

He nodded and took Morgen into his arms, looking down at her with such love and admiration.

Rhoda turned back to Mary, sitting atop the bed, taking her hands in her own. "Mary, did you hear that? She's dropping the suit. Morgen is ours."

Mary nodded blurrily, looking exhausted and deflated then. She reached out, reaching for Rhoda to come closer to her. Rhoda moved into her arms, wrapping her own about Mary, pressing a kiss to her cheek before holding her tight, running soothing circles over her back. "You did so well, kid. So well. I'm so proud of you." She pressed a kiss to Mary's ear, whispering, "I love you, so much."

"I wish you could have been here." Mary whispered back.

The duo sat up, hands still entwined, looking to Peter who was distracted with the baby. He was looking at her so lovingly, with such deep affection. Rhoda found in his gaze that perhaps she could like him. He had helped create this perfect little creature after all. He looked up, a silly smile playing on his face, deliriously happy.

"Thank you, Peter." Mary smiled at him.

He smiled back. "I can come over every day, can't I?"

"Of course." Rhoda nodded, smoothing her hand over the one she held in her own.

"You two really are in love, aren't you?" Peter's voice lowered as he eyed them there together.

Rhoda nodded, looking then to Mary. "I love her more than I'll ever be able to express."

"I feel the same way." Mary smiled.

"Then you deserve this." Peter handed the baby back to Mary who cradled the child in her arms. The child that was all her own, was made for her, for them, to raise and to love.

Rhoda knew it would be an adventure, knew that it would always be the three of them and Morgen, but she would have it no other way. As she peered down at Mary and the baby she felt extremely lucky and loved. And relieved. God, was she ever relieved. So relieved, in fact, that she could go for a huge egg and bacon breakfast.