Page 123 of The Attraction File

FORTY-EIGHT

Evaleen

Seven Months Later

“I love you so much right now.” Edgar was crying holding my hand. His eyes focused on me and all I wanted to do was punch him.

“You loved me too much, Edgar. Too much. And now look at me.” I grunted.

A head lifted from between my legs. “Just one more push.”

I felt something touching my head and I swatted at it. That damn nurse was wiping the sweat on my brow with a cloth. I had informed her many times not to do that. And by informed, I meant I screamed at the top of my lungs.

Giving birth sucked. I won’t sugar coat it. It hurt like hell. Not just that, but I had already thrown up. Yeah, they don’t tell you that part. When you give birth, you can get sick and puke all over your hospital gown, twice.

I don’t even want to know how terrible I looked down there. I’m sure my vagina was more like a war zone now. Poor Edgar, this baby was going to destroy what he loved most. He was left with rubble now.

From what I have been told I had a typical pregnancy. No complications. Nothing that made the doctors worry or put me on bed rest. I didn’t agree.

Pain, mood swings, gas, and heartburn plagued me the entire time. Making my life, and anyone I came in contact with, miserable.

Surprisingly, Payne and I got along great during my pregnancy. I hung out a lot with Tiffany over the past several months to get a feel of what motherhood was like and to ask her questions. Payne stopped by often to watch movies and hang out with David.

I think we both came to appreciate each other’s moodiness. It was our little bitch sessions. I needed to have someone around me who wasn’t so positive all the time.

Plus, my mother had started to date someone so she was gone a lot. I found myself hanging out with the ladies of SWIM Meet more and more.

My mom and I found out the flowers delivered to her weren’t from Damien, but her old flame Ronald the gymnast. He had moved back to Chicago and was dropping hints he wanted to see her. A good hint would have been leaving his name and not scaring the shit out of us thinking a crazy person was after us. But, my mother thought it was romantic so that’s all that counts.

The pressure was too much and I gave a push and squeezed the life out of Edgar’s hand. Like a trooper, he took it and didn’t say a word.

“Touchdown. We have a girl.” Dr. Kingston Marks held up the pink wrinkled baby covered in slime and my heart had never felt so full in its life. The baby began to scream and cry and I broke.

Uncontrollable sobs spilled forth as I had never heard anything so beautiful. I hadn’t even held her in my arms and the love was so intense that all I could do was cry.

“Cut the cord, Edgar?” Dr. Marks asked holding up our baby.

I narrowed my eyes at Edgar, warning him not to hurt that child, but he couldn’t see me anymore. His eyes were glued to our little girl.

“I, uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea, King. I might hurt her.” Edgar’s face paled at the sight of the metal scissors presented to him by the nurse.

The doctor shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

The doctor quickly snipped the cord and the baby was whisked over to a lit table near my bed. I kept my eyes on her the whole time.

What felt like forever but was only a few minutes before my little girl was brought to me. I untied my gown and let her rest on my bare chest.

“So beautiful. I never thought I would see something that could make me so happy.” Edgar bent down to kiss her sweet head.

“She is the loveliest thing in the world.” I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

The doctor came over and slapped Edgar on the back. “Congratulations, Edgar. I never thought I would see the day where you became a father. Do you remember that one time when Kelly from dorm 5C kept—”

“Okay, King, maybe now’s not the time to take a stroll down memory lane.”

Dr. Marks nodded. “Right, right. Well, I’m glad I could be here to catch her.”

Edgar frowned. “Yeah, good thing you were on call.”

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