Twenty-four hours later. Before breakfast arrived (I sent Camilla on a mission to Crème de la Crêpe), I got the phone call.
As soon as she came home we headed for the hospital and ate our breakfast in the car. My coffee had a phone number scrawled onto it.
"Cafe boy," she whispers.
"Uh-huh."
She parked in the hospital; this time closer to the building we actually needed to be in. She didn't ask this time but she walked in with me; i needed her too anyway. Moral support.
When we arrived at her room, Jayden was standing outside the door. "Third contraction," he whispered before letting us in.
There were two doctors in that room. Doctor June, responsible for monitoring her health and safety, as well as another to help to deliver the baby.
Anna is sweating like crazy as Jayden wipes it from her forehead with a flannel.
"Oh, hey girls," she gave the faintest smile before scrunching her face up like she was in the worst pain she could possibly imagine. She probably was.
"You're doing amazing, Anna. It shouldn't take longer than an hour," the doctor's voice is deep but calming; doctor-like. Personally, I was shocked at how it would take but Anna didn't seem to be paying any attention. I don't blame her. Why would you when you were focusing on trying to give birth to another human being.
Her breathing began to intensify and by then so was everyone else's in the room. We sat on the padded seats by her bed.
An hour passed, and still nothing happened. We all began to worry. The contractions were intensifying.
Camilla left earlier because she had a scheduled work shift. She offered to get someone else to cover for her but I couldn't let her sacrifice her time for me like that. She gripped me tight around the shoulders and whispered "She's going to be alright."
There was a knock at the door. I unclenched my fingers from the edge of my seat and stood up, opening the door. And there, standing before me, was my father. The man who raised my sister and I, yet walked out on us a week ago.
"Dad," Anna managed to gasp from behind me. He walked into the room and over to Anna, placed a small golden gift-box on her table. She smiled at him gratefully. Then, he took a seat beside her, across from our mother.
Thirty minutes passed. Anna was still in labour. All of a sudden, my dad rose from his seat, out the door and into the hallway. My feet couldn't help but follow him. He stood there, his back facing me, rubbing his eyes.
I tried to catch my breath, slowly drinking the ice-cold water from my lunch table. That's when I noticed that Dad was coming over. He sat down on the chair beside mine. His hair was neatly combed back, and his suit was still brand-new. I had never seen my father so dressed up.
"Tara," he stared at me, his face flushed but his eyes tired.
Trying to be as emotionless as possible, I replied, "Hi dad." Should I even call him that anymore? My mind was filled with hatred, for betraying our family, in such a desperate time of need. My eyes were stern, focusing on his face.
"Tara, I just want to say sorry. I know that I have done something really bad; I beat myself up over it every day. But I just want you to know that I still love you and your sister very much. Just because I found someone new, doesn't mean that you aren't important." How could he even say that?
"Look, dad, I don't know why you messed up so bad, but I do know that when you did, you betrayed mum, Anna and I. How could you be so selfish! How do you have the nerve to come and talk to us when you clearly don't even care about us. If you really loved us, then you wouldn't have cheated on mum. Imagine how it's going to feel to Anna when she finds out that her own father cheated on our family. She literally is about to give birth and you are ruining this day for her. I hope you enjoy your new life with your girlfriend!" I sniffed back the tears and ran as far away from him as I could.
