Somos Familia •|•|•

Chapter 8

It was a rainy Sunday morning at the beginning of September, and the Rivera shoe shop was closed for the day. Normally this was because the family would head off to Sunday mass and then just laze the rest of the day away and not think of work, or orders that weren't finished, or shoes at all. But today was different for the Riveras, as well as the town midwife and her two assistants, who were also missing mass. It was a day Coco had been excited about for such a long time, but now that it was here, all she felt was terror.

She clung to her Tío Oscar's shirt and huddled against his chest as she let him rock her gently, but an ear-piercing shriek caused her to shrink even more in his hold. "Mamá..." she whimpered and watched her parents' bedroom door with wide, glistening eyes.

"It's okay, Coco." Oscar said as he continued his rocking. "This is completely normal. Your Mamá will be fine. Just fi-" Another scream cut off his words of encouragement, and Coco buried her face in his shirt and trembled.

Felipe came in from the kitchen carrying four steaming cups on a tray. "Okay! Hot chocolates for everyone, including one with extra cinnamon for Héc-... Héctor? Where'd he go?"

Oscar bent his head to the door. "Imelda was screaming for him, and before I had a chance to blink he bolted in there."

Felipe rolled his eyes and shook his head. "A husband has no place in the birthing room! Everyone knows that!" he handed Oscar a mug. "This one has no cayenne."

"Since when have those two ever been orthodox?" Oscar took the mug and nodded his thanks to his brother. "C'mon Coco, drink some of this. You'll feel much better."

Coco took the mug and sipped the sweet chocolate and let the warmth flow through her. It did make her feel better, but she wished her Papá hadn't left her so suddenly. However even her small child's mind knew that he was right where he was needed.

Imelda sagged against Héctor's chest as she felt the baby finally slide out of her and gasped out trying to catch her breath. She felt his long arms wrap around her and he kissed her brow, but she wished he didn't do either. She felt hot, sticky and just plain disgusting, not to mention still in a whole lot of pain. But still Héctor held her close against him, letting her sweat and other fluids soak into his clothes, as he cried and babbled sweet nothings at her.

"Ay, bebé precioso!" he blubbered as hot tears dripped off his face and onto Imelda's. "Perfecto! Maravilloso! Imelda, it's so beautiful!"

"What is it?" Imelda panted.

"Oh, right! What is it, senora?" Héctor leaned over Imelda's head to peer at the baby.

"It's a girl." The midwife said as she wiped the newborn's face off, and at that the baby let out a creaky wail that turned into a full bellied cry, in perfect synch with her Papá's grito.

"A girl! Oh, diosa!" Héctor peppered Imelda's face with kisses as they both faintly heard Oscar and Felipe cheering on the other side of the door. "Gracias Imelda! She's so beautiful!" He bounced excitedly. "Her name! What's her name?!"

Imelda smiled tiredly and closed her eyes. "Leticia."

"Leticia..." Héctor sighed and squeezed his wife in a hug. "Leti-ti-ti-ticia, with flowers in her hair..." he sang. "Ha! I love it!" He watched the two other girls in the room clean her off and cut the umbilical cord with a dreamy expression. "Ay Imelda, she's so beautiful. So tiny."

"Tiny?" Imelda sat up as much as she could and looked at the small baby. "Ay, dios mio... Mierda! That means there is another one in here!" She said as she glared at her still protruding stomach.

"No Senòra, there's only one, I promise" the midwife reassured Imelda, well actually Imelda and Hector.