𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃 - c. cornell

chapter twenty

1991
ollie

Everything I was told about giving birth from my aunts and other women I knew sounded like a nightmare but there were some good lessons—to not panic. The last thing I wanted to do was push this thing out of myself and feel like shit for doing so. "Babe" I said tapping Chris' shoulder quickly. "What's up?" He asked looking into my eyes. "Fuck my water just broke" I whispered to him and he looked almost pale. "What the- we have to get to the hospital!" He said standing up and running around getting things.

"Guys my water broke we need to leave, you guys can come with" I said and they looked panicked as well. "Holy shit your gonna be a mama!" Steph said almost jumping off the floor. "Yeah- HOLY FUCK OW!" I yelled in pain as the baby kicked me, feeling rather restless. "CHRIS!" I yelled and he rushed into the living room. "Yes?!" He said confused. "The overnight bag is in the closet," I said pointing to our room. "Right ok!" He said running back to get it. "We're gonna meet you two at the hospital!" Eddie said and they rushed out the door.

All this stress was put on me and I felt like crying. My hormones ran through the roof and anger built up. Chris came back and helped me off the couch and over, into the car. "Please just drive me to the damn hospital!" I yelled and He started the car pulling out of the driveway as quickly as possible. In a short matter of time, we made it and my heart was racing. "Hi we need a room, my girlfriend is about to give birth," Chris said out of breath. "Ok," she said annoyed and I was done with everyone's bullshit at that point. "Listen here, you get me a goddamn room or I will deliver this baby on the floor do you understand me?!" I yelled and she rolled her eyes.

"Babe-" Chris said before I cut him off. "Not now." I said mad. "Dr. Finneas, there's a pregnant lady in need of a room" The receptionist said nonchalantly into the PA system.  Never in my life have I used such vulgar language choice but it felt amazing, and I saw Chris' eyes get any wider. "Hello Ollie! I'm doctor Finneas I'll be delivering your baby" he said with a smile and a wheelchair to get me to my room. "Hello, sorry I'm kinda upset right now and there are so many emotions and-" I began to break down. "No it's gonna be ok! It's totally normal" he said as we walked down the hall quickly. We went to my delivery room and I was put in a gown and rested on my bed.

Chris walked back into my room and I smiled. "Hey baby," he said smiling down and me taking my hand. "Hi Chris," I said smiling and reaching up to touch the side of his face. "Your beautiful, and I'm proud," he said taking that hand and kissing it. "I don't know..." I said feeling sad again. Damn hormones. "We're gonna start pushing soon" a nurse said looking up at me. That was the last straw for my tears to fall from my eyes. "Honey it'll be ok" Chris said hugging me. "I can't fucking do this! No way am I strong enough!" I yelled crying and resting my head into Chris' shoulder.

He was good at that. Giving me a shoulder to cry on when no one else would, when I was lonely and felt sad like normal. "You have been through too much to give up! You've felt pain before, and I know that you passed it, this is one of those moments! You will pass it, and...fuck I've been waiting 9 months for this baby and so have you, we can give up now because if so we won't be able to get through anything else"

He had a good point. I needed to look at this pregnancy and kick it in the ass, and make this my strength. I had to do this for our baby, Chris and myself. "Are you ready?" Chris said to me, taking my hand. "Yeah!" I said smiling and kissing Chris once more before I had to take this on. "Alright, push for ten seconds...go!" Doctor Finneas said. I began to push as hard as I could gripping onto Chris' hand. I could tell I was hurting him but he needed to understand this hurt more then the pain I was causing him. "Fuck" I heard him whisper and he gripped my hand back. "Good job!" the doctor said giving me a break. "You got this" Chris said. I went and pushed again and I knew this baby was coming out soon. "Almost there!" The doctor chanted.

...

Minutes later of pushing and screaming, it was over, for our new baby girl was brought into the world at last. Once I heard those first cries, I broke down in tears and rested my head down. "Oh my god" I said crying my eyes out, bound to get a mean headache. It was worth it though because once I held the small infant in my arms I knew I was safe. She was as beautiful as ever and slept peacefully in my arms. She was clean and smelled like a brand new baby (because she is). Chris' eyes searched over the both of us and I couldn't peel my eyes off her. She was so precious and I knew this was going to be worth it. "She's beautiful," Chris said placing his hand gently on the back of her head as I held her in my arms. "And we created her" I smiled up at him and he did as well. "Yeah" He said kissing my head.

We sat in awe and watched her sleep peacefully. "Hey guys, she's so precious isn't she?" The nurse said smiling down at all of us. "For sure" I replied wiping my eyes of tears. "Here's the certificate, you just need the name for the baby," she said handing Chris a paper on a clipboard. "Honey we didn't really think much" he said panicking. "I knew what I wanted a while ago, you just gotta tell me if it's a good name" I replied looking up to him. "Yeah go ahead" he said.

"Monique?"

He smiled and nodded. "That's perfect," he said nodding. "Monique Ray Cornell" I said and Chris smiled looking down at me. I felt stress-free yet again. A new baby, a couple of days to relax at the hospital and my new family. My other family is fucked, but I can still make the most of the new one we just created and I would never let anything like what happened with my family, have happen to Monique. I was sure of that.