I'll Be Back

A Kiss Goodnight To A Fallen Lover

Jennie grits her teeth and bares down, yelling out in pain as she pushes with all her might. She can feel the pressure mixed with exhaustion setting in as she lets out a breath. She can barely register her mother and father in law holding each of her hands. Beads of sweat are dripping down her forehead and a nurse dabs at it before it gets into her eyes. She's panting hard at the exertion. The lights of the clean delivery room blind her as she sets her head back on the bed.

"You're doing great Jennie. Just a couple more then it'll be done." Her doctor says. Jennie groans, he's been saying the same thing for over an hour now. Jennie's mom begins brushing her hair away from her face. She feels Gustus give her a reassuring squeeze. The last time she was in a delivery room, it was Lisa that was beside her. She was holding her hand and brushing away her hair and dabbing the sweat. She was rubbing ice cubes over her lips and massaging her lower back. She was encouraging, even when Jennie snapped at her. She wants her to be the one holding her hand right now. She wants her telling her she can do it. She doesn't want anyone else's comfort. She just wants Lisa.

"I want Lisa." Jennie begins crying. Gustus is the one who begins trying to soothe her. He brushes some hair from her forehead and places a kiss. Jennie's eyes begin dropping tears and her mom starts trying to wipe them away.

"She'll be home soon. But she's also going to be expecting a newborn, but in order for you to give that to her, you gotta push a few more times. Can you do that Jennie? Just a couple more and you'll have another piece of Lisa with you. Okay?" Gustus tries. Jennie takes a deep breath, letting the words sink in. She then begins nodding and sits back up in the bed. She grabs ahold of both Gustus and her mom to steady herself. She's been at this for over twenty hours now. It's now she'd like it if their daughter had Lisa's promptness. She almost wants to laugh, thinking about that running joke between the two of them. She has a task to finish though. She takes a couple of deep breaths and signals the doctor.

"Alright Jennie, ready?" The doctor asks. Jennie nods and begins pushing once more as a nurse counts her down.

"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. Alright good, take a breath." The nurse says. Jennie releases her breath, already feeling the exhaustion wracking her body. She just wants to curl up and sleep for the rest of her life at this very moment.

"Alright Jennie, you just need to do one more push and you'll be the mother to a beautiful baby girl. Can you do that for me?" The doctor asks. Jennie nods and feels her mother's hand rubbing her arm in comfort. Jennie takes a few deep breaths before sitting up once more. She grasps both her mom's and Gustus's hands as the nurse begins counting down once more.

Jennie pushes with all she has left in her and it seems to go on for longer than ten seconds. She finally lets her breath go and she hears it.

She hears the wailing cry ring out through the hospital room. Everyone begins cooing as Jennie slumps back, exhausted but elated. Jennie begins to cry tears of happiness as her mother and Gustus continue cooing that 'she did it' as they wipe off her new baby girl. It's not long before she's handed the naked squirming newborn baby. They set her on her chest and her wails begin to quiet as Jennie brushes the light hair on her head, kissing her head.

"Oh my god. Hello little one." Jennie coos at the newborn. Gustus's own term of endearment for Lisa falling out of her mouth. She looks over to the man and he has tears in his eyes as he beams at his new grandchild. Jennie smiles at him. "Don't start crying on me now, Gus." Jennie jokes through her own tears of happiness. The big burly man laughs heartily and begins wiping his eyes before nodding at Jennie. Jennie then turns to her mother who has let her tears run freely down her cheeks. "Oh not you too!" Jennie exclaims, making everyone in the room laugh, causing the newborn to whimper a little at the loud noise. Jennie looks back down to study her. She's pink, has long eyelashes already and Jennie can already tell she has Lisa's lips and nose. She's so tiny and perfect. Jennie feels her heart warming in her chest. It's a funny thing. When she had had Aden, she was young and didn't think it'd be possible to fall in love twice, but she did the minute he was laid in her arms. Once again she's proven herself wrong looking at her new little girl. Falling in love three times is definitely the charm.