"Her or me?" A tear rolled down Michelle's puffy cheek, "You have to make a decision."
For Michelle, life has always been about control- control in the studio, in her friendships, and even in the secrets she hides. But with an unexpected pregnancy...
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My breathing is shaky as I begin to wake up. I'm laid on my side, and as I open my eyes, the first thing I see is the beeping monitor in front of me. I just take some time looking at it, emotionlessly. I'm too exhausted to move or feel anything.
I remember everything that happened before I passed out. I remember how overwhelmed I felt, how painful everything was, and how the doctor reached for a sharp tool and proceeded to cut me...
Suddenly, I recall the cries of my baby, and everything else is now unimportant. I roll onto my left side and get a glimpse of her small body lying in a bassinet.
I then find the strength to pull myself up because I want to see my baby. I groan as I sit upright, feeling how my entire body aches and remains painful. But none of that matters when I hear the little noises my daughter makes.
I look at the floor before slowly letting my feet meet its cold surface. I then hold onto the side of the bed, managing to stand up despite how much pain I'm in.
She's there in the bassinet in front of me. She's lying on her back, wearing a white jumpsuit and matching socks, and she's sleeping peacefully. Tears begin to form in the corners of my eyes as I admire the life that I managed to create.
How could someone like me create something so beautiful?
Suddenly, as I'm about to make my way closer to her, I hear a click as the door to the room is unlocked.
In walks Phillip, a serious look on his face.
"You're up?" He seems surprised.
I don't respond to him as I have nothing to say after how he treated me.
He then says, "She's beautiful, isn't she?"
"You must be very proud. You created something so special. Not a lot of people have the privilege."
I then manage to say, "She's just a baby..."
He shakes his head. "No, she's much more than that."
I decide not to argue with him this time as I've lost the strength to fight.
He then decides to apologise for what happened earlier, "Look, I'm sorry for what happened." He starts to speak. "I told you that if you just listened and stayed calm, then you would've had a stress-free birth. You would have gotten to hold your baby as soon as she was born, and there wouldn't have been such a fuss."
"And I wouldn't have had to do what I did to you..." His words confuse me.
