The First

Chapter 5

Several miles down the road, at Dallas Hospital, seventeen-year-old Tania Erres lay on the hospital bed with her feet in the stirrups. She'd been tough, didn't want anything to dull the pain because she needed to feel her baby come out. The adoption papers were in her mom's purse and the birth would be the only time she'd get to have with her baby. 

She had been dating Dallas high school star running back, and 'player' asshole, Trevon Miles. He'd professed his undying love and devotion to her on their third date. On the fourth date, she gave in to his constant advances. He didn't use a condom and she'd been bitch-slapping herself ever since. 

What was I thinking? 

"I'll pull out, nothing will happen, you'll see." 

Idiot. 

Even though the act lasted only a few minutes, the pain would last the rest of her life. A baby? No way in hell. She would put herself back together for her senior year and salvage the gymnastics scholarship to OSU. That's what she thought–-then. Now that she'd carried the baby for nearly nine months, her heart ached for the child within her. She'd heard of mothers forming bonds with their babies, but hadn't known it happened in the belly. She couldn't help but love the little imp who kept kicking her in the bladder and making her pee her pants. Once while she was in line at McDonald's with some friends; super embarrassing moment. 

"How are you doing, sweetie?" Her mom patted her hand. 

Tania's eyes narrowed. 

"Don't glare at me, young lady. You're the one that didn't want any medicine." 

"Yeah...yeah, can I take it back?" Another contraction hit and Tania bit down on her bottom lip. The copper taste of blood filled her mouth. "Holy shit, motherfucker." 

"Tania." Her mom scowled. 

She didn't know how long the contraction lasted, but it felt like a long time. "That one hurt." 

"Oh, baby. Looks like you bit your lip." The nurse looked at Tania's mom. "Give her some ice to chew, should help stop the bleeding."

Her mom took the cup of crushed ice from the rolling cart next to the hospital bed. She spooned out a heaping teaspoon and held it to Tania's pursed lips. "Do what the nurse said. The blood's dribbling down your chin."

 With a second taut glare, Tania took the spoon of ice into her mouth and swished it around. The cold soothed the throbbing pain. 

"That better?" The nurse loomed over her. 

"Yeah, thanks." Tania started to smile. The contraction hit like someone took a baseball bat to her crotch and stomach. "Oomph!" She sat up and almost pulled her feet out of the stirrups. 

The nurse clasped Tania's shoulders and pressed her into the bed. "Look into my eyes and count with me. Ten...nine...eight.... " 

Tania wanted to count too, instead, she grunted and screamed. When the pain subsided, she slurped another mouthful of crushed ice stuffed into her mouth by her mother. 

Dr. Johnson waddled into the room and plopped onto her swivel stool. She wheeled herself between Tania's legs. Tania jerked when Dr. Johnson's cool gloved fingers probed her warm insides. 

"Fully-effaced." Dr. Johnson wheeled over to the sink, removed her gloves and tossed them in a red wastebasket with a biohazard sign on it. "You know what this means, Tania?" 

"Yeah." The dreaded push she'd heard way too much about. She shivered, not knowing if she had the strength left to squeeze something the size of a large grapefruit out of her.