Cradle Angel

Chapter One:

“Everybody move out of the way!” Doctors slammed through the corridors of the unusually full hospital. Current date: October 13th, 1991. Time: Exactly midnight. Into elevators, and up several floors, the delivery room has never seemed so far away. Doctor Trainer has been doing this for years and with each ticking second the floor they are looking for seems farther and farther away.

            “Nurse, I must stop here to grab some needed supplies. Please take Mrs. Ansley to her room.

            “Yes, doctor.”

Maternal needs were rare in this hospital; a baby hasn’t been born there in over a year. All the lights on the floor were out, but thanks to technology, left the job easier by automatically turning on from sensors going off.

Amy Ansley was an older lady, and the doctors were surprised she was even able to concept and carry a child at her age.

            “Mrs. Ansley, this is your room. I will get started on your medications now,” Nurse Laura said calmly as she entered the IV into the patient’s vein. Amy squirmed just a little, but was in so much pain already that she knew best not to fight it. Her husband Mark was standing right beside her to hold her hand anyways, and that gave her more comfort than any card, gift, or flowers could bring.

            “We’ve induced your labor now, the contractions will begin to get stronger but with the epidural we are fixing to give you that pain will be short a simple, okay?”

Amy gave a slight nod, her body already getting weak from the child inside her. It was a surprise baby; nobody knew the gender yet although both of the expecting parents were wishing for a baby boy.

            “Oh, Mark, whenever the baby arrives our world will be complete. You have no idea how happy I am!” She squeezed her husband’s hand as the epidural was injected into her lower back.

            “Amy… He will be so beautiful. In a matter of time we can take him home with us. He is already perfect on the inside and out,” Mark kissed the top of her hand and kneeled by the bed as she lay back down.

The labor process did not take as long as the doctor’s did, but Amy’s 50-year-old body probably was completely exasperated by this time. The labor only lasted approximately 4 hours and it was time for delivery.

            “Okay Mrs. Ansley it’s time to push out your child. You are correctly positioned, just push whenever you are ready!”

The room filled with tension as minute after minute passed by with no sign of baby. The two delivery doctors stopped immediately after 30 minutes to do an ultrasound and realized very quickly an emergency C-section was their only option to save this infant’s life. Amy was rushed to the end of the hallway into room 555 to have her abdomen cut open and the baby pulled out.

            “The umbilical cord…” Doctor Trainer started.

            “It’s… wrapped around the child’s neck…” Doctor Radcliff finished.

The team of doctors and nurses pulled together to cut off the cord and unwrap it, and right after that the two doctors carried the baby away to start breathing treatments to make sure there would be a quick recovery, instead of no recovery at all.

Time passed and the anxious parents were brought back to a room they would stay at until dismissed. Amy and Mark both cried, unknowing if their bundle of joy would make it back to them safe, alive, and healthy. Finally, Nurse Amaya pushed in a bassinet with a colored bow on the top indicating the infant’s gender.

            “Why is that bow pink?” The new parent’s said simultaneously.

Nurse Amaya laughed.

            “This is your baby girl; would you like to see her?”

The nurse turned the bassinet towards the couple. Inside was indeed a very beautiful little girl with a complete head full of light brown hair. Both of the parents stared disbelieving at the baby.

            “What are you talking about? We wanted a baby boy!” Amy’s eyes built up with tears. Mark took her hand and spoke a bit more softly to the nurse.

            “She is right, ma’am, we have wanted a boy this whole time, what are we to do with a girl?”

            “Well, take care of her and love her, of course.”

The couple both stared at the nurse and baby in a mount of anger. Amy was crying and Mark had a cherry red face. Nurse Amaya didn’t quite know what to do, so she left the couple alone with their newborn baby girl for a few moments.

            “Mark what are we going to do with a girl?!”

            “Amy, relax. She’s a beauty, and since we only had white clothing and accessories as it is, it’s not like we wasted money or anything. Look at her; she even has your face.”

Amy took a few deep breaths then sat up to look more closely at the girl.

            “Well what are we going to name her?” She said as she looked at her husband.

He paused for a few seconds thinking.

            “Let us call her Adaline Faith Ansley.”

            “Mark… How did you come up with that so fast?” Amy picked up the baby and held her in her arms.

            “It just came to my mind to moment I saw her.”

The couple held their newborn close and Amy rubbed her cheek as the nurse came back in to check on the infant.

            “Have you picked out a name for her yet?”

            “Oh yes, her name is Adaline. That is, Adaline Faith Ansley.” Amy smiled up at the nurse as baby Adaline cooed to the sound of her mother’s voice.

            “That is a wonderful name. Here is baby Adaline’s birth certificate if you both could please sign it, then after that you will be free to go!”

Amy and Mark both gladly signed the certificate as they were awarded with a brand new car seat courtesy of the hospital Adaline was born in. Mark grabbed the diaper bag to carry out as Amy and Adaline were pushed out in a wheelchair to their vehicle. Adaline cooed the whole way, and Amy could have sworn she seen the little girl smile.

            “Mark… A baby boy would have been a very amazing thing, but I love our little girl more and more every time I look at her.”

            “Amy, I couldn’t agree with you more.”