Hillwood Tales

34. A piece of my heart

In a room in darkness, totally alone... some steps were heard and then... the light turned on, revealing grandpa Phil inside.

- Hello... I suppose... I don't know what I'm doing here, but I just know that Pookie promised to some strange people to do this again and present some stories, now about the mothers day... I mean, she is nuts, I know that I'm here alone but... I don't know maybe I got nuts too or I died some time ago and this and Oskar is my eternal punishment... I really don't know, let's start with our first story...

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Story A: The lost of the maternity

I can remember the first second that I knew that you were with me... was later of a couple of months of a happy marriage, and productive weeks, doing what you dad and I love to do, helping others...

- Congratulations Mrs Shortman! - The Latin doctor said totally happy.

- Oh no, I'm really sick, right? Please, be honest.

- Don't worry Stella, you're perfect!

- Perfect? So, why do I feel like I'm gonna die soon?

- Oh don't worry, I repeat, you aren't gonna die soon, you're pregnant!

- Pre...pre... pregnant?

I was totally shocked, please, don't get confused, I love my unborn baby, but to be honest, I never thought of myself as a mom. I mean, I always imagined what my job will be, and my goals, but, a family?

I was savage and adventurous, I loved traveling and met and helped other countries and I thought that nobody would want to share life with me... But now... I am Stella Shortman and I have a baby... My own baby!

I left the doctor's office totally lost in my mind, with a stupid smile on my face... I felt like a princess in my own fairytale... all the people disappeared around me. I just walked and then, I found the only person that I wanted to see at that moment.

- I'm pregnant! We're gonna have a baby!

I just talked and felt his strong arms around me... Everything after that was just magic... Well, ignoring that I couldn't have breakfast for some months and Miles looking for strawberries at 2 am, but they were wonderful months, imagining your face, your eyes, the color of your hair... my belly growing more and more.

I remember the children in the village, playing some games to choose your name. They said that if you were a boy, you'd be named "Toñito" as one of them. The girls voted for Raquel, and I've to say that this last one was very cute and I loved it... but something inside of me was pretty sure that you'll be my Arnold.

Arnold... I loved that name, my dad was amazing, brave, strong, generous, brilliant, loving and loyal... he was the perfect dad for me and for your aunt, if only you could have met him... he died a year before I arrived in San Lorenzo, in fact his death was what prompted me to follow my dream, that's why I can't imagined a better name for my baby.

And finally.... after exactly 9 months... you came with us, And wow the way you chose to be born!... in the middle of a volcano eruption! Yeah I swear that it's true...

Were a 12 hours of totally suffering I've to admit, of uncertainty and impotence, I didn't know if I would be able to protect you... but your daddy and uncle Eduardo did an excellent job, they took care of us and protected us, and of course, I can't forget the green eyes, without them, we would never have saved you.