He's Love

#0

20 August 1998

The wind outside is strong and soundly as it tries to force open the squeaky glass window. Another flash of lightning strikes the same time the loud roar of thunder echoes.

Beneath the bad typhoon that was announced earlier to strike the city tonight, Therese, cries out through the night with her husband beside as she begs for help.

"The doctor's near, hang on, dear. Please," her husband, Jacob, whispers to his wife. He phoned their private doctor almost an hour ago and he's been trying hard not to curse in front of his wife. He can feel almost every pain as she shouts, as she grips his hand hard, and as the tears on her eyes fall every time there must been a contraction.

"I can't," she whispers to him, her eyes close and the sweat running down her face, "she's almost out."

Jacob looks at the blood that has now covered the half of the sheet of their bed. The thunder roars one more time, the rain pouring heavier by the second.

He silently curse the timing of the weather as he curse the doctor, too, for rejecting his offer last night. He asked him to stay knowing that his wife will be giving birth soon but the doctor declined saying he has to deliver a baby out of town. Now the doctor's in god-knows-where in the middle of a typhoon, being unable to cater the needs of his wife. He prays, though, speaking louder in his head hoping that the Almighty may hear his pleads.

"I'll," he trembles as he tries to move from his wife, still holding her hand, and parts her legs.

Oh god, he exhales, as he sees the head of their baby. He stops breathing for a second before he tiredly gasps for air and closes his eyes.

"I'll do it," he tries to sound strong. He can't see his wife in this state anymore, she's in too much pain, he can't let her feel like that anymore.

"Part," he stutters, "part your legs more, dear. I can almost see her."

She does what he told her even though she's close to exhaustion. His hands are shaking and he cusses. He wishes he can remember even just one clip they saw about how to give birth. He can't screw this up.

"Breathe, dear, I need you to do one great push," he instructs as he strictly follow the list he made in his mind of the steps he remember the doctors in the clips did.

Her cry fills the room as she pushes, gripping the bed sheet.

One more, she hears her husband say. I have her, she hears him say again, just one more and it'll be okay.

She wants to nod but she's so tired. She's not even certain anymore if she can push one more. But her angel, oh her angel, is close. So close. She needs to do this. For her. For their baby.

She lets go of a shout as she pushes, giving all of what's left of her strength. She pushes, breathing out all the air in her lungs. Until she gasps for air and closes her eyes. Sobbing one last time before her consciousness leave her.

Jacob's crying as he holds their daughter in safely. She cries, her high pitch cry fills the room. He grabs the sterilized scissor from the corner of the bed and cuts the umbilical cord. He gently tries to wash off the blood from his baby's skin with warm water and covers her with a towel.

"Dear," he whispers to his wife who's now in slumber and sits close to her, "she's beautiful."