A Collection of Stories

One Year

William arrived later that morning with Gwen and the baby's things. The doctor had forced my brothers and Anton to stay at the hotel until visiting hours, leaving Dad, Aunt Sofiya and Tobias with me in the hospital room. I'm not going to lie, labor hurts. The doctors said my baby was still progressing, but slow enough to get her closer to the eight month mark. William and Tobias were nervous wrecks, Dad and Aunt Sofiya were in the hospital chapel, praying for the baby and I, and Gwen was the only sane persons in the room.

"How are you, champ?" She asked, setting all the crap in her arms by the window. I roamed my hands over my stomach as Tobias removed the towel from my forehead to re-wet it.

"I want you to adopt, Gwen." I said with a smile. She laughed and pulled up a chair on the other side of the bed.

"Lemme guess, it feels like getting hit by a car?" She asked, rubbing my belly lightly.

"Worse since there's a football coming out of my-"

"Lalalala, la, la, la," The boys chanted in unison. Gwen and I laughed at their childlike demeanors.

"Grow up, you two. You may be fathers in a few days." Gwen said, smiling at them. Tobias and William stilled at her words. They were by no means ready to become fathers, but Gwen and I had to be realistic about this. I may not be able to hold her in for long. Tobias sat back in the chair he has occupied since we arrived while William lowered himself onto the edge of the bed.

"How are you, Ana?" William asked like I was dying. I grabbed his hand and placed it on my belly.

"Will, I'm fine. You and Toby need to stop acting like I'm dying." I said. My stomach tightened again, causing me to groan loudly. Tobias took my hand in his for me to squeeze while William fretted like an old woman. The hospital didn't give me anything for the pain, since I wasn't dilated five centimeters yet.

"I'm going to strangle you, Will." I gritted out. He gulped loudly as I curled around my stomach. William shakily pushed back sweaty hair from my forehead as the contraction continued.

"Ana, I'm so sorry. This is entirely my fault." He mumbled, cupping my face in his hands. I growled at him, trying not to wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze. Gwen and Tobias punched him in each arm as I clenched my teeth together.

"Damn straight it's your fault!" Tobias snapped. "If you didn't coerce two minors into sleeping with you without using a condom, we wouldn't be here!" I gripped Tobias's hand until my knuckles turned white. Tobias turned to me and his expression softened as he cupped my cheek with his free hand.

"Breathe, baby. Breathe." He said to me, pressing his lips to my forehead.

"It hurts, Toby." I whimpered as the contraction started to subside. He kissed my forehead again, trying to soothe me.

Over the next four days, my family had been in and out of the hospital, checking in on me and telling Tobias, William, Gwen and I all of the things they bought for their niece. Karen and Richard even came to the hospital, although, I could have done without Karen. I don't know what Tobias was thinking when he invited her, but I'd be the bigger person this time around. Karen didn't take it well meeting my father for the first time.

"Does he speak English?" She asked, staring my father down. I tried to get up but William and Tobias held me down, reminding me that I couldn't move from the bed. My father walked over to her and offered Karen his hand.

"My name is Josef Barkov, Anya's father. Your name Karen, no?" He asked. Karen took his hand gingerly and shook it, giving him a fake smile.

"Yes, Karen Mallock. Our little Anya said you were still in Russia. When did you get here?" She asked, like she was talking to a child. A low growl formed in the back of my throat.