Pranking The Prankster

Chapter 36

Song
Come And Get Your Love — Redbone

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Today's been a pretty busy day. Josh dropped me off at Luke's house in the morning, and Luke practically attacked me the moment I walked through the door. Apparently everyone freaked out when they realised I was gone, and Luke's mom was even going to call the police until I showed up. She was relieved when she found out I was alright, but she sat me down and gave me a talk on 'responsibility' when she found out I'd stayed over at a boy's house. I've never been more embarrassed in my life.

The elevator dings and the doors slide open, revealing the crowded lobby. I'm wearing an oversized fuzzy peach sweater, Levi's with appliquéd flower patches on the knees and black Ugg boots. I'm carrying a big satin box of Belgian chocolates and a congratulations card I bought from the hospital's gift shop.

The kind nurse behind the desk at the reception gives me the directions to Stephenie's room and I make my way down the hall, nervous all of a sudden. Outside the ward, I balance everything in one hand, dab on some lip gloss and gather my hair into a high ponytail that even Betty Cooper would envy. Then I balance the box of chocolates and the card in one hand and knock.

The door is opened wide, revealing a uniformed nurse. She's frowning at me, hands on hips. "I'm sorry, dear, but its way past visiting time. I can't let you in here now."

"I'm sorry, but can I please just see Mrs Miller for a bit? I won't be long, I promise."

The nurse sighs heavily through her nose, reluctantly letting me in. "Alright then. Ten minutes," She says. She leads me past the curtain that divides the room and there's Stephenie, in a green and white hospital gown. She's sitting up in the hospital bed with the pillows propped up behind her, reading a book. A few feet away her husband is snoozing in a chair, scruff on his chin and black circles underneath his eyes.

"Someone's here to see you, Mrs Miller," the nurse says. "Ten minutes," she reminds me, then bustles away. Stephenie glances up and her eyes brighten when she sees me. She hold her arms out to me. I set the chocolates on a seat near the door and hug her, as carefully as I can. She still smells like herself, like coconut shampoo and rosy perfume.

"It's great to see you, honey," she says, squeezing my shoulder. "Thanks for coming." Mr Miller stirs a bit and Stephenie says, "Howard, look who's here."

He acknowledges me blearily, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "Who?"

"Anna," Stephenie says happily.

"Oh, right," He yawns. "Hi, Anna. Thanks for coming."

"No problem," I say. Stephenie pats a space on the bed, indicating that I should sit. I take a seat next to her, gently squeezing her feet protruding from under the sheets.

"How's the baby?" I ask.

"Well, she looks pretty good overall. Five pounds, eight ounces. She's still some weeks premature, so the doctor is worried about her breathing. She might need some assistance for a while, so we're staying here for a while until her oxygen levels even out and she gains a little weight."

There's a sudden knock at the door, and as if on cue a woman dressed in the colorful pattern-printed scrubs of an NICU nurse pushes a mobile bassinet enters the room. She brings the cart to a stop at the foot of the bed and lifts up a tiny bundle wrapped in the blue and white hospital swaddling blanket.

"Her O-two levels have been pretty stable lately so the doctor thought you might like to spend some time with her," the nurse says, settling the tiny baby into Stephenie's arms. She leaves, and I watch as Stephenie cradles her daughter against her chest, a blissful smile on her lips. Mr Miller circles to the other side of the hospital bed and gazes down at his wife and daughter, smiling.