Children of the Boss

Chapter 63: Carmen

March 14th

I was due the 31st, but my baby wanted to come early. My baby wanted to come out when its father was here. We went to the hospital quickly, and I had Kenneth call Clara. The contractions were so painful, and they didn't seem to stop. I was terrified something was wrong, that I was miscarrying. Could you miscarry this late into a pregnancy? Was my baby going to be stillborn? What was wrong?

Kenneth called Dad and Pop as well. They couldn't be here, but they were going to come when they could to meet their first grandchild.

The doctors were talking fast all around me. They said we had induce labor, something about the umbilical cord cutting off oxygen. Kenneth couldn't come into the operating room, even though I was crying and begging them to let him come. He had to sit outside and wait.

A curtain divided my body. I couldn't feel anything from my torso down, just a bizarre pressure. I kept asking what was happening. A nurse was petting my hair, telling me it was okay, the baby's heart rate was stable, it was coming.

A few moments passed, and then Kenneth came in wearing scrubs. He grabbed my hand and kept telling me it was okay. He was looking beyond the curtain as they cut open my body. A smile crossed his face as a baby's cries filled the room. All I could hear was the baby crying. Kenneth cut the umbilical cord. I felt dizzy, tired, passing out. Then Kenneth was putting a baby girl in my arms. 

"She's beautiful," he said.

I was crying so much. "She is," I said. 

"She's fine, just a little early."

I couldn't stop crying, but I didn't know why. My body had just gone through such a dramatic change. I was crying that I had a c-section. I was crying that a tiny human was in my arms. I was crying about everything. I was too young for this, but I couldn't turn back now.

I eventually passed out from exhaustion, stress, and probably multiple other things. When I woke up, we were in a hospital room. My torso was sewn back up. Kenneth was looking down at the baby laying in a hospital crib. 

"Beatriz," I said. "Beatriz Beau."

Kenneth smiled, still looking at her. "It's perfect."

"We should tell Eve her niece shares a birthday with her. It's still the 14th right?"

He chuckled. "Yes. 4:05PM on March 14th. That's BB's birthday."

"BB?"

He shrugged. "Bia. BB. Bia Beau. Lots of nicknames."

I smiled softly. "Let me hold her."

He gently picked her up and handed her to me. She was so tiny, but six pounds seven ounces. Healthy, just a little early. "She really wanted to be a pisces, not an aries," Kenneth said.

I laughed. "She's so beautiful, and soft."

Kenneth Facetimed Dad and Pop. Them, along with Emilio, Michael, Micah, Jeremy, Daniel, and Marcus all cooed over Bia. Dad got teary eyed. Pop seemed proud and excited to be a grandfather. We chit chatted for a while until the signal went bad. Then we Facetimed Eve.

"Happy birthday, Eve. I got you a present no one else has ever given you," I said, Bia out of shot.

"What's that?" she asked. It was nighttime in Paris. She was in her hotel room and the Eiffel Tower was behind her through the window. 

"A niece," I said. Kenneth tilted the phone so Bia, who was in my arms sleeping, was in view.

"What? Since when were you pregnant?" she asked.

"Well, I'm not pregnant. Not anymore at least."

"Why didn't you tell me! Oh my god, what's her name?"

"Beatriz Beau. Beatriz is Portuguese, it means 'brings joy,' but we were going to call her Bia for short. Then Beau, after Granddaddy."

"That's beautiful." Eve looked beyond the phone, then whispered, "Adrienne is in the bathroom showering. I'm assuming...Ken...is the father?" 

I looked at Kenneth, who ducked his head into view for a second. "Guilty as charged," he said.

"Don't say it like that," I scolded. 

"You could have told me," she said.

"Well, I had a hard time telling anyone at all, so don't take it personal."

We chit chatted for a little longer until she had to go to bed. I called Gabriel next, who was at the house with his boyfriend, Aunt Axelle and her boyfriend, and Granny. They were all excited and said they couldn't wait until we came home so they could see her. I called Grandma and Grandpa, Dean, all my aunts and uncles, cousins, friends. Eventually Kenneth took a photo of me and Bia. I posted it to Facebook, which was a very private account of just family and very close friends. I decided I would eventually post it to my public Instagram, but eventually.

Clara and Lorena showed up. They were so excited. We enjoyed the moment, but at the back of my mind I knew it was going to be hard. I mean my life was changed forever, and not in the way I thought it would be. 

We went home the next day. Clara and Lorena had bought me many, many things for the baby. Most of the clothing was green and yellow, gender neutral. A parenting coach came by to help me adjust to motherhood. She told me to let her know if I was exhibiting any symptoms of postpartum depression, which was one of my biggest fears. 

Kenneth stayed for a few more days. He wanted to stay longer, but I told him he should get back to school and that I would return in a few weeks. I needed to take it easy, and I was scared of flying with Bia. Clara and Lorena were going to move to the city with me. They couldn't leave until mid-April anyway. Clara was going to teach at NYU and Lorena was going to work with the ACLU in NYC. They were excited to come to the city, and were renting a nice apartment three buildings down from the townhouse. 

After Kenneth left, I spent a lot of time with Bia. I thought it was cute he called her BB. Clara paid attention to how I was doing more, making sure I wasn't going into depression. It didn't look like I would be, thankfully. A few days after Kenneth left, Dad and Pop came up to see their first grandchild. They were so excited. They stayed for two weeks.

I was terrified of being a mother, but whenever I held Bia I knew it would be okay. I had the help of my huge, loving family after all.