A Gifted Born

She was due any day now; Gretchen felt huge and was ready to deliver this baby. It had been a rough ride, with moving to her aunt’s house after her parents decided she was too much for them, she seemed to be settling in. Since she found out she was pregnant she instinctively wanted to do better in life, for herself and for her unborn child. She knew it wasn’t going to be easy being a single mother but she knew she was going to do the absolute best she could to ensure this baby knew how loved it was.
Aunt Sadie was doing everything she could to make sure Gretchen felt safe and at home. They had become very close over the last eight and a half months. She didn’t care how much trouble Gretchen had gotten into before she came to her; she just knew that deep down she was just a lost little girl about to embark on the biggest journey of her life.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Aunt Sadie asked, rubbing Gretchen’s belly, “you didn’t sleep well again last night.” “Ugh, this baby does not seem to want me to sleep. Even when I do catch a small power nap I have these crazy dreams.” Gretchen had been having trouble sleeping for the last couple of months, something she chalked up to just being pregnant, but the dreams seemed so vivid. In her dreams she saw her baby, so beautiful and perfect, soft brown hair and big dark brown eyes with chubby little cheeks that had a soft red hue tint. The dream never changed; the baby would be in her crib sitting up surrounded by a luminescent white light and butterflies swirling around her. But there was always a small gray mist that seemed to be floating just to the side of her and just as Gretchen would reach into the crib she would awaken. It never changed; always the same.
“Well it’s all part of being pregnant, crazy dreams are natural. I wouldn’t read too much into it.” Aunt Sadie was right; the doctors had told Gretchen that pregnant women often experience crazy dreams, mood swings, cravings etc. “I know, I’m just ready to meet this wiley little one; she’s always so active.” Aunt Sadie giggled as she felt the baby kick and move, she was as excited as Gretchen was for this little one.
“I have to run some errands and when I get back we will finish the nursery okay?” Gretchen nodded as Aunt Sadie bent down and kissed the top of her head before walking out the door. She walked into the nursery and felt a sense of excitement; seven days was all she had left before the baby was due. They had most everything ready for the little one with the exception of finishing off the paint trim around the door and windows and a few accessories. She sat down in the rocking chair that Aunt Sadie bought for her and just stared at the crib. Becoming emotional was now normal for the pregnant teen as her eyes welled with tears of joy picturing herself rocking her new baby in her arms. She just kept rocking until she drifted off to sleep.
She was sitting up in her crib, making the sweetest little chatter Gretchen had ever heard. Butterflies were dancing around her as she raised her hands, giggling, trying to catch them. Gretchen couldn’t get enough of watching her baby; knowing how blessed she was. The white angelic-like cloud was there as it always was but this time it didn’t make Gretchen nervous; it actually brought her peace, as if it were protecting her baby. As she watched on with joy she caught something out of the corner of her eye; the gray mist was moving closer towards her. Beginning to panic she lunged at the crib to lift the baby out and just like that it disappeared.
She woke with a jolt, breathing heavily and hair damp from sweat, Gretchen quickly got up from the chair and hurried to the crib. It felt so real! Aunt Sadie had returned home and heard Gretchen in the room. “Are you okay?” she asked as she entered the door seeing her by the crib. Still trying to catch her breath, Gretchen turned towards her Aunt with a small smile, “yes, just another crazy dream. I’m going to go take a hot bath, I’m not feeling too well.” She walked past her aunt and headed down the hall to the bathroom. “I’ll make you some tea, it’ll help you relax,” Aunt Sadie said as she turned, shutting the nursery door, and headed towards the kitchen.
She sat in the bathtub filled with hot water and lavender salts, her head rested against the back of the tub as she rubbed her belly. She felt the baby begin to move and she began to talk to it, “ahh my little one. You're always so active. Does this mean you will be full of energy when you are born? I can’t wait to see you. I promise to love you more than myself and protect you from any harm that may come your way. It’s you and me kiddo.” The kicks had now turned into a sort of balling up. She felt her stomach clinch and tighten as she jerked up. That was a new sensation, it usually didn’t hurt when it moved. She sat there for a moment trying to get her wits about her as it continued to tighten; then it stopped. What was happening? She still had seven days to go but it was quite possible it was contractions. After waiting for a bit to see if it would happen again, Gretchen finally chalked it up to the hot water making her stomach bunch.
After drying off and getting into her pajamas she headed to the kitchen to join Aunt Sadie. She drank her lavender tea and ate the soup her aunt had made for her. Feeling more relaxed now she told her aunt about the tightening of her stomach, “it felt so weird. Could it have been a contraction?” Putting her hand on Gretchen’s stomach she responded, “quite possibly dear, you are quite near your due date. It’s not uncommon for a mother to go into labor shortly before her due date, your doctor told you on the last visit it could happen at any time now.” The thought of giving birth terrified Gretchen; she heard how extremely painful it was and worried she wouldn’t be able to handle it.
“Women have been doing this for years, you are no different, you will make it through,” Sadie giggled as she sipped her own tea. “But how? How is THIS going to come out of THIS?” First pointing at her huge belly and then at her private area, Gretchen had a look of horror on her face that seemed to tickle her aunt. “Well, bones break, muscles stretch; you’ll be fine,” she couldn’t help herself; every first time mother questions the same thing and Aunt Sadie’s sense of humor wouldn’t allow her to pass up the opportunity to tease her niece. “But I will be right beside you through the whole thing,”
She woke up sometime in the middle of the night; her stomach was in knots and she felt the uncontrollable need to pee. She got up and made her way to the bathroom and just as she turned the light on she felt a tight clinching of her stomach and before she knew it she felt a burst of heat inside her as a warm liquid made its way down her legs and onto the floor. “Aunt Sadie!!” She screamed, panicking as her stomach began to clench again; this time it hurt.
Sadie rushed to her niece; noticing the puddle of liquid on the floor and seeing Gretchen leaning over the sink; hands gripping the counter as she was trying not to fall. “Okay sweetie, I think it’s time; let’s get you to the hospital.” She helped Gretchen to the car, grabbing her bag on the way out. Her breathing became heavier as the contractions seemed to be getting closer and more painful. “It’s happening too fast,” Gretchen cried out; the fear was clear in her voice. “Just breathe Gretchen; it’s going to be okay, we are almost there.”
Pulling into the emergency room drop off, Sadie helped Gretchen out of the car. As they entered the waiting room, Gretchen let out a loud scream as her legs gave out and she began to crumble to the floor. The lady at the counter came around the corner with a wheelchair and helped Sadie get her into it. “Looks like we are about to have a baby huh?” Gretchen was in no mood for her or anyone else at this point; she just wanted this all to be over. “I’m going to park the car and I will be back in just a minute. Just hold on, baby, don’t do this without me!” Sadie was giddy with excitement! Having no children of her own, she never thought she would be able to experience this. She hurried back into the hospital where the nurse showed her to Gretchen’s room.
Her hair was wet with sweat and her body was trembling. This child was making it’s entrance sooner than most first babies and that worried Gretchen. Getting a wet cloth and wiping her forehead Sadie was coaching her to breathe. “Isn’t this going a little too fast?” Sadie asked the nurse as she checked Gretchen’s dilation. “Most babies do take longer during the labor process but nothing to worry about; this little one is just ready to make her grand appearance that’s all,” the nurse checked the fluids flowing from her IV and then raised the blanket covering her legs and inserted her fingers to check how far she was dilated, “I’m going to let the doctor know you are at a nine; he’ll be right in. Hold on, you're doing great!” With that the nurse left and Sadie brought her focus back to Gretchen. “It’s almost time! Just keep breathing, baby, I’m right here with you.” the pain was more than she could bare; how could something be numb and painful all at the same time? Her mouth was dry, she was cold and hot all at the same time and the pain was a constant now. No more timeouts before another contraction would start; it was just one big contraction.
“Well alrighty miss, seems like we are ready to deliver,” the doctor came in and was standing at the foot of the bed as the nurse put his gown and gloves on him. He lifted the blanket and looked up at Gretchen with a smile, “are you ready for this to be over?” “Just take it out!” Gretchen was tired and irritated now, all she wanted was the pain to stop. Laughing, the doctor instructed the nurse to bring in the incubator and get it ready for the baby. “Gretchen, the baby’s crowning so I’m going to make the episiotomy now. You will feel some pressure, are you ready?” Breathing heavily she nodded. “Alright, when I tell you I want you to push and hold it for five seconds, can you do that for me?” She nodded again and began to push as soon as she heard him do so. She felt the pressure become too much as she felt the baby make its way into the world. “Okay, Gretchen, you're doing great, one more push and that should do it. Here we go..one..two..three…push!” She gathered all her strength and pushed as hard as she could while Aunt Sadie held her hand and helped her push forward. She felt a huge burst as the baby made its way and flung her head back on the pillow. A loud scream echoed the room as Gretchen’s little girl had arrived.
She watched as the nurses cleaned her up and could not help the overwhelming emotions flooding through her body. Aunt Sadie made her way over to where they were cleaning the baby and turned to Gretchen with tears in her eyes, “she’s beautiful!!”
The nurse handed Gretchen the tiny little girl; wrapped tightly in a blanket with a tiny little beanie on her head. Gretchen could not believe she was capable of creating something so perfect. The nurse, looking down at the new mother holding her baby, asked, “do we have a name for this gorgeous gal yet?”
Remembering her dreams, and the angel-like cloud that was always surrounding her baby, Gretchen replied, “Angelica.”