Chapter 7 - A Mother's Death

One day, Mom and I had a heart-to-heart talk.
Mom was so clingy to me today. And I always love it when Mom gives me advice that I know for sure will lead me to the right path.
"Eve, always be tough. Make the child in your womb your strength. Own him like your own child.
There is also blood on him from you. You gave him life too." When Mom and I went to bed that night.
"Of course. Honestly, Mom, it is nice to feel when he is moving inside me. I knew he is mischievous inside my stomach.
I love the baby, Mom! I want to see him very soon." I glanced at Mom.
"I want you to be courageous always. Be compassionate to the people who help you. Fulfill your dreams.
When you do that, I will be the happiest mother in the world." Mom even added.
"Yes, Mom! I will do all your reminders. You will be proud of me." I happily promised her.
The successive morning...
"I have a check-up today with Doctor Angel. Do you want to come?" I offered it to Mom.
"No, just go with Nurse May. I will just cook what we can eat when you come back." Mom rejected my invitation.
Nurse May and I were the only ones who went to the hospital.
Doctor Angel started checking on me and the baby.
"Wow! The healthy pregnant. The pretty pregnant." as Doctor Angel praised me.
"Thank you. How is the baby?" I asked right away.
"The baby's heartbeat is good. But he does not want to show his gender yet." While she is doing the ultrasound on me.
"Baby is embarrassed." Nurse May laughed.
"Can you see it? The baby's internal organs, limbs, spine, and heart are fine. Do you feel uneasy?
I need to do the transvaginal ultrasound for a clearer image.
Oh, there it goes! She has already shown up. The baby is a girl." Declared openly by Doctor Ayin.
I did not recognize that my tears were dripping. I sobbed. But it is because of the excitement.
"My baby will be a girl. I mean, their baby." I recovered immediately.
Suddenly my heartbeat quickened as I could see on the monitor that the baby was moving in my womb.
I want to nuzzle her in my arms.
I want to take care of her.
I want to hear her first cry.
I want to see her first smile.
I want her to call me "mommy".
I want to be with the baby.
This feeling is so unusual.
Why am I wanting to have the baby? I signed legal papers telling me that the baby should not know anything about me, anything about surrogacy.
Why am I feeling this way? It is so bizarre that I want to own the child.
I could sense that she belongs to me.
"Do you know the parents of this baby?" I inquired.
When Nurse May and I were in the elevator and we are going home.
"Honestly, I do not know them. But it looks like that baby will be lovely. I hope she would be as pretty as you, Eve.
My grandparents believe that if the pregnant is blooming, the baby would be a girl. It has no scientific explanation but sometimes it happens.
You are blooming and still pretty even if you are pregnant. And your baby would be a girl." Nurse May said smiling.
"Yes, I hope she will be healthy. And I hope she grows up to be a good child.
I wish her parents would love her and surely she will grow up nicely." I am praying for that every night.
Ting... (The elevator opened)
We exited the elevator. And headed straight at the unit we are occupying.
"Mom, Mom! We are already here." I called her.
No one answered. I opened the bedroom door.
"Mom! Mom?" When I saw her lying on the bed.
I moved toward my mother.
I giggled because she had fallen asleep smiling. Her face is clear. But why her hands are cold as ice?
"Nurse May, why is Mama cold?" I implored her who was behind me.
Nurse May came over and held Mama's hand. She checked her wrist.
"Eve..." her face startled.
"Why? What is wrong?" I was suddenly frightened.
"Do not be astonished. But...your Mom does not have a pulse anymore." Stuttering Nurse May announced.
"No, wait! That is not true!
Are you poking fun at me, Nurse May?" I shake my head.
"I could not make fun of someone's death, Eve!" she almost whispered.
She is a nurse. I recalled! She is telling the truth.
"Mom, I am already here.
Mom, please! Do not do this to me! I cannot afford to be deserted. Mom..." I cannot breathe.
I moaned as loud as I could!
I do not even know what happened next.
I slowly opened my eyes.
"Eve!" Ella called my name.
"I am right all along, it was all just a bad dream." I breathed a sigh of relief.
I rolled my eyes. Where are we?
"We are in the hospital. You lost consciousness." Luigi answered me.
"Mom! Who is with her in the condominium?" I asked them.
"Eve, we brought Aunt Leen here too." Ella's introduction.
"Why? Does she feel unpleasant because of what happened to me?" I get up unhurriedly.
"Where is she? I want to see Mom." And I lowered my feet on the floor.
"Eve, please! Try to calm down. What happened is real. Aunt Leen was dead on arrival when she was taken to the hospital." Ella clarified.
It was as if a bell rang repeatedly in my ear because of what Ella said.
I was startled. Again my tears seeped.
"Eve, she needs to rest." Luigi was holding my hand.
"Mom... Why did you leave me? You are all I have.
How is Everlee now? How are my dreams for you?
How can I live without you?" My knees alleviated.
Luigi caught up with me quickly.
"We will not leave you. We are just here for you!" Luigi said frequently.
"Eve, you need to settle down. You are pregnant. We will take care of Aunt Leen's remains." Ella stroked my hair at the same time.
"Let me do what is right for my Mother first. I want to see her." I pleaded with them.
"She is in the morgue. Can you go there? How about your baby?" Luigi asked.
I also need to think about the baby in my womb. It feels like I am drowning. I am not sure of myself if I could survive this catastrophe.
I want to die with my Mom.
"But this is the last time I will see Mama. Let me go." I said almost in a daze.
They asked permission from Doctor Angle and she agreed.
We went to the morgue.
I have nothing to say. No voice came out of my mouth.
Only tears, gashes indicate how painful and maim I am at these times.
I did everything to keep Mom alive. I even sacrificed myself for her surgery. But perhaps her life is just as short as this.
And at least, she will no longer feel pain and suffering.
"Mom, I will achieve my dreams. That is for you!
I will be brave for the baby and myself." I muttered to her as I cuddled her corpse.
I have already decided. My Mom's remains will be cremated.
I cannot just accept what happened to Mama. I felt more secluded.
Ella and Luigi escorted me to the condominium for several nights in a row.
In the morning, Nurse May is still with me. I became sullen. I want to be alone. I just noticed that my tears were dripping.
I ignored I was pregnant. My sorrow was more prevalent.
THEIR Point-of-Views
"Nurse May, is that blood?" Luigi suddenly asked when he saw bloodstains on Eve's dress.
"What? Oh yeah, that is blood!" she confirmed.
"Why?" Ella implored.
"Let us send her to the hospital. She is bleeding." Nurse May suggested calmly.
The three of them contended on taking me to the hospital.
"She encountered spotting because of anxiety. I cannot blame her because her mother just died.
Some stress can cause serious health problems on her part and to the baby.
Eve is only five months pregnant. She cannot give birth by this time.
This spotting can cause premature birth. Or worst, miscarriage." Doctor Angel rationalized in length.
"Doctor Angel, what did you say?" I was suddenly alarmed by what I heard.
"You may lose the baby if you continue to be stressed out." Again by Doctor Angel asserted.
"No! I cannot lose anyone now Particularly not my baby." And I let out.
I vowed to my Mom and I remembered her instructions very well. I should do those to make her delighted.
If I will be like this, she would be the first to be unhappy. I need to settle down for my baby.
For whom? Yes, for my baby!
That night I met Mom in my dream. She glowed and was joyous as she gazed at the crib where my baby was.
We have a new guardian angel and that is my mom.
I know wherever she is right now, she is watching over us.
I need to be courageous for my baby and the attainment of the goals that I dedicated to my mother.
This occurrence must serve as an instrument for me to endeavor harder.
No giving up, Everlee!
No backing out!
This is a fight you have to gain a victory!
This is a fight you have to overcome!