Birthday



Ava was rushed down a long corridor on a gurney. One nurse was prodding her arm for a vein for the IV, another nurse was holding her hand and telling her to breathe. Carole followed close and kept telling Ava that everything would be fine and that she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Mom, what’s going to happen to the baby? What’s going to happen to my baby?!?!” Ava kept shouting. The nurse holding her hand only told her to calm down and keep breathing.

The finally reached the delivery room and the two nurses helped Ava to scoot over to the table with stirrups attached to the edge.

“She’s pretty dilated, doctor. She’s at 9 right now.” A nurse shouted as the doctor washed his hands. Carol left momentarily to wash up and put on scrubs. Then she returned and stood at her daughter’s side.

“I called your father, he’ll be here soon, alright? Everything’s going to be just fine, sweetie.” Carol assured her. Ava just gritted her teeth and tried her best to keep from screaming.

“What is going on? I’m not due for another two weeks!” Ava screamed. Her face was drenched in sweat now and Carol was given a cold, wet cloth to wipe it.

“No, honey, you’re due now. This baby is ready to come into this world today.” The nurse said with half a smile. The doctor, finally prepared, positioned himself in front of Ava. But she could not see him, her legs were covered and so was her view of him.

“Dilation?”

“About 10.”

“Good, good. Alright Ava, I know it’s a little early, but you’re perfectly fine. Now when you’re next contraction comes, I want you to push. Concentrate on nothing else but pushing, and don’t strain, just push hard.” The doctor advised her.

Ava tilted her head forward, as she was taught, and started to push once her contraction started. She squeezed her mother’s hand tightly and both Carol and the nurse counted. The contraction ended and Ava was told she could breath slow and steady now.

“He’s supposed to be here. Nick’s supposed to be here.” She moaned, already exhausted and in extreme pain. It was too late to give her an epidural, and even if she had arrived at the hospital in time to receive one, she probably would have turned it down because she hated needles, especially big ones.

“We’ll worry about that later. Right now, you just need to focus on getting that baby out.” Carol responded. Another contraction came and Ava pushed again, hollering a little this time as it ended.

Carol put a little ice into the wet cloth and wiped it over Ava’s face. It helped her to feel a little better, but she still couldn’t get over the excruciating pain in her pelvic area.

“You’re almost there, Ava. This baby wants to come out quite badly. Just a few more pushes, and you’ll be a mother.” When the doctor finished his sentence, both Carol and Ava looked at each other. It had just dawned on them both that they were supposed to go to the adoption agency later that week and work things out involving the child. They had no idea that the baby would be early. Another contraction came.

“1.... 2..... 3..... 4..... 5..... 6...... 7...... 8...... and breathe” The nurse instructed. The doctor stood up a little and Ava could finally see his face. He was smiling.

“I see a head. Keep it up.” He said. Then he sat crouched back down. Ava closed her eyes and wondered if the pain would ever end. She also thought about how badly she would kick Nick’s ass when they saw each other again for being in Paris with Heather when he should have been in Hawaii with her as soon as he finished recording.

Ava began to push again, this time harder than ever. Her anger with Nick, and her anxiousness to give birth gave her more strength to keep going.

“Just one more and I believe it will all be over.” The doctor announced. Ava looked at her mother one last time and then pushed harder than ever.

All at once she felt the pressure between her legs lessen and then her mother’s kiss on her forehead. Still, Ava kept pushing.

“You can breathe now, honey.” The nurse said, but Ava kept pushing.

Finally, she heard the strong cry of her infant child. She stopped pushing and opened her eyes slowly. The nurse was cleaning the child off and clearing its throat and nasal passages. She then wrapped the baby up in a soft, blue blanket and gave the child to Ava.

“It’s a beautiful baby boy.” The nurse said as Ava held the tiny baby close to her chest. The little boy’s fingers curled around Ava’s thumb and he yawned, sticking out his tongue a little.

“You’ve had a rough day. Yes, you have. Welcome to the world, little man.” Ava said to him and in child-like voice. Carol looked at Ava and stroked her damp hair back.

“Ava, you need to make some decisions. And until you do, you shouldn’t become too attached.” Carol whispered. Ava knew that her mother was right. She gave the baby to the nurse and the nurse told her that she could see the infant again once she was settled into her hospital room.

Ava was cleaned up and taken back to her room. There she and her mother sat in silence until her father arrived in the room.

“Mom, Dad... I was thinking about how I want to handle this. I already have a job waiting for me at the library. And it’s a good paying job. And with all the money I have saved away, I think I can do this.” Ava started.

“Do what?” James asked.

“Keep the baby. I can’t give him up. I just can’t. I’ve been thinking about keeping him for months. I know that giving him up for adoption might provide him with a better home. But I’m his mother. And I don’t know how I’d be able to live with myself if I didn’t raise him up myself.” She explained.

“No! You’re too young, Ava! You’re suppose to start school in September. And you can’t have a baby in the dorm rooms.” James protested.

“I’m going to get an apartment close to the campus. And I’m sure I can find someone to room with me. I’ll be fine. Just so long as I have my baby.” James started to pace, then he began walking in circles.

“Ava, I can’t let you do this. You’re just a child.” Carol stood up from her chair next to Ava’s bed and went to her husband. He was clearly upset about the entire ordeal. He was even on the brink of tears, so she took his hand and led him out of the room.

“We’ll be back later, Ava. Get some rest.” Ava could not sleep though. She slowly got out of the bed and left the room in search of the nursery, which was just down the hall.

Though very weak, she was still able to make it to the window and look at her son in the middle of the room.

“Baby Boy Carey” is what the nametag read. She saw a nurse going through the nursery and she tapped on the window quietly.

“Yes?” The nurse asked, poking her head out of the nursery door.

“I want some time with my son now, please.” Ava said, her voice weak after all of the screaming she had recently been doing. The nurse looked at her strangely and advised her to go back to her room. She also told her that she’d bring the baby in right away.

Ava slowly tipped back to her room and got into bed. The nurse came in right after, wheeling the baby’s hospital crib in. Ava reached out and picked the tiny child up as soon as the crib came within her reach.

“Are you ready to feed him, Ms. Carey?” The nurse asked. Ava nodded yes enthusiastically.

“Are you going to go with the formula or breast milk?” The nurse went on to ask. Ava’s eyes widened. She looked at the nurse, then at her son.

“You mean I can just, you know, start...”

“Yes, of course. He’s hungry enough, it won’t take much coaxing. Just bring him to you and let him lead.” The nurse helped Ava open her hospital gown being that her own hands were full, then Ava brought the baby to her chest and sure enough, he knee exactly what to do.

“Whoa... ouch.” Ava said, not realizing how painful it really was. The nurse just smiled.

“I felt the same way when I had my first child. But you’ll get used to it eventually. And after a while it won’t bother you as much, you’ll be too focused on feeding him to acknowledge the pain. I’ll let you two spend some time alone now.” She said before leaving the room.

As she held his little hand in hers, she realized that she had never felt happier in her entire life.

~*~*~*~*~*~


Meanwhile, Carol and James were in the waiting room on the same floor. James was sipping some coffee and Carol called Myah in Georgia to tell her that Ava had the baby. There was no way for Ava to contact Nick, being that he was in Paris at the time and probably living it up at some after party. Instead she just called his house and left the message on his answering service.

Nick did not receive it until he returned home, four days later, with Heather tagging alone. He didn’t bother to take his luggage upstairs to his room, he just tossed it on the sofa and went to the phone to check his messages.

“Nick, hi. It’s Myah. I just got a call from Carol. Ava just had the baby. Please, I know you guys are pissed with each other, but you need to go see her.” Myah’s message ended as such and Nick hung up the phone.

“What’s wrong?” Heather asked, flopping down on the sofa across from him. Nick just sighed and leaned forward.

“Ava had the baby. And I wasn’t there.” He whispered. Heather appeared to be concerned, but she was really smiling on the inside. Happy that he missed the birth. This would only mean that Ava would be pissed with him, and all of her post-natal mood swings would only fuel the fire. Nick would be hers for sure.

“So, call her.” And Nick did just that. But the phone down in Hawaii only rang and rang. Both James and Carol were at the hospital helping Ava to come home.

By the time they arrived home, Nick had left three messages. Ava listened to all three and didn’t call him back until she had fed her son, whom she named Ryan, and put him down for a nap.

Back in Florida, the phone rang and Nick went to pick it up as quickly as possible. When he answered, he was relieved to hear Ava’s voice on the other line.

“Ava! Oh God, thank you for calling back. Are you ok?” Nick asked. She wanted to tell him so badly that she had decided to keep the baby, but she held back.

“I’m fine. But do you really even care?” Nick rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Yes, I care. I love you, Ava. You know that.”

“Bullshit. You don’t love me, because if you did, you’d have been here. And I’m not even pissed about the fact that you weren’t here for the birth, I mean in general. You were not obligated to go to Paris. I know that much. If you cancelled, all they could have done was frown at you. Oh, and Heather, what the fuck?!?! She tried to ruin our relationship, and all of a sudden you two are the perfect couple. I know all about her being in California with you and you two having so much fun. I know how you chose her over me.” She scolded him.

“Ava, you’ve got it all wrong. Where are you getting this stuff?”

“None of that matters now, Nick. For a while, I thought we’d be together forever. I thought that after all the shit Heather pulled, things would only grow stronger between us. But then you started spending more time with her, and less with me. And I was the one carrying YOUR child, not her. I stood by you when she tried to ruin your reputation, not her. I loved you, not her. If you can’t see why I’m pissed with you now, then I’m not going to waste another breath justifying myself. When you’ve got your head screwed on straight, then we can talk. And even then, I’m not even sure I’ll ever feel for you the genuine love I once felt. Goodbye Nick.” She hung up the phone and went back to unpacking hers and Ryan’s things.

Nick just sat there, phone in hand, wondering where he’d gone wrong. He couldn’t help but wonder why Ava was so very upset about him forgiving Heather. They were only friends. And how did she know about Heather being in California? He figured the best thing was to ask Heather.

Heather was in the living room, grooming Antoinette, when Nick entered the room. She was on her cell phone at the time, and Nick listened in without announcing his presence.

“She’s probably chewing his head off right now. And soon they’ll break up for good. And he’ll seek comfort in me. I mean, he totally bought the whole friendship thing. And later, we’ll marry. And Father will have to cough up my money.” There was a pause in which the other party was saying something to Heather. “Yes, Jason, you’ll get your cut. I’m just so shocked at how well the letter thing worked. Who’d have thought that taking silly pictures and writing a stupid little letter would stir up such a frenzy with Ava and her ditzy friend.” Heather said. Nick finally walked closer toward her and she tried to play it as though she was talking about something totally different.

“Right, well, I’ve already seen that movie. How about the new Ben Affleck film? Alright, well you go check the times and phone you back in a few.” She folded the phone up and looked up at Nick with batting eyes.

“Nickolas... why on earth are you staring at me like that?”

“You did it again. I was so stupid as to think that you had changed, but you’ve gone and screwed me over again. You’ve led Ava to believe that I’m with you. I don’t know exactly how, but you’ve done it. And now she hates me. I wasn’t there for her when I could have been. Why? Because YOU caused us to argue. Now I have to work extra hard to get back together with her, and there’s no guarantee that it will even happen. So, thank you Heather. Thanks for making my life, and Ava’s a living hell!”

“You’re welcome! Jesus, Nickolas, I did what I had to do to make you realize that you need a real woman. Not some poor teenager who wants to trap you in a relationship by playing the pregnancy card! Just think about it Nick. If you stuck by me, we’d both be recognized as one of the most perfect couples ever. Forget love, who needs it? It only leads to heartbreak. We’ll have far more important things. The money... just think about it...” Heather continued to ramble out about pointless things until Nick had backed her into a corner and pinned her up against the wall by her shoulders.

“You are a sick, sick person. Do you know that? You have strived so hard to stay on top and get everything that your sad little heart desires that you’ve lost sight of the most precious things in life. One of which is love. What Ava and I have, it’s love. And you’re too blinded by greed and your materialistic mentality that you can’t see that.” He let her go. “I want you to take your goofy ass dog and walk out that door. Walk out of my life. And never interfere again. And if you do, I promise you that I will ruin your life 10 times worse that you could ever imagine. Is that clear?” A single tear fell from Heather’s eye, she knew then how deeply she had hurt Nick.

“I said, is that clear?” She nodded and wiped the tear away just as quickly as it had formed. She then slipped from the corner Nick had backed her into, picked up Antoinette and left the house for good.

[Heather ended up moving back to England with her father and admitting defeat, only so that she could dwell in his mansion, which was far more elaborate than her mansion in Florida, and she had servants. She never bothered Nick or Ava again.]


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