2 of 86

Write now Article Tools

The days were dwindling down to the birth of our our first born. I was so excited that I had taken a week of vacation just to be there when my wife went in to labor. We had already been to the hospital twice the week before but they were false alarms. She had Braxton hicks the doctor told us it was a natural thing for women, having their first child. I wish I had payed more attention during those Lamaze classes because I was a nervous wreck. My hands shook like an alcoholic handling nitroglycerin when we showed up to sign my wife in. My writing appeared and looked like chicken scratching.

I had made it all the way through my vacation and wouldn't you know it. My wife had backed in to my truck the day before, claiming she couldn't turn around well enough to see it in the street. Just one of many things that went wrong that week and I would have to go back to work and do twelve hour shifts the next day. I came home after the long day at work and I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was sleep. My wife and I went to bed and I was out cold in five minutes flat. I could feel the restlessness of my wife as she rolled from side to side to find a comfortable position. It bothered me some but I continued to lay there and pretend I was in a sound sleep.

Two thirty AM! I remember this time because the excoriating pain in the right side of my ribs. It was my wife's elbow waking me up. "Its time," she said. Still half asleep I throw my legs over the side of the bed and I said, "It is not, I still have three and a half hours before I have to go to work."NO! My wife said. "It is time to go to the hospital," she added. When she said that. A light turned on in my mind and I became a flurry of activity as I put my clothes on and grabbed her overnight bag with all the things she would need. I headed out side to get the car ready and warm the interior of the car. It was quite cold and I wanted her to be comfortable.

I helped my wife to the car, making sure she was comfortable by putting her seat belt on and kissing her on the cheek. I tore out of the drive way, tires squealing and smoke bellowing out the back of the car. I had turned my emergency flashers on and we were cruising at a pretty fast speed. I pulled up to the emergency room doors at the hospital and ran inside to retrieve a wheel chair. The nurses were coming through the double doors to assist me and they took my wife straight to the back while I stayed behind to fill out the paper work. I think hospitals do this to

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Short stories: Birth?
We want to hear your view. Write now!