ONE!

MABEL

“Come on, you got this. Keep pushing!” The nurse encouraged as my head dropped to the pillow of my bed, with sweat all over my body.

“I can't,” I cried out. “I can't do this, where is my husband,” my eyes drifted to my mother in law who just sat by the edge of the room with her eyes fixed on her tablet.

Yes, the fashion world comes first, not your future grandson. The great Clair Hoss, can't be seen slipping not even when her daughter in law is in the most excruciating pain of her life.

“Where is he!” I shivered, voice breaking and loudening, startling her, and the tablet dropped on her lap.

“Hey!” She was annoyed, and walked towards me. “It's not that bad,” she said with a fake smile plastered on her lips.

“Have you been given an epidural?” She asked as her hands went deep into my hair. “Give her more epidural,” she said to the nurse beside me, who didn't blink twice but did as she was told.

“I don't want an epidural. I want my husband!” I cried, pushing the injection away

“Listen to me!!” Claire grabbed strands of my hair, and lifted my face to hers, I could feel her breath on me.

“This is my son's child, my grandchild, and heir to the Hoss throne, you better start pushing!” She yelled, and I screamed as another round of contraction hit me.

“No, no, no,” I cried out, shaking my head. “I want him, I want my husband,” I said in tears.

“He can't be with you right now,” Claire said, like she wanted to spite me.

I never understood why she never liked me. I didn’t do anything wrong or do anything to annoy her. She didn’t like me from the first time my husband, Ethan, introduced me to her.

I tried to build a good relationship with her, but she refused to budge. As a good fashion stylist, I had worked for many picky clients, and one thing I learnt from them is that you couldn't make a deal with them if they never truly respect you. So I simply gave up on “pleasing” my mother-in-law.

“Where is he?” I asked. “He should be here to see his son come into this world,” I said, panting.

I needed my husband.

I was giving birth to his son.

Every push on the delivery bed was extremely painful, and I needed him to be here to support me.

She gave me a look that fired up my suspicion antenna.

“Please, Claire, call him and ask him here,” I pleaded.

“I didn't tell him,” she said, looking at me with mockery on her face. “He was accompanying Hailey instead; she is giving birth today as well. You’re strong enough to labour yourself, right?” she said, and I hissed in pain.

I couldn't place it, if it was the contraction pain or the fact that my husband was with his so-called best friend, instead of being with his wife.

“I'm his wife!” I raised my voice, but it sounded too weak as I was hit again with another contraction.

Tears and sweat covered my face. I was in more and more pain, both physically and mentally. I needed Ethan, I needed to hold his hand through this. But he was not here. He was with his best friend, holding another woman's hand and taking care of her emotions.

He would even lose the chance to witness his child coming into this world.

“That's one minute apart, get the Doctor!” the nurse beside me yelled, as she took my hands.

I looked at her with tears in my eyes, she wasn't the one taking orders from my mother in law, she was different, and looked like she had my best interest at heart.

“I'm sorry, darling. You are going to have to push now,” she said, and I shook my head with tears in my eyes.

“Get her legs,” I heard as the door of my room opened. My legs were brought up, and I swallowed hard.

“I can't,” I whispered, she tightened her grip on my hand.

“You have too,” she said, “you are going to have a very beautiful baby,” her face was flustered with hope, and I scoffed.

“You probably have said that to a million women,” I said to her as I turned to look at my mother in law who had already left my side.

“No, I haven't,” she said. “If the baby is going to be ugly. I will tell you,” I laughed in pain.

“She has to push now,” she looked back, and nodded, then back at me.

“I got you, you are not alone,” she said, and I whimpered. “Now!” Sue ordered, and I pushed with everything I got.

“One more!” I heard.

“Ahhh!” I screamed, and felt something heavy escape from my body. I closed my eyes for a while, drifting.

“I want to see him, I want to see my baby,” I whispered to the nurse.

“What's happening?” I heard Claire's voice.

“He's not crying….” That was the last thing I heard. As my eyes closed.

★★★★★SIX MONTHS LATER★★★★★

My legs kept vibrating underneath the Doctor's table as I tried to calm my wailing baby on my lap. His screams are the only thing I have heard whenever he is around me.

Ever since I gave birth six months ago he hasn't stopped crying, except when his father or grandmother holds him.

No matter what I did, he doesn't seem to want me around, he doesn't even take my breast milk.

“Why is he still like this?” I asked as I placed him in the cot I brought along with me.

“You told me to bond with him as much as I could, and that all he needed was my touch,” I continued.

“Newborns are fragile, and unaware of their surroundings. You need to make him aware of you,” The Doctor said, and I hissed.

“I have tried doing that in the past sex months, but it all failed. Please tell me exactly what I should do.” I said and expected him to give me another solution

He didn't say a word, he just looked at me with pity in his eyes. I looked at my son who hasn't even stopped crying since I put him down.

It was torture to hear my son cry like that. Maybe it was even better if I didn't demand to touch him. Just thinking about it made my heart tighten. No, I couldn't lose him.

“Why can't you just love me?” I asked in my mind as I stared at him. “I'm your mother after all,” I said, unknowingly out loud.

“You are,” The Doctor said, interrupting my thoughts. “He just needs time.”

I took a deep breath, “I'm sorry…. I'm sorry, Doctor,” I apologized. “It hasn't been easy,” I continued. “With a constant crying baby, and my husband has been away for business for some time now.”

“I totally understand,” he said, nodding with his glasses. “Hey look,” he said with a smile. “He is no longer crying,” I turned around immediately to look at my son, only to find a terrifying picture.

Hailey.

The woman my husband called his best friend.

And there he was, my baby, wrapped so peacefully in her arms. His face, once red from constant screaming, was now soft and peaceful.

His tiny fist curled against her shoulder. His body looked completely at ease.

He looked so at home in her arms. He curled into her body like he was made for her. Like she was his mother.