"It's a girl! "
The doctor gushed, placing the wailing infant on the woman's chest.
She heaved trying to catch her breath in the aftermath of her gruelling labour. Tears of pain mingled briefly with tears of joy before dissolving into tears of sadness.
She had once again given birth to a girl! Her third daughter. What would her husband and in-laws do to her now? She kissed the pretty baby girl just the same she loved her she would just have deal with what they have to say. Come on its halfway his fault that we don't have a boy. The nurse takes the baby back to clean her up."Kayla are you feeling okay no pain that is different?" "No I am doing fine. where did my husband go?" "He stepped out to talk to your family while we get you and the baby moved to a different room." "Oh okay thank you." "Honey are you sure you are alright? You don't seem like a very happy mother right now." "I am happy just worried about everyone else." "What ever do you mean?" "My husband and his family wanted a boy to carry on the family name, my husband is the last so it falls on him." "You can try again I mean it's not the end of the world." "I don't want anymore kids I am 24 and have 4, 2, and now this one. I will never be anything but a mom now." "Sweetheart that's the most rewarding and hardest job on earth my children are the greatest thing I have ever done. And I raised 4 on my own starting at ages 5,6,8 and 9. plus went to nursing school so don't think you can't do it because you can." "You done it alone?" "Yes, I mean I had my family but my husband was hit by a drunk driver and killed on his way home from work. He was the love of my life our lives were just starting to go the way we had dreamed of." "Oh man I am sorry how old were you?" "I was 31 when he was killed we were high school sweethearts then we got married and I went to school and he went to work and Matt the oldest came right before I turned 22 then Abby 16 months later." "Man you had your hands full didn't you?" The older lady looked at Zayla and smiled. "Young lady that is what life is about, you have hopes and dreams and then you fall in love so you have to add that into your plan, but if you want that life you make it all work. Let me ask you something...Did you get married out of love or do you do the so called right thing?"Kayla put her head down we had to get married Maddy came along just a few months after."
"Do you love your husband? I mean the kind of love that takes your breathe away." Kayla twisted her hands in her lap and started to speak when the door open and a handsome young man walked in with flowers and a beautiful smile,Zaylas face lit up. "Jeff what are you doing here?" "You know I wouldn't miss seeing another beautiful baby girl who looks like her mother thank God for that." "Jeff shame on you." "Sweetheart you know how I feel about your husband." The nurse watched these two together she could plainly see this is who this young lady should be married too. Another nurse came to the door "Linda, we have her room ready the baby is sleeping she is a sweet little thing didn't fuss at all just laid there and looked around oh 7lbs 9ozs 20 1/4 inches long." "Thank you Shelly I will get her over there and that is a healthy little girl." Jeff kissed Zayla and told her he was going to go talk to her parents and sister and he would come back when she was settled. The nurse helped her into a wheelchair and handed her the flowers and the headed to the new room."Who was that handsome man?" The nurse asked pushing her down the hall. "Jeff? He is my dear dear friend he was my first kiss my first everything to be honest." "Oh I see and that's who you are in love with isn't it?" "How did you know?" "Sweetheart it shows on your face his too." Kayla turned her head and looked at the nurse."I am not so sure," she started to say more but they turned the corner and there was everyone waiting so she put a smile on her face and sat quietly. "Let me get her into bed and then you can come in and visit her and the baby." The nurse tells all of them. "Linda, will you come back and talk with me when you can?" "You bet, I go to lunch after I get you settled."
Kayla got in bed and Linda handed her the baby when Linda got ready to open the door "Are you ready?" "As I will ever be" Linda nodded and winked at her then opened the door. "Okay folks let's not overload her with everyone trying to see her she needs to rest." Steven walked in with his fake smile for the nurse his mom and dad right behind him."How you feeling?" Carol asked walking up next to the overlooking down at the baby. "I feel fine little tired but nothing I cant handle." Steven walks over to the bed a peeks at the baby "She isn't very fussy, have you thought of a name?"I look down at the little girl sleeping in my arms, "Bethany Lee." "Oh that's sweet Roger she has your middle name it isn't a Jr. or the 2nd but I guess it will have to do." Steven nods his head as if he could care less. "Alright Madison and Hailey are staying with you sister till you come home, I need to get back to work, I will come by on my way home tonight. Mom dad you ready?" And her husband walked out with his parents following. Zaylas mom and dad came in with balloons and flowers her mom took the baby snuggling her to her."Hello, you beautiful little angel, David just look at this sweet face." Zayla's dad peeked at the baby. "She is a doll just like her momma." "Thank you daddy you are holding Bethany Lee."
Linda came in while Zaylas parents were still there. They left and Zaylas sister Jillian and Jeff came in. Jillian takes the baby. "Hello sweetheart I am your bestest aunt Jillie and I will help you get away with all kinds of stuff." Jeff is moving Zaylas hair out of her face. "So my dear your sister and I have a bet on her name. Jillie says it is going to be Hensley and I say it is so Bethany." "You know me so well." Jeff does a little dance "Pay up." sticking his hand out.Linda laughs "May I have her so I can change here and see if she is ready to eat." Jillian hands over the baby. "You okay? I need to go start dinner and check on all the little girls at my house." "Yes I am fine. Kiss my girls for me. Let them call me before they go to bed please." "Will do love you." Jillian leaves Jeff sits down on the edge of the bed taking Zaylas hand. Linda comes back in with the baby. Starting to hand the baby to her mom."Here let me have this gorgeous little doll." Jeff sticks his arms out. Linda hands off the baby. "Zayla do you need anything?" "I am getting hungry and can I have some tea or something?" "I will go get you something." "Thank you." Jeff is looking down at the baby and talking to her. Linda clocks her head to the side and gives Zayla a wink. "Zay she has your button nose and your chin. Thank God for that." "Jeff do you still love me? Are you still in love with me? Jeff sits up a bit and looks at Zayla. "I never stopped loving you I wish these beautiful little girls were mine and yours." "Do you think we would have a chance if I divorced Steven?" "Are you saying you still love me?" "Yes I still love you."
Jeff leaves telling her he will be back the next day. Nurse Linda comes back. "My shift is over did you still want to talk?" "Yes please." Linda pulls the chair up closer to the bed. "Okay if you ask me you had a bit of a reality check today." "I guess that's one way to look at it. Steven didn't even hold his daughter. And the man who told me he wished that she was his held her for an hour." "Zayla honey I can't begin to say I know what you live is like because I dont. But here is what I see from over here. I see you married to a man you are not in love with, who only wants you as breeding stock and seems to think it is your fault he doesn't have a boy. So he has no clue about the whole thing works. I also see you a beautiful young lady with your hands full with 3 little girls and I am going to say you have no help with them from him. Then over here I see a handsome young man that clearly adores you more than anything and you love him as well. I also know your family loves you and will help you. so from this outside look I think you should make some changes in your life before it is too late." Zayla smiles at Linda "You are a great nurse and a wonderful friend I bet your kids think you are the best." Linda gets up and hugs Zayla then she looks over at the baby. "My children are incredible people they are strong and all have good lives. I am very proud of them. I am going to go home now tomorrow is my day off so I won't be here when you leave but here is my number and address keep in touch with me okay?" "I will and thank you for everything."
6 weeks later.....
Zayla and her mom are at the hospital for her check up and she runs into Linda "Zayla honey how are you? Just look at that sweet baby she growing." "Linda I am good check up went good the girls and I are living with my folks right now, I have filed for divorce should be over in a few weeks. Jeff is looking for me a house that's what he does is real estate we spend time together he is great with the girls. And Linda I am happy." "That's great I am happy for you. I got to get back to work call me soon." Zayla and her mom headed for the exit and too Zaylas new life all because of a caring person on the outside of her life. Angels comes in all shapes and sizes to help us along the way it's up to us if we listen to them or not.
