All The Worldĺs A Stage
Chapter 8 Part 3 ĹSpunĺ
I donĺt know if any of you heard of the huge storm that went across the heartland on Tuesday, but I sure did. Tornadoes and winds and all kinds of crazy stuff happened around where I live. The roof of my house was cracked, and in turn, that sent rain down onto our computer for the second time in the last two weeks! So, needless to say, our computer went to hell. You see, I could have been seriously hurt, so maybe I should thank my dad for being such a freak about not letting me on the computer when it rains even a tiny bit. Anyway, things are getting better here, and yeah, I still have the piece of crap Apple or whatever upstairs in my room, so thatĺs why I have been away, oh yeah, I also saw WICKED again yesterday!!!! Funny, huh? Tornadoes on Tuesday, WICKED on Thursday? Anyhoo, I am not sure how much I can get on my friendsĺ computers to post. so, yeah, I am dying here!!! Please be patient with me and as always, I love you guys--Love, Rory
ôPlease God, let my baby live. This is all my fault. Oh, God, Iĺm so sorry. Please donĺt take her. Let her be okay!ö Brian gasped through tears.
ôItĺs going to be alright, Brian, you just need to calm down,ö Vic said over the loud wail of the ambulanceĺs siren. ôJust squeeze my hand when it hurts, baby boy.ö Vic held onto Brianĺs hand and felt the young manĺs grip tighten to the point that Vic thought Brian might break his fingers!
But Vic didnĺt let go, and he didnĺt show the pain he was feeling. He just brushed the sweaty locks of dark hair from Brianĺs forehead with his other hand and prayed that his boy and the child would be alright.
Brianĺs heart rate slowed and his blood pressure dropped to a somewhat normal level. It was comforting to have his ôUncle Vicö beside him throughout his difficult pregnancy and now labor. He had never been loved growing up in his household, but whenever he entered his best friendĺs house, it felt as if heĺd come home.
Debbie, Michael, and Vic had all been there to encourage Brian with his ballet and they had been the ones to warn him of his relationship with Daniel Montgomery. He still felt terrible about the way heĺd nearly abandoned them when Daniel had asked him too. And yet, when Daniel had abandoned him, they were all there waiting with their arms open. Heĺd never known love like that before.
County General was more than busy when the ambulance arrived with Brian and Vic. There had been a recent 10-car pile-up downtown and the hospital was in chaos. Brian and Vic were taken through the noisy crowded halls to a small room that was sectioned off by sheets.
Brian was lifted onto the bed by the ambulance crew and told that there would be a doctor in to see him shortly. Brian didnĺt like that at all. He wanted to see a doctor immediately. His water had broken and he felt as though his child were pushing to move inside him and he knew he wasnĺt supposed to allow that yet. But besides that, Brian felt as though there was something off. He knew he was supposed to be in pain but he really wasnĺt sure that what he was feeling was normal. And he hadnĺt stopped bleeding. His classes had not prepared him to expect this much bleeding.
Vic noticed that Brianĺs normally olive toned skin was getting whiter and whiter the longer they sat and waited for a doctor. He tried his hardest to keep his adoptive nephew at ease, but the truth was, he was scared for him. Nearly an hour had passed since their arrival without being seen; Brian was still in a lot of pain and still telling him that he was bleeding. Vic didnĺt like the sound of that. Sadly, he knew that Brian, of all people, could endure pain like no one he had ever known.
When he saw Brianĺs eyes roll back in his head, not once but twice, Vic decided that he must do something. ôBrian!ö Vic shouted, trying to get through to the boy, past the obvious haze he was in. ôBrian, Iĺm going to get a fucking doctor, Iĺll be right back! Will you be okay for a minute?ö Vic asked in a terrified voice.
Brian managed to nod his head. His whole body was starting to go numb. He couldnĺt even feel his baby inside him. He watched as Vic disappeared behind the curtain; that was the last thing he remembered before he awoke to his child being pulled from his body. He saw the little face and the tuffs of blond hair; he heard a loud cry and saw that it was a little girl just like the ultrasound had shown. He tried to reach out for his child but everything went black again.
ôBrian, thatĺs it. Come onů.ö Brian could hear Debbieĺs voice and Michaelĺs and Vicĺs, all of them trying to lure him out of sleep.
He opened his eyes and rubbed at them, noticing the tubes connected to him. And then he remembered where he was and why. He bolted up and a bolt of pain sent him lying back down again. ôWhere is my baby?ö He asked looking around at his family seated beside him. Now he was in a different room. A large private room. Balloons and flowers sat all around on the tables and countertops.
Debbie sat beside him on the bed and took his hand. ôIĺll go get a nurse and tell them youĺve woken and want to see him.ö She quickly disappeared behind the large door into the hallway.
Brian looked around again. Everything had to be okay or there wouldnĺt be flowers and balloons right? But, then he noticed the big balloon that was tied to the hospital rocking chairĺs handle. ôItĺs a Boy!ö it read. That couldnĺt be right. Brian looked around the room and saw that the card on the nightstand by his bed said the same thing.
ôIsnĺt it wonderful?ö Michael said coming towards his best friend with a smile on his face. ôYou have a son! Oh, and Brian, he looks just like you!ö Michael said excitedly.
Vic walked closer to the bed. ôIĺm glad you decided to wait to decorate the babyĺs room until he got here,ö he said with a chuckle.
Brian shook his head. ôBut ů but ůI had a girl ůI .ů ö Brian was cut off by Michael handing him a cup of water to sip on.
He took the drink gratefully and swallowed a few big gulps. ôWhat happened?ö
ôAfter I went and came back with the doctor, Brian, you were in shock. He wasnĺt even on duty but he came and helped you anyway. I was right beside you until they had to take you into surgery.ö
ôSurgery?ö Brian asked, horrified.
Vic nodded. ôYes, you were bleeding so much and in such distress that it was making it difficult for the baby to come out. You were in and out of it when they decided to take you into surgery. Luckily, you didnĺt need it. I wasnĺt allowed to go in there with you but the doctor said that as soon as they got you in there the baby had crowned and with in a matter of minutes I heard its' cries.ö
"I remember waking up and pushing her out.ö Brian said softly. ôIt was a girl, Vic. I didnĺt have a boy.ö
Michael laughed. ôOh, Brian, you know that sometimes ultrasounds can come out wrong. Mom said the whole time she was pregnant with me, the docs said she was having a girl and well, here I am.ö
Brian managed a small smile for his friend. He was entirely confused. He was sure that he had not seen a penis on the baby he birthed. There was everything that made up a little girl! But here he was, in the hospital room surrounded by cards, flowers and gift bags that all reflected him giving birth to a boy!
Before Brian could think anything more about it, Debbie came in and held the door open. A huge smile crossed her face and Michael got up from the bed. ôHere he is, Brian,ö he said excitedly as a nurse pushed the rolling cradle inside the room.
ôItĺs so nice to see you awake, Mr. Kinney.ö he said as he wheeled the cradle to the bed beside him.
Brian was almost afraid to look. But he did, and when he did he saw a tiny little baby wrapped in a blue bundle wearing an oversized blue nursery cap on his head. There was a small sticker on front of the carriage that said ôBABY BOY KINNEYö and then right under it was his name and what was apparently the room number he was in.
ôI told the doctor that you had woke up and he will be in here shortly to check on you. We thought that you might still be out of it for a while. There was a little mix up with your pain meds and we werenĺt sure when your last dose was.ö
ôHow long was I out?ö Brian asked, still not taking his eyes off of the bundled child.
ôOnly about an hour, Brian,ö Debbie answered from the other side of his room.
Brian felt like it had been days. His head was so foggy and his body was so sore. He sat up a little more in the bed, ignoring the pain he felt in his backside. He heard the baby start to cry and chills ran up and down his spine. He didnĺt know that cry. That was not the one he had heard. Rather than making a spectacle of this Brian decided to look at the child a little more closely and asked the nurse if he could have a few minutes with the baby alone.
The nurse agreed and his family went in the hall. Brian watched as the nurse picked up the crying child and placed the baby in his arms. ôHeĺs probably hungry,ö he said watching how the baby instinctively nuzzled into Brianĺs chest calming down once he was in his fatherĹs arms. ôHave you thought about whether you are going to breast feed or bottle feed yet?ö
Brian looked at the baby and then up at the nurse. ôI was going to breastfeed butů.ö
ôOh! Thatĺs wonderful! I can help you get him situated with him if youĺd like, I nursed all five of my kids. The names Greg by the way.ö
Brian wearily nodded and smiled at him. ôOkay, Greg, thanks,ö he said and handed the child over to the nurse. He placed a pillow under his right arm to help support the baby and then opened the front of his hospital gown exposing his chest. ôReady,ö he said softly.
Greg handed his child back to him and Brian asked him to take the blanket from the baby, he wanted a better look at him. With the blanket off Brian could clearly see the babyĺs face, and it was true, the baby did look a lot like him. Down to the complexion. In nothing but a diaper it was obvious that the child had olive toned skin mirroring his.
Greg helped guide the babyĺs mouth to Brianĺs nipple and soon the child suckled happily and like a pro on his fatherĺs chest. Brian instantly felt the bond that he knew was missing and lay back onto the bed. ôI think I can handle it now, thanks for your help Greg,ö Brian said politely, dismissing the nurse from this private moment.
Greg smiled and left the room.
Brianĺs fingers rubbed lightly on the babyĺs soft skin. ôWell, you are not what daddy expected, but Iĺll love you all the same,ö he said softly, not noticing the tears that ran down his face. He put the blanket back over the baby and then took the childĺs hat off.
A few dark hairs were scattered on the top of the babyĺs head. Brian stared at the baby who seemed to know him yet, again, Brian was not sure if he knew this baby. He was positive that he had seen a head full of blond tuffs of hair. There wasnĺt any blond on this baby. But again, the baby looked just like him!
Brian switched the babyĺs sides and then saw the babyĺs birthmark. It was just the same as his. He sighed in relief and put one of his fingers into the babyĺs grasp. His heart tightened with the love he had for his little boy. He did have a little BOY!
Dreams and Visions of the future with his son raced through his mind. He then realized that he had to choose a name for his boy. He wanted something that sounded happy. He thought back to his childhood and remembered his teddy bear Gus. He had named him that after watching Cinderella at Michaelĺs house. Gus had always been his friend, and he still had a place for the worn out stuffed animal on his bed at Michael and Debĺs.
It was decided. Gus Mathew Kinney. That was his son.
Gus had gotten his fill and Brian drew the covers over them both a little. He patted the babyĺs back to release any air bubbles, and a few minutes later, the baby had fallen asleep. Brian followed his child into slumber and once again dreamed of a blond boy dancing.