Where's My Happily Ever After?

I don’t honestly know what got a hold of my already corrupted mind, but before I knew it I was strangling the nurse that I had screamed at only seconds earlier. I just tore myself from Monique, pushed Edwin and his chair of confinement away from me before he could stop me, and lunged at the poor woman. I had her pinned to the ground spitting life threats and curses in her face.

“Jade! Stop!” Edwin demanded, trying to pull me from the then-screaming nurse. I bit at his hands as I tried to suck Mrs. Evil bone-dry. She tried to fend me off, but I was hissing and completely out of my mind. I probably would have dipped my fangs in her neck and never have let go, but Edwin suddenly decked me in the ribcage and I cried out, rolling off on the nurse and onto my side, crying and writhing in pain.

“My baby! My fucking baby!” I wailed, wallowing in my own pity. I felt Edwin’s hand come down on my shoulder, but I shoved him off, jumping to my feet. I turned to the nurse, who just so happened to be staring wide-eyed at me in pure terror.

“Demon child from Hell!” she screamed, pointing an accusing finger at me. “You’ve signed the Devil’s book, haven’t you!”

“What are you talking about?” Edwin muttered, grasping my arm firmly and tugging me up. “Save my fucking kid!”

“Hold your serpent’s tongue, you heathen!” she barked. “That poor child was born damned and now he’s suffering at the fate of God’s hands! You do the work of the Devil and he will to, so he shall not live! Antichrist!”

“You’re off your rocker!” Edwin told her, tearing himself from me and sprinting down the hall. He shoved a passerby into the wall, screaming at the random doctor to help his infant. The doctor probably ran into the nursery as quickly as Edwin had ran to get him.

The nurse was still hurling “Devil spawns” and “Christ, ye shall come!” at us, but the doctor had thankfully paid her no mind. Monique looked absolutely terrified.

“My mommy is not a demon!” she huffed, stomping her foot at the nurse, her fists shaking at her sides.

“Oh, you poor damned soul,” she remarked, shaking her head. “Your little brother won’t be so unlucky for maybe God will let him into the Kingdom. You’ve done far too much to get in, poor girl.”

“You shut your mouth, please!” Manny shrieked, getting into a fight with the crackpot.

I couldn’t focus on their little pointless commotion because I was watching the doctor’s mouth move as he screamed at the other nurses. Edwin came to a halt at my side and he suddenly wrapped an arm around me. I winced, for that was the rib he had punched, but he ignored me as he intently stared at our baby boy fighting for his life.

“He’s strong like his daddy,” I murmured, hoping to convince myself as well. “He’ll make it.”

“Baby...” Edwin’s voice trailed off and he kissed my forehead softly before returning all focus to the scene before us. “If I had just stayed with you this whole time, everything would be okay.”

“It’s not your fault. Please. I love you.”

Edwin nodded minutely, his expression staying the same. The doctor came out, his face drenched in sweat.

“The strangest thing...” he started, sounding completely baffled. “He started crying like normal as soon as I picked him up.”

I glanced at Edwin who returned my enlightened gaze.

“Baby, maybe we should visit Clarence?”

I nodded, taking my baby from the doctor. Avery giggled lightly before grasping my finger tightly. With his free hand, he caught Edwin’s nose as he leaned over to look at our bundle. I laughed, pointing at him, but Edwin was too busy watching the little infant reach to his daddy, giggling and smiling.

He never looked so happy before and the light in his eye that had vanished long ago had suddenly returned. I handed him the baby and Monique waddled over, grumbling something about ignorant pigs, but she, too, melted when she saw her baby brother.

Maybe it’s the innocence of a child that makes the world spin day in, day out.