Escape From This Afterlife

"Breathe, breathe," Brian told me as I squeezed his hand tightly in my sweaty palm. I was pushing as hard as I could to pop this baby out. I have been in labor for a long ass time and I wanted it to be over now.

"I am!" I said through clenched teeth, squeezing my eyes shut. The pain was unbearable. I thought I was going to pass out a few times. I have been lucky so far.

I could hear Brian breathing heavily next to me. I thought I was the one in labor. Brian looked as if he was in pain also. Which he might have been since I was about to break every bone in his hand. He needs it to play guitar, I thought. But my fingers would not loosen around his hand.

I squeezed my eyes shut so tightly, I saw colorful spots of swirls behind my lids. My head felt like it was going to explode since it was so red. Then, a cry filled the room. The high pitched cry of my new born baby girl. "Congratulations." The doctor smiled as he handed me the baby in a towel. "It is a girl."

I decided to bite my tongue since I was about to say 'no shit'. Brian stepped as close as he could to the bed to hover over the baby and I. "She looks just like you." he smiled and brushed my hair out of my face.

"Really? She looks just like you." I laughed weakly. I was so worn out. Then it dawned on me. We never settled on a name of a girl. We had a few for a boy, but none for a girl. "What should we name her?" I looked up at Brian.

"Sierra?" He asked as he looked from the baby to me.

"I like it." I smiled and kissed her head after Brian did. "Sierra Michelle Haner."

"It's perfect." Brian leaned down and kissed me.

It has been six weeks since I gave birth to mine and Brian's child, Sierra. Six weeks in a row since I have been tossing and turning in bed trying to go back to sleep. Brian has been gone for the past week working on the new record. Of course he has been popping in to see Sierra and I. But it was difficult to take care of a six week old baby by myself. I missed Brian.

"Sh," I told Sierra as I rocked her slowly in my arms, trying to get her to go to sleep once more. It was two in the morning and all I wanted to do was sleep.

"Baby?" I heard Brian whisper from the door.

I turned and saw him poking his head in. "Hi." I whispered back with a huge grin.

Brian walked in and slithered his arms around me, kissing my shoulder. "You go to sleep. I got her." he whispered in my ear.

"No, you go to bed," I told him, even though I wanted to get some sleep. "You need it more than I do."

"Not really." He laughed quietly. "I am not the one with huge bags under my eyes."

"Fine." I laughed a little and handed him Sierra gently. "I will see you in there." I kissed him.

Before I could pull away from the short kiss, he pressed his lips back to mine. With one arm supporting Sierra's tiny body, he slipped a hand behind my neck. I put my hand on his shoulder and kissed him back with a smile plastered on my lips. After a few seconds, we pulled away. "I'll be in soon."

I smiled and pecked his lips again then walked to the other end of the bedroom. I pulled back the covers and crawled in between them, loving the warmth. Once my head hit the pillow, everything began to fade. A smile was still on my face as I slept. I finally had a family with Brian, someone I have been in love with since high school. He meant so much to me, and I will not mess this up.

I heard Sierra's cry early in the morning. I groaned and turned onto my stomach, putting the pillow over my head. "Baby." Brian whispered, running his hand down my back gently. "Baby," He said again since I didn't react.

"Huh?" I asked, my voice muffled by the bed.

"I have to go." He ran his hand to my lower back.

I groaned and lifted my head, putting the pillow next to me. "No."

He laughed a little and ran my fingers through my tangled hair. He leaned down and pressed his lips to my forehead. "I will be home soon. I promise."

"Okay." I groaned and put my head back down on the pillow. Brian kissed me quickly and then made his way to Sierra's crib. He kissed her head then walked out of the room.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming." I mumbled as I walked to her crib. Looking into her beautiful eyes reminded me of Brian's. The most amazing amount of color I have ever seen in someone's eyes.