Bare Bones

David couldn’t have been any happier. The perfection of his beautiful wife waddling around the kitchen, scrambling for something to eat made his heart leap with joy. With the enormous belly, she bumped the fridge door with it as she juggled a jar of Nutella and bologna.

Despite her odd taste due to the baby growing inside of her, he reached out his hands to gather the food in her hands. Giving her thanks, she followed him to their bedroom where she laid in bed as comfortable as possible before being handed her food. Munching on the snack, she placed her pedicured toes on David, wiggling them cutely.

He didn’t think twice as he gathered one of her feet in his hand and softly started to knead her swollen foot. “How does that feel?”

Miranda groaned painfully, “Better, but the bugger keeps giving me bloody hell. I just want to pop this baby out already.” She was counting down the days until her baby arrived and in a few days, the said baby should arrive.

The two crossed their fingers given that Miranda didn’t have an easy pregnancy and hated it most of the time. She didn’t enjoy the pregnancy like what most women say. Miranda believes now that those bitches lied saying that pregnancy is wonderful and only puked their first week.

The damn pregnancy had her puking her guts until half way through to her pregnancy and even now her stomach can’t deal with certain smells.

“It’ll all be over soon and we’ll get to meet our baby girl.” David smiled lovingly at the bump, soothing the baby with his hand. He was overly excited for fatherhood. It was going to be hard work, he was aware of it and probably a lot harder than he actually anticipated for, but he has waited so long to meet the right woman and to start a family he wasn’t going to let responsibility hinder a part of his dream.

Miranda mirrored his smile, lacing her fingers with his that were over her belly. “You’re going to be a great father.”

“And you’re going to be a great ma.” Brushing her wavy brown locks away from her face, the tender face of the mid-thirty year old made her seem younger than she was. Especially when she smiled, it deducted ten years along with that childish laugh he adored so much.
He could picture the sweet loving face of his wife twisted in agony as the first wave of contractions hit her small body. In sheer panic, he didn’t move an inch waiting for it to pass before being screamed at by Miranda to get the car or she will gladly rip his head off.

David rushed Miranda to the hospital letting them get admitted and wheeled her to a private room. He rather not have anyone bombard them on their special day. He wanted to be selfish and have his wife and child all to himself before taking them out into the world again. She gripped his hand tightly, squeezing his flesh until it turned white.

The poor man opened his mouth in a silent scream, grasping his wife’s wrist as if it would relief the strength she wielded on his hand. “L-love?”

Miranda murderously glared at him, brown hair matted to her face, her lips quivering to control the pain she is enduring, she hissed, “If you tell me to loosen my grip one more time, I will bloody strangle you with this IV. Understood?”

Giving her the okay sign with his free hand, he sat beside her letting the blood drain from his hand as each contraction came and went. He coached her, telling her when to inhale and exhale, wiping the sweat that accumulated on her forehead to giving her ice chips. David didn’t want to leave her side and when the doctor finally told her she was dilated, he almost let out a sigh of relief thinking the worst part was over.

He was wrong.

Miranda unleashed the most horrid and wretched sound he has ever heard. His brown eyes widened in horror as she gritted her teeth as she pushed before a scream left her lips.

“David! D-david.” Miranda sobbed.

Tears leaked from her eyes as she shook her head in disbelief, “It’s too hard. I-I can’t d-do it. Please, don’t make me do it.”

Recomposing himself, he let his other hand tighten the hold on their intertwined hands. “Miri, love. You have to. I know you can do it. Just a few more pushes and you’ll be done with it.”

Miranda continued to cry uncontrollably hearing only half of what her husband has said. Letting his hand fall from her grip, he cupped her redden cheek softly soothing her as he spoken gently. “I know you can do it, darling. I can’t imagine what you might be feeling right now, but I admire you so much for doing this. You are bringing our beautiful baby girl in the world and only a few more pushes before we can finally meet her. Didn’t you say you wanted to get rid of her from your belly?”

He gave her a small smile of comfort. The pregnant woman sniffled, closing her eyes tightly when David gave her a peck on the forehead and proceeded to encourage her. Drowning out the noise around her, she focused on her husband’s voice and pushed with all of what she had.

She tried to push past the pain of ripping flesh; the price she had to pay in order for this baby to be born. Miranda had to think of the positive reward of going through with this agony, her mind and body won’t remember the pain afterwards. Of course she wouldn’t, her body has been through enough and to actually remember it?

No, she’s fucking glad she won’t remember.

A loud screech lifted her from her thoughts as she opened her eyes to see a small bloody baby being wrapped in a blanket and placed on her stomach. Another small sob escaped her mouth as she placed her hand on the back of the baby’s back.

“Look, David! Look! Our baby.”

“She’s beautiful.” He breathed out in contentment.

Miranda nodded stiffly as her vision became blurry; she didn’t know what was happening as she felt herself being ripped from consciousness.

David smiled until he saw his wife’s eyes roll in the back of her head. Fear struck him as he reached out to shake her, but he felt hands lifted him from his chair pushing him away from his wife. “Wait! Wha—what’s going on?”

“Sir, you must leave the premises. It’s not safe in here.”

“I don’t care that’s my wi-” He felt at a complete lost when they gave him a final push and slam the door in his face leaving him out in the hallway.

How can it start like this? One minute he was soothing his wife from labor pains to see their child for the first time to finally having him being pushed out of the room with no explanation. David took small strides towards the door almost pounding on the door before a petite nurse kindly asked him to wait in the waiting room.

His throat tightened at the mentioning of the waiting room. “No—I’ll wait here.”

“Sir,”

“I’ll wait here.” David insisted, sitting across the hall where he can look at the door if needed. It was childish to sit on the ground knowing it would be harder to push him if he was sitting with his legs crossed.

“Mr. Tennant.” He glanced at the fumbling nurse as she twisted the end of her shirt. She didn’t know what to say, her mouth gaping like a fish before she shook her head and rushed away. David sighed as he hit the back of his head against the wall.

He didn’t know what to think as he waited for what seem like hours. Time stood still as the doctor finally approached him, bending down to his level and as professional as possible told him the verdict of her condition. David mumbled a thanks in the end before he watched the doctor walk away, glancing down the hall way, he lifted himself from the ground.

A tear slipped from his eye and that is all that it took for him to lean against the wall for support and cried. All the grief, agony and despair pooled from underneath onto the surface. He might have not known what it felt like to give birth, but he did know now what it felt like to lose a spouse and that was worse.

Far, far worse.

A little while later, he dejectedly trekked through the corridor where they kept his baby; settling on the baby that he pinpointed as his own he looked away as the nurse asked if he wanted to hold her. It took some time before he could finally hold her in his arms without breaking down.

Cradling in his arms, a bittersweet smile came to his lips. “Vienna Mabel. My sweet little angel.”

_ _ _

Taking her home was probably the hardest part, his home seem so empty without Miri. When he placed her in her nursery it then hit him. He’s a single father now, a widow or is it called something else when a man loses his wife? He didn’t care, the point of the matter is that he is going to be raising this little girl on his own and that scared the life out of him.

It has been hard on him since he has brought home Vienna, she wailed, screamed until her little lungs sounded like they were going to give out. David tried everything to soothe her and sometimes he succeeded and sometimes he failed.

There were times where he just left her to cry as he wallowed in his own misery. He had no clue how to take care of a baby, he had to change her and her nappies always were lopsided or put on some odd way. Wash her (which was an event in itself), fed her and she ended up puking more than several times on his shirts.

Dark rings crept under his eyes, his skin pale and dry from the lack of care and his hair oily and filled with dandruff. He cringed when the baby monitor made a loud shrieking noise. Cursing under his breath, he begged for some peace. He loved his daughter beyond belief, but he wanted to grieve and staring at his daughter only made it harder.

The doorbell rang, making him lift himself up from the couch and opened the door to reveal a close mate of his, Clive. The slightly older gentleman winced in sympathy as he listened to the little girl cry. “Pair of lungs on that girl, ey?”

“Like you could never believe.” David dragged his hand down his face before heaving a sigh.

Clive glanced at his friend’s appearance before he offered to help settle the little one down. David didn’t object as the man climbed up the stairs and within twenty minutes the poor girl was soothed. Fatigued, he lied on the couch as he watched his mate come down with Vienna in his arms.

The girl look around wide eyed, curiously looking around, puffy eyed. When she finally found her father, she let out a soft cry as she reached out for her father. Clive gave him a look as David settled the girl on his lap.

“You look like shit, mate.”

“Thanks. Got all done up for you.”

“I’m serious, Dave. What happened to you? Look at this place! It’s a bloody dump!” Clive looked at his surroundings to see clothes thrown everywhere, dirty dishes found in the oddest of places. His mate needed help some kind of help.

Darkness spread across his face, “Are you saying that I need help? I don’t need any.”

“It’s not healthy.”

“You don’t know what healthy is.”

“I know it’s not this.” He rebutted. “Look at you, look at this place! Do you want your daughter to live in a place like this for the rest of her life? She needs proper care-”

“I’m taking plenty care of her!” He roared, within seconds Vienna’s bottom lip started to quiver and cries filtered the room. David bounced his knee to soothe her as he went on a small verbal rampage, “You don’t know what it’s like to lose someone you love, your best mate, and the better part of your soul and for what? To raise a child on your bloody own? Being a single parent is hard enough without you riding down my back.”

Clive gave him a few minutes to settle down before he spoke up; the tension is thick and rigid. “A little help doesn’t hurt anyone. Even single parents get an extra hand. Look, I’ll leave this here and you think about it.” Placing the white card onto the table, he sat back down on his seat. “Now then, how bout we watch some telly?”

David remained silent as his mate continued on like there is nothing mad going on in this world. He stared at the card and then his daughter feeling the emptiness he tried to cover up with distractions. Sadly, it hasn’t been working yet.