Get Your Gun and Meet Me by the Door

I was finally able to relax agains the pillow placed behind my head. My hair was stuck to my face from the sweat, my breath coming out in quick gasps. Relief and happiness washed over me, glad that it was over. I smiled through my tears.

"Would you like to hold him?" someone asked. A nurse or a doctor probably. I just nodded my head, unable to speak. A moment later, a small bundle was placed in my arms and I cradled it carefully. I looked down at the newborn baby in my arms. My son. I felt several emotions as I looked into his eyes. They weren't my eyes. They were his father's. I let out a choked sob, remembering Frank in his last moments. I had no doubt that my son would grow up to look like his father. A nurse came back over to the bed I was laying in.

"Do you have a name picked out yet?" she asked. I nodded my head and she waited for me to tell her.

"I want his name to be Frank," I whispered.

"That's a lovely name," the nurse said. She left again. I didn't know what was going to happen to me now. I had a bad feeling that I'd be shipped to prison and my son would be taken away from me. I didn't want that to happen. I knew the police were going to be waiting for me to get out of here. I let my eyes wander around the room I was in. The nurse who had just spoken to me was over at a table, writing something down.

I looked down at Frank now and saw that he had closed his eyes. I smiled. There was a quick knock on the door to my room and I jerked my head up just as the door opened, a police officer walking in. He looked at me for a minute before walking over to the nurse. He whispered something to her that I couldn't hear. She looked over at me.

"Mrs. Iero," she said, coming toward me. "I'm going to have to take your son to be checked."

She stepped toward me and held out her arms to take Frank and I moved him away from her slightly, not trusting her.

"I promise I'll bring him back soon," she said. I looked from her to the police officer then back to the nurse before I reluctantly handed Frank to her.

"Thank you," the nurse said. She left the room, closing the door behind her.

I turned my attention to the police officer.

"I just came to discuss what's going to happen when you're released from the hospital," he said. I just stared at him. "You will have to go to prison. But we can probably get the sentence shortened. Or a different punishment. But it's very unlikley seeing as we're dealing with several murders."

I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

"What about Frank?" I whisped.

"Your husband was killed," he said. I glared at him, the tears spilling, rolling down my face.

"I know that my husband is dead," I said with venom in my voice. "I was talking about my son."

"Oh," the police officer said. "Depending on your punishment, he could be sent to foster care or he could stay with a family member of yours."

I closed my eyes as more tears fell.

"I have no family," I choked out. "All I have now is my son."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"It means exactly what it means," I said. "My whole family is dead. My mom, my dad, grandparents, Frank..Everyone."

"Well," he said. "We'll figure something out."

I turned my face away from him and I heard his footsteps as he headed for the door to the hospital room. I heard the door open and then close. I finally let out the sobs I'd been holding in, my body trembling from their force. This is exactly what I had been worried about.