Chapter 180
I never imagined childbirth would hurt this much.
"Oscar, you bastard, I'm not having this baby anymore. You have it yourself." My knuckles turned white, sweat had soaked my hair, and I gripped his hand hard, roaring at him.
Even though he'd read all the parenting books, Oscar was still scared: "Doctor, can we do a C-section for my wife? She's in so much pain. Didn't you say it would be painless? Why is she still suffering so much?"
The doctor said from the side: "The baby's head is already out. Come take a look. The mother just needs to push a bit more, and the baby will be out soon."
Oscar turned to look, and I immediately shouted: "Don't look, close your eyes."
I'd heard that husbands who watch the delivery can get traumatized. I told him not to come in, but he insisted. Fine, he came in, but he absolutely couldn't watch.
Oscar quickly held my hand: "Okay, I won't look, I won't look. Honey, you can do it, push a little harder."
"Cheer you on? Screw that—" I cursed through gritted teeth, using every ounce of strength I had, and finally felt something come out of my body.
"It's out, the baby's born." Oscar's voice shouted excitedly in my ear. I seemed to hear the baby's loud cry, and Oscar rambling something in my ear, but I was too tired to care what he was saying. I was so tired. I wanted to sleep. If I don't get twelve hours of sleep, I get cranky.
And I hadn't slept at all today.
In a daze, I really did fall asleep.
When I woke up, it was already bright outside. Oscar was sitting by the bed with wide eyes, either having stayed up all night or woken up early.
Seeing me open my eyes, he immediately came over with concern: "Honey, you're awake? Are you hungry? Do you want water? Does it still hurt? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"
The string of questions left me unsure which to answer first. Then I remembered—I'd just had a baby: "Where's the baby?"
Oscar quickly pushed a crib next to my bed: "Don't panic, the baby's right here, he's asleep. It's a boy, seven pounds eight ounces. You've been through so much carrying this little guy all these months."
In the crib was a tiny person with delicate skin and a beautiful, rosy glow, a little nose and a little mouth. With his eyes closed, I couldn't tell what he looked like, but this little thing suddenly filled my heart with love.
People say maternal love is innate. At this moment, seeing my child, I believed it.
I reached out my hand, almost afraid to touch him. He was like an angel, so beautiful.
Oscar looked at me with a happy smile: "Honey, from now on we're a family of three. Isn't that wonderful?"
Yes, wonderful indeed.
Being a mother for the first time, I felt my heart swell with hope. I hoped he'd be healthy, hoped he'd be happy. I would be with him as he grew up, giving him everything.
The baby moved a little, his mouth puckering slightly, as if he was about to cry the next second.
"What's wrong with him?" I asked anxiously, feeling helpless.
Oscar quickly rocked the crib gently: "It's okay, it's okay. He probably peed. I had the nurse prepare the formula. He'll probably wake up soon, and when he wakes up, he'll be hungry, and when he's hungry, he'll cry. I've already figured out the pattern."
Sure enough, after sleeping peacefully for a bit, his little hand grabbed at the air, and he slowly opened his eyes.
His eyes were beautiful, big, very much like Oscar's. Before I could look carefully, he puckered his mouth and started crying loudly.
The nurse quickly came over to pick up the baby, stuffing the freshly prepared bottle in his mouth. The moment he got the milk, the crying stopped.
I have to say, Oscar's half-day of experience was pretty solid. If our marriage certificate didn't say "first marriage," I'd suspect he'd had a kid before.
After the baby was fed and his diaper changed, the nurse brought him to me with a smile: "Mom can try holding the baby. It helps build the mother-child bond."
I reached out my hands, feeling a bit lost.
Oscar came over to guide my movements, and the tiny body was finally in my arms.
The corners of his lips curved unconsciously, as if smiling. Looking at his little face, my eyes blurred again. Holding him in my arms for real, I finally accepted from the bottom of my heart—this was my child, mine and Oscar's child.
When Nina came back from her honeymoon, the baby was already a month old. Despite her huge pregnant belly, she excitedly threw all the gifts she'd brought me aside and couldn't wait to rush to the crib: "My sweet boy, I've been wanting to come back every day. He's so beautiful, looks just like you."
I smiled: "I think he looks more like his dad."
Nina quickly said, "Who says? He looks just like you. Otherwise, how could he be this pretty? Remember, we agreed our kids would marry. I brought him gifts."
She piled all the gifts by the crib: "Yours, all yours."
I looked at her with amusement: "I thought you brought them for me."
Nina stared at the baby: "Why are you competing with a kid? These are all his."
I pulled her to sit on the bed: "Aren't you tired after just getting off the plane? Look how big your belly is. Rest a bit. He's sleeping. When he wakes up, you can look at him all you want."
Nina smiled and agreed: "I'm exhausted, dead tired. But it's rare to have a vacation that lets you travel around the world, so I'm willing to be tired. Oh, did you know Gregory died?"
I deliberately didn't follow their news. Whether they lived or died had nothing to do with me.
Nina said mysteriously, "Do you know how he died?"
Her mysterious tone sparked my interest: "There's gossip?"
She smiled at me: "Sophia stabbed him to death. Remember how Sophia was wanted, and they couldn't find her? Turns out Gregory tricked her into going to Solstice. I heard she went through some pretty bad stuff in a dark room there. Later, she somehow bribed a guard who let her out, and then she found Gregory and stabbed him."
I couldn't help but sigh: "I never thought it would end like this. What about her?"
Nina pursed her lips: "She got caught again, of course. Along with the person who let her out, they're probably in trouble too. This time, she probably won't get out for the rest of her life."
The baby made a soft sound, and Oscar, who had been talking with Michael outside, immediately ran in: "Did the baby just move?"
Nina looked at me with amusement: "You've got your husband well-trained! Is he a full-time stay-at-home dad now?"
I smiled and replied, "Maybe those parenting books are actually useful. You guys should check them out too."
Nina lifted her chin and said proudly to Michael: "See that? You should learn from him."
Michael wasn't annoyed and nodded obediently: "Okay, I'll start reading when I get back."
Oscar teased, "You'll need to learn from me properly. Hands-on experience is more important than theory."
When looking at Oscar, Michael was no longer gentle, his gaze sharp: "Whatever you can do, I can naturally do too. I've never lost to you."
Nina glanced at him sideways: "Don't brag. When your daughter is born, if you can't do anything, I'll get her a new father."
"No way." He reached over and lightly tapped Nina's head.
Nina let out a cry.
"What's wrong, honey?" Michael checked her in a panic. "I didn't even use any force."
Nina frowned and answered: "I think... I'm going into labor. My stomach hurts. Quick, quick, get to the hospital."
Michael instantly panicked. It was Oscar, with his experience, who started making calls, explaining the situation, and giving the address. A whole room of people were about to welcome another new life.