SWITCHED AT BIRTH

CHAPTER1

Chapter One: The Cry That Changed Everything

“Aahhhhhhhhhhhh” a loud scream came bursting through the whole hospital bringing everything to life again, the nurses all looked up from their desks towards the direction of he ward and sighed..

It was going to be a hell of a day

“Fuckkkkkkkk” another scream filled the air, and it looks like, the two mothers were in a kind of competition or something.

Anna grited her teeth, as sweat poured down her face, and pain filled through every part of her body like waves crashing against an unyielding shore.

“Almost there darling!! I can see it’s head “ she heard the midwife’s voice through her spread legs, and she tried to comfort herself, but the pain didn’t seem to be ending any time soon.

“Mmhhhhmmhhhh…. Where is he?” she managed to scream out through clenched teeth, her voice strained with pain.

The nurse beside her looked up suddenly, her head c*****g slightly as she looked shocked.

“Pardon, who are you talking about.” She asked her face inquisitive.

“My husband, where in God’s name is he” she crooned squeezing her face in pain.

“I’m sorry, I have no idea madam, but I’ll like you right now to focus and push”

Anna felt her heart sink, but she swallowed her disappointment as she returned her focus to pushing the thing in her stomach that has been causing her pain for the past nine months.

Her husband Henry, could wait …

She couldn’t wait to get off this bed, she had a million and one things she would tell him, how could he abandon his own wife for the past 8 hours in labour.

Oh!

He thought he could escape the labour room after f*****g her and putting two babies in her.

He's going to get what's coming for him, she said to herself silently.

And just as she opened her mouth to voice her frustration, the shrill cry of her firstborn filled the room.

She sighed as she waited for the second cry, but none came….

In the bed next to her, Belinda was also fighting her own battle against the mighty tug at her tummy tightened with every push.

Her hands gripped the sides of the hospital bed as another contraction ripped through her. “ s**t, Where is Victor?” she cursed, her voice raw and edged with panic.

The nurse tending to her looked away awkwardly, offering no response as she focused on her job.

Victor!!

Was it the same Victor. The man who just got strutted into the hospitals minutes ago with his face masked in an oxygen mask and his head deeply wounded.

But she wasn’t about to break that awful news to her.

“Mrs. Thompson,” the midwife finally said, looking up and clearing her throat,

“I’m sorry to tell you this, but we’ve just received word, that… em….your husband..yes ..he … he’s been in an accident. He’s on his way here, too, but in critical condition.” She spurted out stuttering.

The words hit Belinda like a sub way train. Her body stiffened, and her head spinned in disbelief.

“What do you mean by….”

But before she could utter a word, the final contraction struck, sucking her off all her senses.

The room spun as she gave one last push, and the cries of her newborn piercing the fog.

Minutes later, silence blanketed the ward as both women lay exhausted in their beds, staring up at the ceiling, both oblivious to the other, beside each other.

The nurses prepare to take the babies for cleaning and that was when they realized something.

Anna looked up gently to see the nurses whispering lowly to themselves.

“What’s wrong with my baby” she asked as she followed their eyes to the second twin laying still in their arms.

“I think… I think… it’s dead!”

..

Belinda clutched her newborn son in her hands, ignoring the blood and the pleas of the nurses to have him cleaned up first.

Everything that was going through her head was the thought that her husband was in the same hospital now with her, somewhere between life and death.

The nurse’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “Mrs. Thompson, we’re stabilizing your husband in the ICU. We’ll keep you updated.”

She nodded mutely, finally letting go of the babies she closing her eyes as she embraced the little comfort of sleep..

…

“What do you mean by it’s dead,” she screamed, her eyes almost popping out.

“You have to calm down, we’ll get him checked” the nurse said defiantly.

“s**t” Anna muttered as they left.

This was all Henry’s fault, he was always so uptight with his money that he never bothered about her, why would she be in this low class hospital when her husband could afford to own his own hospital with all of his wealth.

And maybe he forgot she was to go into labour today

He was probably out there drinking and getting laid.

But oh well she married an egocentric man.

That was and has been her worse mistake.

..

As dawn approached, the hospital began discharging patients.

One nurse, flustered and juggling paperwork, accidentally swapped the name tags on the bassinets, Anna’s biological daughter, was placed in the wrong bassinet and labeled as Belinda’s child.

And Belinda’s biological daughter, was sent to Anna.

Both women, exhausted but eager to bring their children home, were handed their babies. No one noticed the error.

--

Anna cradled the baby girl and boy to her chest as her mother wheeled her to the waiting car. “They’re beautiful, Anna,” she whispered to herself hoping it’ll remove the guilt in her heart.

For Belinda, the moment was so different. As she held her newborns, her heart felt heavy. Her husband’s accident still shadowed over her like a shadow. Despite her anger at him, the thought of losing him made her stomach churn with fear.

The nurse approached her again, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’re all set to go, Mrs. Thompson. Your husband’s surgery was successful, but his condition is critical. He’ll remain In the ICU for now.”

As the cars drove away in opposite directions, the nurse who had handled their paperwork slumped against the wall, rubbing her temples. She’d been on her feet for twenty-four hours, and the weight of exhaustion was crushing.

“Did you finish the discharge records for the twins in Room 3?” another nurse asked, flipping through the files.

“Yes,” she replied quickly, though her voice wavered.

The second nurse frowned. “Are you sure? Because the labels on these bassinets—”

A loud crash echoed down the hall as a tray of instruments fell to the floor. Both nurses turned their a

ttention to the commotion, abandoning the records in haste. The misplaced labels lay forgotten on the counter….