Two
960 Words
JESSE
This girl was really growing on me. She'd been here a few weeks. I didn't actually speak to her at all before her baby. She was one of the few I had delivered myself, and in the days since she had given birth, we had formed a close bond.
It was funny really, she was making excuses not to leave, and I was making excuses to see her - all revolving around little Eirwen. He was perfect though, nothing wrong with him at all.
A week after she had given birth, I popped by with a bunch of flowers to suprise her.
"Happy Birthday Brayleigh!"
She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you, thats very sweet of you."
"Hey what's wrong? Its your birthday, your not allowed to be sad!" I sat down next to her, taking her hand without really thinking about it.
"Its nothing really, my birthdays always bring me down," she admitted.
I wanted to do something to make her smile, anything to cheer her up.
Eirwen woke up and started to gurgle and chatter. I picked him up and gave him a cuddle.
"Shall we cheer Mummy up little man? How about we take her out! Does she like... Pizza?"
She smiled and nodded enthusiastically! "We can't go out though can we, what about keeping Eirwen safe?" She asked, suddenly concerned.
"Don't worry, I know a place!" I smiled! "You two get ready, Ill be back in an hour."
An hour later, I came back to find Brayleigh stood with Eirwen in her arms, at her room door ready to go. I took the baby, and she put her hand through my arm. We walked through the hospital and out of the back doors like that. I buckled Eirwen into the car seat I had borrowed and put in the back of my car, then opened the passenger door for Brayleigh.
We drove through the town in silence. She seemed nervous, and I didn't know how to reassure her. As the sunset ahead of us, she smiled.
"I always love the sunset," I said.
"Yes, its so beautiful. Where are we going?" She asked.
"I have a friend that runs a pizza place on the other side of town. I gave him a call and made us little reservation."
When we arrived, I pulled up in the staff car park round back. Brayleigh was shocked when we entered through the kitchen, and went up a little set of staff only stairs.
"Are we in the stock room?" She half laughed.
"Yep!" I smiled. A little table and two chairs had been set up for us in the middle of the upstairs stock room. There were candles on the table, and a bottle of sparkling water. I placed Eirwen in his car seat on the floor next to the table, then pulled out Brayleigh's chair for her. Once I was sat, I poured the drinks.
"Only the finest for the breastfeeding Mum," I half joked.
"Thank you! You can drink though, I dont mind," she looked so shy.
"No, no, I wouldn't dream of it!" I handed her a menu. "Order anything you like."
She stared at me for a minute, like she was trying to figure out if I meant it or not. I nodded encouragingly.
When our server arrived, she ordered a small pizza. I shook my head. Ordered myself the same, and then ordered a load of sides for us to share. She laughed with me. She was very cute when she smiled.
She told me about her life, her family, her up bringing. I filled her in on my earlier life and family, careful to avoid anything about Amia's current circumstances.
The evening was going so well, and I was truly enjoying myself.
"So tell me about the future now! What are your plans for you and Eirwen? Your hopes and dreams?" I smiled at her.
She looked down at the table and stammered, taking a slip of her water to distract.
"I'm sorry if I upset you. I know you're worried about what will happen when you leave the hospital. I was just wondering if you had any dreams of what the future may be like for the two of you."
She sighed, "it's okay, it's not you, it's me." She rolled her eyes at the classic line. She stood up and came around to stand next to me. Then rolled up her t-shirt.
I couldn't help myself, without any conscious decision, my fingers traced her expiration date, perfect visible against the pale skin of her rib cage.
But that was a little over two years from now. She would only be twenty. I was already older than she would be when she died.
I tried to speak, but the words got stuck in my throat, and my vision swam a little.
She stepped away and sat back down, "don't pity me," she said, reaching for my hand. "I don't even know if it still counts anymore".
"What do you mean?" I asked?
"Well, now babies are born without dates, do our dates still apply?"
"Oh!" I had never thought of that. "I do not know. But I think I can find out for you, if you'd like!"
"You could?!" She was excited now.
"Yes! I know someone who has done a lot of research on the babies without expiration dates, there is every chance that he may know.. and if not, he may know someone who knows. I will do my best for you."
"I would do anything to live to see my baby grow up," she spoke softy, looking down at the still sleeping Eirwen.
Looking back, I think that was the point I fell for her.
- Writer
