LUST AND LOVE FOR POWER

Chapter 2

“The baby… she’s coming!”

Arturo and I quickly helped Catalina into El Toro, his old but reliable truck. She moaned in pain as we guided her inside, my mother clutching her rosary and whispering frantic prayers in Spanish. Arturo jumped into the driver’s seat, turning the ignition with urgency, while I climbed into the back, wrapping my arm around my fiancée in an attempt to soothe her.

But all through the ride, she cursed me.

I knew she didn’t mean it—it was the pain speaking—but deep down, I couldn’t shake the guilt. I had played a part in this. I had brought her this agony.

“I can't do it, Sebastian. It’s too painful,” she whimpered.

“Don’t you worry, my love. In just a little while, we’ll be at the hospital,” I assured her, pressing a kiss to her damp forehead.

I felt helpless. No one deserved this kind of pain.

As El Toro screeched to a stop outside the hospital, Arturo didn’t even bother parking properly before cutting the engine. He threw open his door and rushed to help me lift Catalina from the seat. My mother hurried behind us as we made our way toward the emergency entrance.

Before we even reached the door, nurses were already rushing toward us with a stretcher. Catalina didn’t stop wailing, her cries echoing through the night.

“Don’t worry, my love. You’ll be fine—it’ll all be over soon,” I repeated, hoping my words would ease her suffering.

She hummed in pain, gripping my shirt—but the moment I repeated myself, her exhausted face twisted with anger.

“Shut up! Tú podrías haber sido el que estaba pasando por este trabajo infantil!” (You could have been the one going through this labor!)

I could only imagine the sheer agony she felt, and my mother’s teary prayers only added to my distress.

“Forgive me, my love,” I whispered, gripping the railings of the hospital bed as the nurses wheeled her away.

I moved to follow, but a firm hand stopped me.

“You can’t go in sir”

“Why? I’m her fiancé”

“I’m sorry but you can’t go in until the child is delivered”

“No, that’s stupid, I have to be in there”

“Please, you have to calm down sir. You have to let us do our job and wait out here, sir” The female nurse said with a scowl. I stepped aside as I watched them move Catalina into the labor room, frantically praying for the safe delivery of our child.

“He is the father of the child. Why can’t he go in?” Arturo screamed after them as they left irritatingly. He was completely upset about the situation as I am.

A second nurse interjected, her voice calm but resolute. “I’m sorry, sir. Only medical personnel are allowed inside at this moment.”

From down the hall, a man in a white coat jogged toward us, his footsteps hurried. “Is the patient here already?”

“Yes, doctor. This is her fiancé.”

“Fiancé? __” the doctor asked looking confused but then changed his demeanor. The doctor looked at me, his expression unreadable behind the face mask he wore. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait outside until the child is delivered.”

Something about this place unsettled me. The nurses. The doctor. The way everything felt… off.

But I trusted Catalina. If she had come here willingly, I had to believe she was in safe hands.

The doctor disappeared into the labor room, shutting the door behind him. I had no way of seeing what was happening inside.

“Please this way sir” nurse Maria said, pointing her hands into the direction that led to the waiting room.

“I don’t care what you people say. That is my child to be born in there by the love of my life, if I wouldn’t be let in then I can wait here!” I screamed at nurse Maria

“ déjalos hacer su trabajo Sebastian, si solo esperamos afuera para la entrega entonces hagámoslo hijo” (let them do their work Sebastian if we just wait outside for the delivery then let's just do it, son)

My mother said while she held my hand to leave.

“But this is insane!”

“Let’s go, man. By the way, we could use this time in paying for Catalina hospital bills”

“That won’t be necessary,” Nurse Maria interjected.

I turned to her, confused. “What do you mean?”

My stomach twisted. “That’s impossible. I haven’t paid anything yet.”

“Then someone else did.” Maria smiled politely. “Perhaps a friend or family member? Either way, you can use the money for baby supplies instead.”

I didn’t like this. Not one bit.

But for now, I had no choice but to wait.

Just very few people were left, it was already late, so I assumed that called for the absence of a lot of people to be here by this time.

Every cell in my body felt tense. Seating down idle didn’t pay me any good so I paced around for several hours and still yet no one came out asides nurse Maria who brought in a bottle of water. I continued the phase of pacing until the next day, taking short naps in between, I didn’t know how long I slept but it looked quite early for a new day.

How on earth did I fall asleep while Catalina was in Labor?

Arturo was awake and, on his phone, when I woke up.

Worry was all I felt, does it take this long to birth a child?

Arturo checked his phone, rubbing his temple. “I gotta head back to Criscrow. Customers are already getting impatient.”

I nodded. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”

“Damn right, you do.” He smirked. “Just be patient, alright? Catalina and your baby will be in your arms soon. Sometimes, complications happen, and it takes time. The last thing you need is to stress her out more.”

I exhaled, nodding. “I needed to hear that. Thanks, Arturo.”

We embraced briefly before he left.

Then, I saw her.

Nurse Maria. Emerging from the hall, holding a file.

“Maria!” I ran to her.

She looked startled but quickly composed herself, smiling. “Congratulations, sir. It was a safe delivery. It’s a girl!”

My chest swelled with relief. I spun toward my mother, grinning. “Madre! Catalina y el niño están bien. Tienes una nieta!” (Mother! Catalina and the baby are fine. You have a granddaughter!)

Tears welled in her eyes. “Gracias a Dios.” (Thank you, God.)

“Can we see them now?” I asked eagerly.

Maria hesitated. “Yes, but I heard you didn’t bring clothes for the baby. It would be better if you did that first.”

“My mother can do that while I stay with Catalina.” I started toward the delivery room, but Maria stepped in front of me.

“Sir, you can’t go in.”

I frowned. “Excuse me?”

“You need to wash up and change first. Catalina and the baby are sensitive to bacteria.”

I exhaled, forcing a smile. “Alright. My mother and I will clean up and be right back.”

Maria beamed. “Thank you for complying, sir.” She made sure they left before dashing into the changing room the next second.

****

Sebastian yelled at the reception, facing the new nurse he saw behind the hospital counter,” I am here for my Fiancée and our child. I said her name is Catalina Torres!!! She was admitted here yesterday and she gave birth to our child this morning”

She tapped her keyboard. “I’m sorry, but there’s no record of a Catalina Torres delivering a baby here.”

He froze,” What? Your system must be wrong. She gave birth in that room!”, he pointed at the labor ward furiously.

” Sir, you should know a lot of labor patients have their babies delivered in that room, please calm down and let us see how we can help you”

” I cannot calm down! I should be picking up my fiancée and my daughter right now! Where is Nurse Maria, she was on duty last night and this morning, she asked I and my mother to refreshen up and bring a change of clothes for my fiancée and my child. Please call Nurse Maria” he yelled with frustration.

The nurses looked confused as they stared at each other, thinking they were beginning to attend a lunatic. There is no nurse here with the name Maria. I think you are at the wrong hospital”

”No I am not. You all are mistaken MARIA f*****g WORKED HERE LAST NIGHT!!!!”

He didn't understand if the workers were playing games with him just because of his social and financial status, or they always acted this stupid .

” Sir you need to calm down” they both said in unison while signaling the attention of the security

” Bring Catalina and my child out right this instant!” he warned, pointing angrily at the nurses

A doctor approached him ” What is going on here?”

Sebastian thinking about last night and what he is hearing this morning. Deep in his guts, he was beginning to feel like something wasn't right.

” My Fiancee and my child is missing!” Sebastian roared at him

” Please calm down, do you know the name of the doctor that attended to you last night?” He asked.

” No, he had a mask on so I couldn’t tell. I haven't seen my child also, I don’t know what my Ama looks like”

” This is serious, I don't know how we can be of help to you”

Sebastian Chuckled” No! You can be of help, I don’t care how you do it but get me my child and my fiancée right this instant, if you dare not I will burn this hospital to the ground__” he warned the doctor angrily. “I knew there was something wrong about this place, I don’t care what shady business you run but ask of Sebastian Esmeralda I would rain hell over you all”

” Are you Sebastian Esmeralda?” a strange nurse appeared, she looked nothing like nurse Maria.

” Yes, I am”

” This letter is for you” She slipped a letter into my hand and ran. My fingers trembled as I unfolded it. By the third line, my heart stopped.

I lost my balance, falling to the floor with a broken mind and a shattered mind, the letter falling to the floor.

The doctor was concerned about what changed my mood from determined to hopeless, reading through what I just saw he sighed in pity. I could hear his voice faintly in my head telling the nurses to go check for a child with a tagged name Ama.

The lady that gave me this letter must know of Catalina whereabouts. I know my love, she would never hurt me or leave me in such a manner. She loves me and our child.

This wasn’t real.

It couldn’t be real.

I bolted out the door, searching for the woman.

But she was gone.

And so was Catalina.