Mommy, Where's Daddy? The Forsaken Daughter's Return

2:00 AM at a private hospital.

"Doctor, what's going on?" Ethan asked the hospital's resident' physician from inside a private room equipped for Samantha to give birth.

"Mr. Wright, your wife's water broke. She will have to deliver the babies soon," told the doctor.

Both of them spoke outside the room while Samantha and the babies were being monitored.

"But the second baby is not ready yet," Ethan expressed, utterly concerned for his child.

"Mr. Wright, sadly, there is no stopping this. It's because the first baby is already ready," the doctor told. "What we can assure you I that the babies will be given the best care and treatment."

"Your second baby may need a machine to breathe while her lungs are still not yet fully developed. However, it depends. Base on your wife's records; she received steroids treatment. The baby's lungs may have developed in advance." The doctor shrugged and said, "We can only tell when the babies are out."

Indeed, there was no helping it. Two hours after Samantha was admitted to the hospital, contractions kicked in.

Ethan saw for the first time the pain his wife had to go through, and it broke his heart completely.

Samantha was trying to hold back the anxiety, silently taking deep breaths, but her tears gave it away. Ethan knew his wife was in agony.

He sat next to Samantha and held her hand. He kissed her knuckles repeatedly and said, "Honey? Are you okay? Would you rather that you go for an operation?"

Samantha took a deep breath and tightened her hold on Ethan. She said, "No, Ethan. I can do this. I don't want to be in bed longer." Her lips trembled, and she slightly groaned, "Ah... Mm... I - I can do this." When Samantha's doctor finally came, she was nearly ready to push.

All preparations were in order, including two pediatric bassinets, the name bands, and some supplies needed in case the second baby needs support to breathe.

After checking on Samantha, the doctor announced, "Okay, Sam. It's time to push. Push along with your contractions."Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

"Okay," answered Samantha. She took several breaths, feeling the contractions, and ultimately gave her first push. "Ahhhhhh! Ahhhh!"

Samantha's cry of pain continued throughout minutes more. Even Ethan held his breath each time his wife pushed.

"The head is almost out, Sam. You are doing good," said the doctor. "One or two more pushes!"

Following the doctor's announcement, Ethan eagerly peeped in between Samantha's legs.

While Ethan was excited to see his son, it shocked him to the core, seeing his wife's peach tearing from delivering Kaleb!

He wound up, taking a step back and covering his mouth.

Ethan dove his head against Samantha's side and swore, "Honey, this will be the last... This will be the last."

Samantha did not understand where his words were coming from. She just continued to scream her pain as she pushed some more!

A loud cry echoed throughout the room. The first baby finally came out, and the nurses were quick to aid the doctor.

After one nurse opened Samantha's hospital gown, they rested Kaleb on her chest. The nurse announced, "Baby boy, Wright."

The nurses cleaned up Kaleb James while putting on his hospital name tag.

Seeing her healthy and crying baby boy, Samantha cried with glee and so did Ethan.

The nurses were quick to shift Kaleb in Ethan's arms while being wrapped in linens now.

It was Ethan's first to see life come out of his wife's. It was his first to carry a newborn in his arms, and it made him happy. He immediately recognized the warmth in his heart, recalling how overjoyed he was when he married Samantha.

While Ethan was immersed with happiness, however, Samantha was still in pain.

She realized she will need to push again with her second baby.

"Yes, Sam. It looks like the second baby is coming faster too," told her doctor. "Let's have a quick ultrasound to make sure everything is okay inside."

It did not take long for the doctor to confirm that the second baby is head down, ready to come out. She checked Samantha's entrance again and told, "Time to push again, Sam."

Ethan had to surrender Kaleb to the nurses. He returned to comforting his wife, knowing that Kate was about to come out.

Inside Ethan's head, he repeatedly prayed, 'Please be okay, Kate. Please be okay.'

Like earlier, he held Samantha's hand and closed his eyes.

"Ahhhh! Ahhhh!" Again and again, Samantha yelped her discomfort.

Minutes into pushing, the doctor announced, "The head is here!"

Soon Sarah Kate was out, but not like Kaleb, the second baby's cry was not as loud.

Samantha felt a great relief, finally done with delivering her babies.

1.n

While Kate was being cleaned in her chest and her airway, being cleared, a resident doctor came in and said "We will need to give breathing. support to baby girl Wright, Mr and Mrs. Wright and we will keep her in the Neonatal ICU for observations."

"What?" Samantha acted to get up, objecting to the doctor's words. "But - but she cried."

"It was a weak cry," told the doctor. "In any case, it's just for observation. We will monitor her breathing. For now, please take a rest, Mrs. Wright."

***

Samantha did not know how it happened, but she woke up already late in the morning, tired from having delivered at dawn.

She turned to find her mother preparing food on the table.

On the other side of the room, she found her husband resting on the sofa "Mom?" Samantha weakly asked, slowly getting up from the bed. "The babies." With her calling, Ethan easily awoke and also approached along with Sarah.

"Ethan, how is Kate?" Samantha directed her question to Ethan.

Ethan first pecked on Samantha's forehead and said, "She is fine."

"I saw her earlier, Sam. They had to put her on nasal oxygen, but thank goodness, there was no need to put her on a ventilator," Sarah told. "She is doing really good, despite only being born at 33 weeks." "The best doctor was chosen for premature babies, Sam. Rest assured, Kate will be fine," promised Ethan. "She will need to stay in the hospital much longer - maybe a month, but she is generally doing great." Bemused, Samantha frowned and felt herself teary-eyed. She asked, "Why - why would she stay in the hospital for a month?"

Samantha had experienced this with her first twins, but Kenzie and Kyle did not have to stay in the hospital for a month. The thought of being away from her daughter that long utterly concerned her. "The doctor said her sucking reflex has not yet developed, and she remains to be oxygen-dependent for now. Soon, she will be weaned off it and will be able to feed on you," told Ethan.

"Thus, she will need a professional's

ernet

care, Sam." Sarah was sitting opposite to Ethan. She caressed Samantha's hand and said, "But even if you and Kaleb will be

discharged from the hospitalet

than Kate, we can see her anytime."

"It will be hard, but Kate needs to stay for a while," added Sarah.

***

Exactly as Ethan and Sarah told, on the third day, Samantha was ready to leave, but Sarah Kate had to stay.

Samantha, at least, stayed with her daughter for the last two hours of her hospital stay, giving Kate her kangaroo care.

With Kate on her bare chest, Samantha shed a tear, caressing her daughter's head. She felt sad of how Kate was much smaller, but she understood it was because she was born too early. Still, seeing the other premature babies in the Neonatal ICU, she felt Kate was in a better circumstance.

She immediately knew Kate will do fine.

Another tear fell down her cheek as

she pecked on Kate's head. She said, "Baby, I'm sorry. Mommy has to leave you here to be stronger." Sniffing her tears away, she added,

"but promise, I'll visit you ended,

day."