On edge

Part 6

Nishikata had once again found himself in another strange place, only this time, he knew what it was, it was a hospital room, and on the bed next to him, was his beloved wife, screaming out in pain. "You're doing great honey, you just need to-"

"DO NOT SAY PUSH!" She exclaimed before crying out in pain again.

"Like your husband said Mrs. Nishikata, you're doing great, just a bit longer." The midwife said from the foot of the bed.

Nishikata looked at his beautiful wife, who just smiled back. "She'll be here soon." She said with a tear. "Our baby girl."

He remembered the events leading up to this somewhat well, his wife had just beaten him in a contest, and was once again, smiling at him. "Now what should I have you do?" She asked as she sat at the other end of the table from him. "Maybe I should have you not make dinner today."

"Not make dinner? Isn't that the exact opposite of a punishment?"

"Possibly, but I'm going stir crazy just sitting around all day."

Her husband looked a little embarrassed as he glanced off to the side. "Well ... you have a child in you, you shouldn't be doing anything other than resting."

"You need to come up with another excuse." She said as she held back a laugh.

"It's true, you should, at the very least, not be standing."

"I know." She said as she placed a hand on her belly. "I know."

Her husband walked over to her and looked down at her. "May I?" She nodded, and he knelt down before wrapping his arms around her stomach and resting his cheek against the bulge. "I'm just so excited ... we're going to be parents." He gave her stomach a quick kiss before looking up at her. "And your due next week."

"Last week." She corrected. "But that's probably for the best, I don't want her growing up too fast."

"Me neither."

"But a wins a win, I'm making dinner."

"Fine, can I at least hold you up?"

She let out a sigh of defeat. "Okay you can ... oh."

"Oh?"

"OOOOOHHH!"

"Honey?"

"I ... I ... I think my water just broke."

From there, the trip to the hospital was filled with more than a little stress, as Takagi let out yells of pain.

"You're almost there." The midwife said. "I can see her head."

"Really?" Mrs. Nishikata asked between breaths. "Almost there." She clenched her teeth together and let out another screech of pain before it was joined by the sound of a baby's cry. Takagi's screeches soon subsided, and all that could be heard was the sound of the newborn crying.

"You did it." Her husband said as he held both of her hands.

"Yeah ... our first child."

The doctor did a once over of the newborn before turning to Mrs. Nishikata. "She's a perfectly healthy baby girl." The doctor said as she placed the child in the mothers' outstretched arms.

"Oh my goodness." She said as she began to cry with the baby in her arms. "She's ... beautiful."

Her husband looked at the two, his beloved wife with their little girl, wrapped in a pink blanket in her arms. "Our baby girl." He said as he began to cry.

He stood there patiently until his wife finally let him hold her, and as soon as she was in his hands, he began crying to the point where he could barely see. "Welcome to the world."

He placed his forehead against hers and was suddenly jolted awake, as he began hyperventilating. He looked around and found himself once again in his room, only this time, he felt only sadness. "That was ... another dream?" He placed a hand on his chest as he began to calm down. "I ... why do I feel empty all of a sudden?" He took another few breaths and tried to calm down. "A child ... we had a child." He placed a hand on his cheek and felt something wet. "Am I ... crying? Why would I ... no ... no I couldn't have fallen for her." He closed his eyes tight and tried his best to fight the temptation. 'A beautiful wife and an adorable daughter, it's almost enough to ... no, I can't give in!' His eyes opened as he quickly got out of bed. "But first, the bathroom."