Flowers Amongst the Garden | John Laurens Love Story

The Second Child

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An ear piercing scream was heard as Betty tried with all her might to get her little baby out.

"I don't wanna do this anymore." She cried as tears spilt from her eyes. "Angelica, I don't wanna."

Her sister Angelica gripped her hand tight and looked at her sister, right dead in the eye.

"You are not leaving this room once your baby is out and in your arms. You can do this Betty. Do this for them, for Francias-Eleanor, for us, for your baby, for your John." Angelica said to her and Betty nodded. Her grip tightening as she pushed with all her might.

She screamed and took a sharp inhale, the doctor told her to breathe and then push. And that was what she did, over and over repeatedly.

"The head is out, just push a couple more times Mrs Laurens, your baby shall be out in no time." The doctor said calmly and ordered her.

She screamed once more. Her eyes still filling with tears.

"One more push should do it Mrs Laurens." The doctor said and Betty squeezed her sister's hand as hard as she possibly could and Angelica winced in pain, feeling the burn coming through her hands as her sister gripped it tightly.

"Your doing it." Angelica said, still in pain. "Just please let-"

Her voice was cut off by a quiet cry. She looked towards the doctor as he checked the gender of the baby.

"It's a boy!" The doctor said and Betty sighed. Panting and she watched the doctor clean her newborn son.

"I told you so John." Betty mumbled to herself. Angelica stayed by her sister's side, patting her sister's shoulder. Still in pain, her hand burning just slightly.

"You did well Betty. You did well." Angelica told her. Checking her hand for any damages. "You have a strong grip I can tell you that."

Betty gave a weak smile, looking at the doctor who approached her with her newborn baby. The doctor handed Betty her, her newborn son and Betty chuckled, holding him close to her.

"Hello little one. Welcome." Betty softly said. "We were waiting for you Henry."

Betty looked at her sister and then at her newborn son, wrapped in a soft cloth made of cotton.

"He looks so small." Betty muttered to herself. "Your Dad will be coming soon little one. Just you wait."

Betty softly sang a little song and Henry gave a light coo. Raising his little hands in the air as she sang to him. Suddenly, John came into the room and looked at Angelica, then Henry and then at Betty.

"You delivered." He said in an almost quiet whisper. "It's a boy."

Betty gave a tired smirk and watched as her husband walked towards them. Angelica began to head out the room.

"I'll leave you to it." She smiled at both of them and left the room, along with he doctor. Betty then looked over at John who was staring right at the little baby.

"Hey Henry. It's Dad." John greeted, having a big grin on his face. "You were supposed to be a girl but-"

"John!" Betty tiredly laughed and John sheepishly smiled.

"I don't know if your Mom mentioned it but, you got a sister. Her name is Francias-Eleanor. Fran-Elle for short. I'll let her meet you." He said to the little boy in his wife's arms.

John walked out the doctor's room to find his daughter. Betty on the other hand got to know Henry.

"You've gotten my eyes, you've gotten more of the Schuylur features. Haven't you, you have my wavey hair, but your Father's little nose.

John walked back in, holding his daughter in his arms, she held him tightly, holding her father's neck with one arm and her teddy bear on the other, and watched her mother and a new baby in her arms. Confusion written all over her face.

"Meet your baby brother Fran-Elle. Baby Henry." John introduced.

Francias-Eleanor looked at the foreign baby in her Mother's arms. She looked quite curiously at him, how has he gotten there? Where is Mommy's large belly gone? Why has Mommy been screaming before?

"Baba?" She mumbled towards the young infant in front of her. "Baba."

Betty and John's eyes trailed towards their daughter, as she leaned in to take a closer look at her younger brother.

John looked at his eldest daughter with a smile, she seemed to like her brother a lot. Henry cooed in his Mother's arms as he opened his little eyes and looked right towards his sister.

"Baba!" Francias-Eleanor giggled and reached out to touch her brother. She giggled as he cooed softly in his Mother's arms. "Baba."

"She likes him." Betty said to John and John gave a happy smile, planting a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "I'm surprised on how relaxed and happy she is with Henry."

"That's your brother, Henry, Fran-Elle he is here now. Take good care of him, okay?"

Francias-Eleanor giggled and gave a light smack at her Father's face as she hid behind her teddy bear.

"Hey!" John laughed. "What was that for."

"You two please settle down. Little Henry is sleeping over here."

"Sorry Mommy." John gave a sheepish smile and Francias-Eleanor giggled, saying nosense words at her Mother. Betty sighed and rolled her eyes, staring back at the little baby in her arms, smiling apon him.

"Go easy on us little one. Your sister is still a handful to take care of."