✓SEASONS [JAKE GYLLENHAAL]

èr shí.

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二十

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧
𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.

𝐣𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟐

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MAGGOT
JAKE JAKE WHERE
ARE YOU

ROSALIE
NEEDS YOU

JOKE
NYC TRAFFIC
IS A BITCH

WAIT IS SHE GIVING
BIRTH ALREADY? IS
THAT WHY WE'RE
TYPING IN ALL
CAPS?????

MAGGOT
YES

I CAN'T SMELL
YOU SO IT MEANS
YOU'RE NOT HERE
YET

JOKE
STALL FOR A
LITTLE BIT
MORE

LIKE TELL ROSIE
TO CLAMP HER KNEES
TOGETHER OR
SOMETHING

MAGGOT
IT DOESN'T
WORK THAT
W

AY, MORON

JOKE
OH MY GOSH
MAGGIE MY SON
IS GOING TO BE
BORN WITHOUT
ME!!!!

MAGGOT
IT'S A BOY?!

JOKE
FUCK YEAH
IT IS

GIVE ME 20
MINUTES

MAGGOT
ROSE DOESN'T
HAVE 20 MINUTES!

JAKE????

OH DEAR

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"Ugh! Get this human being out of me!" Were the words Maggie was greeted with once she re-entered the delivery room.

It was supposed to be a normal day for Maggie and her brother's girlfriend. They were out in the garden at Maggie's house for a walk with Rosalie sipping on her orange juice when her water broke. Having already one kid, Maggie immediately stepped into action and got Rosalie in her car—with the latter calling her best friend and the older Gyllenhaal calling her brother who was currently in London with some last minute re-shoots of his movie.

That was eight hours ago and the three women in the room—Rosalie, Maggie, and Adra—just wanted Jake to arrive so the mom-to-be would be calm.

Another pained scream emits from Rosalie's lips and Adra cringes at the sound. Doctors and nurses surround the bed and Maggie heads to the other side with Adra already glued to one.

"You're ready to give birth, Ms. Ren!" Her obstetrician, Dr. Montgomery, announces from the foot of the bed.

In between breaths, Rosalie looks at Maggie and Adra with panic. "But—but—agh! I'm not ready to—oh! Be a—a parent." She tells them between ragged breaths.

Maggie gives her a sweet smile. Among her brother's girlfriends, Rosalie Ren was by far the family's favorite. Not to jinx it or anything but Maggie could just see wedding bells in the near future for the two of them. . .

"Rose?" Maggie calls out, her motherly instincts showing. She brushes some black hair off of Rosalie's sweaty forehead. "This kid is going to be very lucky to have you and Jake as his parents."

Rosalie gives her a timid smile with tears pooled in her eyes. "You really think so, Mags?" And, without missing a heartbeat, Maggie nods firmly and squeezes her hand in re-assurance.

"Ms. Ren, in about 30 seconds, I'm going to need you to start pushing." Dr. Montgomery instructs her and Rosalie again lurches forward because of the pain.

With her breathing heavy, Rosalie managed to ask. "Where's Jake?"

"He said 20 minutes."

"But, I don't have 20 minutes!"

"Ms. Ren, push!"

"Oh my Allah! I'm really going to be an Aunt!" Adra gleefully says but that was the last coherent sentence heard because the next ten minutes were filled with groans from Rosalie and words of encouragement from the two ladies at her side (it was mostly Maggie since Adra seemed to be stunned into silence of her best friend becoming a mother).

A loud cry was heard and Rosalie seemed to exhale a sigh of relief.

Rosalie caught sight of the tiny bundle tucked in the nurse's arms. She swallowed back some tears and said in astonishment, "Is that—is that my baby?"

"You bet he is!" Adra exclaims as she smiles at the sight of her godson, "Sweet pineapples! Rosalie, he looks just like you."

With a smile also on her face, Maggie adds. "That's a good sign."

Just like in the movies, the door opens abruptly making everyone in the room startled. They all turn to see an out-of-breath Jake Gyllenhaal—the new father—standing by the door and, surprisingly, a smile on his face. Everyone smoothly goes out with Maggie and Adra offering Jake a warm congratulatory hug.

His eyes go soft at the blue blanket in Rosalie's arms that held his child—a part of Rosalie and a part of himself. He was just too excited to meet him; he didn't even care about all the teasing he might get from Ryan or Hugh. "Hi." Jake whispers, afraid he was going to wake the baby.

"Hey. . ." Rosalie smiles so wide her eyes almost disappear. "He's here."

Jake walks over and lovingly strokes Rosalie's hair (with a heartfelt kiss, of course. After all, she did deliver their child). His little boy shuffles in the little blanket as he opens his almond-shaped eyes. Jake sticks out his finger and their baby instantly latches around it with his little hands.

"Hi, there." Jake says, a bright smile forming on his lips. "I wasn't here when you arrived but I'm going to be here for you your whole life. Every hospital visit, every birthday party, everything." The baby gurgles in response which makes his parents laugh softly.

"His name is Hugo." Rosalie announces, "Hugo Guiren. His second name means 'valuing kindness' in Chinese. Is that okay? I know we only agreed on his first name but—"

"It's perfect."

Perfect was the word that echoed in the couple's minds. Despite their doubts in themselves if they would ever be good parents and the fear on the reactions about the pregnancy from both of their families (mostly Rosalie's), they knew that the moment—right then and there—was perfect. And no one was ever going to take it away from Jake or from Rosalie or from Hugo Guiren, the newest addition to the Gyllenhaal family.