Holly sat in her private afternoon class at school, her 9-month belly bulging and dropped. “Holly, are you giving up on education, after your baby is born?” Laura, her private tutor asked her, her fiery red hair up in a bun.
Holly looked up from staring at her huge belly, she had watched the baby kick and move out a lot today and was wondering if this would be the day, she finally meets her.
“I mean, I’m going to try. Learning is something I really enjoy so I’m going to try my best.” Laura set down next to her, pulling out at a chair and sitting with them both facing the electronic board displaying a powerpoint slide about showing evidence in your essay’s. “I remember when I was your age, Holly. I was also remember when I had my first child. Two opposing situations and you’re facing them both at the same time.”
“Is it difficult being a parent?”
“Well, its harder than being a teacher if that’s any help.”
“Yeah I-Gah!”
“Holly-you okay?”
Pain spit from her belly
“Contractions?”
Holly tried nod but needed to breathe, water dripped on the floor from between her legs. Laura quickly got up, “It’s okay, Holly! Just stay calm. I’ll call an ambulance.”
Laura rushed to grab her phone and dialed for an ambulance while Holly focused on managing the increasing pain. The other students in the classroom were now looking over in surprise and concern, realizing that this ordinary afternoon class was turning into something unexpected.
As Holly breathed through the contractions, Laura tried to reassure her. “Help is on the way, Holly. You’re doing great. Just keep breathing. Can you time the contractions? How far apart are they?”
Holly, with a shaky voice, managed to reply, “I-I don’t know, they’re coming fast. Feels like… Like minutes apart.”
Laura continued to talk soothingly to Holly, offering words of encouragement as they waited for the ambulance.
Within what felt like an eternity but was actually only a few minutes, the sound of sirens grew louder, and the flashing lights of the ambulance filled the room. Paramedics rushed in with a stretcher, and Holly was gently helped onto it as Laura explained the situation. Students in the hallway were in shock, while others were quietly supportive, watching.
“I’m coming with her,” Laura declared, grabbing her bag and making her way to the ambulance alongside Holly.
As the ambulance sped towards the hospital, Laura kept Holly engaged in conversation, trying to distract her from the pain and anxiety. She asked about the baby’s name, whether the nursery was ready, and what Holly was most looking forward to about being a mother. It was a mix of mundane and profound topics, but it served its purpose in keeping Holly’s mind occupied.
Upon reaching the hospital, Holly was quickly wheeled into the maternity ward, and the medical team took charge. Laura stayed by Holly’s side, providing support and reassurance as the labor progressed.
Hours passed, and the labor progressed with both its challenges and triumphs. Laura remained a steadfast presence, offering encouragement and holding Holly’s hand through each contraction. The anticipation and excitement in the air were palpable as they neared the moment when Holly would finally meet her baby. Jack, her boyfriend had arrived and was in the labor room watching as Holly was there, legs spreads, vagina on display to all the doctors, slightly covered by the gown.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Holly’s labor culminated in the cries of a newborn. The room filled with a mix of relief and joy as the medical team announced the arrival of a healthy baby girl. Tears welled up in Holly’s eyes as she caught a glimpse of her daughter for the first time.
Laura shared in Holly’s joy, her eyes misting with emotion. “You did it, Holly. She’s beautiful.”
The medical team cleaned and swaddled the baby before gently placing her in Holly’s arms. The new mother looked down at the tiny, delicate face, overwhelmed with love and a sense of wonder.
“What’s her name?” Laura asked, smiling at the precious scene before her.
Holly beamed, cradling her daughter. “Emma. Her name is Emma.”
“We have another baby coming!” The mid-wife cried.
As contractions intensified, Holly’s focus turned inward. She gripped the bedrails, her breath steady as she navigated each wave of pain. The room was a symphony of encouragement from the medical team, offering words of support and guidance.
“You’ve got this, Holly. Just like before. Breathe through it. The second baby will be here soon.” Said her mid-wife. Jack watched it in horror watching as a second ripped from her stretching hole.
Holly nodded, determination in her eyes. The rhythmic beeping of the fetal monitor echoed the steady progress of the labor. Holly’s partner offered a comforting hand to hold, providing strength and reassurance.
As the intensity of the contractions increased, Holly’s focus sharpened. She drew on the strength she had discovered in her journey through motherhood, recalling the resilience that brought Emma into the world. The room became a sanctuary of support, with everyone working in harmony to bring the baby safely into his mother’s arms.
The moment arrived, marked by the cries of a newborn. The medical team worked swiftly and efficiently, placing the tiny, wriggling baby on Holly’s chest. The room was filled with a profound sense of accomplishment and joy as went to see her baby and saw a black baby instead. Holly cradled her son, his eyes wide open, taking in the world for the first time.
Tears of happiness welled in Holly’s eyes as she looked down at her baby’s beautiful face. His arrival, just like Emma’s before him, was a testament to the strength.
As Holly held the baby close, and Jack knew that Holly had cheated on him and immediately her sick to his stomach and pain to his heart. The room seemed to feel warmer. Holly, cradled Malik in her arms, felt the weight of her choices pressing upon her, feeling Jack’s eyes upon her.
As the medical team bustled around attending to post-birth procedures, Holly’s partner, who had been a pillar of support, began to sense the unease. He looked at Holly, searching her eyes for reassurance, but there was a hesitancy that hadn’t been there before.
At home, he finally broke that silence.
“Holly, what the fuck” Her partner said, his voice a mixture of hurt and confusion.
Tears welled up in Holly’s eyes as she struggled to find the words. The weight of guilt and the fear of consequences pressed upon her. “There’s something I need to tell you,” she finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
As Holly revealed the truth about her infidelity, she remembered while Jack imagined this guy fucking his girlfriend repeatedly and at she was secretly at the same party where Georgina got supposedly raped. “That’s three girls, I know that he’s knocked up.”
“Please, I didn’t mean to.”
“I can’t look at you right now, Holly,” Jack snapped, his voice edged with anger.
“Jack, please,” Holly pleaded, her voice cracking. “We need to talk about this.”
“You destroyed me,” Jack spat out, his eyes burning with resentment. “I trusted you, I could have done without all sex and shit, you gave me nine months ago. You having our baby and someone else’s, I mean what the fuck is wrong with that you would allow that to happen to you.”
Holly, her attempts at apology met with a wall of anger, struggled to find the right words. “I never wanted to hurt you, Jack. I didn’t want you to find out and he threatened to tell you if I didn’t let it continue and I know its messed up, but I love you. I love our family.”
Jack’s laughter, bitter and devoid of mirth, cut through the air. “Love? Is that what you call this? You’re a fucking slut. A skank who was treated like a cum bucket.”
Tears streamed down Holly’s face as she grappled with the magnitude of her mistakes. “I know I messed up, Jack. But please, can we find a way to fix this?”
Jack, his anger pulsating, shook his head. “I don’t know if there’s anything left to fix. I deserve better than to have some fucking whore in my life.” He slammed the door and marched down her stairs and out the house.
The echoes of heated arguments and strained emotions reached the ears of Holly’s mother, who had been in the adjoining room. Concern etched across her face, she approached Holly, finding her daughter in tears, sitting alone in the living room.
“Holly, what’s going on?” Her mother asked gently, her voice filled with worry.
Holly looked up, her eyes puffy and red from crying. “Mom, it’s a mess. Jack found out, and he’s so angry. I don’t know what to do.”
Her mother sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around Holly for comfort. “Sweetheart, I heard the shouting. I can see how much pain you’re in. Sometimes, in the midst of chaos, we need to consider what’s best for everyone involved.”
Holly, her emotions raw, nodded, desperate for a way out of the turmoil. “I never wanted it to be like this, Mom. I just wanted us to be a family.”
Her mother sighed, understanding the complexity of the situation. “Holly, I know this is incredibly difficult for you, but sometimes we have to make hard choices. What if… What if we consider giving Emma and Malik a chance at a different life? A life where they can have stability and parents who aren’t burdened by mistakes.”
Holly, overwhelmed by the weight of her actions and the disintegration of her family, considered her mother’s words. The idea of giving Emma and Malik a chance at a different life, free from the consequences of her choices, tugged at her heart. As painful as it was, the thought seemed like a lifeline in the midst of the chaos.
Through tears, Holly whispered, “Maybe that’s the best thing for them. I can’t bear to see them suffer because of my mistakes.”
Her mother, sensing the anguish in Holly’s decision, held her tighter. “Sweetheart, it takes strength to make such choices. It doesn’t mean you love them any less. Sometimes, it means giving them a chance at a better future. You’re basically a child yourself.”
In the midst of tears and heartbreak, Holly nodded her agreement. The decision to offer Emma and Malik up for adoption was agonizing, but it carried with it a glimmer of hope for a different life, unburdened by the mistakes that had fractured their family.