“No, not completely. I spoke to a Williams … uhh, Karen Williams, I think. She mentioned that the baby was in distress and to get here as soon as possible. The rest is a complete blur. Can you tell me anything?’
“Let’s have a look and see what we can find.” I tap my fingers impatiently as she leans over the desk and checks her computer. “Okay, the file here is telling me that your baby was showing signs of decreased fetal movement, which we were monitoring very closely given the circumstances. The nurses noticed increased meconium in the amniotic fluid, which is when nurse Karen would have been told to call you. Right here on your file, explains the current situation with the mother and yourself. So the doctor requested you to be contacted.”
I nod my head, taking in every word she tells me. “I appreciate it, thank you.”
“Once the baby goes into distress, he or she is at a high risk of oxygen deprivation, which we call birth asphyxia. This may include changes in the baby’s heart rate, which we easily monitor here on the computers,” she says, pointing to the screen in front of her. “We were lucky it happened while she was here in the hospital rather than at home. Especially when you’re unsure of the signs indicating the baby is in trouble.”
“Is this common?” I ask her as she rounds the desk before heading down the hallway, me following close behind.
“In my opinion, yes. Maybe one per every hundred births at full term, but more commonly in premature babies. Let’s not focus on that right now, though, okay? Positive thinking.”
I follow the lead of the nurse and walk into the operating room. “The father, I presume?” an older man with greying hair asks while scrubbing his hands at the basin.
“Yeah, that’s me.”
I can’t even bring myself to look towards Jessa just yet. I know I need to rein in my anger towards her—especially at the moment. I’m just really struggling with her selfish behavior and knowing she's the reason our baby's life is in danger.
“So far, so good. Our main concern right now is getting the baby out safely. You’re just in time for the fun part.”
I clock the bed in the middle of the room and see Jessa’s arms are already strapped down, and the bitch’s eyes locked directly on mine.
She’s a hot mess. I’m assuming it has more to do with the horrendous hangover she’s probably feeling if the dark bags under her eyes are anything to go by. “You made it,” she says with a big smile.
“I did ... just,” I grumble, slowly making my way to the seat placed right next to the bed. Sliding the chair back a bit, I sit down, resting my elbows on my knees and holding my joined hands in front of me.
“Alright, Mom and Dad, are you ready?”
“So ready,” I say as Jessa’s stern, “No,” comes sailing out.
“This is Dr. Neil Ginsberg. He will be your baby’s pediatrician and will take over care once the baby has been delivered,” the midwife comments.
“Hello, nice to meet you both,” the doctor says.
I nod my head in acknowledgment. “Bull,” I say, holding my hand out only to have it promptly ignored before remembering that the doctors have already scrubbed in. Turning my head towards Jessa, I raise a brow, waiting for her to say what’s so important right now. “I’m surrendering my rights to Bull. I don’t want any part of this baby’s life,” she directs to the doctor before turning to me. “You’ve made it very clear that there’s no hope for a future with you, so what’s the point of sticking around?”
I stare at her in complete shock, her words knocking the wind out of my chest. This is exactly the outcome I’ve been dreaming of, but does she truly mean it? Surely, she couldn’t be making this shit easy for me?
In the next instant, my body is completely overwhelmed with pure anger. “What the fuck are you talking about, Jessa?”
“Why are you so upset? I thought this would be exactly what you wanted. Me out of your life?”
“What can’t you get through your head?” I say, raking my fingers through the front of my hair. “This isn’t about you and me, Jessa. This is about a tiny fucking baby that needs a mother just as much as it needs a father. And as much as I hate to admit it, the baby is going to need you a lot more than me in the start.”
“Ugh. Why do you say it like that?” she cringes in disgust. “You didn’t really expect that I’d be breastfeeding the kid, did you?”
“Of course, I fucking did,” I answer shortly. She stares at me blankly. “Are you not completely ashamed of your actions during this entire pregnancy? Let’s not pretend that this isn’t the first time you’ve been caught completely intoxicated.”