Reality Lies by D.F. Downey (e manga reader .TXT) 📕

Dr. Prakash came in to check on her. She was a pleasant woman in her early forties, an earth mother type, make that earth Mother India. She was reassuring, tested and willing to give Amy what she wanted. “You’re ready to go Amy.”

“Thank God.” Amy sighed thankfully.

“The nurses will get you into delivery. I’ll see you there.”

The orderly came and helped roll her into the delivery room. They were joined by the staff anesthesiologist. Jay joined them as well. It was his time to coach.

“Okay Amy, let’s breathe.” he said as he held her hand.

“One-two-three, now push.”

She squeezed his hand as she tightened her face. “Hupa, hupa, hupa!” she let out a grunt and stopped.

The doctor urged her on, “You’re going to have to do better. We’re nearly there. Okay ready, push!”

Jay breathed with her, “Phook hu, phook hu, phook hu.”

Doctor Prakash looked at the nurse, on cue she hopped up on the delivery table. The nurse was a solid woman, big boned. She took her forearm and drove it down Amy’s abdomen.

“What!” Amy couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “It hurts!”

“Amy, push! Breathe! Push!” Jay coached.

The nurse was treating her like a tube of toothpaste that she was trying to squeeze the last drop from. “The baby’s coming. Keep pushing Amy! I’m going have to cut you.” the doctor ordered.

“Whatever!” Amy just wanted it over.

Blood shot four feet in the air from between her legs, drenching the floor in blood.

Jay had given up counting. He was trying to replace the I.V. that the nurse had displaced with her actions. Blood was shooting out from between Amy’s knuckles where the I.V. had been attached.

Suddenly there was calm and a weak cry.

“You have a son.” Doctor Prakash announced calmly as the nurse wrapped the child in his delivery blanket. You could see a hint of a smile above her mask at the corners of her eyes.

“Everything is there. He’s complete. He’s healthy.” the doctor announced.

The nurse laid the baby on Amy’s chest. Though she was still sore from being squeezed she smiled, the madonna smile of a new mother.

“He’s beautiful! Jay look at our boy.”

The baby had grabbed the blanket in his tiny fist and wouldn’t let go.

“He has a good grip.” The anesthesiologist said matter-of-factly, then packed up his tools and left.

Another nurse, a young one, took the baby out to be cleaned. Jay followed her. He wasn’t going to lose sight of his boy. No hospital mistakes for him.

“What’s his name?” she asked.

“We’re going to call him Sean.” Jay answered.

“Seanie, you be quiet. I’m just going to clean you up for your mom and dad.”

“He’s beautiful.” Jay said. The nurse just smiled. She’d been there, done that many times before.

“I’m going to have to take him to the nursery. Go join your wife.”

“You’re right.” He kept watching to make sure the name tag got on his little feet then followed his incubator to the nursery.

‘Okay, I can go now, my boy is safe.’ he thought.

“Where’d you go?” Amy asked on his return despite her exhaustion.

“I just want to make sure the boy wasn’t mislaid.”

“Nice! And you just up and left me here. I guess I know who rates.”

“But honey, it’s not like that.”

“I know. I’m just playing with you”. She now had that large boobed, sunken belly look. Her hair was matted to her head, exhaustion in her eyes and a weary smile on her face. Like she’d seen more than Jay could ever imagine. “I must look a mess.”

“You look beautiful.” and he meant it and she was…beautiful.

The years flew by in a hectic blur. Thankfully, there were no further manifestations of the gift. Everything was settling into a wonderful humdrum.

It was Sean’s third birthday. They were going to have a family party, the grandmas, and Aunt Patti. Earlier they had a kiddies party with a couple of children from preschool.

As with all such affairs the guest list had swollen as the day approached. Now there were about thirty people and Amy had decided to move it outside, an old-fashioned barbecue.

The women had been buzzing about the house and yard setting up decorations. Aunt Patti had bought a gaggle of those helium balloons. “I’ve always wanted to do this.” she giggled as she attached them gaily to each child’s seat.

“Well, you could have had kids of your own by now.” Frieda offered.

She was well used to this. “Shut your mouth. I’m not that crazy. It’s a lot easier to be an aunt, all the hugs, and none of the bugs.”

Jay’s mom was in the kitchen whipping up a batch of her famous potato salad. She still looked twenty eight and people never ceased to tell her so but she always answered the same. “I feel like I’m ninety.” which always got a laugh but lately she really was feeling her age. Jay chose to see her as she was as she used to be.

Frieda came racing in the back door. “Hey everybody you’ve got to see this.”

Everyone ran outside, everyone but Johanna who continue to work on the potato salad.”

“C’mon mom.” Jay grabbed her by the shoulders as he leaned overhead.

“No, that’s all right. You go ahead. I’ll finish up here.

“You sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” she said wearily.

“Okay.” Jay went outside.

Everybody had gathered around the sandbox where Sean was being adorably precocious. He had some sand molds and he was taking water from his wading pool and using it to firm up his creations in the molds.

“Hey Sean what’s that.” Aunt Patti called out to him.

“Truck.” he answered as he rolled it around.

“Can you make me one?”

He didn’t answer just went straight to work. As soon as the mold came off, sure enough there was a truck. He handed it up to his aunt. “See.”

“See, what did I tell you? The kid’s a manufacturing plant.”

Everyone here had missed out on the young Jay though they had imagined what it was like. The reality was, of course, even more incredible.

Jay walked up as his sister-in-law passed the truck around. He instantly knew was going on.

He grabbed Sean firmly, “Knock it off. I don’t want Sean doing this.” He started running towards the house. “You should be ashamed.” he said to no one in particular or maybe to everyone.

Amy followed him, “Jay. They don’t realize. I didn’t… I’m sorry. Please Jay, don’t ruin this.”

As they neared the house they both heard a loud bang from the kitchen. Jay put Sean down and continued on. He burst through the door to find his mother lying on the floor covered in potato salad. His heart leapt to his throat.

“Mom!” he cried as he touched her. “Mom, what’s the matter?”

Amy came through the door with Sean in her arms, then turned to hand him to her sister, who had followed her in. “Call 9-1-1.” she instructed. “Isn’t Julie a nurse?” she said to the group near the door.

Johanna had started to come around. “Wha… what happened?” she asked Jay. The look on his face conveyed the seriousness of the event.”

“Are you all right?”

“I think so. The last thing I remember I was making potato salad. I felt a little weak and then I was here.” She tried to sit up.

“What are you trying to do? Lay back down, Amy called the ambulance. We’re going to have you checked out.”

She sat up anyway. “I’m not going in an ambulance. I’m fine. Call them and tell them not to come.”

Patti called from the front hall, “Too late, they’re already here.”

“C’mon mom, lay back down. Let them check you out.”

“I don’t want to ruin Sean’s party. I don’t like being any trouble.” she said embarrassed by the fuss.

Jay smiled, “Sean’s enjoying the heck out of the ambulance, especially the siren. Besides how could we enjoy ourselves not knowing if you’re alright?”

The paramedic came into the kitchen holding his kit. “What seems to be the problem?”

Johanna frostily answered, “Nothing, I just fainted.”

“She passed out and hit her head. She came to just before you arrived.” Jay interjected.

“Has this ever happened before?”

“Not that I can recall but when you’re as old as I am sometimes you forget.”

He looked at her skeptically, “C’mon now, how old are you, twenty-eight, thirty maybe?”

“I was fifty-five on my last birthday.”

“No way!” he turned to Jay. “What is your relationship to. . .”

“Johanna.” Jay completed.

“Johanna, husband, brother?”

“I’m her son.”

He took a good look at Johanna and shook his head and started taking her vitals, everything was acceptable.

“Well, I can’t find any reason for your collapse.”

“See, I told you.”

“I would suggest seeing your physician as soon as possible though to make sure it isn’t something serious.”

“Thank you, you’ve been very kind.”

He had Jay help her to a chair. He put everything back in his case and got up to leave.

“Maybe, I’ll see you again.”

“I hope under better circumstances.” Johanna replied.

“Maybe dinner?”

She blushed. “I’m old enough to be your mother.”

He looked hurt.

She continued her words to soften it, “Maybe, one of these days.”

“Okay, see you around. Remember to take it easy.”

At this point the whole party had gathered around her. There was the usual fussing and unsolicited advice.

“Don’t you try to do a thing.” Frieda ordered. “You just sit down and relax. You sure, you don’t want to lie down?”

“I’m fine. I wish you’d all stop making such a big deal.”

Eventually, one by one, they peeled off. Soon only Jay and Amy remained.

“Why don’t you two go and enjoy the party.” Johanna insisted.

“That’s alright.”

“No really, your son’s probably missing you.”

“I feel so useless.” Jay said exasperated. “I wish I could do something for you.”

“You can go outside.”

“Okay, okay, I’m going.”

As soon as Jay left Amy went to work. “Do you have a doctor? Is there a doctor you see regularly?”

“No, I haven’t been to the doctor in years.”

“Okay, I’ll get my mother’s doctor’s number.”

“Why are you going to do that?” Johanna was irritated.

“You passed out. We called an ambulance. We don’t know why. You have to get checked out.”

“I told you. I told everyone. I’m fine. There is nothing wrong with me. I have no intention of going to the doctor. I’m a grown woman. I can make my own decisions.”

“I knew you’d say that so I waited until Jay left. You mean everything to him. I don’t know what he’d do if anything happened to you.”

Johanna stayed silent.

“So you’ll go?”

Quietly she whispered, “I already went. Please take care of him Amy.”