The Best Little Christmas Gift
Everyone's favorite time of the year was appraching by the hours, Christmas. People were rushing to finish a few last minute shopping for the grand holiday that seems so carelessly consumed by commercial things that it truely has lost its meaning.
Many places had decorations and were just over flowing with the seasonal gifts. Even the more uncommon places had the tidings and bearings of what the season could bring.
"Alright kids," said a mother to her teenage kin. "Your father and I are going to get a few things for the dinner tomorrow at Grandma's house. So you can look around the store if you want, but don't buy anything, got it?" she warned them.
The five youths nodded in response as a "Yes" to her. As the mother left with her husband the kids talked to devide in groups.
"Alright," began the oldest daughter, he name was Karen. "Me and Clark (the second oldest) are gonna do a little secret shopping for mom and dad. You three can go look at all that other Christmas stuff." she said, taking charge.
"Yeah but mom said-" started the second youngest boy, Luke, but he was interrupted by Karen, "What part of secret shopping don't you understand?". Luke stood down.
"I don't know about you, but I'm more interested in look at the cool electronics." said the youngest, Cloe. "I'm with you on that one!" Luke followed Cloe. Cloe stopped and saw her older brother who was the middle child, Shadow, wasn't following with them.
"Aren't you coming too?" Cloe asked him. Shadow shook his, "Nah, I'm gonna look at the Christmas stuff." he said, holding his stomach. Cloe shrugged, "Alright, catch you later." she then ran off with Luke.
The Hedgehog family was a small group who were a bit oddballed comepared to everyone else. And of all things to come upon them, the middle child, a sixteen year old boy with high hopes of a bright future, so happened to have gotten one thing that no man wished. He was pregnant. And almost full term at this point. Due to being light weight and smaller then the required size to even be bearing a child, a scheduled c-section was to be taken place just three days after Christmas day.
How this came upon him was quiet tragic, it was him out late at night with a couple of his friends. Not in a very good neighborhood to hang around, while trying to walk his way home he was encountered by a stranger who had only one desire at that very moment in time.
The result ended up impregnanting the poor young hedgehog.
Shadow went over to look at the little stuffed animals that would sing and dance at the touch of a button. He enjoyed seeing the cute toys dance and play. There was also small snow globes. He picked one up, at the press of a button, air blew through the globe causing the snow to swirl and scatter while a tune played. The tiny life inside him kicked with excitement, Shadow placed his hand over his large belly, rubbing it.
"You excited for Christmas little one?" he said smiling as the child kicked in response.
He looked around more at some of the stockings and ornaments. What caught his attention was a small carousel, when the button was pushed the horses went around, small lights turned on and music played. It was hard to be depressed when such a thrilling holiday had arrived.
Shadow wasn't at all watching the time, he was having so much fun looking at all the small trinkets and decorations.
"Shadow! You ready to go?" his mother called to him, he put the carousel back on the shelf, "Coming!" he said in reply to her.
3:46 AM, Christmas day.
While still asleep and with only a few more hours to wait until morning, a sharp pang went through Shadow's body which caused him to wake up sharply. It was the kind of pain that took your breath away, something felt wrong. It wasn't like a kick, he felt intense pressure. He tried to ignore it by going back to sleep.
4:14 AM
The pain woke him up again, this time worse, he got up and paced a little. He was hoping it was only a false alarm, and he didn't want to start something if it was just that. The more he paced the better it felt, so he did feel sure it wasn't the real thing.
4:42 AM
He had kept the cramps down to a comfortable level for only so long. At this point it began to intensify again. He still tried not to worry himself, at this point he was panting softly to try and keep up with his breathing.
4:58 AM
It had only gotten worse, he had tried rocking back and forth, pacing, laying down, and nothing seemed to stop it. Now he started to worry and become frightened. Now came a point where the pain began to hurt more then it had ever before, he couldn't help but cry out. He clutched tightly on the bed sheets with a strain of pain coarsing through his body.
His sister Karen and brother Clark came in when they heard his cry, "Shadow!" Karen leaped to his side.
"Clark! Get mom and dad!" Karen directed Clark as she tried to calm Shadow down. He was in too much pain to speak, he moaned and weeped, unable to control his emotions.
Soon the whole family was up and active, gathering some things and heading for the hospital in the car.
"But what about Grandma's?" Luke asked as they drove, "Sorry Luke, we might not make it." said his father. Luke pouted, seeing how ever since Shadow was said to even be pregnant things all changed for the worse in his perspective. Cloe wasn't too thrilled but she wasn't as upset as Luke, she ws concerned for her brother's condition.
"How come we're going in now? Today's not the day the baby's supposed to be here." she said, "Well, there's really no telling when the baby was supposed to arrive." her mother said.
At the Hospital
Shadow was admitted immediately after checking in, they were trying to check if preperations for a c-section were still good this far into the labor.
"This sucks!" Luke pouted, "Luke!" his mother snapped at him.
"What? If he hadn't even gotten pregnant with a stupid baby in the first place, we would be at Grandma's by now!" he argued back.
"Look hon, I'll take the kids and Clark to your mom's house. You can call us if anything comes up." he said to his wife. She agreed, "Alright, I want to hear an apology from Luke to his brother later on." she glared at Luke who only glared back.
"Alright, come on." Clark directed Luke and Cloe out with their father. Karen and her mom stayed behind to support Shadow.
Shadow's doctor came out, looking a bit troubled, "I'm afraid I have some bad news," he began with. The two girls listened intently.
"Shadow has come too far into labor that the chances of a c-section might not be a good idea. Our only option at this point is natural birth." he explained.
"Oh dear, but, are you sure?" his mother asked with concern, "his water has already broken, its better to go through it this way." he said.
The girls went in the room to be with Shadow, who was curled up in pain and fear. "Mom, I don't wanna do this anymore." he sobbed. His mother couldn't do anything but try and calm her son.
By the time Clark, Luke, Cloe, and their dad got to their grandparents' house it was still a bit early.
"Hello Margret." said the father, "Hello there Ron, where's Marla and the other two youngin's?" their grandmother, Margret asked.
"At the hospital." Luke said, making himself at home by flopping back on the couch. Margret got worried, "What for?" she asked.
Back at the hospital, an hour had passed by, Shadow was doing his best at keeping calm. But everytime a contraction hit he was back to crying out. "When will this end!?" he cried. His mother tried rubbing his neck and hushing him. "Soon, honey, soon." she kept reasuring him. Karen sat next to him and held his hand.
The doctor arrived into the room, "Okay, how are things going in here." he asked. Shadow had another contraction which made him yell and squeeze his sister's hand. "I see." said the doctor in response.
He went to check on what progress and dialation Shadow was at. "Looks like your about ready, I'll get the nurses in here and this should be over in a jiff." he said as he left the room to prep himself.
"You hear that hon? This'll be all over soon." she told him, rather then being a relief was actually more fearsome. "I can't do this." he sobbed and whimpered. His mother tried to be as much support as she could be.
It didn't take long for the doctor and nurses to get ready and came back in. Having the tools they needed nearby and everyone was in scrubs. "Alright, when I tell you to, I want you to push kinda hard. I'll tell you to take a small breather every so often. You ready?" he said, Shadow shook his head. "Push!" he called.
Shadow tried with all his strenght to push the infant out of him. It only caused more pain and he got red in the face, he was releaved to hear "stop". He gasped for air and tried to hold back the urge to cry. The want to push was now wanted, so when told he pushed again. A little harder this time. He felt the head coming through which felt worse then anything he ever felt before. It kept going back and forth with pushing and breathing that it felt like no progress was being made at all. This time when he pushed he felt the sharpness of tearing which made him shout with pain.
"Come on! You're almost there! Just gotta get past the shoulders!" the doctor said.
It only intensified at this point, he felt as the baby's shoulders and arms got through, down to the hips now, no time to stop and breath. The job was almost done, finally once the legs slid out there was a moment of silence. Broken by the sound of a screaming child. They placed the new born onto Shadow's stomach where it was wiped off as much as possible. The tears just rolled down Shadow's face at the site of the tiny life once inside him now brought into this world. His mother and sister were joyous too for the child was a small girl, full term, and healthy as a horse.
The baby was taken to finish her cleaning, to be weighed, and wrapped up. After they finished all this they gave the child back to Shadow who was exhausted. He wanted nothing more now then to go home and rest with his tiny new born.
"You should probably stay here for a few days, traveling now might not be the best thing at the time." the doctor told him. He had no choice but to listen.
Later, near nighttime, the family that was supposed to be at their Grandma's house now brought the party to the hospital to greet the youngling into the family and congratulate the new mother, er, father. Even Luke who was the one that was most against this came.
"She's so cute" Cloe said, smiling to her older brother. Luke looked, "Yeah..." he said nothing more.
"What's her name?" asked one of the young cousin's.
"Eve." Shadow replied with, this made his cousin have a giggle fit with joy.
"Merry Chirstmas little one."