Chapter 1. STEP 1: Be Born

Dec. 25, 2XXX

At the Hospital

6:38 A.M It's Christmas time. Everyone is busy, doctors and nurses are focused on their tasks for there are two pregnant women that are in labor. One is in a normal delivery while the other is in cesarian.

"The cervix is already dilated into 10cm, the baby is now at the end of the birth canal, Mrs. you may now push". The doctor said but the mother is overwhelmed by the pain of contraction that she momentarily pause.

"Honey... you can now start to push... We had practiced it before" The husband encouragingly said to his wife, while gripping her hand.

"Now repeat after me, IRGHHH-"

Nurses and doctors can't help chuckling at the man trying his best grunting. The woman in labor suddenly looked at her husband being so extra.

Now he started roaring... "ARGHHHH- *slap*

"If you're so good at making noise then let's switch" she angrily looked at her silly husband.

"I'm just trying to help you-" as he massage his bullied arm with his other hand

'even in labor, her hand is heavy' he quietly whispered.

The wife angrily send daggers to her husband "Remember my word. WE. WILL. NEVER. HAVE. SEX". then she grips his hand tightly, very tight that his hand could turn violet any moment.

"Let's see after one month if you could say that." he whispered to no one.

After one big contraction, the baby is now out in his mother's womb.

"Congratulations, It's a boy! wait for a moment as we clean him and you may hold it after." The nurse said

"Thank you Honey for your handsome gift" he looked at his tired wife with love and kissed her forehead while lightly caressing her right hand.

The baby is now cleaned and is in the arms of his mother. She looked at her son with amazement and love but the first thing that comes out in her mouth is "Why is he so ugly and wrinkly?"

The husband didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he agreed that the baby is ugly and wrinkly.

Although the other side is full of happiness, the C-section is filled with sadness.

"Sir. I'm sorry to tell you that due to your wife's weak constitution prior to labor, her body couldn't make it and she signed a consensus that whatever happens, the baby is the priority. We're very sorry that we couldn't save the mother" the doctor said to the father and son.

Every word that the doctor said is like a knife that stabs in the husband's heart. His mind stopped functioning that he didn't even knew how he got inside the operating room.

He went to the right side of the bed and tugged down the white cloth that covers his wife's body and stared at her. She seems like peacefully sleeping with a light smile on her beautiful face.

"You look very happy" as he caress her face "Are you that happy to leave us?" His tears uncontrollably fell down to his face.

"How am I supposed to live?" he wraps his arms around her lifeless body as his tears wet the corner of her neck hoping that all is just a dream.

A 10-year old boy entered the room. And went to the left side of the bed. "Mom!" *sob* "Mom! wake up!" he shook her left arms hoping that her mother will open her eyes. "Mom! this is not funny anymore! wake up!" He further shook her arms.

"Son, stop it. It's useless." His dad weakly said to him reminding that everything is not a dream. "But look dad! Mom is just sleeping". he points at her peaceful but lifeless face. "Let's wait for her to rest and she will wake up any moment". He said as he convince himself that his mother is just sleeping.

"Eric, she's not gonna wake up! she's dead". shocked at his father's words he wailed loudly at the floor. "No! mom is alive!" Tears and mucus run down at his face.

"She's dead" Both father and son wailed their hearts out wishing that the lady in the bed could feel their sorrows in heaven.