2.

Sayanni Janae Wilson | Chicago IL

April 30th 2020

Screams were the only thing that could be heard from the delivery room, Joy standing to the right of Sayanni, holding her hand as the doctor gave the young girl orders.

"We can see her head. Give me one more big push." The doctor calmly stated, looking at Sayanni, a pink mask covering half of her face and a matching cap on her head. Her grandmother next to her in a matching apron and mask, Sayanni squeezed her hand as another wave of pain passed through her body.

Sayanni had tears and snot running down her face as the pressure in her lower half hadn't stopped but had started to worsen as she lay her head back, exhausted, feeling as though she'd pass out.

"Come on, baby, you got just one more. I'm right here." Momma Joy spoke up, grasping her other hand around the one she was already holding. Sayanni let out a cry, feeling so drained and out of it.

"Momma, I can't. I'm sorry I can't. It hurts so bad." she cried, shifting uncomfortably as her body started to push on its own.

"I know, pooka, but you got to finish, and then you can rest. One more for me, then you're done," Her grandmother pushed, nodding towards the doctor as she began to instruct Sayanni again.

"Come on, you have one more push, sweetheart. I know it hurts but you gotta push, love." The doctor assured her, looking towards the young girl.

"On my count, alright," she stated a bit like a question. Sayanni nodded, shifting again and grasping her grandmother's hand, preparing herself as best she could for this.

"One," "Two," "Three,"

Sayanni scrunched up her face as she pushed, feeling the pressure in her lower half rise again.

The feeling of something so significant coming out of her body was unbearable. Still going, her vision began to blur as she felt her body overwhelmed. Her grandmother's hand released from her head as she heard the cries of her great-granddaughter echo through the delivery room.

Sayanni felt her body becoming limp, all of the pain and pressure numbing as she heard her daughter's cries. A small tired smile came across her face as her body was finally finished with the worst of it. The doctor had placed the small child onto Sayanni's chest after clamping the umbilical cord, a smile on her face as she watched the two.

Sayanni started to cry again, holding her child in her arms, every pain she had felt beforehand melting away as she held her.

Momma Joy watched her granddaughter, a proud smile spread across her face. At first, Joy was disappointed in Sayanni for her choices and carelessness for her body, but then she remembered when she was a teenager. If only your mother was here to see you, She thought to herself, tears running down her face as well.

"Mrs. Wilson, we'll come back to check on her to ensure everything is all right. Hopefully, we'll have a name for the baby."

Sayanni's doctor stated, grasping Joy's hands before nodding and stepping out of the room. The nurses were moving around, cleaning up, and hovering to ensure the baby was breathing and doing fine.

Because this was Sayanni's first and hopefully last pregnancy for a while, they had made a small cut through her perineum to help with the birth. Sayanni had some complications with the labor, she had passed out a few times during delivery, and her blood pressure was still extremely high.

They had offered multiple times before delivery for an epidural to calm her down, but stubbornly she declined, just wanting to get it over with.

Thirteen long and tiring hours of labor later, a beautiful baby girl with lots of hair weighing in at 7 pounds and 6 ounces and 19 inches long. Momma Joy had left the delivery room to find some ice and water for Sayanni, figuring she'd need some.

As the elevator doors opened, she noticed the same young man that had helped just outside the hospital. A group of boys huddling around comforting him.

She frowned, noticing the distant look on his face, staring straight ahead as his leg bounced quickly. She entered the cafeteria, found the ice machine, filled it with ice, and then filled a large styrofoam cup with water.

Once she finished, she walked through the cafeteria and towards the elevator again, glancing at the young man one last time before she was stopped by Sayanni's doctor, Doctor O'Brien.

"I'm sorry to bother Mrs. Wilson, but I wanted to inform you about everything since Sayanni needs all the rest she can get. Sayanni is doing fine, and so is the baby. We still need a name for her certificate, and I wanted to ask if there is a father or if you will be signing as guardian?" Doctor O'Brien's briefed quickly, a tight-lipped smile on her face.

"No, ma'am, he'll be here to sign in a few hours. I've already called him, and thank you so much for everything. This was one of the scariest moments of my little old life, and I've already had my fair share of children." Momma Joy replied, her southern accent becoming prominent from a few words.

"Congratulations." Doctor O'Brien nodded, turning from Joy into another conversation with a nurse walking by. Joy huffed, beginning to move towards the elevator again before she heard another voice calling her a bit raspy and deep.

The young man from before caught up to her. "You seem to always be running, young man." She mentioned her brow turned up towards him as he made his way in front of her.

"I'm sorry to bother you again, ma'am, but I wanted to ask if she was okay. She didn't look too good the first time I'd seen ha." Von asked, his hands in his pockets as he talked to the older woman.

"She's doing fine, sweetheart. Just had a baby, that's all. Thank you again for all your help." She nodded, patting his shoulder.

He let out a sigh of relief. Even though he didn't know the girl, he felt this odd connection towards her. "You're welcome, ma'am." He replied, feeling his heart warm at the older woman's smile.

"Wish y'all the best," he stated as she patted his shoulder. Joy smiled, turning from the boy and into the elevator to wait for Sayanni to come to and share all the grimy details of the delivery. Von had smiled, watching the old woman walk off, shaking his head at this weird feeling blooming in his heart.

His brother had just been shot, and a new life came into this world simultaneously. He felt overwhelmed at first he was angry about the situation, then he was relieved that his brother was finally out of the mess their father had roped them in.

Walking back towards the group, he watched as Anthony's homeboys started to get up, dapping up Durk and following him after a few hugs and their condolences as they walked out of the entrance.

"They said there was a spot they had to hit. I gotta get back to the studio, but if ya need me here, man, I'll stay." He responded, watching the mug on Vons' face appear as he watched the men walk out into a forest-green Bugatti.

Anthony had been medically induced due to the damage to his heart and a few vital organs. His brain had started filling with fluid, and things weren't looking perfect for him.

Something about their behavior bothered him. It seemed as if they had to make sure Anthony was stuck or worse and then leave instead of staying and comforting the people around him.

Anthony was Von's older brother. They were inseparable as kids. Wherever Tony was, Von would be close behind. As of lately,

Anthony had got into some stuff, started slanging, and got mixed up with some bad people, but he never let Von get into any of it with him. Anthony didn't want that type of life for his brother.

He was too much of a hot head and would quickly lash out at anyone and any time, which could really put him in danger.