Since NovemberĀ is Adoption Month, I thought I’dĀ mention a short story I wrote called “Conversations in Baby Blue.” Although it’s fiction, it was actually based on a true story.
Years ago, I shared a double hospital room with an unwed teen mother.
Since this was back then people stayed in the hospital longer than nowadays, and I’d had a C-section, I couldn’t help overhearing a lot of the conversations on the other side of the thin curtain.
Although I wasn’t yet writing much, I thought like a writer, so after a while, I gave up trying not to listen and started making notes.
Eventually, I wrote a story based on the conversations I’d overheard. And yes, I made a lot of changes, so this is fiction, not at all the actual story. But there are elements of truth.
You can read myĀ story any time because the ebook it’s in is FREEĀ everywhere right nowāAmazon, Nook, Kobo, iTunesāwherever ebooks are sold. Ā You just have to download it from your usual vendor.
If you prefer a print copy (the book does make a terrific gift!), you can get that, too. The price is quite low.
I guess I ought to mention that this story was shortlisted for a The Word Award.
Get the book this story is in. Free!
Ā The opening of “Conversations in Baby Blue”
Sixteen-year-old Hailey Crawford opened her eyes to the sun shining brightly on a daffodil-yellow wall across from her bed. A baby was crying nearby. Presumably, thatās what had awakened her. A tremor ran through her entire body as Hailey realized she was still in the birthing room at the hospital near her home, and the crying baby might be hers.
She lifted her head to look around. No baby here. Nobody here. She remembered a disapproving nurse saying sheād take the baby to the nursery, a groggy Ty saying he was going home to get some sleep.
Hailey sank back down on the pillow and shut her eyes. A kaleidoscope of fragmented memories formed in her mind. The suspicions, the tight feeling in her throat, the cold, clutching fear. Then the doctorās wordsānine weeks pregnant.
The agony of telling Ty. His disbelieving, āAre you sure?ā Shock finally giving way to accusation. In the end, weary submission. The impossible had happened. To them.
Her parentsā stunned looks. Not their quiet, straight āAā daughter! Of course theyād never really cared for Ty, but theyād trusted Hailey. Hannah, maybe. Haileyās twin was much more inclined to rebellion and rashness.
Hailey remembered Hannahās incredulity. āBut didnāt you use a condom? Or the pill?ā
All the tears and quarrels and making-up. The soul-searching. Abortion. Adoption. Running away. Marriage. Finally, the decision to keep the baby.
Poor Ty. At seventeen, he was nowhere near ready to step into the role of father. A couple of months ago, heād told her he wished heād never seen her. And yet heād stood by.
Gone with her to pre-natal classes. Coached her in the labour room. Given her a huge grin at the end. Awkwardly patted her hair and said, āYou did it!ā
Hailey was pulled out of her reverie by the opening of her door. A nurse about her motherās age came into the room with a cheerful, āHi, Hailey, how are you feeling?ā
Hailey forced a smile. āOkay, I guess.ā
The nurse grinned. āSomething like a bowl of ice cream thatās been left out in the sun?ā
Haileyās smile grew. āClose.ā
āWell, donāt worry. It wonāt last long. Dr. Patterson said you are just fine. Heāll be by to see you later. And the baby is fine, too, but Dr. Patterson wants him to spend some time under a bili light. Just precautionary because you were RH negative and the baby was positive. I expect you know all about that?ā
āThey were supposed to give the baby an injection, too, right?ā
āYes, he got it, and all is well. Iāll bring him to you so you can feed him in a little while. But what we need to do first is get you up and make sure everything is okay. If you want, you can have a shower, too. Or a bath.ā She turned to open the bathroom door.
Hailey stuck out her tongue at the nurseās back. The last thing she wanted to do was move.
āAfter youāve gone to the bathroom, theyāll bring you some breakfast. I expect youāre starving.ā
Hailey was sitting cross-legged on the bed finishing her breakfast when the door opened again.
Ty walked in, wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, his hair needing a comb.
For a second, neither spoke. Then Hailey said āHi.ā
āHow ya doinā?ā
āPretty good, I guess.ā
āThe doctor told me you did great. Five hours of labour is apparently short, especially for a first baby, and you had a pretty easy delivery.ā
āThatās easy for him to say.ā
Ty grinned. āWhere is he?ā
āStill in the nursery. I just woke up not long ago. I was so tired. What time is it, anyway?ā
āAbout nine-thirty.ā
āThey said theyād bring him after Iāve had breakfast.ā
āHeās a funny-looking little thing,ā Ty said. āYou might send him back once youāve had a good look.ā
āHeās a baby.ā
āYeah. A funny-looking one.ā
āMust take after you then!ā She tossed a pillow at him and he ducked. āWhy didnāt you go to school this morning?ā she asked.
āYouāre joking, right? I went home and got some sleep. In case you forgot, somebody woke me up at two a.m. to take her to the hospital.ā
āYeah. Lousy timing, eh?ā
āYep.ā
āWhy donāt you sit down?ā
He sat in the pale blue vinyl chair, ignoring the arm rests and leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. āYou seen your mom and dad yet?ā
āNo.ā She held her breath. āYou did call them, didnāt you?ā
āI sent them each a text.ā
She breathed again. āHow did they respond?ā
āThey seemed excited. Your mom said sheād hoped it would be a boy.ā
Hailey smiled.
The same nurse as before came in just then. She was pushing a wheeled wood trolley with a baby lying quietly in the transparent bassinet on top.
Almost immediately, the baby began to cry, making a sound that to Haileyās ears sounded like āu-laaa, u-laaa, u-laaa.ā It made Hailey think of a lambās ābaaaa.ā
āOh good,ā the nurse said. āYouāre both here. I just need a few minutes to go over some things to make sure you both know how to look after the baby.ā
Ty made a face. āNot me,ā he said. āLooking after babies is womenās work.ā He kissed Hailey lightly on the cheek and left…
Touching! I want to read on…
Thanks. :)