* * *
“Mrs.Ashmore...”
“It’s Ana!”she nearly yelled as the pain-filled pressure heaved downward yet again.The baby had to be nearing birth now.She had been exerting all her strength in pushing for what felt like hours.And her patience for hearing her formal name had at last worn thin.
“Very well, Ana,” the physician finally surrendered, his voice urgent.“The baby is in position.You’re very nearly there.Push again, please.”
Ana moaned through a wave of agony and then began to move her trembling limbs when relief finally came.But nearly as soon as it passed, another wave attacked her.
“Yes, that is precisely it.Now, please bring your knees forward a bit more.”
She complied and groaned as force and pain mounted.Then pressure flooded Ana’s body.She found she could not contain her vocalizing; her yelling was innate and visceral.Elena gripped her hands.Somehow Ana’s body knew what to do, and she pushed with all her might.
“That’s it, Ana.Wonderful, wonderful!”
One last strong push, and there was a splash and a thump and a great, blissful relief.A small, wet, wriggling form was plopped into Ana’s arms, and the most heavenly, helpless cry mingled in the air in perfect harmony with Ana’s own sobs of joy.Tears blurred her vision, and she blinked hard as she looked into the small, delicate face of her baby...herdaughter.
“She is a girl, Elena!”Ana exclaimed in Spanish.“I have a daughter!”
“Hermosa!” Elena responded, her voice filled with awe.
Small, perfect lips.Dark, wide eyes that were now blinking against the harsh light of a new world.And wet, messy hair that was already curling insistently, so similar to Ana’s own hair.A ferocious feeling of protective, all-encompassing love slammed into Ana as she pressed the babe to her skin.This child was her flesh and blood.Part of her very soul.Ana very nearly laughed as pure elation and relief coursed through her.This was heaven.It had all been well worth it.
Still, distant painful memories pushed at the safe bliss that surrounded them, reminding her thatMamáhad borne her in a similar manner,Papáhad treasured her tiny body in this same way, and it had not been enough to keep them.
“I will protect you from the bad things of this world,” she whispered.“I will not abandon you.Te lo prometo.”
* * *
Finally, Peter was to be allowed into the lying-in chamber.
Before Dr.Lee could even fully and properly open the door, Peter pushed past him and very nearly ran to his wife’s side.She was now comfortably resting in her bed, the temporary birthing bed discarded to the side of the room.And while exhaustion was written all over the lines in her brow, the circles beneath her eyes, and the trembling of her hands, pure, unrestrained happiness shone from her gaze, unlike he had ever seen before.It brought tears to his eyes and made his knees buckle, bringing him to his knees at her bedside.
“How are you?”he whispered, his voice hoarse.
“Perfecto,”she murmured.“I am mother toun ángel.”
“It was...beyond frustrating that they would not allow me to be here at your side.”
“Dr.Lee says it was for my health.”
“But I needed to witness your health, your well-being, for myself,” Peter said, his voice breaking.“I needed to protect you.”The helplessness that had him pacing all throughout the house like an injured beast was akin to the desperation that he had felt upon finding her after the siege.Never had he felt such panic, such distress.His need to ensure Ana’s safety had very nearly become his purpose for living, and being separated from her, even for the space of a day, had almost made him a madman.
“Peter,amor, I am safe,” Ana said.“I did not need protection.I am well.”
“You are so strong.So brave.You are simply marvelous,” Peter breathed into Ana’s neck as he embraced her with gentle, careful hands.
“And so is she.”Ana tilted her arms, exposing the tiny, caramel-toned face that had been previously lost in a bundle of swaddling.
“She?”Peter choked, emotion clogging his throat.
“Meet my...our daughter, Esperanza.”
Hot tears doused Peter’s cheeks and he blinked rapidly, not wanting to miss even the smallest detail of the tiny being his wife had brought into the world.Dark, wavy hair capped the top of her perfectly round head, and bow-like lips wiggled in an echo of sucking.She was already learning to love her mother’s sustenance, it seemed.Peter’s gaze darted to Ana’s form again, just now seeing the loose gown she wore.It had quite a low neckline and two buttons at the front, likely making it easy to feed the needy babe.Her body was clearly swollen and exhausted from the immense transformation she had just endured, but to him, Ana had never appeared more beautiful.Pure, abiding love wrapped around Peter like an embrace, and he found himself weeping again.He rose to press a gentle kiss to Ana’s lips.
“Say her name again for me, please, that I might pronounce it correctly.”
“Esperanza.”
