Just as my wife’s amniotic sac has broken, I got a call from my mother’s nurse, and she told me my mom was terminally ill. Hence, I was torn and forced to make a painful decision.
The day Debra found out she was pregnant was one of those days that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Debra and I had waited to become parents for a long time. We were one of those lucky couples who conceived after going through tons of failed fertility treatments and doctors telling us there was no chance.
“We’ll be the best parents to him, darling,” I told Debra one night.
“I can’t wait to hold our baby in my arms.”
“I know, honey,” she’d said, smiling.
Little did I know fate would immerse a situation where I’d have to choose between her and my mom while was in labor…
I still get chills when I recall that day. As I entered our bedroom, I saw she was leaning against the wall with one hand, clutching her baby bump and breathing heavily.
“Honey, are you okay?” I dashed to her, worried. “Should I call the doctor?”
“Gordon…my water…it…it broke,”
It was wet. “Take me to the hospital, Gordon…Please!” she cried.
“Jesus!” I panicked. “I’ll get the car started. Just hang on a sec, honey.”
“Don’t worry, honey. We’ll reach the hospital in no time. Okay, we’ve got this.” I was terrified and nervous.
After we made it to the car and Debra got inside, I locked her door and rushed to take my seat. Then my phone rang. It was my mom’s nurse, Marla, calling me. My mother had been diagnosed with a progressive cardiac condition, and due to her illness, she was confined to bed rest.
“Gordon,” she said in a weak voice. “Your mom… She had a heart attac:k, so I took her to the hospital. The doctors say there is little hope she’ll make it… Your mother is dy:ing. I think you should be here as soon as you can.”
“Jesus, Jesus!” I exhaled a sigh. Why was everything happening at the same time? I was ripped to shreds and didn’t know what to do. On the one hand, there was Debra, who was in labor, and on the other, there was my mother.
I went inside the car, and told Debra everything. I couldn’t hide it from her, anyway. She saw my face and asked me what was wrong. And I blurted everything out.
“Mom is dy:ing, honey. She had a heart attack, and Marla’s asking me to be exclaim there as soon as possible. I am so nervous. I – I don’t know what to do….”
“Honey,” Debra said. “Call a taxi. I’ll go by myself…”
“What?” I was taken aback. “No, we can’t do that!”. S
“We don’t have time, honey…Ahh…call the taxi now, Gordon. Your mom needs you. You are a son first, then a husband. I will manage. Your mom…she…” Her pain was becoming worse.
“I’m calling the taxi. Oh, God!”
Thankfully, I got a taxi soon, and I briefed the driver to take Debra to the hospital safely.
As I arrived at the hospital, I saw Marla sitting outside her ward. “Marla? Where’s mom? What happened?” I asked her.
“The physicians are with her, but they are not optimistic…” was all she said.
“I know you’ll get better soon, Mom. You’ll be a grandmother soon,” I kept telling myself. But not long after, the doctors emerged from the emergency room with bad news.
“We sincerely apologize. We couldn’t save her.”
My mom passed away that morning due to cardiac arrest.
I couldn’t stop crying, and Marla tried to comfort me, but it was pointless.
Suddenly, my phone’s ring distracted me. “Yes?” I said, and I could hear a sweet crying sound in the background.
“Honey,” said Debra on the other end of the call. “We had a daughter. She’s stunning. You’re a father now…”
At that moment, I wasn’t sure whether I should be happy or sad. ” That’s great news honey,” I managed to say. Then I told her with a sad new, “Mom’s gone.”
“She’s not, Gordon. She’s with us,” Debra replied softly.
Debra sent me a picture of our baby girl, and I cried even harder. Our little baby girl looked so much like her grandmother.
