Prose: 603 words

jboelhow

It had been some twenty odd years since his time was not filled with fender-benders, crushes that didn’t work out, parent-teacher conferences, learning to catch a football, or any other parental role a father has to fulfill. Not to mention the extra duties of being a single parent.
The rhythm of the ocean crashed his heart back to the day he became a single parent.
It was their second child, and the delivery was going smoothly. Samantha was doing it naturally again. He was impressed by the strength her petite body displayed by enduring the eight hours of delivery
The baby, another boy, was coming sooner then Jonathan had though, about 4 hours faster so far. They had not come to an agreement for a name for this child. Samantha wanted to name him Daniel Jr. He couldn’t agree to that. He wanted his sons to have their own identity.
Daniel remembered how there was a light and joyful attitude in the room. He still stood at the head of the bed though. He just couldn’t stomach the idea of “seeing” the birth.
“Ok, Samantha. We should be able to get him out with one last good push. You have been doing a great job. But, need you to bear down with this contraction and bring this boy into the world.” Doctor Stevenson patted her on her foot.
“I’m ready. Hun are you ready?”
“Much more this time.” Daniel had almost lost it with the birth of Jonathan. He kissed her on the bridge of her slender nose and said, “You can do it.”
Everything started fine. The doctor encouraging her. The nurses getting the blankets ready. She pushed with the contraction.
The doctor informed them that he almost had him and she bore down harder.
His memory of what happened after that is cloudy, as if his mind shows it to him through the tears he would cry for days.
Doctor Stevenson’s voice resonated with a “got him.”
Samantha looked at him with a vacant penetrating look.
“Beautiful.” She whispers. And her body went limp.
The Doctor and nurses become machines, moving with precision. All four caught in an E.R. like dance. Daniel just stands there not knowing what to do or say. A nurse grabs him softly. He realizes they are not machines because the nurse’s eyes are outlined with fear. He remembers saying something, asking something, knowing words came out of his mouth. The nurse somehow got him to sit. And he watched as tears covered his vision.
Samantha had an aneurysm on the last contraction. The tension of the last contraction caused a blood vessel close to the medulla oblongata to burst, and in doing so all her vital functions just stopped.
Sam, it was the first thing to come to mind when the nurses asked for his name, faired much better. For some reason, his automatic systems for breathing didn’t kick in when he took his first breath. He had to be in the hospital for a few days as they trained his lungs to use oxygen. But he soon was wooing the nurses with his crying and. smile
The ocean had become still as if in reverence to Daniel’s thoughts. He sat at the edge of the tide tossing small pebbles into the vastness of the ocean. He missed her. He missed his sons, but smiled, as he knew he would see them in a week. He was going to enjoy his “graduation” gift. Sam had finished college and was going into the field of education. He was going to be a teacher, just like his mom.

FinsburyParkCarrots

On first reading, this is skilled prose. And I hope to read it many more times yet.

jboelhow

Thanks FinsburyParkCarrots, I have been trying to expand my writing from just poetry over the last year or two. This is the first time I have shared it with anyone besides my wife. I know there are a few mistakes, this is just a draft. Thank you again:)

FinsburyParkCarrots

It's a pleasure.