Family Life:

At three in the afternoon on August thirteenth, the wait ended. Rose was on the phone with Keisha at the time.

“Keisha,” she said. “I think I’m going to have to call you back.”

“What do you mean?” her aunt asked.

“My water just broke,” Rose hissed in a rushed voice.

“Oh my goodness! I’ll let you off the phone now!” Keisha shouted. Rose already hung up and called the hospital. About an hour later, Pete rushed into the lobby.

“How is she?” he asked the nearest doctor that he could find. The doctor looked up from his chart.

“May I ask what your name is?” he asked.

“Pete,” the bassist answered. “My girlfriend is in labor here.”

“Okay, what is her name?”

“Rose James.”

The doctor looked at her chart. “Ah, yes. She was just admitted here.”

“How is she doing?” Pete asked.

“Good,” the doctor replied. “She’s in the operating room right now.” He held his chart by his side. “Would you like me to take you there now?”

“Yes,” the bassist answered.

“Right this way,” the doctor said. As Pete followed him down the hall, he texted Patrick, Joe, and Andy about the news. From Patrick, the grapevine came into full swing. Pete didn’t even have his foot in the dog when his phone went off.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Is Rose okay?” Nessa asked on the other line. “I heard the news from Keisha.”

“She’s in surgery right now,” Pete answered.

“Do you need me to come out there?”

“No, no. I will let you know what happens.”

“Are you sure?”

Pete sighed over the phone. “Yes!”

“You better!” Nessa hung before he could get in another word. The bassist shook his head.

Meanwhile, Rose’s screams could be heard from the gallery.

“You’re doing fine, sweetheart,” the nurse said as she wiped her forehead. “Don’t push yet until we tell you to, okay?” The mother-to-be only screamed out in pain.

“Is she dilated yet?” another nurse asked. The doctor in the room took a look.

“Yes,” he said.

“How big?”

“Ten inches.”

The first nurse turned back to Rose. “Okay, honey, start pushing!”

“I can’t take this!” she cried.

“You’re doing great!” the second nurse said.

“Where’s Petey?!” the mother-to-be cried.

“I’ll go get him,” the first nurse said.

“Push!” the other nurse commanded. Rose screamed as she complied. The other nurse rushed back into the room with Pete at her side. The mother-to-be didn’t even look up as her boyfriend ran over to her.

“I’m here now,” he said as he took her by the hand.

“I’m going to die!” she screamed.

“You’re doing fine!” the nurse told her. “Push!”

“I can see the head!” the doctor shouted.

“Push!” both nurses yelled. Rose let off a loud scream. In twelve hours about three in the morning, she gave birth to a baby boy. The moth dropped her head back, panting.

“He’s beautiful,” Pete said. Rose looked up at the picked up the baby.

“Can I hold him?” she asked. The nurse handed her the little boy.

“Be gentle with him,” she said, handing the baby to his mother. Rose pulled him to her bosom.

“My little boy!” she whispered aloud. Pete patted her on the head.

“Hello, Nathanial,” he whispered. The baby slept against his mother’s breast.