Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

  Jerlina, the moment the doctor asked if she wants an epidural, readily agreed. She had a trial of labor pain when she miscarried and she was not prepared to  go through it again.

It was Jeremy panicking and walking around nervously.

"Tell me if he becomes unbearable. I will knock him in the head," Dr. Kruger whispered in Jerlina 's ears. 

Jerlina grimaced not knowing if  Dr. Kruger is kidding or not. But the glint in Dr. Kruger's eyes made Jerlina believe that the doctor was not jesting.

Well, she didn't care much. The doctor was too stressed to sleep and her dear husband was too nervous to even sit. She, on the other hand, had a nice rest; for a couple of hours, after which that terrible pain started. 

She patted herself for having the wisdom to get the epidural. She didn't know how more terrible the pain would have been without it. 

"It's your fault!" she said gritting her teeth after two hours. 

The poor guy was standing by her side, holding her hand, extremely stressed, and trying to find ways to make her suffering more bearable. But all she wanted was to have a bite of his face for some reason. She was very angry. 

The doctor was asking her to push and she was just doing that with all her might. She felt immense pain as if her insides are getting torn apart and she knew it is Jeremy's fault.

"Yes, it is!" Jeremy said. He wanted to cry for some time. She is in great pain and it seems like he could do nothing. And he would agree with her.

"Don't-" she gripped his hand, "patronize me, pump- pumpkin head!" she seethed. "It is the fault of your head!" she shouted as another contraction tore her insides.

"It's not a pumpkin! It's jack fruit!" she shouted.

Jeremy was agreeing to her. And the nurses and staff around were concentrating on the labor. But from outside the room, she heard a familiar laugh. 

"Screw you, Charlie!" she shouted with all her might.

"I did, squirrel!" he shouted from outside. "Get it over with soon! I have important news to share!"

"You're crowning, Jerlina… Just one more push!" the doctor said.

"Ahhhh!" she used all her strength to push.

  Her dear husband left her hand and ran to her leg to see the arrival of the baby. She looked down to see if he is sticking a frigging camera inside. She had already advised him not to tape anything that happens in the labor room. 

And it seemed like he was not taping. But what is he doing?

"Here he comes…" she heard her husband as she was pushing.

"I caught him!" Jeremy's joyful shout was followed by the shriek of a baby. "Whoa!" Jeremy stumbled and Dr. Kruger steadied the slippery baby in his hands. 

"Look at your boy, Jerlina!" Dr. Kruger told Jerlina and placed the baby on her chest. "He has good lungs! Look at him scream!" 

Jerlina was still in pain and they were still doing the process of delivery but Jerlina was filled with bliss seeing the little wrinkly thing on her chest.

"Joel… Hold him…" she couldn't hold the baby for long and asked him. 

"Yeah…" Jeremy held the baby and Jerlina peeked at the baby in his hands. 

He had no hair, well he did have some hair that looked white. By now he has stopped crying and Jerlina was very happy to see the blue eyes. 

"We made him, Joel..." she said, her eyes teary. And overwhelming emotion formed from the bottom of her heart. 

Ah… he is going to look like his father! But will he have my blonde hair? Brown hair would be better… A carbon copy of Joel. That would be nice!

She was glad Jeremy is the one who touched the baby first. This guy must have planned for it. She looked at him counting the fingers and toes of the baby and checking the baby's head and nose. 

Ah… Look at them… so pretty…

"You called him Jack fruit. Should we name him that?" Jeremy asked, sitting beside her. 

"No!" Jerlina bowed her head out of shame. She didn't know why she got angry at him.

"What a cutie..."Jeremy kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes.

"Yeah. A cutie and a sweet fruit..." she giggled. 

She was relieved as the pain started to subside. She kept the baby on her chest for some time for the baby to have skin-to-skin contact and then the nurses took the baby to be weighed and for bathing and other procedures. 

"Jeryl… Jeryl…" Jeremy leaned closer to her and kissed her forehead. She was so tired she closed her eyes but her lips curved to a smile. she could hear the joy in his tone. It only made her happier.

"He looks just like you…" he said.

She opened her eyes. "Do I have blue eyes?" she asked. "Ah, the pity! I carried him for nine months and he comes out looking like you! What shall I do?" she giggled as he kissed her forehead.

"He looks like you," he repeated. "And I am the happiest man on earth right now. Thank you."

"Yeah? Thank me with kisses, Joel," she said.  "And happy anniversary."

"Ah, yes!" Jeremy panicked. He got a gift for her but it is back home and he forgot to bring it.

Jerlina giggled seeing her husband panic. "Come here, Joel," she pulled him with her weak hands.

"I love you," she kissed his lips. 

"I love you too, my love," he hugged her. He was beside himself with happiness and he didn't know what to do or what to say.

I am a father! 

"One more and I am done," she gave a warning. She loved this feeling, but the pain is scary. She thought two would be enough.

"Yeah," Jeremy agreed. "If the next is a girl."

Jerlina was too tired to fight with him. She closed her eyes.

She wasn't allowed to rest for long. She had to make phone calls to her great-grandfather and Alexander. Alexander wanted to visit with Mikhail and Jerlina had to insist Jonathan Erling to  not make the travel. He has gotten a lot sicker these days and this travel would kill him. There is an ocean between them. 

She promised that she would bring the baby to him once it is safe enough for the baby to travel. He was not convinced and told her that he would come to her on a ship. Jerlina had to then use emotional manipulation techniques to keep Jonathan in his castle. 

She did want to show her baby to her great-grandfather. But she did have the fear that her great-grandfather would pass away the moment he lays eyes on her baby. For her, it seemed like he is holding on to his life for seeing her baby.

Ah, great-grandpa... please live longer....