Chapter 3. Evelyn's Last Breath

"Push, miss, you need to push," the doctor said anxiously as she looked at the pallid woman on the bed.

 " I am trying!" Evelyn snapped

 "Doctor, maybe she should rest a while, don't you think? She has been trying her best since and I think she is getting tired" Marissa implored in concern

 "Of course, I can see her effort but she needs to try more, the baby is close now and she needed to apply more strength so as not to affect the baby or herself" the doctor explained

 To Evelyn"Miss, please try harder, I commend your effort so far but you need to do this, think of your baby. He is ready to be born but he needed more effort on your part"

 "I am trying, I am trying, I am…" she bursted into tears

 "Come on, Evelyn, I believe everything will be fine, you have been doing well so far" Marissa assured her but her tears only increased.

 Marissa sighed as she signalled the nurse to hold on a bit because she knew that it would be a while before Evelyn could get her emotions in check.

 These had been the routine for them for months now as Evelyn grew more melancholic as the months passed by. First, she stopped smiling, and then she started growing more and more reserved. It did not help that all the vacancies she applied for after losing her job, none it was fruitful. Only a few of them called her for an interview and none called her back for resumption though they were unsure of the exact reason; Evelyn believed firmly that it had to do with her pregnancy. Hence she sunk more into herself and refused to be cheered, zoon enough, she had drained most of her savings and she stubbornly refused Marissa's offer to pay for the baby's necessities expenses she had to accept the payment for the antenatal because Marissa had signed her up before telling her.

 All of Marissa's efforts to bring her out of her shell proved abortive as she sunk more into what the doctors describe as prenatal depression though rare in women not unlikely especially if the woman had issues she was dealing with before. 

 Evelyn's sunny disposition was the first thing to go as she grew more surly over time, not finding joy in anything except when they were discussing her unborn child and those moments are rare indeed as times she would just break down in tears amidst conversation and as time goes on, the break down increased so much that Evelyn could cry because of anything even a bite from a mosquito.

 Marissa tried all she could to support her friend during those periods and most of the time when she wanted to tell her to snap out of whatever deep well she had sunk into that did it make her see the joy in anything anymore, she just couldn't do it, not even when Evelyn snapped at her and said unkind words to her to leave her alone. She never wavers.

 One thing that was the constant source of their quarrel recently was their total disinterest in Evelyn in going anywhere or even doing anything, she had rather sat down from morning till night in one spot staring with a vacant look in her eyes. At times Marissa would go to work and still come back to meet her at the same spot. She forced her to pack, get her things and come stay with her when it became apparent that she did not even care about food anymore.

 Marissa had to put her feet down when the doctor proclaimed that she was malnourished and lack of a good diet could affect the baby. Most times Evelyn would grow belligerent and refuse to listen when Marissa was scolding her for letting herself go and affecting her baby but atimes she would just break down in tears whispering "I am so sorry" and "I just can not help it" over and over to Marissa that the latter would have no choice but to embrace her and reassured her that all would be well. They were in the middle of such an altercation again that fateful day when her water broke and her contraction started.

 "Hush now, Evelyn, you need to push now, think of your child, babe," Marissa said a bit more sternly than intended when she saw that her tears were not abating "You can do this"

 "Yes, I can" Evelyn sniffled, then she held on to Marissa's hand and pushed as she had been doing for the past hour.

 "Yes, miss, we are getting close. Keep going, I can see the head now"

 Evelyn pushed a bit more and she sagged as she got tired again.

 The doctor looked at her worriedly and realised that the lady might not be able to do this on her own as she appeared to be so weak and if this continued the baby could be affected.

 She motioned to Marissa to step aside with her. Marissa wiped Evelyn's brow and promised to be back in a jiffy.

 "I am saying this to you because I realised you are the one she noted in her form as her family," the doctor said hurriedly"She does not have enough strength to give birth to that kind on her own so we would need to quickly operate on her before that child is affected. I would need to sign a consent form so we can get started with the procedure. This delay is not good for the child at all" the doctor explain urgently

 " I understand you, doctor but I still need to get consent as well before signing on anything, just give me a moment" Marissa replied anxiously on

 "That's okay, just be fast about it"

 They both return to the labour room just as the nurse was about to click on the doctor.

 When they were having the conversation, Evelyn had given an unprecedented push and now the baby's head could be seen.

 "My God! The doctor rushed to her side, gave directions to the nurses and gave more encouragement to Evelyn to "push"

 Evelyn held in tightly to Marissa's hand so that her fingers almost snapped and gave one last hefty push as her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted.

 Silence

 Then a shrill cry rented the air. The baby was okay indeed.

 Evelyn was swiftly revived and the baby was taken care of. The umbilical cord was cut and he was cleaned up.

 "My baby, may I see my baby?" Was the first thing Evelyn whispered as she woke up.

 The nurse who was taking care of him placed the baby in her arms just as the other nurse who was cleaning up the mother signalled to the doctor.

 "Oh he is a boy, oh my precious, precious baby" she sighed "Emmanuel, you are my precious Emmanuel, he is Emmanuel," she said to Marissa 

 "Of course, he is. That is a beautiful name, Evelyn and he looked so much like you already" Marissa smiled holding the baby's first that he was waving, " I think he wants to feed, here, let me help settle him"

 "You are the best, Marissa. The best thing that ever happened to me, and I am so sorry, I am so sorry" Evelyn whispered

 "What do you have to be sorry about? Girl, you are silly. I am just so happy that you are fine" she said just as she glanced over to see that there was a frenzied activity going on at the other end of the bed.

 "Doctor, what is going on?" She panicked.

 "The blood, the blood is gushing so much, it just won't stop. Keep talking to her, keep her awake, okay? " the doctor implored her.

 Marissa looked back at her friend when she realised that she was quiet and Evelyn motioned for her to move closer.

 "Please Marissa, please, never let him go" 

 Then she sighed and Marissa couldn't believe her eyes because right there and then while she held the newborn to his mother's breast to suck.

 Her best friend breathed for the last time.

 Marissa's anguished wail mixed with the baby's piercing cry could be heard throughout the hospital that sunny afternoon.