Blake’s’ voice cracked as he went on. “I must be pretty dumb, or maybe I knew this was coming. I don’t know, but her hands started to go around my waist and next thing I know she was trying to undo my pants.” A tear slipped down Blake’s’ cheek. “I am so sorry, Crystal, for even letting anything get that far.”
Crystal let out a cry and tears began to swallow up her eyes. “Are you saying you slept with her?” Her body was trembling.
“No, no,” Blake stated quickly. “Oh no, that never happened.” His eyes shoot up to see her red and watery cheeks. “I reminded her that my WIFE,” which he said very stern, “is having a baby, and I need a job. But if it means I have to sleep with you to keep it, than I quit.”
Crystal was still trembling. This was more than she wanted to hear right now.
“Then a funny thing happened,” he continued. “I reached in my pocket for my phone and you had written me a text: I LOVE YOU.” A small smile formed on his lips, and then just as quickly it went away. “I felt so guilty, I could not text you back right away. The house was so quiet and dark with you gone when I got home.”
He paused for a breath before he walked into the bedroom and came out with their wedding picture. He kneeled by Crystals’ side holding the picture.
“You never looked as beautiful as you did the day I married you. I remember it like it was yesterday – the anticipation I had of how our life was going to be like together. We both cried as we said our vows. Remember?”
Crystal starred at the picture that Blake was holding. The tears were streaming down her face. How she loved him, and she could feel the love he had for her.
Crystal watched as Blake put down the picture, and felt his strong arms that pulled her to a standing position.
“I love you so much, Crystal,” he said as his arms hugged her tightly. “I hope you forgive me.” He paused for a moment. “I believed in happy endings. I believed in families, and I want you.”
Silence filled the room for a moment as Crystal was taking this all in.
“Remember our vows. Let no man come between us?” He added. Crystal nodded and he added, “I think that means no woman either. I am yours till death do us part.” He took his hands and wiped the tears from her face. Crystal looked up at him as he took her chin in his hand.
“I love you with all my heart, soul, and mind, Crystal.”
Then he gave her a kiss. As she stood in the living room being held by her husband, she felt a strange trickle down her legs.
“Oh!” She said looking to the floor. “I think my water just broke.”
“What?”
“I felt a pain at my mom’s house, and stayed an hour per her request to prove I was not in labor yet.” She said as she held her tummy. “I think this child wants to prove me wrong. I think we’re having our baby.”
“Stay right there, sweetheart,” Blake said and ran to the bedroom to grab the overnight bag they had packed for the hospital.
Gently, he helped his wife into the car and drove her to the hospital. While she waited for a nurse, Crystal called her parents. More than one nurse arrived to prep her, and to calm Blake down. They inserted an IV in her arm and a baby monitor on her belly. She was also given an epidural anesthetic since the pains were close together, and it was almost time to push. Blake seemed to calm when he heard the baby’s heartbeat.
Before long, her parent’s, Lisa and Joey, arrived.
“Are we late?” Her mother asked. “Is my grandbaby here? I just knew you were in labor at the house!”
“Not yet, mom,” smiled Crystal.
“Good. Let’s say a prayer before this baby comes,” Lisa suggested.
The four of them closed their eyes, and she thanked the Lord for the precious life that was about to be born. She asked that it be a safe delivery. Then, the nurse entered the room to check her one more time.
“Let me get the doctor, Crystal. You’re dilated to a ten.”
The nurse asked her parents to leave the room while Blake stood by Crystal’s side. Blake was chanting positive phrases while the doctor told Crystal to push. She felt numb from the epidural, and had some trouble pushing the baby out.
“Here comes the head,” said the doctor. “Now only a couple of pushes left, and we’re home free.”
Crystal pushed and yelled, squeezing Blake’s hands so hard it made him nervous.
“Okay, Crystal, one more big push. Ready?” Encouraged the doctor.
She closed her eyes tightly, and pushed hard before she heard a distant cry.
“Congratulations, young lady. You have a little girl.”
Crystal and Blake cried as one. The doctor asked Blake to cut the cord, and then placed the baby in a blanket. He passed the infant to Blake. Stunned, he held on to this tiny bundle like she was glass, afraid if he moved the wrong way he would break her. The baby weighed six pounds, and had a full head of silky black hair. Blake just stared at the new little person in his arms. It was hard to believe that they made that beautiful little being.
“She’s got your eyes,” he said to Crystal as he carefully passed her the baby.
A couple more tears streaked down her face while she held the baby close to her face taking in her special scent.
“Hi, baby girl,” she whispered, kissing her gently on the forehead.
“What name are you going to give her?” Blake asked.
Crystal looked deeply into the baby’s eyes, and then into Blake’s’ eyes. She thought of all she had learned the last couple of days, and decided to give this baby the name of the smartest and loving woman she knew.
“Natalie, after my grandmother.”
Blake put his arm around his wife, and kissed her forehead. Lisa and Joey tiptoed into the hospital room, looking for the newest member of their family. Murmurs of I love you, and sweet kisses to the baby went on until the nurse came to take her to the nursery. Then, everyone else left the room leaving Crystal and Blake alone. They thought they knew what love was, but once they had their baby, they found a deeper feeling of love and commitment than they could ever have imagined.
“Isn’t it amazing how we just fell in love with this little creature the moment we looked at her?” Crystal said as Blake stroked her head. “I never knew anyone could feel like this.”
Crystal recalled her mother’s story about her grandparents’ love and the journal her grandmother had written.
“Love is difficult, sweetie,” she could hear her mother tell her. “It’s a choice. It is not always that special feeling or security. It starts out that way, but then life happens. And sometimes it does hurt. You do have to say you’re sorry. You also have to compromise, and learn to forgive and forget. Love takes understanding, courage, and the never ending desire to stay together even when you feel betrayed.”
Then she remembered the pastor’s wise words that were given to her grandmother.
“Perhaps you can see it in your heart to show him God’s Love. If you can forgive him, maybe you can be an example of God’s love, and show him the right path.”
Crystal knew her mother and the pastor were right. Love was a choice, and that was how she chose to spend the rest of her life – as Crystal, Blake, and their baby girl.
The next few weeks were a learning experience, as she was now becoming a mother. To hold and nurse this tiny infant was simply amazing. To get no sleep at night, and to walk around with a crying baby was taking a toll on her. Blake went to his job with his old hours, so that he could spend more time at home helping his wife, and spending time with his daughter.
They were human, and they had times when they had no patience with the baby as she cried all night. At times Crystal would be crabby from no sleep, and Blake would be complaining of getting no sleep. Yet they seemed to be nicer to each other, with phrases of please, and thank you, and using respect and love when they talked to each other.
One day she called her mother to come over so she could get a much needed nap. Her mother, Lisa, was
in grandma heaven as she cradled her new grandchild. She cuddled that baby for a couple of hours while Crystal slept.
Crystal tiptoed into the living room when she woke so she could spy on the love that her mother was giving her baby. A text came to her phone at that moment: Every day I Love You. Always.
“Look mom,” she said as she showed her the phone. “He used to do this in the beginning of our marriage.” Quickly she texted back: I LOVE YOU TOO.
“That is good to hear,” her mother said. “You know I don’t mind baby-sitting little Natalie once a week so you can go out on a date… Just a thought.”
“What a good idea, mom,” she replied. “I have read in some magazines that some fathers feel rejected after a baby is born because the wife spends so much time with the new infant. I love Blake and baby Natalie so much I don’t want either one of them to feel neglected.”
“Yeah, it would be a lot easier if babies and husbands came with handbooks. But since they don’t, grandmas are the next best thing!” She laughed.
Crystal gave her mother a big hug. “Thanks for being here for us.”
“Well, what about tonight? Why don’t you get dressed up and surprise him.” She looked at her grandbaby that was nestled in her arms. “I am already here. I don’t mind.”
Crystal ran to her room and quickly took a shower, put on pretty smelling powder and perfume, and got dressed. She waited by the door for six pm and her husband to walk in.
Blake strolled in to see his beautiful wife standing before him smiling. As their eyes met, they were instantly drawn to each other for a much needed kiss.
“You look so beautiful tonight, Crystal,” he whispered, as his arms drew her close and her scent embraced him. “You smell so good.”
“I have a baby sitter if you want to go out for dinner tonight?” She giggled. Thoughts of the past flooded her head. The way he uses to come home to her, holding her, and complimenting her.
Finally, they knew how happy and loving a life together could be.
Author’s Note: True love is not finding the perfect person. It is learning to love an imperfect person, perfectly.
Sometimes Love Hurts Page 11