Israel

by Celeste Granger

  “At the time Baby Ali turns 18 years of age, he or she will be awarded an interest-bearing trust on the initial deposit of one million dollars.”

  There were oohs and aahs around the room.

  “It’s too much,” Cairo whimpered.

  “There’s no such thing,” Omar reminded her.

  “Thanks, everyone,” Cairo sighed as she wiped the tears from her eyes. You all have been so generous, and we are eternally grateful.”

  Cairo tried to stand.

  “Hold on, sweet,” Israel warned, sitting everything down and standing to his full height. “Let me help you.”

  “Okay,” she sighed, accepting the help. “Ahhh,” Cairo gasped as soon as she stood up. She dropped the envelope and cradled her stomach.

  “Babe,” Israel gasped his eyes growing wide. He held her up with an arm around her waist and a steady hand under hers. As other family members noticed, their eyes widened as well.

  “Either my bladder stopped working, or my water just broke,” Cairo flushed embarrassedly.

  Israel’s eyes trailed down to Cairo’s leg and then to the hardwood floor where there was a small puddle.

  “It’s time?” Israel asked as his eyes returned to Cairo’s.

  The best she could do was nod as a sharp stabbing pain tore through her midsection. Aziza and Catherine both leaped to their feet and moved in Cairo’s direction.

  “Mmm,” she groaned, her knees buckling under her. “I need to sit for a minute.” She whispered.

  Israel held on to Cairo as she started to ease down to the seat and then stopped.

  “I don’t want to wet anything else up,” she hummed.

  “Don’t you worry about that,” Aziza smiled. “There’s no furniture here that can’t be cleaned or replaced. You and our grandbaby, on the other hand, are irreplaceable.”

  Only after Aziza’s heartfelt words was Cairo okay with sitting down even though she was in an extraordinary amount of pain, greater than she’d ever experienced with any endometriosis episode. Cairo eased back down to the seat, thinking that she had been much more comfortable sitting before, sitting would be better. But as her bottom hit the soft chair, another jolt of maddening pain moved through her.

  “Is that another contraction, Cairo?” Her mother asked, concerned.

  “I think so if pain indicates another one,” she uttered.

  “We probably should get her to the hospital, Israel,” Catherine advised.

  “I’ll call the ambulance,” Aya offered.

  “No, I can get her there faster,” Israel replied.

  “Babe, can you walk?”

  Before Cairo could answer, Israel made the decision for her. Reaching down, he gently placed Cairo’s arm around his neck and then lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his frame. The baby shower guests cleared a path for her.

  “I’ll drive,” Ameer suggested, noting how anxious his brother looked.

  Israel nodded in agreement and followed Ameer out of the house and to his car. Ameer opened the back-passenger door. Israel eased Cairo in, before climbing in the back seat with her. Ameer closed the door and then raced around to the driver’s side, climbing in, and starting the ignition.

  “Mercy General,” Israel called out.

  “Got it,” Ameer replied, putting the car in drive, and pulling out onto the drive that led to the front gate.

  “Just hold on, babe. Everything’s gonna be alright.”

  Cairo nodded her head as she leaned against her husband. Israel pulled his cell phone from his pocket and hit the speed dial button for Dr. Jameson.

  “Cairo’s in labor. We’re on our way.”

  “I’ll meet you there.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Mercy Hospital

  Maternity Ward

  Ameer navigated the highway like an expert, darting between slow-moving cars and flooring it when the lane was clear. He kept looking in his rearview mirror to ensure his maneuvers weren’t too jarring for Cairo. And when she moaned or groaned, Ameer’s eyes trailed back to the mirror. His eyes widened, and he made eye contact with his brother to see if there was anything else, he could do to help. Ameer exited the highway and slowed down some on the side streets. He gave a courtesy nod at the stop signs. He really didn’t worry too much about getting a ticket. Ameer didn’t intend to allow anything or anyone to stop him from getting Cairo to the hospital as quickly as possible. He took the turn into the hospital damn near on two wheels and pulled right up to the emergency room door. Slamming the car into park, Ameer exited the car just as Israel did.

  “I’ll get someone inside,” Ameer called out as he rushed towards the sliding glass doors. Israel heard what his brother said, but his thoughts were occupied by his wife.

  “Okay, babe, we’re here,” Israel hummed. “Easy now, take your time,” he encouraged Cairo as she slid to the edge of the seat.

  Before she could lift up, Ameer was back with a wheelchair and two medical personnel in tow.

  “Thanks, bro,” Israel uttered as Ameer held the chair. Israel lifted Cairo from the car and helped lower her into the chair. Israel and Ameer changed positions, and Israel took the handles of the chair and moved it quickly but cautiously through the glass doors. When Cairo groaned again, doubling over in pain, a jolt of pain swept through to Israel’s core. No sooner than they crossed the threshold of the glass emergency room doors, medical personnel were rushing in their direction.

  “My wife’s in labor,” Israel hastily explained.

  “We’ll take her from here,” one of the medics advised.

  “Dr. Jameson is expecting us,” Israel continued as he strolled alongside, his eyes vacillating from his wife to the direction they were headed and back to Cairo again.

  “Bae,” Cairo breathed as she held her belly. There was such incredible pressure in her lower gut, such incredible movement, churning, and reeling inside her belly, it scared her. She reached for Israel, who was right there to take her hand. Israel was scared, too. She was only eight months and seemed to be in so much pain Israel feared something was wrong. Although after the first sonogram, the doctor cleared the concern regarding the heart murmur, what if the problem resurfaced and made the baby come early? What if it was something else, they hadn’t anticipated?

  The medical technicians wheeled Cairo to the elevator and pressed the button for obstetrics. Immediately, Israel’s eyes traveled to the number above the door, and as he squeezed Cairo’s hand and she squeezed his back, Israel watched the numbers lower. But the elevator wasn’t coming fast enough for him.

  “Come on,” he hummed impatiently, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Come on.”

  Cairo was hurting, and it was killing Israel.

  “Come on!”

  “Isn’t there a faster way,” Israel asked, turning to the technician.

  “Sorry, sir. This is the fastest,” he answered.

  The car couldn’t get there fast enough for Israel or Cairo.

  “Ssahhh,” she yelped as another round of pains ignited in her gut.

  Israel was just about to lose what was left of his patience when the car finally dinged and the door opened in front of them.

  “Let’s go,” Israel commanded, not allowing not even a millisecond of time to be wasted.

  The tech was responsive and spun Cairo’s wheelchair around one hundred and eighty degrees to back her into the elevator space. The tech pushed the button to direct the elevator car to the obstetrics floor. Israel positioned himself in front of the door, not allowing anyone else who needed to ride to enter. He did not relinquish his protective position until the elevator door closed in front of him. Just as before, everyone, except Cairo, watched the numbers above the elevator changed. She couldn’t afford to stretch out and look up. It hurt too much.

  This time, when the door opened, Israel was the first one out. He felt like they were closer to getting his wife some help. He looked in both directions of the long hallway as the tech wheeled
his wife out of the elevator before the doors closed.

  “Mr. Ali?”

  Israel turned in the direction of the voice that called his name.

  “Dr. Jameson,” he sighed, relieved.

  Jameson walked quickly in her patients' direction.

  “Let’s get her to birthing room 435, Dr. Jameson instructed. The tech was responsive and started moving Cairo expeditiously in that direction with Israel and the doctor fast stepping behind him. There was a nurse waiting at the door and opened it to receive Cairo. Things started moving very fast. Before Israel was fully in the room, Dr. Jameson and her assistants had Cairo up out of the chair and onto the bed. Israel took a position as close to Cairo as he could get without getting in the way. There were several machines already positioned at the head of the bed, and Dr. Jameson had her stethoscope out and had lifted Cairo’s shirt to take a listen. Everyone stopped what they were doing so the doctor could concentrate.

  “Cairo, when was your last contraction?” The doctor asked.

  “A few minutes ago, it feels like,” Cairo uttered.

  “Nurse, let’s get her something to take the edge off,” Jameson instructed.

  “Wait! Will that hurt the baby?” Cairo asked, alarmed.

  “No,” Dr. Jameson explained. “But if you’d rather not, we don’t have to.”

  “I don’t want to take anything,” Cairo replied. “Not yet.”

  “That’s fine,” Jameson agreed. “But if the pain gets unbearable, let us know, and we will see what we can do to help.”

  “I need to check you to see how far along you are, okay?”

  Cairo nodded her head.

  “Do you feel like you can change out of your clothes and put on your gown,” Jameson asked.

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “I’ll help her,” Israel stepped in. Cairo had a slight reprieve. She was grateful for that, and so was Israel. He helped Cairo out of bed, and with one of the other nurses on the opposite side, they helped Cairo to the large restroom. Israel stepped in with her and helped his wife to undress.

  “Babe, if you want to take something, if the pain gets too bad, do what you need to,” Israel said as he unclasped Cairo’s bra and held her eyes with his own.

  “I will, babe, but I don’t want to do anything to hurt our baby,” she replied.

  “And the doctor won’t let you,” Israel answered. “If it weren’t okay, she wouldn’t recommend it. Just know, whatever you decide to do about the pain, I support you. I just hate to see you hurting so bad. It kills me.”

  “I know,” Cairo smiled, and I love you for it.”

  Israel bent his lengthy frame in half so Cairo could use him to balance herself as he eased her pants and underwear down. She stepped out of everything, and Israel cleared her footpath before standing back up. He did pause mid-ascent to kiss Cairo’s belly one last time while their baby was still inside. He helped Cairo slip on her gown and, reaching behind her, tied the ties in a bow.

  “Love you, babe,” Israel smiled, kissing her lips. His brow was furrowed, and Cairo knew he was worried. She also knew that he would be the strength she needed to get through this.

  “Okay, let’s go,” Cairo urged. “I feel another contraction coming.”

  Israel couldn’t get Cairo back to her bed and the care of the doctor fast enough. He almost picked her up, but Cairo managed to walk the few feet and make it back before the full-on contraction hit. The nurse and Dr. Jameson monitored the duration of the contraction, and when it was over, the doctor did a physical examination of Cairo’s cervix.

  Cairo gasped when she felt the doctor insert fingers into her opening and rub the sides. “You’re almost six centimeters dilated and fully effaced.”

  “What does that mean, doctor?” Israel asked. Although they had read loads of material on what to expect, met with doulas, and went to Lamaze classes, all that information seemed to have faded from thought as he stood in the moment.

  “It means that we will have a baby very soon, Mr. Ali,” Dr. Jameson replied. “You’re not squeamish, are you?”

  Israel shrugged his shoulders. “Nah, I’m good, doc,” he smiled.

  “Okay, just making sure because things are about to get messy,” she smiled in return.

  Even if Israel could be squeamish, which wouldn’t make him less than a man, this was not the time for it. He would do whatever he had to in order to stand strong for his wife. He was an Alpha male by nature, and nothing would keep him from being there for Cairo. Just then, Israel’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He reached in and pulled the phone out.

  “Hey, bro.”

  “Hey, Ameer. What’s up?”

  “How’s Cairo holding up?”

  “She’s a trooper man, for real. In pain, but holding it together.”

  “What floor are you guys on?”

  “You’re sticking around?” Israel asked.

  “Of course,” Ameer chuckled. “I’m getting ready to have a niece or nephew, the first one. I am here, bro. Oh, and not just me.”

  “Who’s here?”

  “Everybody,” Ameer smiled.

  “Fourth floor, room 435. There should be a waiting room at the end of the hall.”

  “It might not be big enough,” Ameer chortled.

  “Hold on a sec,” Israel said.

  Excuse me, doctor,” Israel asked, still on the line with Ameer. “Can Cairo’s mom come in for a minute?”

  “Sure, but that’s up to our mommy to be.”

  “I want my mom and yours, too,” Cairo smiled as the nurses hooked her up to the monitoring machines.

  “Ameer, when you all get upstairs, would you send our moms to the room, please?”

  “Sure thing, bro. Talk to you soon.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Mercy Hospital

  Maternity Ward

  “I can’t,” Cairo breathed as the pains began hitting her closer and closer together. Her bed had been adjusted in the birthing position, with Cairo sitting higher up so she could push when called upon to do so. She held on to Israel’s hand and squeezed it so hard it was actually painful. But he was willing to take that pain and any other discomfort he could from Cairo to help her get through it.

  “Come on, breathe with me, sweet,” Israel encouraged, capturing her eyes to help Cairo focus. He breathed in, and Cairo followed suit.

  “That’s good, babe, breathe deep and blow it out slow, just like we practiced,” Israel reassured.

  “Mmhmm,” she nodded, doing her best to do what her husband asked.

  The door to the birthing room opened, and Aziza and Catherine walked in.

  “Cairo?” Catherine sighed as she saw her daughter’s face riddled with pain.

  “Mom,” Cairo sighed and tried to smile, seeing her mother come into the room. “Mom in love,” she greeted Aziza.

  “Hey, baby,” Catherine smiled, her brow wrinkled from the discomfort she saw on her daughter’s face.

  Aziza smiled as well. She knew very well what the pains and joy of labor and birth were like, so she immediately sympathized with Cairo.

  “What do you need us to do, son?” Aziza said, turning to Israel. Israel was glad his mother, both mothers, were there to be support to Cairo as well as himself and to bear witness. He turned to his wife. He wouldn’t dare impose his needs or wishes on her circumstances.

  “I want you both here with us,” Cairo replied.

  “Well, everybody needs to get in position because we’re getting ready to have a baby,” Dr. Jameson added.

  Israel’s thick brows pitched high on his head. It felt like things were moving way fast, faster than he thought they would.

  “Israel, if you would move down this way, and help Cairo hold her leg back on this side. And grand moms, if you want to see the baby being born, if you all would come on this side and help Cairo, one closer to her head and one to help Cairo hold her leg back, I think we’ll be just about there.

  Everyone fell in line, following Dr. James
on’s instructions.

  “Cairo, you are doing so well. You are fully dilated, and we’re ready for the first push, okay? So, when you feel the contraction, I want you to bear down, but don’t push until I tell you too, understand?”

  Cairo nodded her head. she was in pain, nervous, anxious, and excited. She had been so wary during her pregnancy that something would go wrong, that her body would fail her in the worst possible way, that her body would place their baby at risk. And every morning she woke up with her belly still swollen and every time she felt their baby kick, Cairo was grateful. That feeling of life growing inside her was miraculous, and now, she was on the precipice of pushing through all the pain to see her precious baby. No matter how hard it was, Cairo was going to do it. She couldn’t wait to see what she and Israel created from love.

  Dr. Jameson did one last check. Her eyes turned to the monitor when she heard the increased beep. It was the start of a new contraction.

  “Okay, Cairo, ride the beginnings of this one, and when I tell you to, I want you to push, low in your pelvis.”

  Cairo panted a few breaths as she felt the pains begin to shoot through her.

  “Okay, push, Cairo,” Dr. Jameson encouraged.

  Israel’s eyes were fixed on Cairo. Her brow was dotted with sweat as she groaned through the first push, her body tensing with the doctor’s instruction.

  “Good, good, now just one moment.”

  The doctor checked the baby’s position. “The baby’s head is down and right at the top of the birth canal, so you’re going to feel a lot of pressure. Focus your energy on your pelvis and push. Come on, Cairo, push. That’s it.”

  Cairo’s head fell between her shoulders as she exerted all her energy into pushing her baby out. The low abiding pain felt constant, and she didn’t think there was any relief in sight. Yet, Cairo refused to give up. They’d come too far, been through too much, prayed too hard for her to give in.

  “You’ve got this, babe. You are doing so well. I love you so much,” Israel said. His breath was nearly as jagged as Cairo’s as he tried to breathe with her and reign in his own angst.