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Annie grimaced, her suspended legs tightening. She changed her mind. She didn't want to go through this. There was a time when a woman could have changed her mind at any point during the nine months, and spared herself this experience. But these days, no such choice existed. From the moment of conception, this was coming. Then again, she hadn't really had a choice about that either, had she? Women didn't have choice about much.

Branson stroked her smooth shoulder, and then squeezed it like he might a hand.

"You'll be okay, Annie," he said through a hopeful grin. "Focus on me, okay? Remember your list if it's a boy?"

Annie shut her tears away behind closed lids and nodded.

"Victor... Thomas... Evan..." She groaned.

"What else?"

"Zachary... Frederick... oh, it hurts. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

Branson softly shushed her and brushed some brown hair aside. "And if it's a girl?"

"Rose," Annie gasped. "Just Rose."

She couldn't speak after that, because it was time to push. And push.

And push.

Words of encouragement spewed forth from Branson and Dr. Truman's mouths, but they passed through Annie's ears like white noise. Only one exclamation - the only one that mattered - found its way to her consciousness.

"It's a boy!" Branson gently shook her shoulder. "I can see his arms, see? We have a boy!"

A boy. Relief flooded Annie's mind, and a surge of motivation followed. She would finish bringing this boy into the world, and she would watch him grow, and play, and seize his opportunities. She smiled as she imagined Branson teaching him to feed himself and dress himself and catch a ball. The smile melted, however, as a pained twist overtook her face for the final pushes.

It was over. And so was the encouragement. Instead of cries of glee and congratulations, there was silence.

"What's wrong?" Annie heaved. "Is he okay? Is he alive?"

"It... it's alive," Dr. Truman said.

Annie tried to wriggle her torso up to see, but her legs in the stirrups made this futile.

"Then what's wrong?" she shouted hoarsely.

"It's a girl."

Description
Annie grimaced, her suspended legs tightening. She changed her mind. She didn't want to go through this. There was a time when a woman could have changed her mind at any point during the nine months, and spared herself this experience. But these days, no such choice existed. From the moment of conception, this was coming. Then again, she hadn't really had a choice about that either, had she? Women didn't have choice about much.

Branson stroked her smooth shoulder, and then squeezed it like he might a hand.

"You'll be okay, Annie," he said through a hopeful grin. "Focus on me, okay? Remember your list if it's a boy?"

Annie shut her tears away behind closed lids and nodded.

"Victor... Thomas... Evan..." She groaned.

"What else?"

"Zachary... Frederick... oh, it hurts. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

Branson softly shushed her and brushed some brown hair aside. "And if it's a girl?"

"Rose," Annie gasped. "Just Rose."

She couldn't speak after that, because it was time to push. And push.

And push.

Words of encouragement spewed forth from Branson and Dr. Truman's mouths, but they passed through Annie's ears like white noise. Only one exclamation - the only one that mattered - found its way to her consciousness.

"It's a boy!" Branson gently shook her shoulder. "I can see his arms, see? We have a boy!"

A boy. Relief flooded Annie's mind, and a surge of motivation followed. She would finish bringing this boy into the world, and she would watch him grow, and play, and seize his opportunities. She smiled as she imagined Branson teaching him to feed himself and dress himself and catch a ball. The smile melted, however, as a pained twist overtook her face for the final pushes.

It was over. And so was the encouragement. Instead of cries of glee and congratulations, there was silence.

"What's wrong?" Annie heaved. "Is he okay? Is he alive?"

"It... it's alive," Dr. Truman said.

Annie tried to wriggle her torso up to see, but her legs in the stirrups made this futile.

"Then what's wrong?" she shouted hoarsely.

"It's a girl."