Emily

A scream tears through me as I go through the worst pain I've ever felt. I don't know why I never listened, my mom always said childbirth was incredibly painful. She was right.

The nurses run around me as I squeeze Mom's hand. Just as the doctor walks in, another contraction hits and I think I'm being torn apart. He goes to check me and every mother out there knows that it is more uncomfortable than you would think.

"Looks like you're ready to start pushing Dr.Shaw."

"Thank God." The room laughs and another contraction comes over me. I start to push and as the monitor beside me shows contractions spiking.

I don't even really remember the next hour until I hear a cry.

"It's a girl! Congratulations!" says Dr. Davidson. I met him 7 months ago after the second line appeared on the pregnancy test. Those two lines brought me so much fear, but even more happiness.

Some nurse hands me my little girl. Her eyes are closed and she has this serene look on her face, she couldn't be any more beautiful.

"She's gorgeous isn't she." I say through tears.

"She looks just like you did. The same look and all." My mom is crying too, she has talked about grandkids for years and this probably not the way she thought she would get a grandbaby, but she has been supportive anyway.

I just wish he was here for this. He being my new baby's father, Braxton. I may not have many memories of him, but I know he would have been here.

I met Braxton 9 months ago in a dive bar during my cousin's bachelorette party. He sent me a drink and when I went to thank him, he asked for a dance. His body screamed sex, his muscles had muscles.

I agreed to one dance, after all I knew that if I spent too much time with my hands on that fine ass there was no way I was going home alone. After too many tequila shots and definitely more than one dance, he took me to his place.

He worshipped my body for hours, I didn't get more than 3 hours of sleep that night or his last name. I never regretted that night, but I did regret two of my decisions. The first, not getting his last name or anyway to contact him. And the second, leaving the next morning after calling a cab and not looking around his neighborhood for anything to remember the place by.

Those regrets came 6 weeks later when I was hunched over the toilet puking up my guts.

I'm torn out of my thoughts when she lets out an adorable little screech. They place her on my chest and I get to hold her for a minute. Then they take her away, to clean her.

The doctors help deliver the placenta and then I can bring my full attention to my little girl.

The nurse to my left turns to me, "She needs to do some newborn testing, it should only take about half an hour. You should get some rest. Visiting hours will start in a few hours and I'm sure you will have people wanting to see that beautiful little girl."

"Thank you." I turn to my mom and give her a little smile.

"Good job honey, you should get some rest. When you wake up I want to know her name!"

I nod as I close my eyes and think about Braxton. I wish I could have found him, turns out it is a lot harder to find one man named Braxton in Houston. The chances of me ever finding him took a nosedive when I moved back home to Baytown. It may only be a half an hour drive, but I know the only outings I will be taking soon are to the doctor and the grocery.

I just hope I can be a good mom and dad to Cora Hazel Shaw.