Chapter 10
Felicia Pruitt wasn’t really liked by her family.
Everyone in the family focused on her younger sister, Mabel Pruitt.
Felicia was going to have her second baby today, but the whole family was at Mabel’s cello concert.
Felicia called her son, Ambrose Lucero.
She saw Ambrose’s little face on the screen, but he pouted and complained, “Mom, why are you calling me now? Auntie Mabel’s concert is about to start, and Dad said we couldn’t take calls during it!”
“Ambi, is that your mom again?” Felicia’s mother–in–law, Yvonne Wade, popped into the screen, looking annoyed. “Felicia, it’s not that we didn’t want you to come to the concert, but your due date is next week. We’re doing this for your own good.”
Felicia’s mom, Edwina Lambert, chimed in softly, “Licia, don’t be stubborn. Just stay home and rest. Don’t always try to compete with Mabel for attention. We’ll head back to Caleford after the concert tonight.”
Felicia felt a pang in her heart.
Competing for attention? When had she ever done that?
“Mom, I got bumped by someone outside the hospital just now, and I’m about to have the baby,” Felicia said, her voice shaking a bit from the pain.
But no one on the other end let her finish.
The call got cut off with a click.
Felicia’s heart ached.
She wasn’t surprised by her mom’s attitude. After all, she was adopted by the Pruitt family. How could she compare to their precious darling?
She used to be the favorite in the family, but that changed three years ago. when she found out she was adopted. If Mabel hadn’t gotten lost as a kid, she wouldn’t have been adopted from the orphanage.
Over these three years, people kept telling her that she had taken everything that belonged to Mabel. Luckily, Mabel was adopted by some kind people, otherwise, she might have suffered a lot more.
Since then, the whole family, including Felicia’s husband, had taken Mabel’s side.
Even her beloved son, who she held dearer than anything, wouldn’t let her finish what she was saying.
Was the concert really more important than her?
The doctor in the delivery room, mask on and eyes cold, looked at Felicia. “Ms. Pruitt, when is your family getting here? If you want to switch from. a natural birth to a C–section, both you and your family need to sign off on it.”
Felicia’s face was pale. She had no choice but to call her husband Seymour Lucero.
“Hey, Sey, I’m about to have the baby. You and Ambi need to get back right away.”
She talked for a bit, but it seemed like nobody on the other end was listening.
Chipler HE
Seymour frowned and said flatly. “Felicia? Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Dad, is that Mom?” Ambrose’s childish voice came through. But the next thing he said made Felicia’s heart drop.
“Mom is so annoying. We just talked on the phone a minute ago!
“She and Auntie Mabel are both Grandma’s daughters. Why is Auntie Mabel so nice, but she’s so annoying?
“It would be so much better if Auntie Mabel were my mom.”
Felicia’s face, already pale, drained of what little color it had left when she heard Ambrose’s words.
Her heart ached terribly, as if something vital had been ripped out of her, and she trembled all over.
Ambrose was probably talking without thinking, but what about Seymour?
He always made a big deal about teaching Ambrose good manners. Why wasn’t he stepping in now?
“Felicia?” Seymour’s voice came again, but this time he sounded a bit annoyed. “If you’re not gonna say anything, I’m hanging up.”
Felicia listened as Seymour hung up on her, a wave of sadness washed over her.
She was about to have a baby and called him for help, but he didn’t seem to care that something might be wrong.
He just hung up on her!
But back when Mabel texted him at midnight saying her stomach hurt, he
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threw on his clothes, left Felicia behind, and rushed her to the hospital.
Felicia used to think that Seymour was always cold and distant to everyone. With his frosty demeanor, she often felt too intimidated to talk. to him much.
She figured she could slowly change him with her kindness. But after Mabel came back, she learned the hard way that some things just didn’t work out, no matter how hard she tried.
Even so, when Seymour said he wanted a daughter, Felicia was willing to go through the pain of another pregnancy to have this girl.
But what about now?
She was having a baby in the hospital, and Seymour was at Mabel’s
concert.
So, only the ones who were favored could act without a care.
Felicia needed to wake up to reality.
Felicia bit her pale lips, trying to hold back the sharp pain in her stomach, and asked in a weak voice, “Can I sign for myself? It’s my baby. Can’t I decide if I want a natural birth or a C–section?”
“No! The rules say both you and a family member need to sign. Ms. Pruitt, this is causing us a lot of trouble.”
The doctor thought, “If something goes wrong, who’s gonna be responsible?
“Her family is really something else. Her husband’s family and her own. parents have all gone to her sister’s concert.
“At a time like this, how can a concert be more important than childbirth?”
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Chapter 10
“Why don’t you call your husband again?” the doctor asked.
But Felicia just stared blankly at the ceiling. The pain had numbed her. At this point, what difference did it make whether she called or not?
If she called and they still didn’t come back, wouldn’t that make her feel even more embarrassed?
She didn’t want to put herself through that.
Felicia’s face was blank. “Let me sign. If you’re worried, I’ll write that I take full responsibility for whatever happens. Is that good enough?”
“Er…” The doctor hesitated for a moment. With the water broken, they couldn’t wait any longer.
He made up his mind. “Okay, go ahead and sign. And put in that part about taking responsibility.”
Doctors couldn’t take on every risk, especially after being let down too many times.
Felicia, biting back the pain, propped herself up a bit and signed her
name.
“Thanks. Can we get the anesthesia now?”
The doctor gave her a curious glance. She was in so much pain, but she seemed to know the drill. Was it because this was her second time?
“Yeah, we’ll do it. Try not to cry. Just relax. The baby will be here soon.”
An hour later, the baby was born.
Felicia opened her eyes, feeling weak. “Can I see my baby?”
“Here you go, a baby girl about 3 kg. She’s healthy.”
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Felicia looked at the rosy, chubby baby in the nurse’s arm, who had her big, bright eyes.
“So cute. Baby, how about we call you Mina?”
The nurs
who had glanced at her phone’s contact list and saw her husband’s last name was Lucero, said, “Mina Lucero? What a pretty
name
“No.”
Since they didn’t care, Felicia decided to let them go.
She shook her head gently. “My daughter will have my last name!”
It had been six years, and it was time for her to wake up to reality.
She sent a text message to Seymour: “When you have time, let’s get the paperwork done. The son goes to you, and the daughter stays with me. From now on, we’re even!”
