bookblather: John Hannah with folded arms smiling at the camera. (in the heart : hugh : john hannah)
bookblather ([personal profile] bookblather) wrote in [community profile] rainbowfic2012-01-05 10:07 pm

Fire Opal 4, White Opal 14, Neon 6: Crossroads

Author: Kat
Title: Crossroads
Story: In The Heart
Colors: Fire opal 4 (ardent), white opal 14 (fool's paradise), neon 6 (special) with Kelly's paint-by-numbers [Olivia is this.].
Supplies and Materials: Minature collection, canvas, charcoal (Yvonne).
Word Count: 600.
Rating: PG-13 for swearing
Summary: The birth day of Olivia Marhenke.
Warnings: none for this... well, except for Yvonne.
Notes: Hugh is in his residency at this time, which is why he's spending days at the hospital.


Yvonne hated being pregnant. The acne that marred her carefully-maintained skin, the damn stretch marks, the strange cravings and the constant need to pee-- and worse of all, she was fat, goddamnit, she who'd never been fat once in her entire life. She couldn't wait to get the damn parasite out of her and into its father's care, where it damn well belonged.

Assuming, of course, that Hugh really was its father.

She didn't care either way. He believed that he was, and he'd agreed to care for it, which was all she was interested in.

Not much longer now.



Any day now.

Hugh hated to go to work, hated to leave Yvonne alone for days at a stretch when any day now, their child would be born.

Their child. They didn't know the gender-- Yvonne hadn't asked; he thought she wanted to be surprised-- and he'd be happy with either, but in his heart, he hoped for a little girl. He'd even picked out a name, Emily.

She would have Yvonne's blonde hair and his brown eyes, Yvonne's pretty smile and his surgeon's hands, and she would be the sweetest, prettiest little girl ever to breathe.

He couldn't wait.



She went into labor just after Hugh left for the hospital, which was beyond irritating. Half an hour later and she could have made him drive. As it was, she called a taxi and grumbled all the way, then waddled her way into the ER and demanded an epidural.

The bitch nurse wouldn't give her the drugs, but she did check her in and call Hugh. Yvonne almost stopped her-- the last thing she needed was Hugh fussing -- but he might as well be there.

Besides, the bitch would listen to him. Then she'd have to give an epidural.



It was a short labor, thankfully for his nerves-- Yvonne was on enough drugs that she didn't even seem to notice, but it wrecked him, watching what they did to her. But the end result, the tiny baby girl squalling in his arms, oh, she was worth it.

The obstrician, a friend of his, had dumped her in his arms and gone back to Yvonne, and now he stood enthralled, tracing her features. She was nothing he'd imagined-- brown hair, blue eyes, tiny fists, howling mouth-- and everything he ever could have dreamed.

"Emily," he whispered, and stroked her forehead.



"No," Yvonne said, or snapped, rather.

She hadn't meant to snap. Snapping didn't keep men. But the drugs were wearing off and the bitch nurse refused to give her more and she hurt, damn it. And Hugh didn't look angry, just a little hurt.

"Not Emily?" he asked.

"It's an ugly name," she said. "So stuck up. The kids will think she's a bitch."

"Oh." Hugh looked down at the baby sleeping in his arms. "What would you like to name her?"

Like she gave a damn. "Olivia," she said, at random.

"Olivia," Hugh repeated. He sounded besotted.

Yvonne frowned.



Yvonne was too exhausted for anything more, so Hugh did the paperwork and birth certificate himself. Mother: Yvonne Wright Marhenke. Father: it gave him a little glow of joy to write his own name. And baby's name: Olivia Emily, his small rebellion.

But really, Yvonne had chosen well; Olivia was a lovely name. Olivia Emily Marhenke.

The nursery staff let him come in and hold her. Yvonne had been too tired to nurse so he bottlefed her himself, holding her against his heartbeat.

"Olivia," he whispered.

She curled a tiny fist around his finger, and Hugh Marhenke lost his heart.
sarcasticsra: A picture of a rat snuggling a teeny teddy bear. (Default)

[personal profile] sarcasticsra 2012-01-06 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
Oh Hugh, you are so cute.

Yvonne...just go stand over there.

Well done!
isana: Disney's Mulan (mulan)

[personal profile] isana 2012-01-06 05:48 am (UTC)(link)
Good God, when Yvonne referred to Olivia-in-utero as "it," I was just like, "oh, brother." I loved Hugh and his excitement at becoming a daddy, though. That made it all worth it.
subluxate: Sophia Bush leaning against a piano (Default)

[personal profile] subluxate 2012-01-06 06:29 am (UTC)(link)
Oh Hugh, you are so sweet. Though pretty deluded if you think Yvonne was going to breastfeed.

Yvonne, just...no. No.
kay_brooke: Side view of a laptop with text "Being an author is like being in charge of your own personal insane asylum" (writing quote)

[personal profile] kay_brooke 2012-01-06 05:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, the contrast between their POVs is just heartbreaking (although I do have to agree that Olivia is a lovely name).
shipwreck_light: (Default)

[personal profile] shipwreck_light 2012-01-07 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
"Olivia," Hugh repeated. He sounded besotted.

That is just the most perfect visual. Erm, aural.

Thank you for sharing :D.