Dear Readers,
It has been five years since Glenn and Amanda Splashy announced they were expecting a baby.
As far as I know, the gestation period for otters is about eight months so Amanda should be in the "Sylvania Guinness Book of Records". The good news is that , after such a long pregnacy,Glenn and Amanda are finally going to become parents.
So without further ado, here is the story. I hope you like it.
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It was lunch time. Amanda had to make a big effort to stand up from the sofa where she had been lying all morning.She wasn´t really hungry but she knew she should have something to eat. She felt tired and had back pain so she only had enough energy to heat up a canned soup.
She was about to pour the soup into the pot when Glenn got home. As soon as he looked at his wife he knew there was something wrong.
"How are you, love? Are you OK?"
"I´m not feeling my best, Glenn. I hardly got any sleep last night and have a terrible pain in my back.I even got some cramps and I had to lie down.
"Do you mean con... contractions?". Glenn remembered reading about symptons of labor and he couldn´t help feeling excitement mixed with panic and fear.
"I´m not sure Glenn, but they could be.I´m very close to the baby´s due date."
Glenn was a bundle of nerves but he tried to put on a brave face.
"Make yourself comfortable,honey.Put your feet up and I´ll bring you a cup of tea right now.You just relax while I cook your favourite fish recipe.Some comfort food will make you feel better.You´ll see".
Glenn had just put the fish in the oven when Amanda let out a little cry of pain. "Ouch!"
"Glenn, the baby is coming!" We have to go to the hospital right now! OUCH!
"Everything is going to be OK,Mandy" "Let´s go."
Glenn was terrified but he tried his best to look confident in order to reassure and support his wife.
They left their home straight away. Glenn didn´t even take off his apron. There was no time to waste.
The Splashys had thought ahead and had everything planned for their baby´s arrival .They even had the foresight to rent a car a few weeks ago to drive to the hospital.
"Ouch!Speed up Glenn or our baby will be born in the car!"
Glenn started sweating as he pictured the scene in his mind so he put his foot down.
"We´re nearly there! "There´s nothing to worry about".
Amanda was putting into practice the breathing techniques she learned at the prenatal lessons to help her calm down. As most first-time mothers she couldn´t help feeling a bit fearful but at the same time she felt confident. She was so excited! At last she was going to be able to hold her baby or babies. You know about the hunch she had a few months ago.
"Just a short ride and we´ll be at the hospital, love!"
All of a sudden,there was a thumping sound from the car and then the steering wheel started shaking but luckily Glenn managed to stop the car without mishaps.
Glenn and Amanda were shaking too! They had a bad scare!
"THAT´S THE LAST STRAW!" "A punctured tire!
"We can´t run the risk of driving to the hospital with a flat tire!".
"I´ll be right back,Mandy"."Keep breathing and don´t push!
"You should take some deep breaths too, Glenn! Hurry up and come back soon.I don´t know how much longer the baby can wait to be born!"
After walking for a while, hoping to find someone who could give them a ride to the hospital, Glenn was relieved when he saw The Cottontails who were returning home after selling their produce at the Farmers´Market.
Glenn was very nervous and worried about his wife.
Sorrel tried her best to calm him down.
"Everything is going to be OK,Glenn. We´ll arrive at the hospital in a short while."
"Mandy, I´m here, honey! The Cottontails will take us to the hospital!" Glenn shouted when they were approaching the car.
Amanda's lack of response caused both Glenn and the Cottontails to get out of the cart and run to the car as fast as they could.
"AMANDA´S GONE"! Glenn exclaimed in despair. And those shopping bags? What kind of joke is that? Where is my wife?"He cried.
Glenn was about to have a panic attack.
"Calm down, Glenn.This is Sylvania. Nothing bad could have happened to Amanda.You´ll see." Aaron tried to reassure him."
Mildred Mulberry who was riding her motorcycle,stopped when she saw Glenn and The Cottontails.
She got off her motorcycle and, seeing Glenn´s worried face, went straight to talk to him.
"Don´t worry, Glenn! Amanda is fine! She´s already in the hospital"
"Thank goodness! Thanks a million, Mrs. Mulberry" Glenn sighed in relief.
Mildred briefly explained what had happed.
"I was on my way back home after doing the shopping when I saw a car stopped in the middle of the road. I honked the horn several times but the car didn´t pull away."
"I got off the motorcycle and, as soon as I saw Amanda,I knew there was no time to waste."
"Then we headed to the hospital. I even saw her smile,Glenn."
(A little aside to tell you that Barbara Dale, who was also pregnant, has already had her twins, Sean and Shona,a couple of months ago.)
Glenn thanked Mildred for the umpteenth time for taking Amanda to the hospital
"It was my pleasure, Glenn. I´m glad I was able to help. And now hurry up! Your wife and your little one will want you by their side".
Cinnamon, the Cottontail´s pony, run faster than ever so they made it to the hospital in a few minutes. She was given a treat for galloping so fast.
As soon as they entered the hospital, Glenn, who was a bundle of nerves, asked nurse Brie how Amanda was doing.
Brie told him that everything was under control and that the baby was about to be born.
Glenn got even more anxious and said he wanted to see his wife.
"I don´t think it´s a good idea,Mr.Splashy. You´re pretty stressed out, because of everything you have been through today. I think you'd better wait until the doctor says you can come into the room." Brie advised.
Glenn , instead of following Brie´s advice , walked into the delivery room.
"Mr. Splashy, are you OK?. You don´t look well?" Nurses Brie and Mary realized straight away he was not well when they saw him turning pale.
Luckily, Brie reacted fast and prevented Glenn from falling.
"I feel a bit dizzy" He muttered.
Meanwhile, in the delivery room, Amanda was so concentrated in breathing and pushing during labor that she was anaware of what happened to his husband.
"Congratulations!Here is your daughter, Amanda".Mary handed her the baby. She was a lovely and healthy baby girl. Amanda felt like the happiest otter in Sylvania!
Although she was still in pain, her smile lit up her face when she was able to hold her baby in her arms.
Suddenly, she let out a moan of pain. Another little baby was being born.
"Breath in, then out gently and push. You´re doing very well, Amanda" Doctor Murdoch said while he was holding the baby´s little head.
Amanda´s hunch turned to be true!
In the meantime,Brie was taking care of Glenn in the waiting room. She checked his blood pressure.It was low.
Glenn was beginning to regain his colour after the dizziness and felt a bit better but his stomach was rumbling with hunger.
"When was the last time you had something to eat, Mr. Splashy? Brie asked.
"Actually, I just had breakfast quite early in the morning. I was preparing lunch when we had to head to the hospital"
"No wonder you fainted!.Your glucose level must be at an all-time low. Besides, stress, strong emotions and lack of food are not a good combination.
Come on! Take a valerian pill, drink some juice and have something to eat. You need to be back on your feet to meet your new born."
Glenn followed Brie´s advice and felt much better.
Clarise was glad to see he was fine.
"Congratulation on your babies, Mr. Splashy" Clarise exclaimed with joy. Amanda is looking forward to seeing you."
"Ba...ba...babies...did you say babies? Glenn stammered.
"Yes, you heard right .They´re lovely! Ready to meet them?"
"Of course, I am!I can´t wait!"
Glenn took of his apron and went straight to the room where his wife and the babies were. "I´m a father" he said to himself .These words made him feel thrilled and courageous.
When he entered the room he smiled broadly at his wife.
The nurses stood behind him in case he fainted again.
This time was different,seeing his wife with their newborn children made him feel like the proudest and happiest sea otter in Sylvania. He had just become a father!
"Congratulations,Glenn" Doctor Murdoch said.
"You have a very strong and brave wife and healthy and lovely babies."
The doctor and nurses left the room and let Glen and Amanda enjoy the joy of finally becoming parents after such a long pregnancy.
"Remember my hunch, Glenn?"
"Yes, of course I do".
"I actually thought we were having twins, but we had triplets"
Glenn looked at Amanda tenderly and said:"Triple the joy, my love. triple the joy".
Hearing Glenn´s kind words made Amanda feel luckier and happier than ever.
The adventure of parenthood was off to a great start for the Splashy family.
