They Call Me Nonnie Quin

Last night, Miss H called me.

"Mom, I'm in the hospital. I've been having labour pains for the last few days, and, well, this is it."

Being a sensible parent, I asked, "Did you ask for drugs yet?"

Being a sensible daughter she responded, "Of course. I told them my mom taught me if I was meant to have a baby surrounded in pain, I'd be squatting in a field in the year 1830."

That's my girl!

The drip and the antibiotics she needs to fend off a severe infection she picked up that seems to be showing up in more and more pregnant women stayed in her arm and back all during the night. Her dad drove the three hours from his home to be with her. We giggled on the phone, calling each other Grandpa and Nonnie.

Then I cried, because I've been there since she was six months old.

I wasn't there when I wanted to be... there were three events I needed to be around my children for this summer, I could only pick one, and that was the wedding, when I could be around all of them at the same time... then the Jarhead got deployed, ruining that plan.

We spoke off and on all night, she was at 3 centimeters, then 5.... so tired, her lips struggling to make words.

Her dad started to take the calls... I slept for a few hours, then rang again this morning.

"She's at 8.... she's been there for hours. If she doesn't move, they are going to do a C-Section."

I started to look at airline tickets.

It was emotional for me.... I raised her, and her natural mother was there, cooing along, the woman who walked away from both Miss H and The Slumlord years ago. It's a struggle to not want to yell she shouldn't be there.

At 11.45A my time, the 4 was getting ready to go underground... no one was answering any phones. My stress level rose higher.

I went for two hours, no one answering a phone... no one sending any messages.

Then, at 2.15PM, my phone rang.

I could hear her in the background, little Zori, who popped into the world at 11.55AM, MST... a week late.


I'm a Nonnie.

No, it's not the grandma name I'd have chosen.. I grew up with MawMaw's...

Nonnie.

I was going for Miss Quin, but, hey, we can't have everything.