Arrival
January 10,1970
“Oh god, not again.” Cinnamon said quietly trying not to wake Rollin.
He heard her and rolled over to her. “Hey, you okay?”
“No.” She said.
“Contractions again?” He asked moving up next to her.
She nodded as she pressed her hands against her swollen belly. “Worse this time.”
“What can I do?”
“Get me to the hospital!”
That put him into motion. He jumped from the bed and pulled on his sweatpants.
“Where’s your bag?” He called headed for the bathroom.
“Closet.” She responded.
He took her robe from the hook in the bath and went to her. She was calmer now. He pulled her bag from the closet.
“Here, lets put this on.” He said reaching to help her from bed.
She grasped his outstretched hand and pulled herself to the edge of the bed.
“Okay?” He asked helping her to put on the robe.
She looked up into his blue eyes. “Not exactly what I expected. This hurts…a lot.”
He gave her a weak smile and helped her to stand. “I bet it does. “ He responded as he moved his arm about her.
He walked with her to the living room, pausing only to get the suitcase.
They almost made it to the car before the next contraction began as they were crossing the parking garage.
She held onto his hands as he stood in front of her. “What can I do?” He asked again.
She just glared at him as she concentrated on the pain.
Soon it had passed and they were in the car rolling toward the hospital. It was five in the morning on Saturday and Rollin didn’t bother with traffic lights.
Two contractions later he pulled into the emergency entrance of the hospital. Cinnamon’s water broke was she was being helped into a wheelchair at the emergency entrance. Her doctor was paged immediately as she had been pre-admitted.
He was stopped as he tried to follow as the nurses wheeled Cinnamon away. A nurse told him to wait. She would come for him she said as she took Cinnamon’s bag from him.
He paced the hallway where they had taken her, watching for any sign that he was needed.
Half an hour later he saw a gurney coming through a door. He moved toward it. They were taking Cinnamon to the delivery room. He caught up with it and looked down at Cinnamon and took her hand, which she grasped hard.
“Opening night.” He said grinning down at her.
Cinnamon met his eyes and nodded. The contraction was easing off but the epidural she’d been given had not yet to taken its full effect.
He was stopped again as they passed through the double doors to the delivery room.
“I love you.” He called as the doors closed.
A nurse came through the double doors. “Sir, the waiting room is just down the hall to the right. We’ll come for you when we know something.” She said.
Rollin nodded but continued to watch the gurney glide down the hall.
Eventually he went to the waiting room and paced. He wished for a cigarette for something to do, but didn’t have any. He had no money. He had left his wallet at the apartment. He was stranded, he thought as he paced the small room. He had been in LA for months now. After leaving ‘the company’, he had begun rehearsing for the play that had he had just opened. He knew it was important for him to be there for Cinnamon now. It had taken him a long time to work his way back into her heart. He loved her like he had loved no other woman, but still being faithful was something foreign to him. But when he saw her carrying his child, everything changed for him. He had become possessive of her. He wanted to be there for her and the baby and he made every effort to make that clear to her.
Two hours later, Barney, Paula, Willy and Maria walked into the waiting room where he waited. Rollin turned as the door opened, hoping it was the nurse. He smiled as the four familiar faces came through the door.
“How?” Rollin asked.
“We have an inside connection.” Barney said with a nod at Maria.
He shook his head, not understanding.
Maria moved to him. “I knew she’d been having contractions yesterday. When I called this morning and you didn’t answer, I called the hospital.”
Rollin smiled at Maria and gave her a quick hug. “I’m glad you’re all here.” He turned and shook the men’s hands and kissed Paula’s cheek.
“Thanks for coming.” He said to Paula.
“Are you a papa yet?” Paula asked.
Rollin shook his head. “I thought it’d be over by now.” Rollin said nervously.
On cue the nurse entered the room. “Mr. Hand?” She called confused as she looked up from the chart because the names didn’t match.
“Yes.” Rollin spoke up and took a step forward.
“Congratulations, you have a daughter, seven pounds six ounces. Miss Carter is doing just fine, you’ll be able to see her in a little while.” She said.
Rollin’s face broke into a wide grin as the both Willy and Barney slapped him on the back and Paula hugged him. “Congratulations, Rollin.” She said.
He looked at them in awe. “A daughter.” He said softly.
Maria was standing near the window, saying a silent prayer then made the sign of the cross on her chest.
Barney handed him a cigar. “There you go, Rollin. What every new father needs.”
He took the cigar and sat down in a nearby chair.
“A daughter.” He said again, disbelieving the news. It suddenly hit home with him that he now had a tremendous responsibility in the world.
The foursome waited with the impatient new father as he once again began pacing the room.
Half an hour later the nurse returned and led the group to Cinnamon’s room. The nurse opened the door for Rollin. “One at time.” She instructed.
Rollin entered to find Cinnamon sitting up in bed with the newborn bundle in her arms.
She smiled as Rollin walked slowly toward the bed. “She won’t bite, Rollin.”
Rollin stared at them in disbelief. “She’s beautiful.” He said looking at the tiny face.
Cinnamon held the baby out to him. “Come on dad, you’d better get used to it.” She said.
Rollin took the bundle carefully, almost afraid to touch her.
“Hi there, kiddo.” He said looking down at his newborn daughter, touching his lips to her forehead, noticing the fine fuzz that covered her head.
He smiled at Cinnamon as he handed their baby back to her. He leaned down and kissed her.
“You okay?” He asked.
She nodded looking at the baby. “Fine.”
Rollin sat beside them, his broad proud grin in place.
Maria opened the door slowly and poked her head in. “May I?” She asked.
They both waved her in.
“Welcome to the world, little one.” Maria said, admiring the child.
The door opened slightly and Barney stuck his head in the room. “Got room for a couple more?” He asked.
Cinnamon looked up and beamed. “Yes!”
The threesome entered the room quietly, so as not to disturb the newborn. Each gave Cinnamon a kiss on the cheek and took turns admiring the baby.
“So what will you name her?” Willy asked, looking at Cinnamon.
Cinnamon looked up at Rollin, who stood next to her bed. “Jennifer?” She asked.
Rollin nodded, having not gotten rid of his goofy grin.
“That’s a nice name.” Willy said.
A nurse entered the room and surveyed the situation. “I said one at a time.” She scolded them.
“My fault.” Cinnamon admitted.
The nurse shook her head, “I doubt it,” looking at Cinnamon, “time for the little miss to rest. “
“Jennifer.” Cinnamon corrected.
“Oh!” She exclaimed. “Well, Jennifer needs to rest, she’s had a busy day.”
Cinnamon smiled at the nurse, as she was about to take the baby.
“Just a minute.” Rollin interrupted.
She stopped. Rollin pulled a camera from his jacket pocket and handed it to Barney. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to have picture with my daughter on her birthday.”
Rollin sat down beside Cinnamon and she placed their child in his arms. Barney snapped the picture of the threesome.
Rollin kissed Jennifer’s forehead again and the nurse dove in the middle to retrieve the child from Rollin. “Now Miss Carter has had a big day too, so let her get some rest, too.”
They all nodded their agreement as she left with the newborn.
Cinnamon looked at the group assembled around her bed. “Thanks for coming. It means a lot to us.” She said reaching to take Rollin’s hand.
“Wouldn’t have missed it.” Barney said as he wrapped an arm around Paula.
Willy stood beside Cinnamon’s bed smiling at the new parents, “You two did a good job, she’s really pretty.”
“Thanks Will,” Rollin said getting up to see them out.
They all followed Barney to the door to leave. Paula stopped, turned back to Cinnamon and gave her a wink. “Welcome to the club.”
Cinnamon beamed at her friend and nodded.
Rollin stepped outside and shook hands with each of them and thanked them for coming.
“I think we’ll stop by the nursery on the way out.” Willy said.
Rollin watched them leave and stepped back inside.
Maria stepped back from the door to let him in. She had helped Cinnamon settle back into bed a little more. “I’m going to go.” She said to him. “Don’t stay too long.” She chided him as she stepped through the door.
He sat down beside Cinnamon, his perpetual grin in place.
“She’s perfect, sweetheart.” He said.
Cinnamon smiled and took his hand in hers as he leaned forward and kissed her gently. “I love you.”
She caressed his check as his lips left hers. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’ll always be here for you and Jennifer, forever.”
She met his eyes and saw his sincerity there. She sighed.
“Tired?” He asked.
She nodded.
“I should let you rest.” He said moving from the edge of the bed.
“No, don’t go. Stay with me.”
He looked around the room and spotted a chair. He released her hand and pulled the chair next to her bed.
“Okay, but you should try and get some sleep.” He said sitting next to her, taking her hand between his.
“I sleep better when you’re next to me.”
He rose from his chair and kissed her softly. “I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”
He said kissing her again. “Now close your eyes and rest.”
She did as he asked as he sat down and took her hand and gently kissed her fingers. He watched her as she relaxed to sleep. She was more beautiful than he had ever seen her. He sat there watching her. He was truly amazed by her. Her telltale mommy-to-be belly was gone and she looked like she’d just wake and be ready to go home. He knew that would not be the case. Together they had read all the baby books they could in anticipation. He had also called on Barney for any advice he could give, which was ‘nod and say yes dear’ to any and all requests. He soon found out it was the best advice he had ever been given.
He was truly overwhelmed by the events of the last few hours. He had just been handed the biggest role of his life. He was now a father and he knew that it was one role he was going to master.
THE END
Elena Vorska
September, 2001