Lucy

"Dr. Cooper, the patient in room four is ready."

 Lucy gripped the hospital bed rails and gritted her teeth. Beads of sweat fell down her face. 

 An equally sweaty nurse named Jen who had a practical short haircut and was wearing Christmas tree scrubs, hung up the phone and came around the bed, placing her cool hand on Lucy's forehead.

“It’s so damn hot in here!” Lucy groaned. 

“I know, honey. The air conditioning in the maternity ward is on the fritz. They should get it fixed soon.”

“It’s 100 degrees outside. They better get it fixed!” Another nurse strode into the room, grumbling before introducing herself. 

“I’m Steph, I'm here to monitor the baby when it’s born, which from the sounds of it shouldn’t be long.

Nurse Steph was wearing a reindeer antler headband and looked only a little older than Lucy, who was nineteen years old. 

"It's time to push. The doctor will be here shortly. So just hang tight, honey." Nurse Jen said while putting a cold cloth on Lucy’s head. “Hopefully, this cools you down a little.” 

"I wanted an epidural!" Lucy moaned helplessly. 

"I know, but we don't have time for that. It'll be over before you know it."

Lucy's mind raced, trying to land on the most pressing thing to worry about."

Her ripping, convulsing pains paused momentarily, and she laid her sweaty head back on the pillow, and took a deep breath.

"Where's Jim? I need Jim to do this," she whimpered

She saw, Nurse Jen meet eyes with Nurse Steph.

“You can do this Lucy. We’re here to help you.”

Before Lucy could wonder what the look was about, the pains started again and she clutched her burgeoning stomach.

"What aren't you telling me? Where is…" the pain intensified and she moaned involuntarily,the sound was strange and foreign in her own ears.

Is that really me? Gosh, I just want this part to be over.

She looked over gratefully as an older man in a white coat with crinkly blue eyes walked into the room. He had what looked like a full head of thick white hair, that despite the non air-conditioned desert heat, was capped with a Santa Hat.

Lucy moaned again as he quickly pulled up a stool and checked her progress.  

"I can see the head. I don't think this will take long," he said while standing, putting on the surgical gown the nurse passed over to him. 

"No, please, I need my boyfriend. I..I.." Lucy moaned again. Deep and low, and before she could protest anymore, her body took over. 

After fifteen minutes of pushing, and more groans and grunts, her baby girl was lying on her chest. Glorious, slimy and beautiful. 

She gazed into her daughter's filmy gray eyes and nursed her. 

“I can’t believe you are here. I love you already. I’m your mama, sweet girl."

“She’s beautiful," Nurse Steph cooed. “She’s our only Christmas Eve baby this year and brought us all a gift. The air conditioning is fixed, the rest of your stay with us is going to be more comfortable." 

A tear rolled down Lucy’s cheek. “I don’t understand where he could be. He missed it and it's Christmas. How could he?” 

A look that Lucy couldn’t understand passed through the nurse's eyes, before she smiled reassuringly. 

“We'll get you cleaned up and sort this out. Don’t worry about anything but your sweet baby at this moment. Okay?”

Lucy swallowed back a sob and nodded. 

A couple hours later, with the help of the nurse, Lucy had showered and her baby was sleeping in a bassinet beside her hospital bed. 

Dr. Cooper walked back into the room and cleared his throat. 

“Lucy, there has been a…situation. There are some police officers here to talk to you. They want to ask you some questions. I told them I would sit in and keep an eye.” 

Lucy's heart dropped and her mouth fell open in surprise, but before she could say anything, a man and woman, both dressed in streetwear and serious looks on their faces, walked into the room. Dr. Cooper stood in the corner and the two detectives approached Lucy’s bed. 

Feeling panicked, Lucy spoke before they had a chance. 

“Is this about Jim? Is he Okay? He missed everything. Please tell me he’s okay.”

“Miss. Baker,” The woman interrupted her. “My name is Detective Ling, and this is my Partner Detective Nowak.” 

Lucy looked over at her partner, who wore a deep sympathy on his face.  

“Okay, is this about Jim?”

“Yes, we are here to ask you some questions about Jim Murphy.”

Lucy’s mouth was dry. She glanced over at her baby who was still sleeping in the bassinet.

Detective Ling followed her gaze. “I’m sorry to have to bother you during this sensitive time.”

“Please Detectives.” Dr. Cooper interjected. “This woman has just given birth. She needs to rest.“

Detective Nowak got to the point.

“There has been an incident with Jim Murphy. He is a suspect in a bank robbery that took place this morning. Do you know anything about that?”

“What! No!” Lucy sputtered, her face warming. “There must be a mistake, Jim would never.” 

“Well, we think he did. People were hurt. It is important that if you know anything at all about his whereabouts you tell us immediately “

“He hurt people? But he would never hurt..”

“Lucy,” Dr Cooper gently interrupted. “The best thing for you to do is to tell the detectives everything you know, and then concentrate on your daughter. She needs you to be honest and strong.” 

Lucy gulped. “I really don’t know where he is” she said, feeling shamed. 

“I woke up this morning, and he was gone. I had to take a cab here, when I went into labour. A cab I couldn’t afford. It’s Christmas and I’m alone. We’re alone,” She said, glancing again at her child. “I swear, I would tell you if I knew anything, I just don’t.” 

Detective Ling looked her closely for a moment, seemingly unsatisfied with her answer.

“If he makes any kind of contact with you, we need to know. This is very serious. A bank teller was shot and is currently fighting for her life in this very hospital.” 

Lucy gasped and tried to speak, but her throat felt tense, and no words would come out. 

“I understand this is a great shock, but please tell us you understand. “Detective Ling urged. 

“I do,” she whispered. “I don’t even have my phone with me. There is no way for him to contact me while I’m here, anyway. “

“Yes, we’ve searched your apartment. We got a warrant. We have your phone." Detective Nowak reached into his pocket and set her cellphone on her bedside table.

"There was nothing on it that helped us.” 

“Oh” Lucy let out a small shaky breath. 

The baby stirred, and all eyes went to her, and for a moment, and they all watched her little hands open and close as she made cooing noises.

“Please call this number if you hear anything at all, Miss Baker.” Detective Ling passed her a card. 

The detectives turned to leave, then Detective Nowak turned back towards her. 

“Congratulations on the birth of your child. What’s the name?” 

“I haven’t picked one yet. I wanted to wait for Jim.” Lucy whispered.

Detective Nowak nodded solemnly. The look of sympathy in his eyes, momentarily brought Lucy comfort. Then both detectives left the room with Dr. Cooper.

Lucy and her baby were alone. 

5 years later. 

“Noel Honey! It’s time for school! Let’s go! I’m going to be late.” Lucy was frantically rushing around her apartment gathering her daughter's backpack and lunch. 

“Okay, Mommy.” 

Noel burst out of her bedroom and Lucy smiled at the little girl who was dressed in the cowgirl costume, she had worn for Halloween a couple months prior. 

“It’s the last day of school before Christmas and we are supposed to wear a fancy outfit. This is the fanciest outfit I own! “Noel said sweetly to her mother. 

“Baby girl, you look amazing. I think you made a splendid choice, but I hope you aren’t hot at school. There is a heat wave, just like the one the December when you were born!” 

“And the hospital didn’t have air-conditioning.” Noel said solemnly, The little girl loved hearing about the Christmas Eve she was born. 

“But don’t worry mommy, the school air conditioning is working, or they would have canceled today.”

“That’s true, sweetie.”

Noel stuck her feet into a glittery pink pair of sneakers. 

“I’m ready for school!” She exclaimed excitedly. 

Lucy smiled and passed her daughter, her backpack. 

“Okay then. Let’s go down to the car. Mommy is going to be late for work!”

“Are you going to put Christmas lights on the big cactus today?”

“No, thank goodness that's not my job. They’d have to give me a raise to do that. "

Noel giggled. “A big one!” 

“Yes sweetie, a big one.”  

Lucy looked in the mirror one last time before they left. She was wearing the uniform that she wore for her job as a receptionist at The Big Cactus. 

The Big Cactus was a luxury resort that tourists came to from all over the county to enjoy, state-of-the-art wellness facilities. Lucy’s uniform consisted of a cactus green pencil skirt and a crisp white cotton short-sleeved blouse. Her blonde hair was slicked back into a neat ponytail, and her makeup was immaculately applied. 

“Let’s go, Mommy!” Noel jumped up and down. “I don't want to miss my Holiday Party!” 

“Okay, okay.” Lucy laughed. 

After Lucy dropped Noel off at school, her morning went smoothly. She was on time for work, and didn’t have to deal with any rude hotel guests. 

When her lunch break came and before she headed to the air-conditioned break room, she went outside, braving the heat to smoke the solitary daily cigarette that she allowed herself when Noel wasn’t around, 

“Those things will kill you, you know.”

The voice, warm and familiar, etched its way up her spine and into her heart

“Jim?”

Jim put his finger up to his lips, before taking a step towards Lucy, stroking her face. It warmed, and she felt a bead of sweat form at her hairline. 

“I need my sunglasses.” She murmured, reaching into her purse and digging around. She put on her favorite pair of aviators, masking her emotions. 

“The police couldn’t find you anywhere. Where have you been? What did you do?” She trailed off, distracted by his honey brown eyes. Jim looked older than he had five years prior. He had a heavy beard and had gained weight. Still, she thought he was handsome.  

“I know Lucy, I know. I’m so sorry that I’ve been gone so long,” he said tenderly.

“But, but…the bank teller!” 

Lucy's stomach turned at the thought of the woman who lay in the hospital the same day her precious daughter was born. 

“It was Christmas Eve, and she died!” Lucy took a step back, accusing him. . 

“I know Luce. I know. It was all a big mistake. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“You didn’t mean to kill an innocent woman, and then bail out on your family instead of facing what you had done.” 

“It’s not that simple. Jim sounded like he was trying to restrain his anger. “I want to see my daughter.”

“What! No! You can’t just show up at my work and made a demand like that. It'll just confuse her.”

He nodded. A look of cold understanding on his face. 

“How long are you staying?” She asked. 

“Not long, I don’t have much time.” 

“Where have you been?”

“I can’t tell you that. It’s better that I don’t.”

Lucy took a shaky breath, and a feeling of fear grew in her gut. She had to be strong for her daughter.

“I don’t think I can let you see her. It’ll be too confusing. It’ll just hurt her. I think you should go.”

Jim nodded again. 

“You’ve grown up Luce. I can tell. Please tell me though. Is she happy?”

“Very. My mom moved down here. She helps us out, with daycare and bills. It hasn’t been easy, but she’s happy.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around. If I could go back and change it, you know I..”

“I know.” She interrupted him. “But that’s impossible and I have to get back to work.”

“So that’s it. Five years and that’s all I get?" He questioned.

“Don’t put this on me. I don’t have a choice” Lucy felt strong and assured in her answer. 

A silence fell between them. 

“Thank you for taking care of her.” Jim cleared his throat and took another step away from her. His eyes were shifting back and forth nervously. 

“I knew seeing her would be impossible. I knew that. But I wanted to make sure you were okay, and I wanted to say thank you.”

Lucy couldn't help but scoff.

“You're welcome, Jim. But, really, what choice did I have?”

Jim took another step back, he had sweat running down his brow. 

“It’s so damn hot out here. I gotta go Luce.”

Before she could say anything more, he turned and left. Heading down the road his walk increasing to a light jog. 

They had been standing out front of the hotel. Lucy glanced up at the security camera that was hidden behind a Cactus, that stood outside the arched doorway. 

Why now? She wondered. He took an enormous risk. That was a mistake. He misjudged things. 

Then she heard sirens.She ran out to the street and saw four police cruisers circling Jim. The cops jumped out of their cruisers and Jim put his hands up. They quickly handcuffed and arrested him. He looked over at her, a look of shock on his face. She didn’t react but walked out of view into the doorway of the hotel. 

She sighed, and pulled off her sunglasses and placed them back into her purse, next to the extra flip phone she always carried. It had a big red button on the side that automatically called Detective Nowak when pressed. He had given it to her before she left the hospital. He would know when he received a call, what it was about. She made sure she mentioned she was at work once she pressed it.  

Detective Nowak had kept in touch over the years. Visiting every Christmas Eve to give Noel a birthday present. She called him Uncle Dan. He had become a friend to both Noel and Lucy.

Lucy hadn't been sure this day would come. She had to protect her daughter, and she had to honor the innocent woman, who had died in the hospital that night. Her name had been Noel. Lucy’s daughters name didn't have anything to do with the holiday she was born on. She was named after the woman who died because of her father. 

Lucy shook her head. A tear brimmed her eye, but she held it back, before turning and walking away from the sirens, to go back to work.