Moments That Change Lives

“My wife! Yes, she’s my wife! Nurse? Do you have an oval object that would fit a finger?” His mind was overcrowded with thoughts on what to do. Everything came to him all at once. All at once he became a new man. A man whose only concern was his family.

With the help of the nurse he found a rubber ring that was apparently left at the hospital as a part of some company’s product promotion. The company’s logo contained flowers so they were painted all over the ring which made Henry think that it was all meant to be.

“In here.” The nurse led him to the room and after fixing his hair and wiping his eyes he stepped inside.

His wonderful Mira was lying on the bed, her eyes closed but her lips curved in a smile, so he silently approached her.

“Hey… How are you, baby?” He whispered intentionally using the ‘baby’ phrase to tease her.

She weakly opened her eyes. “Exhausted but very happy… Baby!” She smiled to him.

Sitting on the side of the bed he took her hand in his. “Everything passed, dear. It’s all okay! Our boy is safe and sound. You are healthy, too. I… I can’t be any happier either!”

“Henry…”

“Yes?”

“I… I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have…” She spoke seriously and he at once interrupted her.

“Don’t say a word more about it. Because I already forgot it! Nothing happened!”

“Alicia confessed to me in the ambulance car. April had given her money to steal the necklace from your drawer and give it to her. Also… In the milk… They poured some poison in my milk…” Mira’s voice was shaky so he squeezed her hand tightly.

“It’s in the past! I know it all. I called the cops and now both April and Alicia are with the police…”

“But Henry… Alicia did that only because her mother was in the hospital. She needed money and she was afraid to ask you as you had helped with her sister’s education a while ago. Please. I… I already forgave her.” That was his Mira. Always so kind to everyone no matter if they did anything bad to her.

“Don’t worry about it now! I’ll take care of it… Let’s get back on the matter. Did you know that I bought you that necklace for our anniversary this Friday? Well… How about we move it to today…” He pulled out the rubber ring from his pocket and cleared his throat.

“Henry? What…”

“Mira Glass! Queen of the rainforest and of my heart! Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and putting up with me your whole life?” He spoke softly, leaning closer to her face. He held the rubber ring before her eyes and chuckled. “It’s all I could afford!”

She abruptly shot up from the bed and locked her arms around him kissing his neck and face. “I do! I do! I do! I’d wear a rubber ring my whole life if need be!”

They kissed passionately after Henry slipped the ring on her finger. Even that looked beautiful on her.

“I want to be a bridesmaid!” The nurse who had helped him, entered the room carrying their boy in her hands. She was obviously joking.

“Sure!” Henry said letting go of Mira. He stood up and took the boy ecstatically.

“Hey, little one. Look! It’s mommy and daddy. I’m your daddy.” Henry whispered to the baby gently swaying it in the air. He had his eyes closed and his tiny fingers in fists. Handing him carefully to Mira, he sat next to them on the bed again.

“I’ll leave you alone, Masters family. Just don’t take long, sir. The mom needs to rest,” the nurse said closing the door of the room.

“Isn’t your mommy the most beautiful woman in the world, buddy?” Henry fondled the boy’s small legs while Mira was holding it against her chest. She smiled happily to Henry.

“This is a miracle. I… I never thought that I’d live to see this! Ever! And with you by my side… I want nothing more!” She planted a kiss on the boy’s brown face. He moved a little, continuing his careless sleep while Henry hugged the both of them.

“Henry?”

“Dear?”

“I want to tell you something. I found a name for our little ‘he’. I want us to call him Nicholas. For your father,” Mira told him.

Henry froze on the spot. He gulped, completely taken aback. What Mira was suggesting was very important for him. His father’s name. Of course he wanted his son to have his father’s name.

“I… I don’t know what to say.” He kissed her forehead. “You… You made me the happiest person on this planet today, Mira. I love you to the moon and back. No. Not the moon. The farthest planet in our galaxy and back.”

She smiled and whispered. “I love you too.”

*****

Everything, slowly but surely, came into place. April had been imprisoned for financial fraud, Alicia freed when Mira had retrieved the accusation and then sent off to her village, her mother’s treatment paid for. The mansion had got a new maid and Henry’s money had been returned to the bank account. However, the most important of them all had been the arrival of the prince of the house.

After a week in the hospital, the doctors had let Mira and the baby go at the utmost happiness of Henry. Mira couldn’t thank God enough for giving him to her. He had taken care of every single detail, completely decorating and furnishing the baby’s room, installing the baby alarm and even preparing lunch to celebrate the arrival of his family. Just like that their son’s smile and cry filled their days and the mansion with an amazing energy and prosperity. It no longer seemed empty, lights were always on and voices came from all the rooms as Henry and Mira were often shouting after each other to bring a bottle, or diapers or the powder. The Masters family became the happiest family in the neighborhood and in the whole world.