The Right Life

It’s
time to go, darlin’. The voice
that had been gone since Amy came out of her drug-induced stupor was back.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> You have to stay open to me to get
what you want, remember?

Amy was
reminded of what this strange voice had told her. “Mort?” she said aloud.

Good
girl. Go on down to his signin’, I’ll
let you know what to do.

“What do I
tell Ted?”

'> It’s
taken care of.

“How?”

Don’t
you worry none about that, darlin’. Go
on, get before you’re too late.

Amy ran out
the door without a second thought.
Several hours later, she was waiting in a line longer than some found at
Disney World. Waiting to see her
hus…ex-husband. She read the dust
jacket as she waited. She did, indeed,
notice the happier picture. She did
notice the mention of Mort’s wiAlexAlexandra, daughter, Julia, and “the new
daughter on the way.” Her heart sank
and she forced away tears. She almost
stepped out of line.

Don’
you dare, hear me?

I can’t
face him again.

Then
you don’ want him back none, do you?

:1'> I
do! I do! More than anything – but what do I say?

You
leave that to me – I told you I’ll help you. pan>pan>

Another
hour passed before Amy was in front of the table Mort was signing at – he had
barely glanced up at her when he took her book. He’d been there for two hours and wanted to go home…he had a
feeling that today was going to be “the day.”
He opened her book, then looked up at her, the smile he had been wearing
all fadifading from his face.

“Amy?”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> His voice was the epitome of disbelief.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “Why are you here?”

Not
understanding where her courage to speak was coming from, Amy replied, “It’s
your big day, Mort. I just wanted to
wish you all the best with this book and…”
She was cut off by the ringing of Mort’s cell phone.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Having specific ringers programmed for people,
he knew right away that it was a call from his home. He didn’t even excuse himself as he answered.

“Hello?”

Karen’s
voice was on the other end. “Ready to
be a daddy?”

Mort smiled
broadly – Amy knew exactly what was going on.
“You know the answer to that. Is
she O.K.?”

“She’s
fine. Meet us at the hospital?”

“I think
it’ll be the other way around. Tell
Alex I love her.”

“Will
do. See you soon.”

Mort shut
his phone and got up from the table.
Trevor knew that if the call came, the session would be cut short.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> In preparation for such a thing, he made
Mort sign a few dozen books generically for those who would have waited in line
only to miss out on meeting him. Mort
voiced his apologies and after explaining why he had to leave, he was met with
applause, rather than groans. The only
face that wasn’t smiling was Amy’s.

Amy rushed
out after Mort, stopping him at his car.
“You’re just going to leave without another word to me?”

“My wife is
giving birth, Amy,” he said coolly.

“I know, I
just…”

Let
him go for right now.

Amy
continued, a bright smile on her face.
“Good luck and congratulations, Mort.”

Pushing his
confusion aside, Mort got into his car and sped off to the hospital, beating
Alex and Karen. Wheelchair already in tow, he
rushed to the passenger’s side door and helped his wife out.

“Baby, how
are you doing?” he asked, feeling slightly silly doing

Alex smiled
reassuringly. “Everything’s O.K.,
Mort. You haven’t missed any screaming,
I promise.”

“Hallie
coming out to pay!” Julia squealed from the backseat.

Mort smiled
at his daughter and said, “Yes, she is, sweetheart. You stay with Auntie Karen, O.K.?”

“K!”

Within a
short amount of time, Alex was put into a delivery room, Mort holding her
hand. “I can’t yell at you,” she
panted.

He
smiled. “Why not?”

“Well….unh…most
women – on those T.V. shows – yell about not wanting their…mm…husbands to touch
them again…” She smiled as best she
could. “God knows that’s not
true…oohh…”

Mort wiped
her brow. “So I can still touch you?”

“Eventually.”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Alex’s grip on Mort’s hand tightened as a
strong contraction surged through her.
Tears formed in her eyes and began to flow down her cheeks.

“It’s not
too late for the epidural,” Mort said calmly.

Alex
grunted, then breathed deeply. “This is
bad…enough…no needles in my…spiiiiine…”

Out in the
waiting room, Ed, Sarah, and Steven had joined Karen and Julia.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> They anxiously awaited the arrival of the
newest member of their family. Nobody
noticed the blonde woman that hurried past them.

Alex’s
doctor was busy urging her to push and, despite her exhaustion, she was doing
so. Mort continually kissed her cheek
and whispered to her – occasionally making her laugh through the pain.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> When the baby had begun to crown, Alex
assured him that it was O.K. to leave her side and go watch the birth of his
daughter.

A few
minutes later, Hallie Isabelle (named for Mort’s mother) Rainey entered the
world. Mort let himself cry as he cut
the cord. While the baby was being
cleaned up, Mort locked his lips onto Alex’s.

“You did
beautifully, baby,” he cooed. Alex
smiled in response.

“Here she
is,” a nurse said, handing Hallie to Alex.

Alex let
tears fall from her eyes. “She’s
perfect…”

Like an
overeager child, Mort asked his wife, “Can I?”

“She’s
yours too, silly, you don’t need to ask.”

Mort held
his newborn daughter in his arms, his eyes still glossy with tears.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Alex was already drifting off to sleep when
he kissed his baby’s cheek saying, “I feel like I’ve been waiting for you my
entire life.”