She froze. The wrist band she was holding earlier escaped from her lifeless hands. Her body felt numb and the color slowly drained from her face.
She tried focusing on the nurse. On her eyes. On her lips. She was trying to say something to her. But she can't hear anything. She can't understand what the lady was saying. She doesn't want to listen to it. She's not willing to accept any of it.
And there she stood silently, slowly forgetting where she was, why she was even standing there.
And then suddenly, everything was a blur.
The nurse caught the pregnant woman by the arm just in the nick of time and assisted her to lie down on a nearby chair. The shock must have exhausted her, she thought.
The kind nurse figured she'd ask the receptionist for a room where the woman can stay until she regains consciousness. She took a step back but almost slipped.
Her heart pounded hard in her chest due to that quick surge of adrenaline. She calmed herself down and looked at the floor to see what made her slip. Little did she know that the adrenaline rush was not over yet.
"Quick! Help us! This woman is in labor!", the nurse called out.
Three hospital staff responded immediately and hurriedly took the patient to the delivery room. The nurse was running behind them when she spotted a red wrist band lying on the floor and drenched in blood. Without a second thought, she picked it up and slid it in her pocket.
Inside the delivery room, the patient slowly lifted her eyes. Her head was spinning.
It was only a few minutes afterwards when she remembered where she was. She felt oxygen being pumped into the nasal cannula attached to her nose. She thought to herself, "Thank goodness, I'm alive. My child is safe."
She heard a sigh of relief as she turned to the direction of the person attending to her. It was the same nurse she met awhile ago.
Tears fell from her eyes as she realized that she was about to give birth. A warm wave of emotions washed over her. Finally, she would be able to meet their daughter. However, the joy in her heart was quickly replaced with sadness and grief.
She remembered how she and her husband were excited for this year's Christmas.
She had been busy with summer work and promised herself that she will be cooking for her husband to make up for her negligence. To add a little extra, she was also going to surprise him with this great news.
She baked a rectangular cake and decorated it with a crib and baby toys made of fondant. The cake read, "Due on December". When he saw this, the surprised look in her husband's face was priceless.
"It's going to be the most special Christmas ever!" he happily exclaimed while twirling around the kitchen.
Right then, a series of painful jabs in her stomach coursed through her, waking her up from her stupor. The pain was unbearable, like she was being torn apart.
"No", she steeled herself. "I must stay strong until I deliver this child safely."
"Jasmine!", along with the pain, she screamed at the top of her lungs. She was out of breath. She looked once again at the nurse beside her. In a pained voice, she said, "My daughter's name will be Jasmine."
The nurse nodded in agreement while her hands searched for the wrist band in her pocket. When she caught it, she reached for the patient's hand and placed it in her palm. The woman looked at it endearingly before balling her fists.
The determined look on the woman's face touched her heart. And with renewed strength, the woman continued to push the baby out.
A loud cry can be heard inside the delivery room. A pretty baby girl was born that day and was named Jasmine.
Just when the doctor and nurses were about to applaud and congratulate the new mom, a long and high pitched buzzing sound interrupted them.
"Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing". The new mom's vital signs had dropped significantly.