Sisterly Love

By Marie Aleena

First I'll tell you my family situation. I've never known my father. He's never been part of my life, and I'm OK with that because I have a family who loves me.

My best friend and sister Rose was killed in a car accident one year earlier, and it was devastating. A horrible thing.

My mom works as an international lawyer. She has to go on business trips a lot, and she was in California for a yearlong case leaving in September of my junior year of high school. At that time, I was 4 months pregnant, and she had no idea. She wouldn't find out until the day Harper Rose was born February 21, 2004.

My sister, Dorey (24) is one of my legal guardians. She could take action for anything I needed. She knew I was pregnant and cared for me for 9 months. Her best friend Moe had finished classes that summer and was a certified midwife. She would be delivering my baby at our house.

I woke up February 20 at 11:30 p.m. with a sharp pain jetting through my belly. I stood up and a gush a liquid hit the floor. I knew my water had broken. I walked to Dorey's room where she was sleeping. Dorey, Dorey, I whispered. My water broke. It hurts, Dor, it hurts, I whispered painfully. She jumped up, and we went to the bonus room (a large hang out room in our house). She called Moe to come over.

For hours I screamed, cried and squeezed hands. I took hot baths in the hot tub and lounged on a birthing ball. I have never felt pain like what I was feeling, ever. It hurt so bad, I thought I wasn't going to be able to make it.

It was 3:45 a.m. when Moe checked my cervix and told me it was time to push. I was petrified. I told her no. I said I wanted a Cesarean section now. I wanted the baby out. She told me I could do it.

Dorey told me to breathe, to think of how proud Rose would be of me now. Do it for Rose, baby, you got it, she told me over and over. Dorey got behind me and brought her knees up and spread them so I could lie between them and rest on her. She held tight onto my hands and I began to push.

I pushed, screamed, swore and yelled some more for 35 minutes. The head began to crown. This was more painful then the contractions. It burned so much I thought I had sat on the sun. Moe protected my perineum from tearing as I pushed more. I reached down and tried to pull on the head. I couldn't help it. I needed her out now.

I squeezed my legs together, Moe pulled them apart. Push, Marie, push girl, push! I gave one huge hard push, and the face of my baby slid out. I watched in a mirror as her tiny mouth slid into the air. Moe suctioned, and told me one more.

At this point I was crying because of pain and joy. I had done it. It was 4:37 a.m. when I gave one final push and Harper slid out into the arms of Moe. She placed her on my belly and warmed her. I cried, Moe cried and Dorey cried. I know from heaven above, Rose cried too. She was born at 4:37 a.m. on February 21, 2004, 8 pounds, 2 ounces, 21 inches long.

My mother didn't know until Dorey called her that afternoon. She took the next flight home. She was angry beyond words with me, but so happy to see a healthy baby in my arms. I'll never forget the moment I told her I named her Harper Rose, after Rose, our sister. She couldn't speak.

I cherish every moment I spend with Harper, and she is a beautiful girl.

*I love you, Rose Ana, you're my angel from above. Love, your best friend and sister, and your new niece, Marie and Harper Rose*