“I can’t believe we had to come here.” She heard the father say to the mother. 

“I know.” She replied, not bothering to look up from her phone. There were pock marks on her skin, and the dryness around her mouth.

“I see your meth addiction hasn’t improved since the last time you were in.” The nurse risked the unprofessional comment. There was a shortage of healthcare workers, and she could get away with more than a rude comment. 

“This is gonna cost a fortune.” The father said. 

“Little shit.” The mother grumbled. 

The nurse gave a glaring look, and stomped out of the room. Her name badge read Monica. She worked in the labor and delivery section of the hospital, her dream job. Monica was enraged as she thought back to the day that changed her life. She was sitting on the bed in the doctor’s office, and she heard the news that she would never be able to have kids of her own. That day was hands down the worst day of her life. She now resented any parent who was ungrateful for their children. It was a reminder that she would never get to experience the joy of having kids of her own. 

Hours had passed, and Monica was making her rounds before her shift ended. She made it to her final room: 213. The room filled with two drug addicted, ungrateful, soon to be parents. She rounds the corner only to see the mother laying face down on the floor. Running to the mom, Monica gasps in disbelief. The mother’s lifeless body lays face down on the floor with a needle penetrating her skin. “Ungrateful bitch.” Monica checked her pulse. Nothing. Quickly running over to the blue button, she suddenly heard screaming behind her. It was the drug addicted dad. 

“What the hell did you do to her?”

“What did I do to her, shouldn’t you be asking yourself that question?”

“I didn’t do a thing!”
“Oh really. Then how did she get the meth?” Monica was enraged that the dad was not even slightly concerned about the child that remained inside the mother. 

Moments later the doctor came rushing through the retracting doors. He said, “What is going on in here?”

Monica replied, “She overdosed on meth, and the baby is in severe danger.”

“Okay, we need to do a C-section immediately.” They started the grueling procedure with the dad calmly leaning over their shoulders. The doctor pulled the baby from the mom’s uterus and immediately took off running towards the NICU. It was a sweet baby boy, but he was in extreme danger. His cold, blue skin was a sign that oxygen was not flowing all throughout his body. Monica was left alone in the hospital room with the dad. “You killed her and my baby.”

“Don’t act like you actually cared about your son.”

“I DO!” 

“You don’t. I can promise you that.” The dad started hysterically laughing, and Monica’s face began to turn red. She slowly bent down to the floor and grabbed the bloody scalpel. Blood began to stream from the chest of the father. He fell to the floor and struggled to breath. “This is what you get for being a terrible parent.” Monica pushed the scalpel down into his chest further and walked out of the room. 

She took the elevator up to the NICU. Monica walked over to the incubator that held the beautiful baby. She picked up a marker and wrote “Josiah Matthew,” on the name identification card. Josiah needed a home to stay in. Monica knew how to care for Josiah, so this was her perfect opportunity to run with Josiah. No matter how illegal this act is, she was willing to do anything to have a child of her own. 

A soul wasn’t in sight. The perfect moment. Monica disconnected the alarm system and put the oxygen tank in her purse. Gently picking up Josiah, she put him in the carrier. She changed out of her scrubs and put a sun hat on in hopes no one would notice her suspicious behavior. Monica arrived at the parking lot and loaded Josiah into the car. Tears filled her eyes as her dream of being a mom came true. She hopped into her car and drove out of the hospital parking lot.