This day, that year - II

March 28, 2006

The time, 8:30 pm:

The bottle is small, the liquid in it a thick, clear gold. It looks quite innocuous; inviting even, but I know how vicious its contents can be.

Should I, shouldn't I? I turn the bottle around in my hand.

Heck, I can't take this any longer. I just want this to be over.

I add one tablespoon of the liquid to the tall glass of strawberry squash standing ready on the table and stir.

A deep breath, a quick look into the still swirling red depths, and then I gulp it down in one shot.

The effect is immediate. And terrible.

I clutch at my throat, retching and coughing so much that my eyes almost pop out of my head.

*************
Earlier that day:

'Sorry to have kept you waiting', said my doctor, not looking or sounding sorry at all. 'I just delivered Hrithik Roshan's baby. A gorgeous baby boy. Susanne had no trouble at all.'

'Much as that gladdens the heart, Doc, what would really make me happy is if you would tell me what you're going to do about this baby of mine which is refusing to come out.'

Having been told on my last visit that the baby's head had 'engaged' I've been expecting to go into labour for a whole week, and getting increasingly frustrated at the lack of action.

'Castor oil,' suggests the doc. 'Works almost every time.'

'Castor oil? Blech! What are my options?'

'Well we can wait another week or so....'

'I see. So will you write me a prescription, or do I pick it up at my local store?'

*************
After the first dose, 8:40 pm:

'ACK! AUGH! GRRRHAH! I've brushed...GAK!...three bloody times. This is all YOUR fault!'

'Mine? How?' The husband is genuinely surprised.

'Let me count the ways. First, for getting me pregnant. Second, for passing on your lazy bum genes to this baby who doesn't want to come out. Third, because I'm the one suffering and you're not. And fourth...'

'...well I think we're better off with a baby who has my lazy bum genes rather than your manic-bouncing-off-the-wall energetic ones!'

'Oh you do, do you? You can drink the next dose then. I'm NOT having any more. NO! I'll stay pregnant for another month if I have to!'

*************

Edit: I realise there's some confusion on account of me being currently pregnant. The 'This day that year' series of posts is about my first pregnancy, leading up to Moppet's birth on March 31, 2006.