Saturday, July 6, 2019

“It Takes Seconds”

Dedicated in loving memory to River, country singer Granger Smith’s three year old son, who tragically died via an accidental drowning on Thursday, June 6th, 2019. He passed away while I was writing this fictional story. #livelikeriv
P.S. Yes, yes, I disappeared for three months. This is my comeback story!! Peace out, Mary Lou
“It Takes Seconds”
Edited by Kara Kent!!
Stereotypes. It can obviously be harmful, bad, and wrong to automatically assume that particular people always behave in this specific fashion, or that specific fashion. For example, not all female children are girly. Many tomboys would rather play sports than play with baby dolls. My beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, two-year old little girl, Aquata Angel is stereotypically all girl!! She absolutely loves playing with, nurturing, and cuddling her baby dolls!! Aquata Angel is even ‘a little Mama’ with stuffed animals such as teddy bears!! She absolutely loves wearing frilly Walt Disney princess dresses!! Literally one second, Aquata Angel will be Cinderella, the next second she’ll be Elsa, and the next second, she will be Belle!! Aquata Angel absolutely loves her pink-colored Ariel dress from The Little Mermaid!! My daughter and I enjoy watching Walt Disney animated princess films together!! Such as Snow White, Tangled, and even Aladdin!! Aquata Angel’s very favorite Walt Disney animated princess film is The Little Mermaid!!
We watch that movie over, and over, and over, and over, and over!!
‘A water baby’. That’s precisely how I would describe Aquata Angel!! Whenever she is playfully splashing around in any form of swimming pool on a hot Summer day? Aquata Angel fearlessly loves its cool, refreshing waters!! Whenever our little family of three goes camping at Dragonfly Lake? Aquata Angel fearlessly loves its sometimes freezing cold, sometimes warm waters!! Whenever I—or my husband, Drew—are giving her a bath? Aquata Angel fearlessly loves its warm, bubbly water!! Whenever Drew and I are skipping rocks in Red Ranger River? Aquata Angel fearlessly loves its crystal clear rushing waters!! Whenever I am hiking along the trails of Mt. Butte, {which is actually an extinct volcanic cinder cone}, while pushing my little girl in her stroller? Aquata Angel fearlessly loves its trails’ canals that have flowing water running through them!! Even when our little family of three walks barefoot along the beach’s foamy, always freezing cold ocean? Aquata Angel fearlessly loves its salty, swift-moving tidal waves!!
She is my little mermaid!!
The 4th of July. That has always been my very favorite holiday!! I proudly fly the American flag at our little house. From a ‘star spangled bandanna’, {or an American flag baseball cap}, to patriotic socks, every single year, I wear red, white, and blue-inspired clothing. I always fry up some spicy firecracker chicken. Sometimes, I bake a simple, fluffy, vanilla cake with vanilla frosting, blue M&M’s as its ‘stars’, red M&M’s as its ‘stripes’, and white M&M’s as its ‘stripes’. I often purchase legal, store-bought, ‘safe’ fireworks to shoot off later that night. As an annual tradition, our little family of three always drives toward my brother, McDonald’s, plus his wife, {my sister-in-law}, Wendy’s house for our Independence Day celebrations!! Together, they have three children named Oaklee, Reese, and Ledger. My other brother, Jack, plus his wife, {my other sister-in-law}, Carla, join our party!! Together, they have six children named Cannon, Cruz, Levi, London, Jason, and Johanna. Of course, our parents, {Tom and Mary}, always join our celebration!!
McDonald and Wendy have an outdoor, unfenced, concrete swimming pool in their backyard….
Alright!!” Jack happily exclaimed, as Drew, Aquata Angel, and I arrived on that Wednesday, July 4th, “You brought your firecracker chicken, Nicole Amber Morgan!!”
Yes!!” McDonald happily exclaimed, “I absolutely love your firecracker chicken!!”
“Oh, I know!!” said Drew, “My mouth is watering, just thinking about eating your firecracker chicken, darling!!”
Nicole Amber Morgan….” said Wendy, with a smile written on her face, as she boiled yellow-colored corn on the cob, “You most certainly cannot ever come to my house for our Independence Day celebrations without bringing your firecracker chicken!! It is tradition!!”
“Of course I brought my firecracker chicken!!” I said with a smile written on my face “It is Independence Day, after all!!”
“Shoot fireworks?” said Aquata Angel, “Please?”
Unlike many two-year old children, my little girl is not at all frightened of firework’s loud booms, screams, and pops.
Not until it gets darker outside, Aquata Angel,” I said, as I kissed my little girl on the cheek.
“Besides, we’ll be eating lunch soon!!” Drew chimed in.
“Dad, can we go swimming in our pool?” Oaklee asked McDonald.
Yeah, it is like one-hundred degrees outside!!” said Reese.
“The cold water will cool us off, for sure!!” said Ledger.
Please?” said Oaklee, Reese, Ledger, Cannon, Cruz, Levi, London, Jason, and Johanna together.
I play in water?” asked Aquata Angel, with excitement in her little voice, “Pool? I play in water? Please?”
Aquata Angel was already removing her two-piece, belly button-showing The Little Mermaid outfit.
Lunch is ready!!” announced Carla.
I play in water?” asked Aquata Angel, “Pool? I play in water? Please?”
My little girl was now wearing nothing but her diaper, ready to play in McDonald’s and Wendy’s swimming pool.
“Oh, you are such a water baby!!” I said, “You’re my little mermaid!!”
I play in water?” asked Aquata Angel, “Pool? I play in water? Please?”
“We need to eat, Aquata Angel!!” I said, as I kissed my little girl on her blonde hair-covered head.
Dad?” asked Oaklee, “Can we go swimming in our pool?”
“Pretty please with a cherry on top?” said Reese.
Pool…. PoolPool…. Pool…. Pool….” chanted Ledger.
I play in water?” asked Aquata Angel, “Pool? I play in water? Please?”
“Drew?” I said, “Please don’t forget to keep an eye out for Aquata Angel when the children do play in that swimming pool, because she obviously cannot swim, yet. I’ll watch her closely, as well…. But I obviously cannot be everywhere at once!!”
Absolutely,” said Drew.
“We also own Puddle Jumpers,” said McDonald, “Aquata Angel can wear one that properly fits her size!! Yes, you children may go swimming in the pool after you’re finished eating lunch!!”
“Well….” said Wendy, “You children can swim in the pool about thirty minutes after you’re finished eating lunch!!”
Awwww….” Oaklee, Reese, Ledger, Cannon, Cruz, Levi, London, Jason, and Johanna groaned in unison.
“Oh, come on, Wendy!!” said Jack, “Isn’t the ‘do not swim until thirty minutes after you have eaten’ kind of an old wives’ tale?”
Yes….” said McDonald, “The ‘do not swim until thirty minutes after you have eaten’ is fiction, not fact.”
I play in water?” asked Aquata Angel, “Pool? I play in water? Please?”
“Aquata Angel certainly knows what she wants!!” said my Mom, with a smile written on her face.
I play in water?” asked Aquata Angel, “Pool? I play in water? Please?”
Meanwhile, I prepared my little girl’s firecracker chicken, and her corn off of the cob.
Aquata Angel?” I said mere seconds later, “Your lunch is ready!! Come here, and eat it!!”
But there was no answer.
Aquata Angel?” I said, “Don’t you want to eat some of Mama’s firecracker chicken? Baby Girl?”
I completely expected my little girl to protest with a defiant ‘no’, but she didn’t.
Aquata Angel?” I said.
Then, {before I said anything else}, Aquata Angel’s repetitive last words suddenly resurfaced within my mind.
I play in water? Pool? I play in water? Please?
Oh, dear God, no….” I said aloud, as I instinctively looked toward McDonald’s and Wendy’s opened back door.
“Do you think that she escaped outside?” asked Drew, with sincere concern in his voice.
“Aquata Angel wanted to play in the swimming pool, but I kept telling her ‘no’….” I quickly said, as I ran outside.
Drew followed me closely behind.
“Who the hell left that damn backdoor unlocked?” I said, as I ran toward McDonald’s and Wendy’s swimming pool, “Aquata Angel, where are you? Who the hell left that damn backdoor opened? My Little Mermaid, where are you? Aquata Angel!!”
Mere seconds later, I found my little girl’s body floating face down in the swimming pool, while still wearing nothing but her diaper.
“Oh my word…. Aquata Angel!!” I frantically screamed, as I immediately jumped into the swimming pool.
Nicole Amber Morgan!!” shouted Drew, “Be careful that you don’t drown!!”
I never learned how to swim, and, as resulted, I’m usually terrified of water.
“I am fine!!” I said.
But my inability to swim obviously did not matter compared to the possibility of saving our only daughter’s little Life.
Aquata Angel!!” I frantically screamed, as I grabbed onto the swimming pool’s walls, and I somehow managed to make my way toward her.
I wrapped my right arm around Aquata Angel’s body, and I grabbed onto the pool’s walls with my left arm.
“She is not breathing!!” I frantically screamed, as I somehow managed to cling onto the swimming pool’s wall with my left arm, and pull Aquata Angel out with my right arm, “Drew!! Perform C.P.R. on Aquata Angel!! Oh my word, she is not breathing!!”
Meanwhile, Drew dutifully performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on our little girl to no avail.
During seconds that passed by—which felt like an eternity—McDonald and Wendy arrived.
Call 9-1-1!!” I frantically screamed, as I somehow managed to pull myself out of the swimming pool.
Hi,” said Wendy, in an amazingly calm tone of voice, on her cell-phone to a 9-1-1 dispatcher, “I am calling because my niece, Aquata Angel, has been found face down in a swimming pool. What? I have no idea how long she was in the swimming pool…. Seconds? Minutes? What? Oh my….”
Drew was still performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on our little girl.
“Please, Aquata Angel, breathe!!” I frantically screamed, “Come on, do this for Mama!! Please, Aquata Angel!! Breathe!!”
Yes, Aquata Angel’s Daddy is performing C.P.R. on her as we speak,” Wendy calmly said, “What? No, Aquata Angel cannot breathe, and no, she doesn’t seem to have a pulse. Thank-you very much!!”
Then, Wendy hung up.
“The paramedics will arrive as soon as humanly possible….” said Wendy, “Nicole Amber Morgan….? Drew….? Apparently, Swift Care Helicopter will arrive as soon as humanly possible, as well….”
Drew was still performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on our little girl.
“I am so, so, so, so, so sorry, Aquata Angel….” I said, as wet, hot tears now streamed down my face, “This is all my fault…. I have failed you as your Mama…. I am so, so, so, so, so sorry….”
“This is not your fault, Nicole Amber Morgan….” said McDonald, “We should have had a secure swimming pool fence…. Our backdoor locks could be more childproof…. We should have had a swimming pool alarm…. This is not your fault….”
To which I shook my head ‘no’.
“All Aquata Angel wanted to do was play in your damn swimming pool….” I said, through wet, hot tears, “But I told her ‘no’…. All Aquata Angel wanted to do was go ‘swimming’ in your damn pool…. Why, oh why, didn’t I say ‘yes’….?”
Nobody—not McDonald, not Wendy, not Drew—had any words of comfort for my broken heart, for my bleeding soul.
Fire Station 343 is literally located just down the street from our house…. Wendy gently said, “The paramedics should arrive here shortly…. They always have….”
Drew was still performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on our little girl.
“There are eight adults here, plus nine children….” I said, through wet, hot tears, as I picked up my little girl off of the cement pavement, and I cradled her on my lap, while Drew still performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, How the hell could nobody have seen Aquata Angel escape out that damn backdoor….? I was here…. How….”
I paused for an emotional nanosecond.
How the hell could I have not seen Aquata Angel escape out that damn backdoor….?” I said, through wet, hot tears.
Before McDonald, Wendy, or Drew could say anything to comfort my broken heart, and my bleeding soul, the paramedics arrived.
Aquata Angel, breathe!!” I frantically screamed, as wet, hot tears streamed down my face, while paramedics now performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on my little girl, “You can do this for Mama!! Breathe, Aquata Angel…. Breathe!!”
“Aquata Angel does not have a pulse!!” said Paramedic Granger to his fellow paramedics team, in an urgent tone of voice, “She isn’t breathing!! Aquata Angel currently will not regain consciousness!!”
Then, Paramedic Granger turned to Drew and I.
“How long was Aquata Angel in the swimming pool?” he asked.
“I…. I do not know…. Seconds….? Minutes….?” I stammered through wet, hot tears, “I…. I do not know…. It happened so fast….”
Seconds?” said Paramedic Granger, in an urgent tone of voice, “Minutes? That is far too long for any child to be face down in a swimming pool.”
Then, Paramedic Granger turned to Bode, a Swift Care Helicopter pilot.
We must airlift Aquata Angel toward the hospital immediately!!” he quickly ordered him in an urgent tone of voice, “Time is not on our side when it comes to water!!”
Yes, sir!!” said Bode.
“Can you please airlift Aquata Angel to Compassion & Empathy Hospital….?” Drew asked Paramedic Granger, as his eyes filled up with wet, hot tears.
Yes,” answered Paramedic Granger.
Then, he placed Aquata Angel’s seemingly lifeless body on a stretcher.
“Go, go, go, go, go!!” Paramedic Granger quickly ordered in an urgent tone of voice to his paramedics crew, as they hustled my little girl into Swift Care Helicopter, “Our destination is Compassion & Empathy Hospital!!”
“Can I ride with Aquata Angel….?” I asked Paramedic Granger, through wet, hot tears, “In the helicopter….?”
Yes,” Paramedic Granger softly and gently said, “We’ll do whatever it takes to save Aquata Angel’s Life.”
“We know you will….” said Drew, as he blinked back wet, hot tears, “Regardless of what….”
Drew paused for an emotional nanosecond.
Regardless of what Aquata Angel’s end result is….” finished Drew, through wet, hot tears, “We know you will do whatever it takes to save her Life…. I do mean that….”
To which Paramedic Granger smiled sympathetically at Drew and I.
“Let’s go!!” ordered Paramedic Granger, in an urgent tone of voice, as he, his paramedics crew, and I swiftly rode in Swift Care Helicopter toward Compassion & Empathy Hospital, “Let’s go!!”
“I will meet you at Compassion & Empathy Hospital….” said Drew, as he blinked back wet, hot tears, while he hurried into our red-painted Subaru Forester, “I love you, darling….”
“I know….” I said, through wet, hot tears, “I love you, as well….
I play in water? Pool? I play in water? Please? Those were Aquata Angel’s last words before I prepared her firecracker chicken, and corn off of the cob. I play in water? Pool? I play in water? Please? Those were Aquata Angel’s last words on the 4th of July, my very favorite holiday. I play in water? Pool? I play in water? Please? Those were Aquata Angel’s last words that I only halfheartedly listened to, because it was lunchtime. I play in water? Pool? I play in water? Please? I could still hear Aquata Angel’s sweet, little, toddler voice begging, pleading, whining those words as she lie in Swift Care Helicopter, connected to seemingly countless wires, portable beeping machines, and travel-friendly Life support. I play in water? Pool? I play in water? Please? I could not even hear the deafening, rumbling sound of Swift Care Helicopter’s rotator blades, as we flew toward Compassion & Empathy Hospital. I play in water? Pool? I play in water? Please? No, I could only hear Aquata Angel’s last words, as I stroked her blonde hair with my right hand fingers.
I play in water? Pool? I play in water? Please?
“We have a two-year old drowning victim,” Paramedic Granger dutifully said, in an urgent tone of voice, once we arrived at Compassion & Empathy Hospital, “Aquata Angel was facedown underwater for either seconds, or minutes. They tried to stabilize her in the helicopter. It is not looking good.”
“Oh dear….” said Receptionist Ginger.
Then, she picked up her telephone, and called somebody in an urgent tone of voice.
“We need to take her to Room Number 606 immediately,” said Dr. Spitz, in an urgent tone of voice.
By now, Drew had arrived at Compassion & Empathy Hospital.
“You must follow Dr. Spitz toward Room Number 606….” Paramedic Granger softly and gently said to me, “Goodbye…. I hope that Aquata Angel is alright, and she becomes a drowning survivor….”
Then—just like that—Paramedic Granger seemingly disappeared.
It is not looking good,” said Dr. Spitz, after they spent several hours, which felt like an eternity, attempting to save my daughter’s little Life, “I honestly don’t think that Aquata Angel will become a drowning survivor. But, if, {and that is a cosmic one syllable word}, if your daughter does make it? Then, she will most likely suffer from severe brain damage.”
Dr. Spitz paused for a nanosecond.
“I highly recommend that you consider taking Aquata Angel off of Life support,” he gently said, “I am sorry….”
“Wait. What?!” said Drew, with emotion, shock, anger, and frustration in his voice, “You recommend that we take Aquata Angel off of Life support? As in do not give her a fighting chance?”
“There is far too much damage done to Aquata Angel’s brain,” said Dr. Spitz, “We already have given her a fighting chance. But, if Aquata Angel does make it then—like I said—she will most likely suffer from severe brain damage. I am so sorry….”
Aquata Angel was going to grow up, and be our future champion surfer….” I said through wet, hot tears, “Just like Bethany Hamilton…. Aquata Angel was going to grow up, and be our future gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic diver…. She could have shattered a glass ceiling, and won twenty-four gold medals…. Aquata Angel was going to grow up, and be our future gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic swimmer…. Just like Michael Phelps…. No…. This cannot be happening…. Aquata Angel was going to grow up, and break records with winning the most gold medals…. No…. This cannot be happening…. Aquata Angel, {my water baby, my little mermaid}, was going to grow up, and be our future…. And now….”
I paused for an emotional nanosecond.
Now Aquata Angel will not even have a future at all….” I said through wet, hot tears.
“If our daughter does become a drowning survivor, she will most likely suffer from quote-unquote severe brain damage’…. How….?” said Drew, as he blinked back wet, hot tears, “Please explain Aquata Angel’s future as a drowning survivor….”
“How long was Aquata Angel underwater?” asked Dr. Spitz.
Why the hell does everybody keep asking me this question….?” I said, through wet, hot tears, and in a moody, irritable, agitated, edgy tone of voice, “I do not know…. I do not know…. I do not know how long Aquata Angel was in that damn swimming pool…. Seconds….? Minutes….? One moment, Aquata Angel was safe inside with us, and the next….”
I paused for a nanosecond, as Drew embraced me in his loving arms.
It was so quick….” I said, in a softer tone of voice, through wet, hot tears, “So quick….
“It takes seconds for a drowning to occur,” explained Dr. Spitz, “How old is Aquata Angel?”
“She’s two….” answered Drew, as he blinked back wet, hot tears.
“A toddler can drown in one minute,” explained Dr. Spitz, “If Aquata Angel does become a drowning survivor, then she will most likely be severely physically, developmentally, and intellectually disabled. I am so, so sorry….”
“Well, that is alright….” I said, through wet, hot tears, “At least Aquata Angel will be alive….!! We can handle severe physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities…. I will love Aquata Angel just the same no matter what….!! I do mean that….”
“Aquata Angel will no longer be the same exact water baby, and little mermaid who you loved before,” said Dr. Spitz, “Chances are, she won’t be your record-breaking, gold medal-winning Olympic athlete. Aquata Angel will most likely need oxygen and feeding tubes. She’ll probably use a wheelchair for the rest of her Life. I am so, so, so sorry….”
I looked over at my daughter lying still in that hospital bed, with literally countless wires, and tubes connected to her little body.
“Darling….” said Drew, through wet, hot tears, “I think that it is time to give Aquata Angel her Heavenly wings…. Darling…. I think that it is time to let Aquata Angel fly…. Darling—”
It takes seconds for a curious child to find any body of water…. Is that what you are saying….?” I interrupted through wet, hot tears, “It takes seconds for her or him to drown….? Is that what you are saying….? Well, I want those seconds back…. Is that too much to ask, damn it….? I want Aquata Angel back…. I miss her already…. If it only takes seconds to make me a Mama again, then I want that precious time back….”
“Darling….” Drew softly and gently said, through wet, hot tears, as he wrapped his loving arms around me, “I think that it is time to let Aquata Angel go….”
My already broken heart shattered into a billion pieces, and I could literally feel my soul bleed, but I knew that Drew was right.
“Can I please hold Aquata Angel when you take her off of Life support….?” I asked Dr. Spitz.
“Yes,” answered Dr. Spitz, “As I said before, I am so very sorry….”
Then, Nurse Preslee carefully picked Aquata Angel up, so that she could gently hand her to me, wires, tubes, and all.
What would I give to live where you are? What would I pay to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you smiling at me? Where would we walk? Where would we run? If we could stay all day in the sun? Just you and me; And I could be; Part of your world; I don’t know when; I don’t know how; But I know something’s starting right now; Watch and you’ll see; Someday I’ll be; Part of you world’,” with heartbreaking emotion in my voice, and tears streaming down my face, I sang the lyrics to ‘Part of Your World {Reprise}’ from The Little Mermaid.
Heaven. Because I’ve never, ever been there, I obviously have no idea what it is like. Does Jesus Christ sit on His Throne in Heaven as the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords? I don’t know. Do angels sing in church choir-like voices while strumming their harps? I do not know. Are the streets of Heaven actually lined with gold? I don’t know. Will Aquata Angel someday return to me in Heaven as my smart, purple-loving, strong-willed little girl? I don’t know. Is there unlimited access to several bodies of water so that Aquata Angel can swim freely all safe and sound in Heaven? I don’t know. Will Aquata Angel miss me—her Mama—even in Heaven? I don’t know. ‘What would I give to live where you are? What would I pay to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you smiling at me? Where would we walk? Where would we run? If we could stay all day in the sun? Just you and me; And I could be; Part of your world’.
As Aquata Angel’s Life support was removed, I longed to live where she now resided, {Heaven}, and to be part of her world.
BOOM!! BOOM!! SCREAM!! POP!! BOOM!! BOOM!!
Outside of Compassion & Empathy Hospital, everybody in the whole wide universe was celebrating July 4th, except for Drew and I.
Gasp!!
Suddenly, I could feel somebody either kick—or punch—the inside of my abdomen.
“Oh my….” I said through wet, hot tears, as I was still cuddling with a now-lifeless Aquata Angel, “I think I’m pregnant….”
“Wait. What….?” said Drew, through his own wet, hot tears, “You are pregnant….?”
Feel my tummy….” I said through wet, hot tears, “Baby is kicking, moving, and punching in there….”
To which Drew felt my abdomen, as I still cuddled with Aquata Angel’s lifeless body.
“Oh my word….” said Drew, as he blinked back wet, hot tears, “I felt a kick….!! I think that you are pregnant, darling…. I felt a kick….!!”
Congratulations, Nicole Amber Morgan!!” said Dr. Spitz, with a warm smile written on his face.
“No, I am not pregnant….” I said through wet, hot tears, as I looked down at Aquata Angel’s ‘sleeping’ face, “This can’t be right…. Don’t you guys understand….? Aquata Angel’s death rests on me…. Losing my own daughter was preventable…. I failed to keep Aquata Angel safe…. No…. I do not deserve to be a Mama again….”
“But…. What if this baby was sent to your womb directly from Heaven….” said Nurse Preslee.
She paused for a nanosecond.
“Sent directly from Aquata Angel herself….?” finished Nurse Preslee, “Open your eyes and you will see signs all around you….”
Certainly enough, nine long, emotional, hormonal, {and slow healing}, months later, I brought into this world our rainbow baby girl!!
I named this beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed daughter Liberty Belle, because we learned about her on Independence Day!!

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