Joey Phantom ch-1

Chapter 1… Labor Day

     For most people in Texas, it was typical to be a warm night on August 6th, or the 7th if you really wanna get technical about it. But in the year 2015, the weather has been out of whack. Summer felt like fall, spring and winter switched places so at two in the morning it was cold and raining with no end in sight. The sky was completely saturated with dark gray clouds obscuring the stars and moon behind them. The rain was pounding at the concrete of the hospital’s roof which couldn’t be heard passed one Michelle Blackhurst’s screams of pain. She was surrounded by nurses, doctors and her boyfriend while laying on a bed in the maternity ward with her legs spread wide open. She kept on pushing time and again for all she was worth. She was sweating so much that it soaked the sheets on the mattress. Danny Fenton was standing next to her holding her hand. Michelle was in a hospital robe covering her hourglass shaped body with the enlarged womb of course while Danny was wearing a red t-shirt with a pair of dark blue jeans and a pair of black and white baseball sneakers and his hair had grown longer since he graduated high-school a few months before. Michelle pushes again with little success and she lays her head back on the pillow panting. You’d pant too if it felt like you were gonna give birth to an SUV. “That’s great Michelle.” Danny encouraged holding his girlfriends hand. “You’re doin’ great.”
     Michelle was too irritable to accept it. “How do you know?!” she gets ready to push again.
     Danny gets a confident grin on his face. “I might actually win.”
     “Win what?” Michelle managed to ask.
     Danny wiped off the grin as clean as he could but a good portion of it was still noticeable. He said with obvious confidence: “The baby shower,” he replied. “Jazz and I bet on when the baby would be born. I bet a month’s worth of ghost fighting if she was born after midnight .”
     Michelle raises her head and scowls. “I am so glad I could help!”
     The nurse had her hands in gloves as she gets ready to catch the baby. “Alright, you need to push now Michelle!”
     Michelle screams louder than she ever did that night as she felt tears sting her eyes from the unbearable pain.

     Outside the ward, were another two high-school graduates. One had dark tan skin while the other had unusually pail white skin. The guy was wearing a red buret and glasses while his girlfriend wore all black. A full grown man, Jack, and his wife, Maddie with her friend, Amelia, Michelle’s mother, and Jasmine ran up to the graduates and they were soaked from the downpour of rain outside the building. “Hey kids,” Jack greeted.
     “We heard Michelle ended up in the hospital. What’s wrong?” Jazz said with pure concern in her voice.
     Tucker looked over to him and pulled out his PDA which showed survailence that they put in there just in case of ghosts in Danny and Michelle’s dorm at their college. “This happened.”
     The video played to see that Michelle was wearing a purple t-shit that has an arrow pointing down and above the arrow, the shirt says “I have the Spirit in me.” She had wet her jeans, but not from having a problem bladder. She was incredibly angry with Danny as she yelled: “THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!” Danny is seen holding his hands up defensively with pure terror molded into his face because he knew that when the bull is angry, you’ll get the horns.
     The older family members’ faces had gone blank and unreadable. “Oh.” Was all they could say. “And how long ago did this happen?” Maddie asked.
     Sam raised her head from her hand on the counter and faced the more experienced parents. “Two or more hours.” She replied with tension in her voice.
     Tucker shared her reaction as he out his PDA in the pocket of his sweater. “Felt more like three. How long does it take to deliver a baby?”
     Jazz puts her hands in the pockets of her jacket. “Are you actually expecting an answer or is this ritorical?”
      Tucker sighs and takes a seat in a chair. “Never mind.”
Sam takes a seat next to him as Maddie leans on the counter. “You seem a little tense yourself Ms. Fenton.” Sam said.
     “Does this have anything to do with the bet you’re gonna lose? Huh? Does it? Huh?” Tucker teased.
     “Oh shut up.”
     “It’s the bet.”
     Danny runs up to the counter where his friends and family are. “Hey guys.” Danny began. “C’mon, you gotta see this.” Danny runs back through the hall into the delivery room to see Michelle holding her baby.
     It was a boy, with dark brown hair like Michelle’s but naturally shaggy like Danny’s. The hairstyle wasn’t the only thing he inherited from his father, he also had the very same baby-blue eyes as him but shares his mother’s skin tone.
     The nurse allows her emotions to show as a happy smile drifts across her face. “Congratulations, it’s a boy.”
     Michelle was still crying but not because of the echoeing pain in her abdomen, but because of the crying boy she held in her arms, her baby boy. “He’s beautiful.” She managed to say.
     Danny leaned over his girlfriend and smiled then chuckled at the mutual joy they had found in their baby’s face, but at the same time afraid. He blinked. “Wow.”
     Amelia turns to Danny with uncertainty written all over her face. “’Wow’ what?”
     “I uh…” Danny stuttered trying to focus on the answer without crying tears of joy himself. “I just had no idea I’d be a father so soon.”
     “Oh you’ll get over it, I’m sure.”
     “What are you gonna name him?” Sam asked excitedly.
     Danny licked his upper lip. “We were actually expecting a girl.”
     Michelle faked a frown and elbowed Danny in the arm.
     “Ow. Well… I was.” Danny couldn’t help but as they both laughed looking at the child as Danny stroked his hair.      
     Everyone surrounding the bed was either holding hands with the one they loved or staring in awe of the new born baby.
     Jack felt a surge of pride race through him. “Cool! I’m finally a grandfather!” he boomed. “Now I can blather on about ghosts to another child!”
     The baby cried louder.
     Danny and Michelle both keep the baby away from him. “Jack! You’re scaring the baby!” they both said at the same time.
     “Man that’s still cool.”

     It was dusk, the house was quiet. The crickets began to play their night song while the sun was setting, and the moon began to rise.
     Danny Fenton stood over the crib of his new son, Joseph Fenton, sleeping silently. Next to him, was his fiancée, Michelle, the mother of Joseph. This was his first night home.
     "He's so beautiful." Michelle whispered, her eyes shone with pride.
     Danny smiled and kissed her. "He's got his mother's hair."
     Michelle looked back at him. "His father's looks."
     Danny couldn't help but to feel proud. It was true that little Joey inherited most of his looks, and eye color, but he could see Michelle in the newborn, too. They stood a while, admiring their son as he slept peacefully, not making a movement or sound.
     Michelle yawned widely. Danny knew she would be tired, only two days ago did she give birth, and it took a lot of her energy while in labor. The next day she was back to her old self, but the exhaustion still showed.
     "You go to bed." Danny kissed her again. "I'll watch him."
     Michelle looked as if she were about to protest, but then smiled tiredly. "Alright." With a kiss on the lips, the young Texan tomboy mother left the room.
     Danny turned his attention to Joey again. The little boy sighed and turned his head, and then cooed in his sleep. Danny smiled and reached into the crib, and lightly patted the boy's head.
     Later on that night, Joey had woken up crying. Not wanting to make Michelle restless, Danny had gotten up to take care of Joey. He was hungry, and they sat together for a while he sucked the bottle up dry.
     "All good, little man?" Danny chuckled softly as he gently patted Joey's back, making him burp.
     "I'll take that as a yes." Danny gently settled him back in the crib, and Joey went to sleep once more.
     Danny went back to his and Michelle's bedroom, glad to see that she was still asleep. He climbed back into bed next to her. He was tired, but he couldn't sleep. All he could think about was Joey, and taking the responsibilities as a new father. Sure, it would be hard. He remembered all the trouble he had caused for his parents as a kid, and can almost hear his father's speeches about life lessons. Which surprisingly, helped him a lot.
     With a sigh, he got up once again and quietly tip-toed to Joey's room. The little boy was still asleep.
     Danny stared for a minute, remembering the emotion he had felt just two days ago, when Michelle had successfully given birth to him. Happiness, joy, love, mixed with others he couldn't identify. Ever since the day Michelle told him that she was pregnant, it felt like a dream.
     Is it all a dream? Danny wondered to himself. He reached into the crib and touched Joey's arm. The skin felt warm and soft.
     He shook his head. It couldn't be a dream. This was real life, he was now a father, at age 19. Joey was surely real. And Danny felt nothing but love and joy. Carefully, he slid his hand under Joey's back and leaned his head into the crib. Very softly, he kissed Joey's cheek. Joey's eyelids twitched and his mouth opened a little, but didn't wake up.
     Danny took his hand from under Joey's back and tucked the blanket around him. "Goodnight, my son."