+ Horizontal 8 Ep. 2

He rushed through the door. There was sweat on his forehead. He breathed heavily. His eyes were almost falling from his eye sockets. His mouth was open to inhale the air better.
He had run all the way. Where could she be?
'Doctor ! Doctor !' he nervously said.
'Yes, sir! What seems to be the problem?'
'My wife has just given birth ! I'm a father ! I'm finally a father !' His words were flowing out of his mouth and his hands were trembling with excitement. ' I want to see her !'
'That's fine, sir, but in what room is she?' the doctor patiently asked.
'Uhmm... I don't know...' the nervousness suddenly turned into fear.
'Well', the doctor continued, 'what is her name then?'
Her name... Her name... What was her name?... He couldn't remember. His mind was blank. His breathing slowed. The trembling of his hands had gone. Instead, a flush of worry had gotten over him. He looked right into the doctor's eyes and said: 'I don't remember...' He himself couldn't believe it. But it was true ! It was true...
The doctor looked quite surprised. 'Wait here a second, sir.'
The man simply nodded. His look of amazement was transfixed in a single spot of the room. The floor. The plain white marbled floor. With his right hand, he searched a chair behind him. He had found one and slowly sited on it. Not even the floor, or the uncomfortable chair, or the injured people who were around him couldn't stop him thinking of his forgetfulness.
The doctor came back. 'Follow me, please. '
As woken from a reverie, he jumped of his seat and and did as he was told.
Room 283. Oh my God! 283 ! It's the... It's the...
'Hello, Mr. Jefferson !' said the nurse. 'Come in !' He hoped that his wife was okay. His wife, Natasha Jefferson...
He went in the room. On the bed there was the beautiful paled Natasha. She had fallen asleep with a smile on her face. 'Congratulations, you have a baby girl !' said the nurse with his child in her arms.
'Tha... Th.. Thank you !'
He stuttered. He was staring at the little beauty and again, for the second time that day, he didn't know what to say. 'Can I hold her?'
He had her now. Her closed eyes with her little head and her puny hands, always trying to clutch something. Maybe the time until her departure...
'I'm glad to say that your new-born daughter is in perfect health !'
He looked at her and smiled. 'Thank you !'
'Isn't she beautiful?' Natasha said as she was slowly waking up.
'Yes, darling ! Of course she is ! Just as her mother.'
Natasha smiled.