There was a feeling of pressure all over his body. He could hear the occasional muffled noises throughout the entire process. The amount of time he was feeling restrained seemed to be forever. A part of him thought that he should have skipped this process. Experiencing the rhythm of constriction and contraction was comforting in a weird way. Next thing was feeling the sudden change of temperature and light surrounding him.
"Congratulations! It's a boy!" Han heard a woman's voice shout out. Hearing her voice, Han was glad he altered his sensory inputs. He remembered his nursing friends explaining how a child would be overwhelmed by their new senses, considering the environment they were coming from inside of the womb.
There was a smacking sensation on his bottom, causing him to open his eyes. He was able to stop from shouting at the woman in anger, before remembering his situation. With his altered eyes, Han saw an image of an attractive woman whose long brown hair and face was covered in sweat. He had never seen someone so exhausted before.
The nurse gently wrapped him in a blanket and carried him away from the woman who was his new biological mother. For a second he panicked and questioned if in this world the family dynamic was different from his Earth.
He felt himself being gently placed into a large table area. Trying to figure out what was happening, he heard one of the nurses say, "he's a healthy boy isn't he, measuring 7.2 pounds."
Listening to everything they were saying, Han, understood that they were taking standard measurements for a newborn. Compared to what he had seen on television, the process was somewhat involved. "Was this due to the world I'm now in or is this what also happened on Earth," he pondered as he watched the nurses work.
"Jill, is it normal for him to be watching us?" the younger woman asked the older one.
The older woman looked at him and answered, "let alone watching us; he shouldn't even have his eyes open."
"Do you think there was a problem during the pregnancy?" The younger nurse asked her senior. Her tone of voice let Han know that she was someone who took her job seriously and was worried that there was something wrong with him.
"Though it's unusual, there would be no negative reason for him to be able to do this. I'll consult with the doctor assigned to this patient, but it should be a non-issue." The senior nurse reassured the younger nurse.
Han knew that this would likely be unusual, though it being a parallel world he couldn't be sure of this, wanting to see the process was one of the reasons he even bothered reincarnating himself.
After the nurses finished their duties, they wrapped him in a different blanket, and he soon found himself being held by his mother. Looking up at his mother, Han saw a woman who had gone through a painful trial and was nearly drained of all remaining strength. Likely, the ability to even hold him was a mother's desire to embrace her child. Seeing how she looked at him with such love made him wonder if his first mother looked at him the same way when he was born. Imagining his mother made him remember how she looked lying in the coffin. A tear rolled down his cheek.
"What's wrong, my baby?" his mother asked. She held him closer to and gently rocked him. "My beautiful son. I will call you Han because you are my precious son who I wanted to meet for so long. Though this world is cruel and heartless, know that I will be by your side and protect you from anything." She lifted him and kissed his forehead.
When his mother said that his name was "Han," there was a feeling of surprise and wonder. Was it a coincidence for him to receive the same name or was this tied to fate and his powers. Hearing the words his mother giving him his name and the vow that followed made him happy on the inside. Experiencing such unconditional love was likely something he needed in his life. In his past life, Han had only been a failure and shame of his family. Though he consistently failed at life, his mother's love and support were always there for him. Seeing his mother in the coffin made him think, "before you died, I never gave a reason for you to believe in me so much. Now I'm truly alone in a world where results are all that matters and people don't give love for no reason."
The way she gently hummed and rocked him gave him a feeling of assurance, like nothing wrong would ever happen to him. As he listened to her humming and singing, his eyelids became heavy, and the world faded away as he fell asleep.
------
When he woke up, the first thing he noticed was the face of a young girl who was intently watching him.
"Mommy! The baby woke up!" the girl shouted, making him groan from the sudden noise. Though his body was adjusted the increase in volume was annoying to his ears.
"Jennifer, you need to keep your voice down around your baby brother," his mother gently spoke.
"Why?" The inevitable question was asked by Jennifer.
With the patience only a mother could have, she said, "because babies are still growing so loud noises can hurt their ears."
Being wrapped in a blanket, Han wasn't able to see what was happening, but from what he could hear the girl seemed to find the explanation acceptable.
"When are you coming home, mommy?" Jennifer asked.
Footsteps could be heard, and it sounded like a man walked into the room. "Jennifer, don't bother your mother. She's still recovering from having your little brother."
"Mommy will be coming home soon," his mother explained.
"You'll be coming home today, especially with how much they are charging us with this room. They must think you gave birth to a bar of gold, instead of a boy." The man Han assumed to be his father voiced.
There was a moment of silence before his mother said, "Sorry, baby, I know you had to take time off from work."
Before his father was able to respond, a woman's voice could be heard. "How is the mother doing today?" The sound was from a nurse walking into the room.
"I'm doing fine, thank you," his mother answered sounding a little tired.
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"Still feeling a little tired?" The nurse asked. "The tests have all come back positive for you to be discharged, but you are free to stay for another day if you feel you need it," she advised.
"Not when you're charging an arm and a leg for this place! Knowing how you crooks do things, I'm sure that the extra day won't be covered by my company's insurance plan!" His dad proclaimed angrily.
"Baby, she's just trying to look out for me," his mother tried to calm his dad down. His mother then said, "I should be able to leave today, correct?" Han could hear the strain in her voice, as she likely was combatting her own physical state and dealing with an unsympathetic husband.
"Why would I have taken off from work if you weren't leaving?" He pointed out, making clear that he expected his wife to be coming home.
"You're a devoted husband," the nurse said cheerfully, likely trying to get rid of the negative atmosphere.
"It's a husband's duty to look after his wife, just like it's her duty to take care of the home," his father answered arrogantly.
Han groaned from hearing the man he had to consider his biological father spout out such sexist comments. Thinking that he was stuck with a guy who thought he was the king of his domain and treated his wife in such a manner ground on his nerves.
"Is there any paperwork I need to fill out, so we can leave as soon as possible?" His father asked.
"This way, Mr. Peterson." The nurse walked out of the room with his father following.
There was the sound of tiny feet walking over to where the bed likely was. "Mommy, are you okay?" Jennifer asked, sounding concerned due to the tone of her mother's voice.
"Mommy is alright. I'm just a little tired, but soon mommy will be able to cook you your favorite meals." His mother tried to put more energy into her voice, but Han could tell that she was forcing herself. "Honey, how about you read the book that you brought with you, while mommy sleeps for a little bit, huh?"
"Okay, mommy. Will you read me the rest of the book when you come back home?" Jennifer asked her.
"Yes. I would love to read for my baby girl." His mother answered.
There was a sound of a chair being moved and some page turning, indicating that Jennifer was obediently reading her book. Listening to his mother's even breathing, he knew that she had fallen asleep. Thinking about how much his mother likely had to go through, Han felt terrible for her. Though his first dad was emotionally distant, he was respectful to his mother and made sure that she was happy. Talking to his dad wasn't something he remembered often, but he could picture the two of them sitting outside in the backyard in silence.
"Interfering in this world so soon wasn't something I was planning, but at least I can help a little." He said to himself. Closing his eyes, he imagined what the room looked like. Slowly an image of the place appeared in his mind, and he saw his mom lying on the bed sleeping. Picturing a thin strand of energy connecting him to her, Han began to send power to her. Considering she was only human, Han needed to watch how much was given so there would be no adverse side effects. A glowing looking liquid traveled the length of the connection and entered his mother. As the bright light passed throughout her body, there was a significant change in her health. Her breathing became stronger, and the color of her skin was healthier.
Watching all of this transpire, several moments pass by, and then Han ceased the flow. This was the first time he had tried it on a human in a non-magical world, so there was no telling what could happen. Seeing a woman being treated in such a manner made him want to help a little. From what he knew of relationships, the person needed to help themselves before they would accept outside help. Maybe with his extra strength, she would become a more independent woman.
Maintaining the image of the room, he could see his mother waking up. The rustling of the sheets alerted his older sister of their mother waking up. "Mommy, did you have a good sleep?" Jennifer asked, looking cheerful.
His mother nodded her head, "yes. Mommy feels a lot better after sleeping. Come over here, honey." Jennifer placed the book on the table and got up to go over to their mother. His mother hugged Jennifer, saying, "thank you for being such a good child, while mommy was feeling a little tired. Mommy is better now." Letting go of Jennifer, she said, "we should get ready to leave before daddy is finished, so we're ready for him."
Getting out of the bed with relative ease and looking more energetic, his mother gracefully walked over to a suitcase. Opening it, there were some clothes for women. This was likely what his dad brought with him for her. Looking through the various outfits, she found one that she liked and went into the bathroom. Even without the ability to view in, he understood that she was getting changed out of the hospital gown and into her daily clothes.
Once she finished changing, she got out of the bathroom and looked several times better. There was a definite glow about her, making her look several times younger than she did before. The improvement in her physical appearance was likely due to his energy, creating something similar to those cultivation web novels he had read before. This time no excess black waste is coughed up or excreted from the skin, like in those stories.
"Mommy, you look so pretty!" Jennifer exclaimed, running over and hugging their mom.
Their mom laughed lightly at Jennifer's words. "Mommy isn't as pretty as you are, my adorable girl."
They then spent time going through and making sure everything was ready for them to leave, as soon as his dad came back. As they finished preparing everything, Han saw his dad walk into the room.
"Jessica," the voice of his dad could be heard. "You're looking better." The expression on his face was a look of amazement, a natural reaction after seeing her looking exhausted on the bed to looking energized and ready for the day.
"Yes, Sam. I made sure to get some sleep while you were finishing the paperwork. I didn't want to be a burden for you, so I made sure to take a short nap. After waking up, I feel a lot better and agree that I'm ready to go home." his mom answered.
"I'm glad to hear that. I know that I may sound harsh, but I'm just thinking about our family. Plenty of families get buried in medical bills, and with having a newborn, we'll need to be in a strong financial position." His father, Sam said.
His mother nodded her head, understandingly about their circumstances. From the way she looked, their financial situation was not likely in the right place. Compared to how she looked earlier, the glow had dimmed slightly.
His father walked over to his mother and placed an arm around her shoulders, trying to comfort her. "Come on, let's go."
---------
As they were driving home, Han was in his mother's arms. He spent a lot of time staring at her face, thinking how strong and beautiful a woman she was. Coming from a person who grew up dealing with abuse from those outside of his family, partially due to his heritage, Han had learned that being quiet and accepting of the abuse didn't make you weak. Sometimes you had to endure to survive, or you grew used to it, because it was better than other forms of abuse. When he looked at his mother, he didn't just see someone that was in an unhealthy relationship but also someone who was a survivor.
Sensing his eyes on her, his mother looked down at him and gave him a happy smile. The glow that had dimmed returned whenever she looked at him like he was some battery that recharged her emotional and physical state. Seeing her look happy was a lot better than before. Though Han had only known her for less than a day, there was a feeling belonging to this person who gave birth to him.
As the car traveled through the neighborhood, Han observed how the surrounding area was designed. The way the houses were orderly and lined up made Han think that they were entering a relatively affluent location. Based on how his father talked, he had thought his family's finances were worse off. Han wondered if the house was provided by the company his dad worked at. There were instances when his former classmates had earned a job at a prestigious company or firm, which offered various benefits such as housing.
Pulling into the driveway, Han saw that the house was a small colonial style home, with windows on the front and the door in the middle. The outside of it was painted a sky blue color with a grey shingled roof. It wasn't as impressive as the homes he had seen before, but it gave off a comfortable feel to it. Seeing such a place reminded him of the traditional white picket fantasies that the average worker had, where the man gets a good paying job and after getting married purchases a nice looking home to raise kids in.
Parking the car in the detached garage, he watched his dad get out of the car and walk out of the garage. His mother carefully balanced him, as she removed her seatbelt and got out of the car. There were no visible changes in her facial expression at not being helped out of the car, making him think that this was something ordinary for her. As he maintained a view of their surroundings with his ability and observing the world through his eyes, Han seemed to get a better sense of how things appeared. Seeing his father walk to the front door as his wife sat in the car, made him feel like he was watching a drama unfold on a video streaming site.
When his mother walked through the garage door opening, she said, "Han, welcome to your new home. Though we may not be a wealthy family, I'm going to show you more love than any other family could." She smiled at him as they stood in the driveway outside.
"Jessica, is that you?!" A woman called out to them. This person was followed by several other women, who were dressed in the typical tracksuits worn by housewives when they were walking around the suburbs.
"Mindy, how are you doing today?" His mother addressed them.
The other women came closer and seemed to be excited to see what his mom was carrying, which was him. One of them exclaimed, "Jessica, he looks adorable!"
By the way, this woman was able to know his gender, Han figured it was the color of the blanket that wrapped him. It seemed like this society was similar to the 50s though the technology was similar to his 80s. The gender of the child was tied to the color that was traditionally connected to the colors blue and pink. With his blanket being blue, the women were able to figure out that his mother had a baby boy.
"When did you get back from the hospital?" Another of the women asked.
"I just arrived, Cindy," his mother smiled at the women.
All of the women were surprised by the news. "How long were you there for?" Mindy asked his mom.
"I was only there for the day," she stated.
"Y-you look great considering," a different woman voiced her thought.
As Han watched them all with his ability, he noticed that all of them were blown away by the news. From what he saw of his mother, Han figured that the process was very labor intensive, making the woman need maybe a week to recover from it. He felt himself smile at the idea of how his mother was able to be in a state better than what she was in before the delivery.
"Awww! He's smiling!" The same women cooed. Hearing the news, the other women crowded around his mother, poking him with their fingers.
Having so many women surrounding him was not a fun experience. He wondered if he should try crying, though he scrapped this idea due to his worry that such an action would reflect poorly on his new mom. People seemed to blame a mother often if a child cried as if the mother was some kind of superwoman who could control the temperament of a baby. If a woman was carrying a baby in any public setting and the child cried, everyone around the mother would become judgmental.
After what seemed like an eternity, his mother excused herself from the group of women and headed into the house. "What took you so long?" His dad asked as he sat on reclining chair, in front of what looked like an old television set.
"The neighbors just wanted to see Han," his mother quietly answered.
From the lack of a response and the sound from the TV, his father seemed to be engrossed by what was happening inside the box. Such a thing seemed to be a favorite TV trope, so seeing it play out in real life was somewhat ironic. Appearing to understand that her husband was distracted, she carried him up the stairs. On the second floor, there seemed only to be three rooms and one full bathroom. As Han watched his mom walk past one of the rooms, Han turned his consciousness to look into the room. Judging by all the pink in the room, Han guessed that this was his older sister's room.
The room that his mother entered was painted blue, with various sports decorations on the wall. This was apparently the room that he was going to be in for the remainder of his time here. Inside of the room was a crib, changing table, and drawers. He was impressed by how it looked, considering how his dad was acting like a vegetable downstairs.
"Do you like your room, Han?" His mother asked him, as she tilted his body so he could have a better room.
It was the typical behavior of parents, even if they know that children his age usually couldn't process anything around them. He was a special exception, so he gave a big smile to make his mom happy.
"I'm glad that you're happy with this room. Your daddy worked really hard to make this place for you." She added in.
In one of the corners, there was a wooden rocking chair. His mother walked over to it and had a seat in the chair. Sitting in the chair, his mother began gently rocking back and forth. While she was holding him and rocking in the chair, his mother looked at him with love. She started singing a lullaby song as she looked at him. With the window in the back showing a cloudless blue sky, Han thought it was it was a good decision of doing what he did.