Robert Heinlein: I Will Fear No Evil

"Right here, dear."

"Where are they taking me? Am I going in for surgery again?"

"Yes, Joan."

"Why, dear?"

"Because you haven't gone into labor when you should have. So now we do it the easy way—Caesarean section."

He added, "There's nothing to worry about. It's as routine as taking out an appendix."

"Roberto, you know I never worry. You're doing it?"

"No, the chief of surgery. He's far more skilled than I am. Dr. Frankel. You met him, he examined you this morning."

"Did he? It's slipped my mind. Roberto, I must tell Winnie something very important. It's about the name of my baby."

"She knows, dear, she wrote it down. ‘Jacob Eunice, or Eunice Jacob.'"

"Oh, good! Then everything's all right. But tell them to make it quick, Roberto; I never liked waiting around at a beachhead."

"It'll be quick, you'll never notice it. Spinal and a wagonload of barbiturate, Joan."

"That's funny, you called me ‘Joan.' My name's ‘Johann,' Doctor. Agnes is going to be all right—she is, isn't she?"

"Yes, Johann. Agnes—is going to be all right."

"I told her she would be all right. Doctor, I feel dreamy. If I fall asleep, will you wake me when Agnes goes in to have her baby?"

"Yes, Johann."

"Thank...ou...rs... Wicklund. I didn't...now.. could be so...onderful."

"Roberto? Where are you? I can't see you."

"Right here, dear."

"Touch me. Touch my face, I can't feel anything lower down. Roberto, what I bought was a wonderful year—and I have no regrets. Have they started?"

"Not quite. Do you want to go to sleep, dear?"

"Must I? I'd rather not. I feel sleepy—dreamy and good but I'd rather not go to sleep just yet. It's on the knees of the gods now, isn't it? Time to bite the bullet and chin up and all that. But I don't need that, I'm happy. Come close, dear, I must tell you why. Closer, can't talk...ery loud."

"Clamp! Damn it, Nurse, stay out of my way!"

"Everything always hurts, Roberto—everything. Always. But some things are worth all the hurts. ‘Tie me kangeroo down, mite, tie me kangeroo down!' That...asn't...hat I meant to say; that's Jake, he's singing again. Always sings when he's happy. Lean very close...o I can tell you before—I sleep. Thank you, Roberto, for letting me welcome you into my body. It is good to touch—to fuck—be fucked. It's—not good—to be—too much alone. You have blessed me...ith your body, dear. Now I'll sleep a while if I may...ut first I had to tell you that. Om Mani Padme Hum. Now I lay me down to sleep—"

"Surgeon, she's failing."

A baby cried, a world began.

"Heart action dropping!"

(Jake? Eunice?) (Here, Boss! Grab on! There! We've got you.) (Is it a boy or a girl?) (Who cares, Johann—it's a baby! ‘One for all and all for one!')

An old world vanished and then there was none.