It was June 7th. Todd and I were out taking a slow walk in the park. I was as big as a giant balloon that was about to pop. We were talking, and all the sudden my water broke. I turned to Todd.
    "Is something wrong, Leah?" He asked.
    "Todd!! Todd call Patty!! My water just broke!!" He looked at me in shock and quickly called Patty while rushing me to a taxi. As we sat in the taxi, Todd held my hand tightly. I could tell he was nervous, or maybe it was excitement. Either way, I could tell.
    "Breathe in, breathe out." I told him. He laughed.
    "Is it that easy to notice?" I nodded and we laughed. Mine was a cracked laugh, because I started having contractions. This made Todd panic as he told the taxi driver to hurry up.
    When we finally made it to the hospital, Todd helped me out of the taxi and handed the driver some money. Todd helped me walk into the building. Patty was already there, yelling at the woman at the desk that,"A girl is going to have a baby and you're not going to help?!!"
    "Patty!" I yelled at her. The woman at the desk looked thankful.
    Soon, a woman came down and put me in a wheelchair. Leila, Maddie, and Rodney came soon after that.
    When people tell you that childbirth is one of the most painful things, they're not lying. My face was all sweaty and my hair probably looked horrible. Todd held my hand and talked me through it, though it looked like he was going to faint. When the baby was out, I heard it crying and immediatley wanted to comfort it. They told me that it was a girl and handed her to me.
    She was the perfect child. I know that everyone always says that, but mine is.
    "Have you thought of any names?" The doctor asked. I hadn't really thought about it, but I knew exactly what to call her.
    "Hope. Her name is Hope." I said, cradling the infant in my arms. Hope really was the perfect name. Hope was what I needed to get through the abuse I had endured for so long. Hope was what I needed to escape my house. Hope, was what I needed to know that this baby would be born perfectly. That little baby was my hope.
    I let Todd hold her next. He looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world, and I wasn't a bit jealous. Everyone took turns holding Hope, and soon I was so tired, I couldn't help but fall asleep. I woke up in a room, no longer looking like a balloon.
    Hope's full name was Hope Emily Denna. Emily was my mother's name, and I decided it was the best pick. For once in my life, I felt connected, not broken at all.