I was pregnant and gave birth at home in a bathtub filled with warm water. The contractions didn’t necessarily hurt, actually, and the entire process of labor was quick and painless.

It was a beautiful baby boy. I held him in my arms as I laid in the bathtub still, amazed.

His first words, “Need kick.”

I was in my parents’ living room with him, swaddled, and admiring him. “Need more DPS,” he cooed, which caused us all to burst out laughing. “That’s definitely my kid,” I remarked.

My family and I were outside, getting the car ready to take him to the doctor. “What are you going to name him?” One of my sisters asked. “I don’t know…” I thought about it for a few seconds. “Pick a name: Joey, Ross, or Chandler,” I asked my oldest sister. “Chandler,” she responded. I looked down at the baby boy and repeated, “Chandler.”

My entire family tagged along as we took the newborn boy to the doctor. I was holding him in my arms in the backseat of the car while my dad drove.

I thought about all the things I had to buy for him. A car seat, a carrier, clothes, diapers, etc.

We got to the doctor’s office and I continued holding him while the receptionist got the papers ready. “I don’t know,” he murmured. “What don’t you know?” I asked him back, coddling him and rubbing his cheek.

My sisters grabbed the paperwork while I continued to hold Chandler. They filled out the paperwork and next was just a waiting game for the doctor. We roamed around the doctor’s office and external area, taking turns holding Chandler. My mom then asked to hold Chandler. I handed Chandler over to her.

It had been about 30 minutes and I hadn’t heard anything from the doctor nor my mother. I looked around the doctor’s office and the external area and my mother was nowhere in sight. Panic started to set in.

“Where is she?!” I thought aloud. I looked at my phone, about to call her, when I saw a few texts she had sent me. These texts were clearly on accident. “Have fun tonight, my prince charming. You look dashing as always. And thanks for the present.” These texts were clearly not meant for me, but another man. The time stamps on the texts showed that she had sent these messages while we were on the way to the doctor’s office, while she was sitting right next to my dad. Disbelief set in, but my first thought was my son. I attempted to call my mother several times with no answer. I was frantically pacing in front of the doctor’s office, looking through news to see if there was an accident that occurred recently, fearful for my baby’s life. Suddenly my mom came up behind me, unscathed with my happy baby boy. “Where were you?! I tried calling you!” I exclaimed and grabbed Chandler from her, holding him tight.

Confused at my panic, my mom simply stared at me.

“Don’t go too far with him ever again!” I shouted at my mom. I didn’t bother to mention the text messages she had accidentally sent to me.

My mom handed my oldest sister a pack of instant ramen with hot water that she had gotten for her. My oldest sister asked to hold Chandler as well, which I obliged. She held Chandler in her right arm while holding the noodles in her left hand.

Suddenly, I see her drop the instant ramen and panic sets in, wondering if my son is okay. She picks up the ramen bowl with both hands, clearly no longer holding Chandler.

“Where is he?!” I yelled and ran up to her.

“I.. I think I accidentally threw him in the bowl with hot water and he just disappeared.” She stammered.

I frantically looked through the blanket he was swaddled in, and nothing. I looked at the bowl she was holding and saw chunks floating around.

“You cooked my baby?!” I yelled, incredulous, furious. I grabbed the ramen bowl from her and emptied it into a nearby fountain. No sign of Chandler.