I laughed at the "What they are for." Having worked in the ER as a rad-tech, I can attest to the things that get all over your shoes. Blood, guts, puke, etc.
I don't think you meant to make anybody cry with this, but I did. :') Don't get me wrong, the romantic misadventures were precious and so funny. You wrote it so well. I just couldn't believe that the birth was going to go well! I was *so* anxious for Nancy even though I figured, it's a rom-com, I guess it has to turn out all right. But I have zero experience with labor turning out well (reasons I stay out of birth discussions generally), so my frame of reference is definitely off.
Oh, I’m so sorry. 😢 That was one thing that was in my mind as I wrote it, because even though I’ve been fortunate, with 2 out of 3 births going pretty smoothly, I have friends and loved ones who have had more difficult experiences. I think it’s easier for me to find the lighthearted side of birth stories, but anxiety around birth was hovering in the background during the writing process. Thank you for your kind comment!
I didn't realize just how tense/negative I had gotten about the whole subject, actually! Although reading the story made me really emotional at the time, it helped me process some of that feeling gutted that I'm not able to attempt labor anymore. So, thank you, really. I hope I didn't make you feel badly about it, I didn't write that first comment nearly as well as I wanted to. 🥲
Oh no, it didn’t make me feel bad! I would never want a birth story to be traumatic to read, but I hope that it helped with some of the processing, like you said. ❤️
That's a perfectly written little story, and it gets lovelier as it goes on. And this is from someone who is not in the habit of reading romantic comedies (although I have been a sucker for rom com movies in the past, but don't tell anyone I'm soppy at heart or it'll ruin my rep).
As for movie adaptations this is a great scene of course, but the producer/director would want you to draw it out into act one two and three - which you should, because these are all great characters and they deserve to have a longer story. I guess in the longer movie version they'd not see each other in the lift the first time, then her ex would phone her and keep pestering whilst she's thinking about the new guy, they'd keep missing encounters with each other at the hospital (cue comedic series of birth-related episodes), or there'd be a series of accidental obstacles getting in the way but of course, we know they'll get together in the end, perhaps after a funny but urgent birth-related action sequence brings them unexpectedly together. You know how it is.
I reckon that's the kind of pitch a producer would go for. Twenty years' ago you'd definitely have Clooney & Pfeiffer maybe. Throw Hugh Grant in there somewhere, a cool best friend, Meryl Streep maybe as the stress-inducing mother continuously wondering when her daughter's going to get a husband (I'm trying, mom, how many times... well try harder, honey...! You gotta push, you know...) and we've got a profitable movie Miss Riley. Sign here...
I love this! Thank you, Evelyn! I’ve been mulling over how I might at some point go about turning this narrative into a longer form piece without losing the core of the story. But having interactions spread over multiple births at the same hospital could be the way to go! I’m also a romantic at heart, even though I can get cranky about how romantic relationships are written in movies, TV shows, and books, and I’m wary of making some of the mistakes (or even just less-preferred tropes) I see in those!
I know what you mean about being wary - obviously I can't speak for you, but if I was approaching something like this I would probably go into a kind of postmodern pastiche mode - but affectionately and knowingly done, in the sense that you, as the writer, know that the readers know the tropes, they expect them, and would love to read something playfully teasing with those tropes, if you see what I mean. So it's not cliche, because it's knowing, but it's almost as if the characters themselves realise they are living in a rom com, and can't help acting it out. Or at least the main character does. Or maybe just the narrator who makes sly references now and then. If any of that makes sense!
That's just my quirky nature, though.
But you definitely have the foundations for an excellent long version of this story here - those characters are already fully formed at least in my own mind. And you have definitely captured people's hearts, I think, judging by the comments!
Oh - one movie it did spark off a memory of in my head was Sliding Doors - that was quite heartbreaking though. Oh, and was it 'one fine day' with Clooney & Pfeiffer? I think that was set in NY. I liked that one, anyhow.
I was going to say with rom coms *everyone* expects the tropes, and I think it's probably the reason why we watch rom coms. We know what's going to happen in the end, so it's how they get there that engages us. That's where the fun is...
OKAY BRIDGET THIS WAS AMAZING? WHEN DO WE GET THEIR STORY??
Haha aww thanks!! Maybe I’ll have to work something up for Clare and Will!
Yay! I was rooting for denim jacket guy. Nicely done, Bridget.
Thank you, Jim!
Ohhh. A love Triangle...maybe.
I laughed at the "What they are for." Having worked in the ER as a rad-tech, I can attest to the things that get all over your shoes. Blood, guts, puke, etc.
This was a good light read.
Thank you! I worked in a hospital for a little while, and I learned very quickly that I needed designated work shoes.
Loved it!! You nailed the est part of rom coms. I was also cheering for Clare when she threw out her ex's number!
Yay! Thank you!
I loved this, Bridget! The voice and pacing were perfect.
Thank you!!
I *loved* this!! I didn’t even realise that it was fiction. Sensational!!
Thank you so much, Holly!
I thought it was a memoir 🤣
I don't think you meant to make anybody cry with this, but I did. :') Don't get me wrong, the romantic misadventures were precious and so funny. You wrote it so well. I just couldn't believe that the birth was going to go well! I was *so* anxious for Nancy even though I figured, it's a rom-com, I guess it has to turn out all right. But I have zero experience with labor turning out well (reasons I stay out of birth discussions generally), so my frame of reference is definitely off.
Oh, I’m so sorry. 😢 That was one thing that was in my mind as I wrote it, because even though I’ve been fortunate, with 2 out of 3 births going pretty smoothly, I have friends and loved ones who have had more difficult experiences. I think it’s easier for me to find the lighthearted side of birth stories, but anxiety around birth was hovering in the background during the writing process. Thank you for your kind comment!
I didn't realize just how tense/negative I had gotten about the whole subject, actually! Although reading the story made me really emotional at the time, it helped me process some of that feeling gutted that I'm not able to attempt labor anymore. So, thank you, really. I hope I didn't make you feel badly about it, I didn't write that first comment nearly as well as I wanted to. 🥲
Oh no, it didn’t make me feel bad! I would never want a birth story to be traumatic to read, but I hope that it helped with some of the processing, like you said. ❤️
That's a perfectly written little story, and it gets lovelier as it goes on. And this is from someone who is not in the habit of reading romantic comedies (although I have been a sucker for rom com movies in the past, but don't tell anyone I'm soppy at heart or it'll ruin my rep).
As for movie adaptations this is a great scene of course, but the producer/director would want you to draw it out into act one two and three - which you should, because these are all great characters and they deserve to have a longer story. I guess in the longer movie version they'd not see each other in the lift the first time, then her ex would phone her and keep pestering whilst she's thinking about the new guy, they'd keep missing encounters with each other at the hospital (cue comedic series of birth-related episodes), or there'd be a series of accidental obstacles getting in the way but of course, we know they'll get together in the end, perhaps after a funny but urgent birth-related action sequence brings them unexpectedly together. You know how it is.
I reckon that's the kind of pitch a producer would go for. Twenty years' ago you'd definitely have Clooney & Pfeiffer maybe. Throw Hugh Grant in there somewhere, a cool best friend, Meryl Streep maybe as the stress-inducing mother continuously wondering when her daughter's going to get a husband (I'm trying, mom, how many times... well try harder, honey...! You gotta push, you know...) and we've got a profitable movie Miss Riley. Sign here...
I love this! Thank you, Evelyn! I’ve been mulling over how I might at some point go about turning this narrative into a longer form piece without losing the core of the story. But having interactions spread over multiple births at the same hospital could be the way to go! I’m also a romantic at heart, even though I can get cranky about how romantic relationships are written in movies, TV shows, and books, and I’m wary of making some of the mistakes (or even just less-preferred tropes) I see in those!
I know what you mean about being wary - obviously I can't speak for you, but if I was approaching something like this I would probably go into a kind of postmodern pastiche mode - but affectionately and knowingly done, in the sense that you, as the writer, know that the readers know the tropes, they expect them, and would love to read something playfully teasing with those tropes, if you see what I mean. So it's not cliche, because it's knowing, but it's almost as if the characters themselves realise they are living in a rom com, and can't help acting it out. Or at least the main character does. Or maybe just the narrator who makes sly references now and then. If any of that makes sense!
That's just my quirky nature, though.
But you definitely have the foundations for an excellent long version of this story here - those characters are already fully formed at least in my own mind. And you have definitely captured people's hearts, I think, judging by the comments!
Oh - one movie it did spark off a memory of in my head was Sliding Doors - that was quite heartbreaking though. Oh, and was it 'one fine day' with Clooney & Pfeiffer? I think that was set in NY. I liked that one, anyhow.
That definitely makes sense! I love gently self-aware comedies, and I think that could work really well with a rom-com.
I haven’t seen Sliding Doors, although now I want to look it up and see where it’s available!
You should definitely try and see Sliding Doors.
I was going to say with rom coms *everyone* expects the tropes, and I think it's probably the reason why we watch rom coms. We know what's going to happen in the end, so it's how they get there that engages us. That's where the fun is...
This was such a fun read!!
Thank you!
Thank you!🩶 Such a sweet story…
Thank you, Kathrine!
I think Met is listening I on Substack. “The Night Manager” just came up in my Facebook feed … looks like a good cast!
It’s a good one!
Very sweet! I had no idea what suctioning was! Learn something new every day.
I wish I didn’t know what it was! 😅 My oldest swallowed quite a bit of fluid at birth, so it has stuck with me!
Awww, poor love! Well I could clearly picture this scene and it was all lovely.
Thank you, Hanna!
Nice work, Bridget! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thank you, Kevin!
This is so cute, I love it!!
Thank you!
Oh, this takes me back to when our kiddo was born: good times. :)
Hopefully no doctors flirting while delivering the placenta, though.
No, not that I noticed, thankfully. It was an eventful day but we didn't have that.
Aww, this was cute! (Not normally something I say about stories containing birth scenes, lol!)
With the first scene containing vomit, I thought it might be good to add a disclaimer to the top. 😂