“I don’t know, it was a sharp pain. This one was worse. I’ve been getting them all morning…They’re just Braxton Hicks, that’s all.” The look she’s giving me is telling me something different.It better not be what I think it is.
“How long does the pain last, and how often are you getting them?”
“Oh, just a minute, and I dunno every five or ten minutes, but…argh, oh my fuuuuuu…” I trail off as another contraction hits me, this one more powerful than the last.
“Ethan! Go outside and get one of the nurses!” May barks, and he scrambles to his feet to do as she asks. She looks at me and strokes my hair. “It’s okay, Lacey, breathe through it.”
When the contraction subsides, I open my eyes and look around before a whimper escapes me. “Where’s Cole? He can’t miss this, he has to be here!”
The midwife bustles back in and takes one look at me before shouting, “Right, everybody out!” They all clamber to their feet, each of them kissing my head as they file out, but she stops Archie and points at him. “You! I need you to–”
Archie doesn’t waste any time as he interrupts her, “Hot water! On it!”
“No, I need…”
“Towels! Okay!”
“No, stop interrupting me, I need you to…”
“Hold her feet? Gross, but I love her like a sister, so I’ll do it.” He moves to the bottom of the bed as another contraction has my stomach feeling like it’s in a vice.
“FUCK SAKE, ARCHIE! LISTEN TO THE POOR WOMAN!” The growl that I let slip has them stopping what they were doing and shrinking back a little.
The midwife regains her composure before speaking calmly, “Go outside and wait for Cole; it will be far easier for him to get here in time if he has you guiding him to the right wing.”
Archie’s cheeks flush, and he nods before running out of the room like his backside is on fire.
The nurse turns to May and me. “Okay, Lacey. I need to examine you now to assess your dilation. Do you know what dilation means?” She talks as she washes her hands in the sink, using her elbow to turn the water on and off, then dries her hands and pulls on some gloves. She gives me a pointed look, and I nod.
“Yes, I read the books…well, Cole read the books mostly.”
“Is that Dad?”
I nod. “Yes. He’s on his way back from a business trip. He shouldn’t be much longer. Should I close my legs or something?”
She gives me an odd look before bursting out laughing, the most relaxed I’ve seen her so far. “Oh no, dear, that won’t do a thing. Okay, let me check, deep breath in, please.” I do as I’m told, fighting the urge to close my legs almost straight away as she examines me.
Why do the books not tell you about this part or the awkwardness of it? She is right there in my hoo-ha!
“Well, it seems you’re a little further along than we thought.” She stands to her full height and snaps her gloves off. “It’s time.” She smiles at me like this is the easiest thing of all.
“What? No, I-I can’t! Not without Cole…he can’t miss this. May, tell her! She can’t make me do this without him.” May’s face crumples as she tries to give me an encouraging smile.
“He won’t be long; he won’t miss it. I know he won’t.”
She kisses my forehead as another wave of agonising pain courses through me, and I try to remember my breathing, but it’s so difficult when all I want is my best friend to be here with me.
Cole, you'd better hurry up.
Chapter 34
Cole
My phone has been ringing nonstop, and I know it’s my family, but if I answer one more call of ‘how long will you be’, my sanity is going to go out the fucking window.
I park the car in some form of a space and scramble out as Archie comes barrelling over to me, flapping his arms about.
“She’s started the labour and the contortions, Cole!” He’s breathing heavily, his eyes wide, and if I weren’t in such a blind panic, I’d be laughing.
