‘Noooooooooooo!’ Lisa made her thoughts on the matter clear.
After an examination that revealed there wasn’t time to make it to the hospital, and a call to the delivery suite resulting in the confirmation that they’d endeavour to get a midwife to them as soon as possible,Dom gave Felicity a list of items needed to assist with the birth. She looked at it, at first perplexed, then soon realised she knew just where to source certain essentials and decided to enlist Alice’s help. At least the fact Lisa’s hospital bags were packed meant bits for her and the baby were in one easy to find spot. The rest needed a little sourcing and imagination.
Hurrying upstairswith the most recent box of pet paraphernalia sent fromPaws About Townmagazine, followed by Alice carrying Lisa’s bag of emergency supplies from her van Felicity grabbed towels from the airing cupboard before pausing at the bedroom door.
‘Stay out here Alice.’
‘Mummy, when I’m a doctor—’
Lisa growled from inside the room. Alice looked at Felicity. ‘I’ll leave this here.’ She placedthe bag on the floor.
Felicity registered the concern on her daughter’s face and winked. ‘You’ve been a big help. I’ll tell Lisa, and I am sure she’ll be really grateful.’
Alice grinned and walked back down the stairs, her head held high.
Felicity scooped up the bag handle and rushed into the room, dropping the towels and emptying the box and bag. Labour wasn’t the exact intentionfor a pet heat pad, a waterproof car boot liner, a “nighttime walkies” head torch, or the plastic bags, gloves, tissues and anti-bac essentials in Lisa’s cat poo ninja kit, but they were all new and about to be put to good use.
Once Lisa was manoeuvred onto her layered bed of plastic sheets and towels, and Dom had teased about the head torch being a step too far, Felicity agreed to check onLisa’s progress. As Dom turned his back and Felicity went to look, Lisa moaned as another contraction began taking hold. She looked at Felicity and Dom, eyes wide, with the increasing intensity of pain she growled through gritted teeth, ‘I want to push. Forget my foofing foof and get this baby ouuuuuuut!’
Slipping the towel back from Lisa’s knees Felicity looked. ‘Oh my goodness, it’s coming,the head is crowning! I’ve never seen it all from this angle.’
Assessing the situation, Dom advised Lisa to pant.
‘Thank goodness you’re here.’ Felicity smiled at Dom gratefully. Driving over she’d feared the traffic meant she might have to deliver Lisa’s baby, with the assistance of her children and a YouTube tutorial.
Eventually, Lisa’s contraction subsided. She took a moment ofrespite while Dom reassured her that it wouldn’t be long until she was holding her baby.
As the bedroom door opened, Felicity and Dom turned in unison.
Dressed in his blues, Nathan stood in the doorway relief evident in his expression at having not missed the birth.
‘You made it through the traffic.’ Felicity beamed.
‘It turns out Nathan’s got connections.’ Pete spoke before peeringover Nathan’s shoulder. ‘Oh Christ, sorry!’ Covering his eyes with his hand, he turned back to the stairs. ‘I’ll go and check on the children.’
Thanking Felicity and Dom for being there, Nathan went to Lisa’s side. Clearly relieved at his arrival, she let out a sob, before grabbing his hand as another contraction started.
‘OK, Nathan, do you want to deliver your baby?’ Dom asked.
Nathan kissed Lisa’s forehead. ‘Yes.’
As the contraction intensified, Lisa cried out.
Felicity moved to take hold of her hand, freeing Nathan to move to the end of the bed. Dom stood to the side, advising what to do, while Nathan prepared to meet his and Lisa’s baby.
