Distracted, he nodded again.The readout . . .He reached over to adjust the fetal monitor again around her belly.
She stirred under his hands. “Atlas?”
He frowned. The numbers on the screen didn’t change even with his adjustment. The baby kicked under his hands, into the fabric band pressed against her belly. He focused intensely. “Do you feel anything?”
“I’m still angry. Why?”
Atlas’s eyes narrowed, scanning the contraction read out.These are becoming regular.His eyes scanned the familiar contraction pattern twice. Then he looked up at Anna. “I think it’s starting.”
“Starting?” Her eyes grew wide. “Did the fall earlier hurt anything?”
“Not her, but the stress could have pushed everything along.” Everything in him tensed. “It’s time now. Do you feel anything?”
Her voice tremored. “It’s time?”
“Yes. There’s some changes, and you’re having regular contractions. Let’s get you out of these dusty clothes and get ready.”
Quickly, Anna washed and changed while Atlas connected back to Sterling again, directly and privately, letting him know they would be coming later this evening. He didn’t want to rush, though. Everything was still early. He took Anna back into his arms once she returned in a clean outfit, holding her as night fell and keeping his eyes on the monitor’s readout.
Everything was set up. The communal mind was not consulted. Atlas could give a damn for what they thought ever again.
The afternoon flowed into dusk, and both Nora and Simon appeared in turns to check on them.
After only a few more hours, the contractions became more regular. And then . . . a gush of water.
Anna’s face went pale. “Atlas?”
But he had already moved from behind her, picking up the bag he had packed by the door. “I’ve let Sterling and Simon know. Do you want Nora there?”
“Yeah . . . Nora and . . . you. That was my water breaking, wasn’t it? What’s the readout say?”
He smiled at her. “It says that you’re going to be a mother.”
Chapter forty-seven
Anna
Anna took deep breaths. This was it. She took Atlas’s hand to help her into the back seat of the hover. The seat shifted as she organized herself, placing a towel underneath her. “Is this going be good enough?”
Atlas sat in the front and started the hover. “Yes. We aren’t going that far.”
Nora, recently changed into clean clothing, rushed out of the barn. Tilly and Simon were right on her heels. She opened the door and slid in next to Anna. “It’s baby time?”
Anna gripped her belly, nerves as tight as the contractions. “That’s what Atlas says.”
Nora threw her arms in the air. “Finally.” She reached up to Anna’s neck. “I heard you also got rid of your accessory too.”
“Yeah.” Anna laughed, then grimaced as a contraction hit. “I fell a bit ago. Atlas can fill you in, but I think that’s what started everything. He ripped it right off.” She rubbed across her frontagain. “Got rid of it in time to get mad with how damn painful these contractions are.”
Nora chuckled, patting her front. “It will be worth it.”
Tilly grabbed on to the side of the hover, throwing a drawn picture into Nora’s lap. “Here, I made the baby this! Remember, I get to be the sister.”
“Thanks, Tilly.” Anna took the drawing. It was a picture of Tilly and a cow with a heart around it. She managed a smile. “You can come right after she’s born, okay?”
“Yeah!”
Simon held Tilly’s hand. “We’ll be fine. See you soon, Anna. Can’t wait to meet her.”
