Chapter Thirty-Seven
Rory’s phone vibrated in his pocket as he walked out of the meeting. ‘Clauds?’ he said, surprised to see her name flash up on his iPhone.
‘Rory! I’m so glad you answered!’ she said, her voice sounding strangely high-pitched.
‘To what do I owe this pleasure?’
‘Without wishing to alarm you, I’m in a taxi with Lucy and we’re on the way to the hospital. Her waters broke while we were out shopping and she appears to be having contractions!’
‘Oh my god! Is she there? Can you put her on?’ His heart rate had skyrocketed at this announcement. ‘Luce? Are you all right?’
‘Hi Rory,’ she said. ‘I’m okay, don’t worry but I’m afraid the baby might be coming rather early.’
‘Have you spoken to the midwife?’
‘Yes I’ve just called the hospital. They think I am in labour. It should be okay, the baby should be fine. Will you come as soon as you can?’
‘I’ll jump in a cab right now. See you there, oh and keep your phone on you,’ he said as he hung up the phone. He flagged the very next black cab he saw and instructed the driver to head straight to the hospital. Unfortunately, just as the driver rounded the corner, they entered an enormous tailback. There had clearly been an accident up ahead. After several minutes they were still sitting stationary as the lights ahead turned from green to orange and back to red without a single car moving. Rory began to tap the keys on his phone to try and find a travel alert. It seemed that the whole area was totally gridlocked. He scanned the map on his screen but there were no tubes or trains nearby. He tried to figure out his best bet. Should he stay in the car or get out and run? He felt sick with nervous anticipation as he willed the traffic to clear. It was an infuriatingly slow process. His knuckles were white as he drummed his fingers on the seat next to him. He wanted to shout in frustration. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the traffic began to get moving. Slowly but surely, they crawled past the accident. Two cars had collided with each other at a set of lights. Unsurprisingly as soon as they passed the incident the roads began to clear. Rory asked the driver to step on it as he picked up his phone to call Claudia and give her an update as to his whereabouts.
When he finally arrived at the hospital, Rory raced through the corridors, asking the first nurse he saw where he could find the labour ward. He held his phone up to his ear as he ran, listening to Claudia telling Lucy to breathe as she groaned in pain. Things seemed to be moving ridiculously quickly with Lucy’s labour. ‘Tell her I’m almost there!’ he shouted into the receiver, pressing the button for the lift frantically, willing it to arrive quickly and for the baby to stay put for a few moments longer.
Arriving on floor five, he hurtled down the labour ward, getting directions from Claudia as he ran. He pushed open the door to room 137 and saw Lucy lying on the bed. A midwife was by her side; things were clearly progressing fast. ‘Lucy!’ he called as he ran over to her bed. ‘I’m here! It’s okay, it’s okay.’
Claudia let go of Lucy’s hand gratefully and stepped back from the bed as Rory bent down to kiss her forehead. It was clammy with sweat and her cheeks were flushed.
‘Rory!’ Lucy paused mid-pant. ‘I’m so glad you’re here. I was so worried you might miss it.’
‘Me too!’ said Claudia. ‘You put the frighteners on us, I can tell you. I’m not quite sure how much of a birthing partner I am cut out to be! And this looks like it’s going to be the world’s shortest labour!’
‘You’ve been wonderful, Clauds…’ Lucy tailed off and gripped onto Rory’s hand.
He thought his bones might break from the strength of her grip as another contraction swept through her. It was awful to see her in so much pain. She was using the breathing technique they had been taught in their antenatal classes. Short, sharp bursts of breath.
‘Good, you’re doing your breathing,’ he said, joining in for moral support with the rhythmic breaths. After a minute or so the contraction stopped and Lucy’s body relaxed once more.
Turning to face Claudia, Rory said, ‘Clauds, how can I thank you? You’ve been amazing taking care of her so well. You are a true legend.’ He was eternally grateful to her for stepping into the breach. He knew it must have been difficult for her with her fear of hospitals.
‘I’m just so glad you’re here now, before the gory action really starts!’ laughed Claudia.
‘Thanks Clauds,’ said Lucy. ‘I really mean it; you truly are the best friend a girl could ask for!’
‘Right, I think my work here is done! I shall leave you soon-to-be-parents to it and see you when you are a little family!’ she said. She gathered her belongings and bent to kiss Lucy on the cheek. ‘See you when you are out my little future godbaby,’ she said, leaning down to kiss the bump.
‘Yes,’ said Lucy, addressing her bump, ‘the sooner the better please!’ With that, another huge groan reverberated around the room as she was swept up in yet another wave of pain. Lucy’s body tensed and her cheeks reddened as she gritted her teeth and waited for the contraction to pass.
‘Luce, I’m so sorry it took me so long, the bloody traffic was awful…’ he said, taking hold of her hand and pushing her fringe away from her eyes.
‘Don’t worry. I’m just glad you are here now!’ she said as she caught her breath. ‘I don’t think it’s going to be too long now.’
Rory thanked his lucky stars that he had made it in time.
‘Keep breathing,’ he said as one contraction turned into another, and another. She was breathing in the gas and air as though her life depended on it.
Soon the minutes and seconds of labour began to blur into one long, continuous frenzy of breathing, gritted teeth, stamping feet, sighing and groaning. He was vaguely aware of people coming in and out of the room, of the midwife talking to Lucy and giving her instructions. All he could focus on was Lucy. It broke his heart to see her in so much pain. If he could have traded places with her he would have done so in a heartbeat.
Finally, after one monumental last push from Lucy, the baby arrived. As Lucy collapsed in an exhausted heap back onto the pillows, tears of happiness streaming down her face, Rory inspected the baby at close quarters. ‘It’s a girl!’ he cried. He lowered his head to Lucy’s to kiss her, his eyes wet with tears. He was shaking his head in disbelief at the miracle he had just witnessed. It was hard to believe that a new life had arrived in the world. In the room where seconds earlier there had been only three of them, now there were four.
A few seconds later the midwife placed their tiny newborn baby on Lucy’s chest. Despite having arrived four weeks earlier than planned, she was perfect. Words could not describe the flood of unconditional love that coursed through Rory like a tidal wave. He could barely believe his eyes, this perfect little bundle of tangled limbs and dark hair was his baby, their baby. He knew with absolute certainty that no matter how this baby had been created she was unquestionably his daughter. For a second he was brought to tears at the thought of how close he had been to throwing it all away. How could he have been so stupid? As he touched her miniscule fist with the tip of his index finger, she curled her fingers around his. Lucy looked at him. His heart was swollen with love for her and their new baby daughter. He couldn’t stop smiling. He felt like the luckiest man in the world. He bent over and gently kissed her. ‘I love you so much.’ he said.
