Page 117 of Home Is Where You Are

I walked up to the double doors and pushed the button for the intercom system and waited.

“How can I help you?”

“My wife was just brought up in labor.”

The door buzzed then slowly opened to allow me to enter.

A nurse met me at the door and showed me the way to Ainsleigh.

She’d been dressed in a gown, and another nurse assisted her in getting into the bed.

“The doctor will be in to check her in a moment,” she said as she placed a blanket over top of Ainsleigh’s legs.

“Thank you,” I told the nice lady before she left the room.

I sat down in the chair beside the bed and moved it as close to her as I could.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m okay right now. I feel another one coming though, so I’m trying to stay calm,” she said. Her breathing picked up, and I held out my hand which she instantly grabbed and squeezed. Hard. I didn’t even flinch with the pain. She was in far greater pain than I was, and I’d take it away from her a hundred times over if I could.

“You’re doing so good, baby. Keep breathing. It’s almost over,” I reassured her as I took my other hand and rubbed the top of her head. Rubbing her hair always soothed her.

“Another one down,” I whispered as I picked up a towel left on the bed and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

“Several hundred more to go.”

“You’ve got this. Just think of the end result. We’ll get to finally find out what the sex is and meet our little boy or girl.”

“You still want a little girl?”

“I want a healthy baby. Boy or girl. Doesn’t matter.”

“That’s what I want too. More than anything,” she said as she looked away from me. I knew this was hard on her. I knew she was thinking about Arabella. I was too. She was never far from my thoughts. But today she was at the forefront of our minds. The little girl we lost. The little girl who should’ve grown and had a chance at being a big sister.

“How is everything this morning?” someone asked from the door of the room before she entered.

Turning, I saw a young woman in scrubs enter the room. She pulled on blue gloves as she approached and stood in front of the bed.

“How’re you feeling, Mrs. Courtright? I’m Becca. I’ll be one of your nurses tonight,” the nurse asked.

“I’m in a lot of pain,” Ainsleigh admitted.

Worry covered Ainsleigh’s features as another contraction started, and she breathed through it.

I took my eyes off the nurse and turned my attention rightfully back to my wife.

“We’re going to get him or her home before we know it, baby. Just keep taking deep breaths in and blowing them out. You’re doing great.”

“I’d be even better if I could get drugs. This hurts,” she screamed as she gripped my hand tighter than she had with the prior contraction.

“I’m sorry for screaming,” she said as the contraction died down.

“You’re doing great. I’m going to check your progress, and we’ll see about getting those drugs,” Becca said as she lifted the blankets.

“The good news is you’re making amazing progress. The bad news is I can’t give you any drugs. You’re eight centimeters already and completely effaced. This baby will be here in no time at all,” she said as she stood from the bed.

“She had a cesarean section with our little girl. Can she give birth to this baby naturally after having a cesarean? I don’t want to risk anything,” I asked, concerned for both of their well-beings.