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Chapter 53
Lizzie
8 months later.
Phin was rubbing my feet, forcing me to put my laptop down so I could enjoy the pampering. "You are too good to me." I laid my head back and closed my eyes and savored his touch; there was something that was weighing on my mind.
"Phin, we need to decide on a baby name?"
"Yes, I know, it's just hard to choose one name. This is one of the most important decisions we could ever make. Our little girl needs the right start to her life. I don't want her to have to deal with a name like Phineas."
"I love your name, because it's different."
"Yes, I know it's good now, but not so much as a kid."
"Well, I was thinking flower names like Rose, Lily, or Petal." Phin had put his foot down when it came to names like Mackenzie, Madison, and Isabella.
He scrunched up his nose. "I hadn't given those any thought, but I like the name Petal."
"Can we put Avery back on the table?"
"No, that's a mean girl's name." Phin's fingers dug deeper into my feet.
"Ouch, not so hard."
"Sorry, Lizzie, what about names like Hope, Charity, or Precious? What would Hope think if we named the baby after her?"
"Are you kidding, she'd love it! She takes credit for getting us back together."
Phin didn't comment; he laughed and kissed me.
Later that day, we were at the grocery store picking up some food for dinner. My due date was close, and I had to get out of the house as I was going stir crazy. I'd been on bed rest most of my pregnancy because of some complications and concern if I could carry to full term. Plus, once Phin talked to the doctor, he was determined not to let me move an inch for the entire pregnancy. We'd been lucky his inheritance had come through, and that enabled him to stay at home with me. Despite my heated objections, I let him take care of the expenses for now. Seven months of sitting around the house sounded like a good idea at the time. However, other than my addiction to online shopping and watching Netflix, it wasn't much fun. Despite several tantrums, Phin, my parents, and Hope had spoiled me rotten.
He had finally relented and let me come to the store because he knew I wouldn’t give in, and he didn't want me too upset. My wise husband knew which battles to fight with his very pregnant wife, and this wasn't one of them. I wanted Nutella, bananas, and pretzels, and I knew precisely which pretzels I wanted.
The doctors had told me she could be here at any time, but it would probably be another week. I'd been having small cramps during the day, but I assumed they were Braxton Hicks. I hadn't mentioned them to Phin because I didn't want another trip to the emergency room. Right now, I was in the chip's aisle looking for the pretzels. Decisions, decisions!
I was holding the industrial-sized bag of pretzels when the cramps hit me like a freight train. I doubled over and dropped the bag. Phin saw me and he quickly rushed over and held onto me.
"Lizzie, what's wrong?"
I winced again. "I think the baby's coming. I've been having contractions most of the day, but I thought it was Braxton Hicks again. This last one was a total bitch. Give me the pretzels!"
I felt another contraction coming through my belly and back; I took Phin's hands and bore down on them as the pain shot through me. These contractions were the worst pain I'd ever felt in my life. Worse than when I fell on the monkey bars onto my lady bits as a little girl. If you've landed on the boy bar of your bike, you’d know the pain. This pain was way fucking worse!
Women wrote about childbirth, you saw it on TV, but none of it gave you an idea of the real pain.
"Lizzie, damn you, there's no time for pretzels. Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have come to the store."
"I know, that's why I didn't tell you. I thought I was fine. Do you want to stand here and argue about it?" I was blinking back the tears and grabbed his shirt. "Get me those damn pretzels or I will hurt you."
"Okay, Lizzie." He looked scared for the first time in our relationship. He tried to help me stand up straight. "Sorry, let's go. Come on, we have to go to the hospital."
"What about the pretzels?"
"Lizzie, I'll buy you a carload later. Come on; let's go."
I tried to stand up when a splash of water hit the white tile floor. We both looked down between my legs. I looked up at Phin, and he smiled at me.
"We need a cleanup on aisle twelve," I said, trying not to cry. "Guess I am not getting any pretzels now. Shit, that ruined my favorite pair of Converse."
He didn't wait; he picked me up and carried me to the car. I was just glad he didn't stuff me in the grocery cart.
For the first time in six months, I felt light as a feather.
