AllFreeNovel
Share Us
At two o’clock, she woke up with a start, needing to go to the bathroom. The wave of urgency took her breath away. But when she was in there, she realized it wasn’t her bowels that had awoken her; it was the baby, and she had the urge to push. She had a bloody show on the toilet paper.
“Oh, crap,” she muttered, getting off the toilet. She got a pad and stuck it in the crotch of her underpants. She’d rest in bed for a moment to figure out what her body was trying to tell her. Getting out her phone, she noted the time. 2:10.
She closed her eyes and fell immediately back to sleep. At 2:20, she woke herself up, grunting.
“Oh, Lord,” she said, sitting up. She grabbed her phone again and called Daniela. “I’m in labor.”
Daniela was there in a minute. And in the next minute, Lisa felt her body take over.
“I need to push,” she said. “Would you call Betsy? I’m not going to make it to the hospital.”
“Yes, I’ll call her.”
“I’ll get this bed ready so I don’t ruin my mattress.”
She got out of bed before another contraction started and gathered towels and blue disposable pads she’d saved from the last hospital stay, making up the bed for a delivery, just in case.
Then she thought of Zach. Another contraction started, and she panted through it, trying not to push. She called him and was glad he didn’t sound sleepy when he answered.
“You’re up.”
“I am. Why are you?”
She panted for a moment. “I’m in labor.”
“I can hear that,” he said.
“And I don’t think I’ll make it to the hospital.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“I’m so sorry, Zach.”
“It’s fine, sweetheart. I finally get to see the goods.”
That made Lisa bark out a laugh just as another contraction started. “Hurry up.”
“I’m on my way. I’m in the car.”
“Betsy just got here,” Lisa said.
“Let me talk to her,” Zach said, so Lisa handed over the phone.
Betsy took the phone. “Hey, Zach.” She paused, listening to him talk. “Gotcha. Hold on.” She gave Lisa back the phone. “He wants me to see how far along you are.”
“This is weird,” Lisa said.
“I know. Do you want to wait?”
“No, go for it.”
Ryan came in then, standing in the doorway. “This is a familiar sight.”
“Do you have any exam gloves?” Betsy asked.
“Under the bathroom sink,” Lisa said, panting as a contraction started. “Oh, God, I don’t think I can keep from pushing with this one. It’s pretty strong.”
“Keep panting,” Betsy said.
