“You’re in labor? But it’s too soon, you’re not due until nextmonth after the play-offs,” I insist, aware that I sound stupid; if she says she’s in labor, she is, but I’m so shocked I don’t know what else to say.
“My blood pressure was high at my appointment today, so they had me come here for extra testing. My kidney function is still okay, so they aren’t calling it preeclampsia, but my blood pressure is still high so they still admitted me to monitor both the baby and I, and they’ve recommended I be induced.”
“I’m still in Nashville, but we’re going straight to the airport from here. I’ll be there as soon as I can?—”
“Everybody hurry up and get your asses on the bus!” Ollie shouts from his spot next to me where he’s obviously heard my side of the conversation. “Hudson’s baby is coming!”
I smile, nodding at my teammates in thanks as the locker room erupts in applause. “It’ll be a few hours, but I’ll see you soon.”
Traveling home seems to take an eternity, but once we’ve landed, the team lets me off first to another round of applause, and I get to the hospital in record time. With how late it is, the streets are pretty clear, but I also might ignore a few speed limits.
I check in at the desk, explaining that my baby is on the way, and the security guard escorts me to the elevator and scans their badge to get me to the correct floor. I have to check in again specifically with the labor and delivery people, this time showing my ID and getting a bracelet that I need to keep on at all times. If I don’t and try to leave with the baby, it will apparently set off all sorts of alarms.
By the time a nurse shows me to Emily’s room, I’ve been stressed out, adrenaline way too high for hours, and I feel like it’s a huge accomplishment that I even made it here. I’m expecting to walk into chaos, but Emily and Adrian are laughing as I enter the room. I look around, no one else is in here, and they’re just… watching a movie?
Adrian jumps up when he sees me. “Oh thank god, you made it!”
I look around again. Emily appears to be hooked up to a lot of monitors, but other than that, everything seems pretty chill.
“I thought there would be more happening,” I admit, and Emily laughs.
“Sorry to disappoint. I’ve been trying to explain to Adrian that even though they started the medication for the induction, it can be a long process. Especially with this being a first pregnancy. As long as my blood pressure stays where it’s at, and the baby’s heart rate remains strong, we could be here for a couple of days before they’re born.”
“Oh.” I let out a sigh of relief and feel my entire body relax. Adrian takes my arm and guides me to sit down on the couch next to him. “Thanks for being here. I wasn’t sure if you would want to.”
He squeezes my arm. “Of course. That’s part of the reason I didn’t travel with the team this week. I thought someone should be in town if Emily needed anything, and obviously you can’t be.” His admission makes my heart feel too big for my chest. Adrian can claim we need space all he’d like, that I was the one acting like we were in a relationship when we weren’t, but him staying here when I can’t feels very much like something a partner would do. “She called me when you didn’t answer, and I knew you were in the middle of your game, so I offered to come keep her company.”
I can’t hold back, I pull him in for a tight hug, relaxing even more when he wraps his arms around me to squeeze me back. “Thank you.”
When we pull apart, way too soon for my liking, he shrugs. “Of course.”
“Come on, Charming,don’t do that. Don’t dismiss how amazing you are.” He blushes, and it’s so adorable. I want to kiss his cheeks, to pull him back into my arms and never let go.
Emily clears her throat, reminding me that we aren’t alone. “Well, you two are as cute as ever, but now that you’re here, Hudson, we should probably try to sleep. It could be a long couple of days.”
“Is it okay if we stay? I mean, you don’t have to, Adrian, I just…”
“One of you can take the recliner and the other the couch if you’d like. The couch folds down into more of a bed.”
Adrian nods. “I’m not going anywhere if you don’t want me to. I also put your go-bag in the closet there if you’d like to change.”
I smile at him, prepared as always, and when I open the closet, I see that there’s a bag for him as well.
He wants this, I have to believe he does, even if he’s afraid to say it.
“I’m sorry,Emily, I know you were hoping to avoid surgery, but the baby’s heart is decelerating and you’re still only a couple of centimeters dilated,” Kathy, Emily’s midwife, confirms. “I warned Dr.Owen before I came in here, and I’m sure she’s watching the monitor. Let me see if she’s secured the OR.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, panicked even though they both seem so calm. Emily got an epidural about two hours ago, thank god. Before that, the pain seemed like an absolute nightmare, and she’s been calm since, but words likesurgeryanddecelerationseem like reasons to be more concerned, right?Adrian is standing quietly at my side, but he reaches out to take my hand, grounding me with his steady support.
Kathy is on her phone, probably talking to this Dr.Owen person, so Emily answers. “See the baby’s heart rate on the monitor there.” She points to the wave I’ve been watching all day. “They’re okay right now, but the contractions are putting too much stress on them. We’re going to have to switch to a C-section. It’ll be okay, though, you should even be able to come into the OR if you’d like.”
I nod, but my throat feels tight. This is really happening. Today is the day. I’m going to meet my babytoday.
That shouldn’t be so surprising when we’re in a hospital literally waiting for them to be born, but the due date wasn’t for three weeks, and Emily said that the induction could take a couple of days. I thought I had more time.
“Okay! Dr.Owen is on her way to the OR. Dad, you are welcome to join us, but it’s showtime!”
The nurses all jump into action, unplugging things and grabbing equipment, reattaching Emily to what seems like portable monitors.
