“I don’t think any of us are ready, but we don’t have a choice. Did she say anything else?”
Rose shook her head, running with me to the staircase, my phone clutched in my hand. “She shouted and yelled.”
“Fuck.”
Rose didn’t say anything about the swear word, and neither did I. My heart was about to drum itself out of my chest and panic was trying to take over my body. Not because I was about to witness my child coming into the world – this wouldn’t be the first birth I’d attended; I’d been there for Wren’s twins when they made their rather sudden appearance – but because I found out just a few weeks ago that when Georgia went into labour with Rose she’d had an unusually quick delivery, and the midwife had told us it could be quicker this time.
“Rosie, go get the towels out of the linen cupboard and bring them back here.” I pushed her gently in the direction of it and headed into the bedroom where I could hear Georgia.
She was holding onto the top of the large chest of drawers, her bottom sticking out and she was moaning. She’d pulled on a nightdress that was more sack than garment, but making comments like that would be enough to have me castrated.
“I’m going to call an ambulance.” I put my hand on her back and rubbed. “Rose is getting towels.” I really hoped we wouldn’t need them.
“No point phoning an ambulance. It won’t get here quick…” She stopped speaking to yell.
I waited, bracing myself. After finding out about her rapid labour last time, I’d done a bit of research, looked at home births and what you could do if there wasn’t a doctor or midwife there.
“Seph, help me get on the bed. I need to push, but I need you to tell me what’s happening down there.” She ended the sentence with anther yell.
I half escorted, half carried her to our bed, pushing her bag out of the way. Rose came in the room with what looked like a dozen towels, looking slightly pale.
“Can you phone Auntie Claire from the landline?” I looked at her and saw how scared she was. “Tell her Mummy’s having the baby at home.”
We’d moved near to Claire, which was a blessing and a curse because she was so close. Right now, it was a blessing, because she’d be round here in two minutes if she was at home. Her number was also one of the contacts we’d made Rose memorise, Claire’s and Killian’s.
“Okay.”
“Then get a bar of chocolate and an orange drink. Put a film on. Mummy might be noisy, but she’ll be okay.” I could hear Georgia trying to keep her yells quiet so as not to scare Rose anymore.
“Okay. Love you, Mummy.” She stepped to her and clamoured onto the bed, giving Georgia a quick hug and then legging it out of the room.
“You need to check.” Georgia pulled up the nightie thing over her swollen belly. I had my phone in hand, my thumb hovering over the call button for the paramedics.
I looked between my wife’s legs.
Those tutorial videos were about to come in handy. We were having a baby, and it seemed it was about to be delivered by me.
Forty minuteslater and I was sitting on the bed next to Georgia, staring at the bundle of baby boy in her arms and wondering how I’d managed to find the most amazing woman in the world.
The midwife busied about us, folding and checking, the job pretty much done before she’d arrived, let through the door by Claire who’d luckily been home when Rose called.
“You’ve done well.” She looked at me approvingly. “Not as well as Mum, but you’ve earned a wee dram of something later.”
I didn’t need to smile. As soon as Luke Joseph Callaghan had yelled and I’d held him in my hands, I’d started smiling and I didn’t think I was going to stop. Georgia had started crying – happy tears, she promised me – and we’d both held the bloody, squalling baby while the midwife helped finish everything else off, including dealing with afterbirth which was interesting to say the least.
“I’m going to give you five minutes and tell your little girl to come and meet her baby brother.” She smiled at us again.
I waited for the door to close and looked at Georgia. “You’re incredible.”
She smiled, her eyes barely leaving our son. “Women do it every day.”
“But you just delivered our son. He’s perfect, Georgie. Like you.”
She didn’t say anything, just leaned over to kiss me over Luke’s head.
“Next time, we’ll book a hospital room a week before your due date.”
Her laughter was giddy. “Let’s not talk about the next one. Not for a couple of years.” This time when she looked at me her eyes lingered. “Joseph Callaghan, when I took the job as a partner at Callaghan Green, I never realised that the partnership I accepted would be more than just office based. Thank you.”
