“Hi, Honey.” The words came out breathier than she expected. If her heart didn’t stop racing before her blood pressure monitor cycled again, it would set off all kinds of alarms.
Robert stepped next to her bed. “Don’t you ‘Hi, Honey’ me. How long have you been in labor? And why did I have to find out from your mother? She scared me to death. I imagined all kinds of terrible things happening to you.”
“I’m sorry.” She grabbed his tie and pulled him in for a kiss.
“Mmm...” Robert sat on the edge of the bed and gathered her into his arms.
The passion that flared between them raised Jessie’s heart rate another notch.
“Stop distracting me, and answer my questions,” Robert said when the kiss ended.
“I’ve been having contractions all day, but they didn’t get bad until halfway through sixth period. I came straight here after school to see if it was real labor or just Braxton Hicks.” Just then a contraction hit, and Jessie felt like her abdomen might rip in half. She sucked in a sharp breath and pressed a hand to her stomach.
Robert grabbed her other hand. “That definitely doesn’t look like false labor. That looks like it hurts.”
Jessie didn’t respond for several long seconds as she focused on taking slow, deep breaths. “It does, and the breathing exercises we learned in last week’s Lamaze class aren’t cutting it anymore.” They were supposed to have two more classes over the course of the next two weeks, but it looked like Jessie was graduating early.
“You don’t have to suffer, sweetheart. You can get pain medicine any time you want. No one is going to think less of you if you have an epidural.”
Emily gave birth last week without the help of any drugs and she swore it was the best way to go, but Ben’s wife, Amy, whom Jessie had a lot in common with and had become good friends with, swore an epidural was the only way to go.
Jessie had suffered enough pain in her life, physically, mentally, and emotionally. She didn’t see the need to suffer unnecessary pain on what should be one of the happiest days of her life, when she had a choice.
Besides, labor really hurt.
“I know. I’ve already requested an epidural. The anesthesiologist will come soon.”
“Good.” Robert smoothed the hair back from her temple and tucked it behind her ear. “So, why didn’t you call me?”
“I was going to, but I was afraid you’d freak out, since the baby is coming a little early and we’re not really prepared. My mom was working when I came in, and when Dr. Young said I was in labor and needed to be admitted right away, Mom said she’d go home and pack me a bag and make sure you got here safely. Admit it, you freaked out, didn’t you?”
Robert’s ears turned pink. “Maybe a little. But only because we weren’t expecting the baby to come early.”
“Well, the doctor said everything looks good, and we should have ourselves a healthy baby in a few hours.”
“A few hours?” Robert’s voice was tight, and his face looked strained, like Jessie felt.
She was more than ready to have this baby out of her tummy and in her arms. She couldn’t wait to be a mother, but she knew the honeymoon bliss she and Robert had been living in for the past three months was about to end.
Another contraction hit, and by the time Jessie had breathed through it, the anesthesiologist had arrived.
Robert held her while the epidural was administered. For a second there, Jessie thought he might faint, but he pulled himself together and became the support she needed.
Over the next five hours, he never left her side except to change out of his uniform when her mother returned. They talked about what life would be like with a baby and how anxious they were to meet their son.
And they kissed.
A lot.
Robert fed her ice chips, smoothed her hair back, and held her hand as her labor progressed. And when the doctor said it was finally time to push, he encouraged her and told her she was doing great.
When their baby’s first cry sounded, Jessie cried, too. She was so exhausted, yet full of joy.
Doctor Young placed the tiny, slimy bundle of squirming flesh on her abdomen, and Jessie thought her heart might burst.
“Okay, Daddy. Are you ready to cut the cord?”
Robert’s face filled with the same amazement Jessie felt. He took the scissors Dr. Young offered.
