“The pain in your back today, has it been constant?” I ask, pissed at myself for not asking this before now.
“Well, no, it’s been coming and going for most of the day …oh.”
“Fucking Christ, I can’t believe I didn’t make the connection,” I mutter, scrubbing my face with my hand.
“What?”
“Your back, you’ve probably been in labor all day.”
“But I haven’t even had any contractions.” Olivia grips the underside of her belly.
I calmly move toward her, running my hands down the softsweater covering her arms.
“Gotta read the baby books, Livi girl. Now we need to start timing these. I’m gonna call for an ambulance to Pendleton.” I glance to the snow outside. “But I gotta be honest, it’s not looking the best out there.”
It was why I left the damn gates to my property open to begin with—the snow was just coming down too fast. Olivia sucks in a sharp breath as another contraction hits, which means they’re definitely coming less than two minutes apart. Fuck sake.
“Fuck!” she snaps, squeezing her thighs together as her hand clamps down on my arm again. “Ash, they’re too close together … That was only a minute! I’m supposed to have lots of time. Everyone says—owwww …”
You’re already in hard fucking labor … that’s what it is.
Her contraction ends and she walks over to the sofa and leans over the armrest. I rub her lower back with one hand.
“I’ve got you, baby. It’s gonna be okay,” I tell her as I look outside. Even if an ambulance can make it here, the way she’s going, it’s a very real possibility she’s having our baby right here at home.
CHAPTER 63
Asher
Idot Olivia’s forehead with kisses as I continue to rub her back. “Okay, baby, I need you to come to our room and lie down in the bed—”
“My back …”
“I know. I’ll get some pillows to ease the pain, okay? I think we should get you changed into something with easier access.”
Olivia’s eyes are wide with horror.
I cup her face, “I’m trained for this, okay?”
“But I have a whole birth plan. I booked the aromatherapy room at the hospital. It was going to be so soothing for little bear … Ohfuck!” She clenches her teeth together as another contraction hits. This time, a low moan escapes her lips and even I start to worry a little. I’ve only assisted on two deliveries as a firefighter, but they’re burned into my head. And the sort of animalistic sound Liv is making suggests she’s pretty damn close to pushing.This is too fast.
I wait until that contraction ends, then quickly braid her hair and secure it with an elastic from her nightstand.
‘Y-you know how to braid?”
“Fuck yeah. YouTube. I’m gonna need to braid my daughter’s hair one day.”
She wears the hint of a smile as I help her get as comfortable as possible. I’ve put so many pillows behind her, she’s almost sitting up.
Olivia starts to shake and tips her head back as another contraction takes over, and I don’t hesitate another second.
“Okay, baby, that’s it, you’re doing so good. Just breathe …”
She blows out a moan with her breath, long and drawn out. “It hurts too much …”
Her pained groans as the contraction fades eats away at my calm and collected demeanor. Her forehead is covered in a thin veil of sweat already, and the pair of sweats she has on are still wet from her water breaking.
“I’m gonna get these off of you,” I tell her before touching her.
