Toni nodded weakly, still breathin’ through it while I stayed right here, holdin’ her up and lettin’ her lean all her weight into me without hesitation.
I watched my mama’s face while she checked her, lookin’ for any kinda sign that shit was movin’ the way it needed to, but when she finally looked up, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear.
“She’s still at three centimeters,” she said, calm but firm.
I clenched my jaw a lil’ but kept my face straight, not lettin that frustration hit Toni ’cause she ain’t need it right now.
“A’ight… so what we doin’?” I asked, already thinkin’ ahead.
My mama stepped back and grabbed the birthing ball. “We’re going to get her moving. Toni, baby, I need you to sit on this and roll your hips for me. It’ll help open you up more and bring the baby down.”
Toni looked at it like she wasn’t sure she even had the strength for all that, but I was already slidin’ out the bed with her, keepin’ my arm around her waist.
“Come on… lean on me,” I told her, guidin’ her up slow so she ain’t have to fight her own body.
She winced as soon as her feet hit the floor, her hand grabbin’ onto me tighter, and I held her right there until she was steady.
“I got you, baby… you ain’t gotta rush nothin’,” I murmured, walkin’ her over to the ball step by step.
Once she got on it, I stayed right in front of her, my hands on her hips while she started movin’ slow like my mama told her, rockin’ side to side while her face stayed tight.
“That’s it… just like that,” my mama encouraged, comin’ closer and rubbin’ Toni’s stomach. “Come on, my sweet Lo’Lo… we’re ready for you, baby. Nana ready to meet you.”
I glanced down at Toni’s stomach, my hand slidin’ back over it while she kept movin’, and for a second, I could almost picture it… my daughter right here, ready to come into this world.
But Toni… She was strugglin’.
Another contraction hit her, harder this time, and she damn near folded forward on the ball, her hands reachin’ for me instantly.
“Kay’Lo…” she let out, her voice breakin’ just a lil’.
I grabbed her face quick, bringin’ her attention back to me. “Nah, look at me… look at me,” I told her. “You good… breathe through it, baby. I’m right here.”
Her eyes lifted to mine, watery now, and I saw the tears she was tryna hold back.
That shit made somethin’ in me flip, but I ain’t let it show. I couldn’t, ’cause she needed me solid right now.
So I stayed right here, rubbin’ her back, and holdin’ her steady while she rode it out, even though I knew this wasn’t enough no more.
“A’ight… we gon’ switch it up,” I said, already thinkin’. “Ma, I’m finna fill the pool up.”
My mama nodded. “Good. Let’s get her in the water.”
I moved quick after that, grabbin’ the buckets and startin’ to fill the birthing pool in the center of the room, goin’ back and forth without stoppin’, my mind runnin’ while I worked.
By the time I paused for a second, I glanced at the clock and saw it was six in the mornin’ on a Sunday. I let out a deep breath through my nose while I shook my head a lil’, already knowin’ what that meant for me.
If my baby wasn’t comin’ today, then that meant she might come tomorrow, and I already knew if that was the case, I wasn’t goin’ to court for shit. I wasn’t missin’ my daughter bein’ born, and them niggas could go ’head and put a warrant out for me if they felt like it.
They could issue whatever the fuck they wanted, but I wasn’t missin’ my daughter comin’ into this world.
I would deal with everything else after.
I picked the bucket back up and kept goin’, fillin’ the pool until it was ready, then set it down and wiped my hands before walkin’ back over to Toni.
My mama looked at me. “Let her get undressed and into the water. I’m going to grab a few things. I’ll be right back.”
“A’ight.” I nodded.
