“Ellie, we don’t have time.”
“It will only take a second. I can’t show up at the hospital with amniotic fluid dripping down my thighs. Just please get me something to wear while I wash off.”
Kayne grumbles. “You better not be cursing me when I tell you to push in the backseat of the Jeep.”
“You’re not delivering this baby in the car! Now go!” I waddle into the bathroom and hop in the shower.
“I’ll remind you of that when you have your legs spread wide open and dangling over the roll bar!” he yells over the shower.
If he were close, I would punch him. This kid makes me very aggressive.
I clean up in record time and change into the shorts and T-shirt Kayne grabbed for me.
“Ready?” Kayne has both of our hospital bags slung over each shoulder.
“What about the bed?” I ask. “We should clean it up.”
“It’s going. I’ll order a new mattress and have it express delivered.”
I won’t argue with that.
As I walk down the stairs, another contraction hits. “Oh!” The pain shoots up and around my stomach and lands right in my lower back.
“Ellie? Are you okay?”’ Kayne holds me up by my arm. I swear I could just sit right here and never get up.
“I’m not sure.” I breathe heavily in and out.
“Come on, we have to go. Now.”
My contractions come on hard and fast, and by the time we get to the hospital, Kayne is clocking them at three minutes apart.
I can tell you, the maternity ward is no-nonsense and efficient. The minute we got here, I was put in a delivery room, hooked up to a fetal monitor, and examined thoroughly.
“Do I have time for an epidural?” I ask the nurse after she checks my cervix.
“Unfortunately, no. You’re at eight centimeters with contractions less than three minutes apart. This baby is coming soon.”
“Shit. Shit!” Another contraction begins, making me see stars. The pain is in my back and utterly excruciating.
“Fuck, this hurts.” I crush Kayne’s hand. “I don’t know if I can do this without drugs.”
“Ellie, you have to. You heard the nurse. He’s coming soon.” There are so many emotions in my husband’s voice.
“I can’t.”
“You can, just breathe. You’re strong enough.”
“You’re going to have to keep reminding me of that.”
“Till death do us part, you know that.”
I can only nod frantically as another contraction pummels me.
“They’re getting closer.” Kayne looks at his watch while he holds my hand. There is ungodly pressure between my legs, likeI’m about to rip in two. I almost hate him for being so calm.
The nurse comes in to check on my progress again. “How’s Mom doing?”
“Dying,” I whine.
