Chapter 35
CHAPTER 35
N ina sat in her new conservatory. The sunny weather they’d been having was interrupted by rain. She listened to droplets of water upon the glass roof, it calmed her as her parents were in the kitchen preparing lunch and she needed to explain to them that Warren would be over to join them and that he would be a part of her and her baby’s lives. Which was awkward since she’d spent months convincing them they were just friends.
She smiled. She was sure that when they saw them together, they’d know it was love. Even if they had not uttered those three words to each other. Her bump tightened again and she took a deep breath in and closed her eyes. It was unlikely that she was having practice contractions as although they were mild, they’d been constant since she’d woken up. She was excited about seeing Warren, he was always so interested at the antenatal classes. It seemed only right that they experience this process together. She put the final push out of her mind. She needed to stay calm.
She wondered how to tell her parents. In a way she felt she’d always known that she wanted to be with Warren and the only reason she’d held back was that that she was being sensible. Even though they’d decided to take it slow, she felt she wanted him to move in with them, from the start of family life, to be the father from the very first moment. The contraction came to an end. It was similar to period pain – at least it only lasted for a minute at a time. She knew this early stage of labour could last some time, even days. In her mind she pushed out thoughts of the pain she knew she would endure over the coming hours and focussed on holding her baby in her arms, with Warren by her side.
Her parents entered the room carrying a tray each, one with toasted teacakes, the sweet, yeasty fragrance filling the small conservatory. The other was laden with a pot of tea and cups, a service that Sumitra had bought her. They sat on the new rattan suite, another gift her parents could not resist buying her. She had told them to hold off but they said they had taken it out of the wedding fund which they were going to spend on her anyway.
“You look deep in thought,” Sumitra said as she passed Nina a cup of tea. “Are you having another contraction?”
“One has just finished,” Nina said, picking up a notebook where she was recording the length and their frequency. She glanced at her parents as they settled on the opposite sofa. “I wanted us to have a chat.”
“Are you worried about the future, angel?” Tony asked.
“No, in fact I am feeling really positive about it.”
“That’s a relief,” Sumitra said. “You’ll be an amazing mother. An inspiration to any child.”
“You know Warren has been a real support to me?”
“Yes, I admit, I was worried about him to start with. But he’s been a good friend,” Sumitra said with a sniff. “Even if I thought you two were romantically attached. You’ve reassured me, you’re just friends.”
“Yes, he’s been a great friend,” she said. “And the warmest, most loving man I’ve met. Well apart from you, Dad,” she added with a laugh.
“Loving?” Sumitra said and Nina noticed her father watching her intently. He clearly sensed she was about to make an announcement.
“He’s going to be with me at the hospital.”
“For the birth?” Sumitra asked. “Isn’t that a bit…well...personal?”
“Yes, it is. But he’s been at all of the antenatal classes.”
“You never mentioned that?” Sumitra said.
“And he’s going to be around a lot after the baby’s born,” Nina added quickly.
Tony returned his toasted teacake to his plate. “Are you trying to tell us you’re having a serious relationship with this young man?”
Nina paused. Her father was making Warren sound like a boy, not the man he was.
“How on earth is he going to provide for you both?” Sumitra continued.
“He doesn’t have to, Ma. He wants to be a part of our lives, we get along so well, he’s been so good, he’s been my best friend.”
“Well, he’s certainly landed on his feet if he is moving in with you here,” Sumitra grumbled, wiping her hands on a napkin.
“We only decided to be officially girlfriend and boyfriend yesterday. And to take it slowly. We have not discussed him moving in.” She didn’t add that she wanted him to.
“Do you love him?” Tony asked.
“I do. And I want you to be pleased for me.”
Sumitra smiled but this juxtaposed her eyes, which emitted a concern she was clearly trying to hide. “Of course we are, aren’t we Tony.”
Her father gave a silent nod and she knew neither of them were convinced, but at least they did not challenge her. She smiled to herself, knowing how amazing Warren was and that he would prove them wrong in time. It was clear to everyone else around them that they were suited. Whilst her parents cleaned up the elevenses things, she messaged Warren.
I’ve told Ma and Dad that we’re together. See you when you get here.
Later, Nina put her head back as she sat on her sofa, still listening to the pitter-patter of rain. She took in a deep breath as she felt her bump tighten. The pain was becoming more intense and she knew this was the real deal, the baby had started its journey. She’d messaged Warren twice more and she’d not heard back from him. He was two hours late. After trying his phone, which went straight to voicemail, she called Holly, who checked with Mitch. No one had seen Warren since breakfast.
Where is he? She hadn’t felt like eating lunch. She hadn’t eaten since elevenses. Her bump tightened again. She opened her eyes, the pains increasing in intensity. She began the breathing exercises she’d been taught to manage the pain.
Ten minutes later, she felt another. She took a sharp breath and picked up her phone. Still nothing from Warren. “Where are you?” she said aloud and then called his number but again, it went straight to voicemail. Her lips trembled and she battled away tears. Where’s he got to? It wasn’t like she hadn’t warned him.
An hour later, in the kitchen, she leaned with her palms face down on the cool worktop. She looked up as she saw Jaz arrive home. She rapped on the window and gestured to her then made her way slowly to the front door.
“Are you okay chick?” Jaz asked.
“My labour’s started,” she said in a forced voice.
“Really? Who do you want me to call? Where’s your hospital bag?”
“In my bedroom,” she said in a small voice.
“Have you managed to contact Warren?” Jaz asked. “Holly messaged earlier to ask if I knew where he was.”
Nina shook her head as a contraction set in.
“How were you going to get to the hospital, surely you weren’t going up in that old van of his?”
“I planned to add him to my car insurance. I didn’t expect it to start today. I wasn’t due for two weeks.” She stopped and leaned against the door frame and moaned as a stronger contraction ripped through her lower body. “I’m worried about Warren.”
“I’ll just change then take you in,” Jaz said.
“I can’t go yet. I called the hospital,” she said. “The contractions need to be closer together.”
“Where are your parents?”
“I sent them away, thinking Warren would be here. I told them to rest in case I needed Ma at the hospital tonight. And they’ll be asking questions about Warren. I told them we’re together.” She cried out as a sob escaped. “I wish I’d never said.”
“You’re together officially? When did that happen?”
“Yesterday. But now he’s nowhere to be found. Maybe he got scared.”
“Never, he’s not that type.”
“So why isn’t he answering his calls?” She began to pant.
Jaz pulled her phone out of her suit pocket. “Get back inside, you’ll catch a chill. I’ll call Holly.”
Jaz followed Nina in and helped her to settle on the sofa and then went out of the room to call Holly.
She returned with a frown upon her face. “No one knows where he is. He hasn’t taken the van. They presumed he must have bussed it into Wells, but he’s not come back. Mitch has called Warren’s parents and they’ve not heard from him either and Holly called the council in case he had a meeting there, but he didn’t.”
Nina felt her chin tremble. He’d promised to be there for her. Another contraction took her breath away and she gasped as she battled to calm herself down.
“Hun, I think maybe we need to get you to the hospital, as soon as,” Jaz said.
“I want to wait for Warren.”
Jaz went over to the sofa and knelt beside her. “The most important thing is that you’re in the right place to have this baby that seems to be well and truly on its way.”
Nina panted until she could speak. “We can’t go yet.”
“Well, I’m staying with you until it’s time. Or until Warren gets here.”
Jaz left briefly to update Julian on what was going on and came back with a plate of food which she ate.
The contractions ebbed for a while giving Nina a break and, she hoped, time for Warren to appear again. It gave her time to have a bath and Jaz helped her in. The warm water relaxed her and seemed to slow everything down, allowing her to breathe.
By the time she’d dried and dressed, it was gone ten and the contractions returned, this time even stronger.
“Can you put the television on?” she asked Jaz. “It might take my mind off it.”
Jaz switched on the television which was showing the local news. “Oh my goodness, there’s been some sort of hold up with the armed police in Bristol.”
Nina sighed as she saw the footage being shown from the news station’s helicopter. “What’s the world coming to?” Then she switched to a deep moan as the pain ripped through her, feeling as if her lower frame was being pulled in two different directions. She cried out.
“Right, that’s it. We’re going to the hospital,” Jaz said. “It’s going to take at least half an hour to get there. We can’t wait any longer.”
Nina looked at the notebook she’d been using to record the contractions. “Can you help me to the loo?”
Inside the confines of the downstairs bathroom, she tried ringing Warren one last time, but there was no answer. She gasped as another contraction started, tears streaming down her face. She moaned loudly, knowing she’d left it later than she really should have. She now felt an urgency to get to the maternity unit as soon as possible.
“I’ve put your bag in the people carrier,” Jaz called through the door.
“Better put some plastic on the seats, in case my waters break.” Nina felt bad about leaving it so long, but Warren had promised. She burst into tears as the pain surged through her. “I wanted him with me,” she sobbed as Jaz opened the toilet door.
“I know, hun, hopefully he’ll get the message and make it.”
As Jaz drove, she panted, practising her breathing techniques between contractions. It was half ten and Warren still had not replied. Maybe there’s something wrong? She didn’t want him to have been harmed, but neither did she want him to have purposefully left her when he’d promised to always be there.
When they arrived at the hospital, she was in pure agony and crying out with the pain. The maternity unit were expecting her as Jaz had called ahead and read out the record Holly had been keeping of the contractions.
“We’ll just check you over,” the midwife said in a calm voice. “Are you the birthing partner?” she asked Jaz.
“Er…yes,” Jaz said, then smiled at Nina. “I’m here, chick. I was with Holly for a lot of the time when she was having the twins, it’ll be a breeze.”
Nina laid back on the bed.
The nurse examined her. “You’re already eight centimetres dilated. Well done for managing this so far. You can go straight through to the birthing suite.”
She helped her off the bed as Nina moaned and Jaz carried her bag.
Inside the room, the nurse helped her into a gown and took her blood pressure. The contractions were coming harder and so close together she barely had time to breathe between them.
Jaz held her hand. “You just need to concentrate on the baby now.”
“I know,” she said. “I can’t wait to see her.” She’d blotted everything out. The baby was the most important thing. She felt the determined Nina come to the fore, the woman who always reached her goals. The one who didn’t need help. The independent woman.
“You’re going to be the best mum ever.”
Nina cried out as the pains became acutely intense.
“Would you like some gas and air?” the midwife asked.
Nina nodded, trying to remember her breathing exercises.
“Let me know if you want me to stay, or if I should fetch Sumitra,” Jaz said. “Your Dad brought her here. They’re in the waiting room.”
Nina nodded. “Thanks.”
Half an hour later her waters broke. She initially felt relief but then the contractions dragged through her body. She called out to Jaz. “Can you get Ma?”
Sumitra soon came in, her eyes open wide, rushing over to her and holding her hand.
She smiled and pulled the gas and air mask from her face. “I’m fine Ma. But I wanted you with me.”
Tears fell down Sumitra’s cheeks as she sat beside her and took her hand. “I’m always here for you, angel. And I’m so proud of you and you’ve done so well.”
She burst into tears and gasped. “Ma, he promised he’d be here for me.”
“Ma’s here. Just stay calm.”
Then Nina felt an overwhelming urge to push.