37. Time to push!
37
TIME TO PUSH!
Archer
“Here’s your tea, babe.” Micah put the drink beside the bed and helped me sit, shoving pillows behind my back. I was a beached whale, unable to move by myself due to my enormous bump. And I had another month to go.
Dealing with heartburn and the baby kicking my ribs was bad enough, but I couldn’t get comfortable in bed at night so I was lacking sleep. And Micah couldn't sleep with me wriggling and grunting so he had dark shadows under his eyes.
I wanted to be a dad but I was so over the pregnancy, and longed to have my little unicorn resting against my chest.
My boss had one of my colleagues take over my job for a couple of weeks as I was officially on paternity leave. He’d been so busy, he hadn’t had time to interview the candidates—including Ivor—for my job.
After discussing our financial situation with Micah, we’d agreed I’d take six months leave. It wasn’t the best timing if we bought a house, but the first months at home with the baby was important to me and with my mate having flexible hours, we’d decided it was the best option.
The owner of the house we wanted to buy was still wavering about selling and even though our place would be cramped with a baby, right now the idea of not having to move and look after a huge home sounded pretty damn good.
My parents were excited about the possibility of living in the basement apartment and were supportive of our decision. While they hadn’t put their house on the market, they had buyers sniffing around and figured it would sell when they were ready.
Ivor was nervous about the interview process for my job, but Neil had stepped up and been doing mock interviews with him. I’d joined from my bed or the sofa, giving suggestions and encouragement through the phone.
We’d arranged for the baby to be born at Dr. Grey’s private clinic but he was out of town for a few days attending a wedding. That made me a little anxious. Even though I had a month to go until my due date, I didn’t like him being away.
“You can’t control the guy’s life, Archer,” Micah said when I told him. Yes, I can .
Yes. Yes. Yes, my wolf agreed with me. He was also nervous about the impending birth and increasingly agitated. Not wanting me to go out and insisting I stay home. There was no argument from me.
“And there’s another doctor covering for him while he’s gone,” my mate pointed out.
I didn’t want anyone else except Dr. Grey. But Micah was being helpful so I nodded. How likely was it that our first born would be early?
“You need anything before I go?” My mate was heading to work but had arranged for Neil to stay with me until Daire got back from the nursery mid-afternoon. Ivor would take over after work and then Micah would be back. Ryder and Martin had offered to fill in any gaps in the schedule.
I gazed at the water, book, tablet, phone and TV remote he’d put on the bedside table. “Nah, that’s fine. Besides, Neil will be here.”
“Neil’s here.” He strode into the room, holding boxes of board games.
“I’m going to love you and leave you.” Micah pecked me on the cheek. “My beast is having a hard time parting from you. Says I should stay.”
“Tell him I’m fine.” I blew my mate a kiss and with Patch on one side of me and Neil on the other, my friend and I spent the next hour playing a board game we’d both loved as kids.
“Neil, can you help me to the bathroom?” While peeing was almost an hourly activity in the past month, now the need was accompanied by discomfort. My body ached and I winced as my friend got me to the toilet. But then there was a whoosh and a rush of warm fluid on my legs.
“Don’t worry,” Neil said. “I’ll get you in the shower.”
“I didn’t pee.”
“Then what’s that?” he asked as he peered at the puddle on the floor.
“My water broke.”
“Oh,” he shrugged. “Wait, does that mean what I think it means?”
“Yes. And the doctor’s away,” I screeched. “I need a shower. And we have to call, Micah.”
“Shower first or phone your mate?”
Neil was so calm. I’d almost expected him to fall to pieces in a situation like this. “I can get you undressed and under the water and then call him.”
“The baby wasn’t supposed to come yet,” I yelled as a warm stream of water pounded on my head and Neil held the phone as close as he could to me .
“I’m on my way back.” My mate was at least a thirty-minute drive from home because a water pipe had burst and traffic was backed up for miles. But I wanted him here now.
“Hurry,” I yelled as Neil dried me and wrapped me in my favorite bathrobe.
“Maybe I can convince Dr. Grey to return,” Micah said. “I’ll call him.”
“Do something please,” I begged. “My belly’s cramping.”
“Let me get you back to bed,” Neil said.
“I think I want to walk.” Yeah, pacing was good and Neil followed me as if he was my own personal shadow.
Neil’s phone rang. “It’s Ryder.” Micah must have called him. “Yeah, okay.” Neil put the phone down. “Ryder’s five minutes from here. Says he can drive you to the clinic if Micah is stuck in traffic.”
“Fine” I didn't want an unknown doctor delivering my little unicorn but I had no choice. Going to a hospital for humans wasn’t an option. The pain was intense and the contractions were much closer together than what the books said they would be. Why is this happening to me?
My beast whispered, Baby . Now the little one was on the way, he was as calm as Neil and wanted to meet our son or daughter. He and my friend made a good team.
Another call. Ivor this time. Neil didn’t bother with hello but went straight to, “Yes, Archer’s in labor.” He glanced at me. “You want ice chips?”
“Why? I don’t know. Do I need them?” I panted through the pain.
“Humans often chew on them while they’re in labor.”
I didn’t give a damn about ice chips. But Neil spoke to Ivor and said, “Get some. Thanks.”
The pounding of feet on the stairs had me yell, ‘Micah?” but those footsteps were heavier than my mate’s. Neil opened the door to Daire. “I heard. What can I do?”
“Get Micah out of traffic?” Neil suggested as I wailed in the background.
“Your bicycle, Archer.” If Daire thought I was pedaling to the clinic, he was an idiot and I glared at him while gritting my teeth. “I’ll ride it and pick Micah up.”
He didn’t wait for my answer as Neil found the key for the lock, and he thundered down the stairs.
The interval between contractions was decreasing and Neil held me as my body prepared for birth. But Micah had to be here when our little one came into the world.
“It’s Micah.”
“Here?” Time had no meaning and I didn’t know how long it’d been since Daire left. There were contractions and no contractions. There was nothing else. That was my world.
Neil handed me the phone and tears spilled over my cheeks. Micah wasn't with me and he was supposed to be. “We’re going to the clinic. Daire’s peddling and I’m on the back.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” The screeching of brakes in the background had me yelling, “What was that? Micah? Are you there?”
“Yeah. Best not to ask. Focus on your breathing.”
“Did you phone Dr. Grey?” I asked.
“I did but the signal was weak and the call cut out.”
Great. Just what I didn’t need. A doctor who was out of reach.
But listening to Micah comforted me and he talked me through the next few contractions.
Martin knocked and Neil stood in the doorway, but they lowered their voices and I couldn’t hear what they were saying. There was a lull in the cramping and I noted Neil blushed and Martin squeezed his hand. They were so cute together.
“Let me take Patch,” the man I often still thought of as soccer dad said. “Toby will love having him at our place.” Neil bundled up food, toys and the dog’s bed. One last lick on my cheek and Martin whisked my pup away.
Ivor raced in with pizza for him and Neil and a large bag of ice chips for me. Lucky me! Ryder appeared. “The car’s out front.”
“No!” I shouted as I leaned against the wall. “The baby won’t wait till I get there.”
Neil phoned Micah. “Come home. There’s no time to get to the clinic.”
Ryder raced to the door. “If they’re past the traffic jam, I’ll pick them up,” he shouted over his shoulder. “Tell Micah to send me their location.”
“Hurry,” I begged.
I rested my head on Neil’s chest while Ivor rubbed my back. They’d never given birth but instinctively knew what to do. But they weren’t Micah. “Help me to the bed, please.” The urge to push was overpowering. My baby wanted out whether his alpha dad was here or not.
Ivor removed my robe and he and Neil helped me get on all fours.
“I’m here.” Micah’s cool unicorn breath wafted over me and I blinked, unable to believe he’d made it. Our little one would have both his dads present when they came into the world.
I heard Ryder say, “They’ve got this Daire. Let's wait outside.”
Micah got on his hands and knees beside me while Neil wiped my face with a wet cloth. My mate placed one hand over mine as a contraction gripped me, and I pushed.
“Push, push, push,” he told me.
Push, said my wolf.
And when the cramp was over, Neil gushed, “I see the head. I see it, Archer. I see you baby!”
“Me too,” Ivor told me.
“Not long, babe,” Micah encouraged me .
“Here’s another one,” I panted. More pushes. And a short break and then more pushing.
“One more and the head will be out,” Ivor said. My friends had become birthing experts.
“Go,” I told Micah. “You be the one to bring our baby into the world.”
“It would be my greatest honor.” He kissed my brow and kneeled behind me.
I gathered my strength and pushed as the pain ripped through me.
And then a sense of relief like I’d never experienced before as I gave birth to our child. Glancing between my legs, my gaze rested on a tiny unicorn with sparkling skin and a tiny horn jutting out from the forehead.
And then the mythical animal was gone and a baby girl with her eyes wide open took the place of the beast. It would be years before our daughter could shift again.
Neil got me onto my back and Micah placed our daughter on my chest. My two friends hugged one another as they blew kisses, their eyes swimming with tears. They cleaned up before closing the door behind them and Micah took me in his arms.
“Hello, little girl.” I placed my lips on her skin enjoying her scent filling my nostrils.
Hello. That was my beast.
“Are we in agreement about her name?” Micah asked as he rested his head on mine, one protective hand on our daughter’s back.
I nodded. We hadn’t been able to agree on a boy’s name but had chosen one girl’s name. “Elune.” It suited her perfectly.
“My unicorn loves her and her name,” Micah said as I handed him the baby and he held her tight.