Chapter 10 #2
My mama was back in the room quick, already pullin’ on gloves while she walked over like she had been waitin’ on this exact moment.
“Toni, sweetheart, I’m going to check you again, alright?” she said soft, but focused, already movin’ between her legs.
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.
Once she left, it was just me and Toni again, and when I looked at her, I saw how red her eyes was, and how tired she looked even though she ain’t complain once.
That shit did somethin’ to me…
She was strong as hell… and she still was holdin’ it together, but this was just who she was.
I stepped closer to her slow, my hands comin’ up to her gown, and I held her eyes while I slid it down her waist, lettin’ it fall to the floor.
Her body was full now, her stomach round and heavy with my baby. Her breasts was full, nipples pretty as hell and her skin warm under my hands. I couldn’t even lie; the shit turned me the fuck on. But it wasn’t just that, it was everything about this moment.
I cupped her breasts in my hands, caressin’ ’em slow while my eyes stayed locked on hers, then I dropped down to my knees in front of her.
My hands slid to her stomach, spreadin’ over it while I leaned in and pressed my lips against her skin.
“Yeah… we waitin’ on you, lil’ mama,” I murmured against her belly, kissin’ it slow. “You hear me, ’Lo? You takin’ your time, huh?”
Toni let out a soft breath above me, her fingers slidin’ into my hair while I kept kissin’ her.
“I know you feel all this too,” I continued low, my voice softer now. “I know you tryna get right… but we ready for you. Me and your mama right here waitin’ on you.”
I pressed another kiss to her stomach, lettin’ it linger there for a second before I looked up at Toni again.
“She good… she just takin’ her time,” I told her, rubbin’ her belly, soothin’ both of ’em.
Then I stood back up and helped her into the pool, holdin’ her steady while she stepped in slow, her body relaxin’ a lil’ once that water hit her.
She sank down into it, lettin’ out a breath like it was the first time she could really ease up.
I got down on my knees outside the pool, reachin’ for her hand and bringin’ it to my mouth, kissin’ the back of it a couple times.
“I got you… we right here,” I murmured.
My other hand came back to her stomach, restin’ there while I looked at her.
Now it was just about waitin’ this shit out.
Hours passed and Toni was still in labor.
I ain’t even gon lie, the shit started weighin’ on me in a way I wasn’t ready for.
At first I was locked in, calm, talkin’ to her, rubbin’ her, kissin’ her through it like I could carry some of the pain for her, but as the hours kept stackin’ up and them contractions kept hittin’ harder, it started feelin’ like I was watchin’ somebody I love get put through some shit I couldn’t stop.
She was leaned over the edge of the pool now, her arms braced against it while her head hung low, and the sounds comin’ out her mouth wasn’t nothin’ soft no more.
That shit was brittle and raw, like it was comin’ from somewhere deep in her body.
Every time she let one of ’em out, I felt it in my chest like it was pressin’ up against my ribs.
“Toni… come here, baby,” I murmured low, already movin’ closer to her, my hands comin’ up to her face while tears streamed down it nonstop. I ain’t even think, I just leaned in and started kissin’ ’em away, slow and careful, like I could ease somethin’ in her just by touchin’ her like this.
Her hair was still tied up in that ponytail I did earlier, but the way her head kept movin’ with the pain had it comin’ loose anyway, so I reached up and pulled it out, lettin’ all that long, thick hair fall down her back.
It had got longer with this pregnancy. It was fuller too, and it slid through my fingers easy as I worked my hand through her scalp, massagin’ it slow while I kept my mouth close to her face.
“I got you… I’m right here,” I told her, my lips brushin’ along her cheek while another contraction hit her hard enough to make her whole body tense up under my hands.
My mama was right here by her other side, her voice calm like always, talkin’ Toni through it, rubbin’ her belly and checkin’ on my baby like she could already feel her comin’.
“My sweet ’Lo’Lo… you hear your grandma?” she asked soft, her hand movin’ over Toni’s stomach. “We ready for you, baby. You can come on down now.”
Toni let out another sound that made my chest tighten up again, and I had to force myself not to start movin’ around too much, ’cause I could feel that urge in me to pace, to do somethin’, anything, but I knew that wasn’t gon’ help her.
She needed me right here, and not all over the place actin’ like I ain’t have no control.
Still… my nerves was gettin’ fucked up.
I stayed with her as long as I could, rubbin’ her, kissin’ her, talkin’ to her low, but after a minute I felt it buildin’ up too much in me, and I knew I needed to step out for a second before I lost my composure in front of her.
“I’ll be right back,” I told her low, pressin’ one more kiss to her temple before I forced myself to step away.
I walked out the room and pulled my phone out quick, hittin’ Pressure’s line, and he answered on the second ring.
“Wus’ good?” he asked.
“Nigga… Toni in labor,” I said, runnin’ my hand over my face while I paced a couple steps down the hall.
There was a pause on his end, then a low chuckle. “Yeah… It’s about that time.”
“This shit different, bro,” I muttered, shakin’ my head. “I ain’t even gon’ lie to you. This shit hittin’ different watchin’ her go through it.”
He let out a breath. “I already know. That first one gon’ sit on you heavy. You good though. She good?”
“Yeah, she straight… she just in pain like a muthafucka,” I replied, my voice lower now.
“A’ight, then you straight,” he replied. “You right where you supposed to be, nigga. Just stay with her. You ’bout to be a daddy in a minute.”
I let that sit for a second, lookin’ down at the marble floor. “Yeah…”
“Soon as my goddaughter get here, yo’ ass better hit my line nigga,” he added.
I smirked a lil’. “I got you.”
“Make sure you do,” he said. “Y’all gon’ be good.”