Chapter 32 #2
‘The thing is, I’ve just found out…’ he began again, and Orla took one hand off her child and held it up.
‘No more, Kyle. Whatever else you need to get off your chest can wait until morning. Or the next day. Or the next. Because, right now, all that matters to me is this little girl. And that’s the way it’s always going to be, so I think it’s time for you to go.’
* * *
Maddie
6.15 a.m.
‘You can do this, pet. You really can. That epidural is about to kick in and it’ll take the edge right off those contractions, I promise you.’
Maddie’s hair was wet and soaked to her forehead, her throat was raw, and it was hard to breathe through the pain that was in her body and in her heart. ‘Val, I want my mum. I really, really want my mum here too.’
Two huge tears dropped from the blue eyeliner on Val’s lower lids. ‘I know, ma darlin’. I know. But she is here. I promise you she’s in the room right now, just like she was there when we went to speak to her that day. She’s here.’
Maddie gritted her teeth as another contraction came crashing in.
Jessie squeezed one hand, and at the other side of her, Val squeezed the other.
Alyssa was beside Val, who was now repeating the things they’d learned at antenatal class, saying, ‘Come on, Maddie, breathe with me. One, two, three, four, in out, in out, that’s it. ’
As the pain began to ease off, Maddie flopped her head back on the bed.
On a logical level, she knew that she’d been in labour for about ten hours, but on a physical level, it felt like she’d been breathing through the contractions for about a week and a half.
She’d cried, she’d wailed, and now she was making a silent plea to her mum for help, to bring this baby into the world safe and healthy.
And to let Maddie survive the kind of pain she never knew existed.
Through it all, Val, Jessie and Alyssa had been with her. They’d cheered at midnight when the bells rang out through the city to bring in the new year, and then seconds later they’d held her hands again as another contraction tore through her.
Maddie knew one thing for sure. Those antenatal classes hadn’t prepared her for this.
That said, she was beyond grateful to Candy, the midwife who’d taken over when her own lovely midwife, Sharon, had gone into labour herself, for bending hospital policy of two birth partners maximum and allowing her entire support trio to stay with her.
Another thing she’d learned in the last few hours was that her birthing plan had gone right out the window.
She’d hoped for a natural birth, no meds, and she’d been sure she could do it, but a few minutes ago, she’d given in and opted for an epidural.
A doctor had come and administered it, and she didn’t feel a shred of guilt about it.
She’d explain it to her child when it was an adult, the first time they had to deal with any kind of injury and there was the option for pain relief.
‘Maddie, you did great. That’s another one over. Just breathe. We’ve got you.’ That came from Alyssa, who was now pushing her hair back and holding a cold, damp cloth to her forehead. Her pal was paler than usual, and they’d already established this was the first time she’d witnessed a birth.
‘You’re never having children now, are you?’ Maddie whispered.
Alyssa, honest as ever, shook her head. ‘Not a chance. I’ll just borrow this one if I’m broody.’
Maddie had just managed to force her strained face into something resembling a smile, when the door opened and Candy came striding back in. She quickly and efficiently examined Maddie, checked all the monitors and then gave her a nod of encouragement.
‘You’re doing great, lovely. You’re only a couple of centimetres away now. Maybe an hour, possibly sooner.’
An hour?????
Maddie suddenly wanted to send an exploding head emoji to the gods of childbirth. Holy shit, an hour. Right on cue, another contraction replied with the equivalent of a one-finger emoji. And Candy stayed with her to see her through it.
‘How was that one, Maddie?’ she asked, when Maddie’s head flopped back down onto the pillow, her hair, damp with sweat, sticking to her face again. Val pushed it back gently.
‘A bit better. Definitely not as sore.’
Candy nodded. ‘Okay, so the epidural is kicking in. It’s going to get better from here, Maddie.’
‘You promise?’ Maddie wasn’t sure she could handle it if this got any worse.
‘I promise. I’ll just nip out and get you some more ice chips.’
‘I’ll come with you and save you the trip back with them,’ Val offered.
‘I knew I let you lot stay for a reason,’ Candy said, with a wink.
At that point, there was a loud buzzing noise and Candy pulled a phone from her pocket and checked the screen.
‘Dear God, that’s someone else at the ward door now. If this is another admission, I’m going to have to get Sharon out of that bed and put her back to work.’
Maddie really hoped she was joking, but she was too busy concentrating on her breathing as she prepared for the next contraction to come.
‘I won’t be long, pet,’ Val said as she reached the door. ‘I’ll be back before the next one.’ Maddie really hoped that was true.
A few minutes later, the door opened again, and Val came bustling back in.
‘Eh, doll, I think you forgot something.’ Jessie pointed to her empty hands.
‘Oh bugger, the ice chips. Sorry. I got distracted. The thing is, we’ve got to leave now.’
‘Noooooo,’ Maddie bellowed. ‘Tell me who is kicking you out and I’ll fight them.’ Right now, every feral bone in her body was prepared to punch whoever was taking her support away.
‘Don’t worry, love, we’ll be back, but I just thought that you might want a few minutes alone with this one.’
At that, Val stepped to the side, and Maddie wondered if she was hallucinating, as Dylan Bennet walked towards her and took her hand. And she saw by the look in his eyes that he already knew everything.
‘Dylan… oh God, Dylan. Tell me I’m not imagining you. Is this the epidural?’
Even through the haze of her own tears, she could see his eyes were glistening. ‘I came as soon as I sussed it out. The baby. Our baby? At least, I really hope it’s our baby.’
‘But how did you know? Oh bugger, hang on, count with me… one two one two one two…’
His expression of sheer panic lasted until the contraction passed. Okay, that was less painful than the last one again. She could do this. She could.
Little one, your daddy is here.
‘It’s your baby. Our baby. Dylan I can’t believe you’re here.’ She was sobbing again, big heaving ugly sobs. Her mum was listening. She’d sent him. Maddie felt it. ‘How did you know?’ she said again.
‘My ex-wife pitched up out of nowhere and said she’d met you. She told me you were pregnant. I was always good at maths. And I knew you didn’t have an ex called Percy.’
‘That was a panic statement. So Rachel… You didn’t invite her over? She said you were getting back together.’
His glistening eyes widened at that information. ‘No! Maddie, I swear. She just arrived. I had no idea… I think she just heard I was doing well and was suddenly interested again.’
Val’s lips pursed, while Jessie exclaimed as if she’d just solved a criminal case. ‘I knew it! I didnae like the look of that lassie the minute I saw her. Way too fond of herself, that she was.’
‘So you don’t… don’t… love her…?’
‘I don’t love her, Maddie… I—’
Before he could finish, she cut him off. ‘Oh no, oh no, another one.’
This time, it was Dylan who was talking her through it. ‘I’m here, Maddie, I’m here. I’ve got you. You can do this.’
When the contraction passed, he stroked her face.
‘Why didn’t you tell me, Maddie? I would have come back, I’d have stayed with you.’
‘I know that. That’s why I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t want to wreck your dreams.’
As he shook his head, and kissed the back of her hand, his grin was so wide it made her heart melt. ‘You just don’t get it. Maddie, I love you. And I had more than one dream. You were one of them too.’
‘You… love me?’
‘I love you.’
Maddie heard her trio of pals all sniff as he said that and Jessie was using her sleeve to dry her face.
Candy came back into the room at that moment to check her progress again. Val, Jessie and Alyssa all retreated over to the window to clear the way.
‘Okay, Maddie, I think we’re just about there. Are you ready?’
Was she ready? She had her friends. She had Dylan. She had her mum in every speck of light in the room.
‘Dylan, I… love… you… Did you…’ Pant… ‘Ever…’ Pant. ‘Dream about having a family?’
She felt her heart begin to race, and her stomach tighten as he nodded. ‘I did.’
‘That’s good… Because that one is about to come true too.’