Chapter 37 #2
“Let’s go,” Harlan barks out.
Syrus puts on his lights in the SUV, and pulls out of the driveway. We packed a “go bag” for the hospital yesterday, mostly because Harlan had a weird feeling. As someone who lives by her gut, I told him to do it.
“I’m…sorry,” I gasp, holding Izzy’s hand as another cramp hits me.
“No reason for that here,” Kyren murmurs. “We’re not far from the hospital. Your job is to just be, Princess. Syrus knows how to avoid all the traffic.”
“Fuck the traffic,” Syrus growls, making my lips twitch. “How long have you been having contractions, Spitfire?”
“All day,” I wail. “I just didn’t think it was real. I thought they were the fake ones. What are they called?”
“Braxton Hicks,” Harlan grunts. “There’s no reason that you wouldn’t have thought that when you’ve had them off and on. We’re fine.”
Nodding, I force myself to breathe.
“Leena will never stop telling people you peed on the couch,” Izzy murmurs, making me laugh.
“Oh my god. She might start telling people that Silva peed on her!” Kyren exclaims.
They keep me laughing the entire way to the hospital, even through contractions that bring tears to my eyes.
“This sucks,” I groan. “I can’t get out. What if the baby just falls right out of my vagina?”
“I’ll carry you,” Syrus says once we’re parked.
“You’re also in pants,” Izzy says calmly as the doors are opened. “The pants will keep the baby from going too far. I think it’s better if Syrus carries you.”
“Voted and passed,” Harlan grunts.
“Why is the state of my vagina now a democratic vote?” I wail, working through another contraction.
“So I can hold you, of course,” Syrus says smoothly, opening my door and picking me up.
“I didn’t even have bloody discharge. How the fuck is this happening?” I growl, wrapping my arms around Syrus’ neck.
“You’re just lucky,” Kyren says, shutting the door.
At this point, I think that if I said the sky was purple, they’d find a way to agree with me. The sun is shining at about four in the afternoon, it is not purple, and ah, fuck me!
Burying my nose in Syrus’ neck, I breathe in his familiar scent as they rush me into the lobby.
“She’s in active labor. Can we go up?” Izzy asks the person at the desk.
“Yes. What’s her name?”
Looking up, I meet the woman’s gaze and she recognizes me immediately.
“Nevermind. Silva, I’ll let the nurses know you’re on your way up with your pack. Congratulations,” she says.
Words are hard, so I hope she doesn’t think I’m being rude as I pant through the pain. My pack rushes to the elevator, heading through the doors as they open.
“Floor four,” Syrus reminds them.
“I know,” Izzy mutters.
We're all kind of a mess. Time isn’t really a thing when you’re pregnant. I’m quickly finding that I’m not in charge of shit. Lexi is pregnant with twins, and is currently thirty-seven weeks. Those babies are very comfortable, but the doctor wanted to induce her to be safe.
“Fuck,” I whine, pressing my forehead into Syrus’ throat.
“I know, baby,” he whispers. “We’re almost there.”
“There’s just so much pressure,” I groan. “It feels like there’s something pressing on my cervix.”
We all know what that probably is, and the guys move quickly as we get to our floor.
“Contractions are two minutes apart,” Kyren says. “I started to track them in the car. That’s very close together. Will you let us know when you have to push, Princess?”
“Yes.”
Even though they’re spaced out, it feels as if my contractions are closer than they are.
“Hello,” the nurse says as we make it to the desk. She listens to my low groan, and she nods. “That is definitely active labor. Give me some information, and we’ll get her a room, alright?”
“Thank you,” Izzy says tightly.
“Fuck. Why do I feel lightheaded?” Kyren mutters.
“You’re pack?” the nurse asks, waving at us to follow her. “Sometimes, there’s a feedback loop during intense pain, like child labor.”
“I’m building you the garden you asked for,” Harlan says, starting to sweat.
“You need a new car too,” Kyren says. “Fuck. You’re my hero, Princess. This shit is rough.”
“I’m going to have someone come check to see how far along you are,” the nurse says without missing a beat. “We need to get you into a gown first though.”
A few minutes later, all of that is done, and I have a nurse looking up my gown.
“There will be a little pressure,” she murmurs.
Breathing through it, I wince as I feel exactly that.
“You’re almost eight centimeters dilated,” the nurse says finally, straightening. “Do what makes you feel better. Walk, sway, whatever. Have you been very active today?”
“Chasing a toddler,” I rasp.
“I’m surprised you can still talk,” she says.
All words fail me as pain crashes over me. The world feels as if it’s been swallowed up until my focus is only the contraction.
“Up,” I whisper once it’s over.
“Yep,” Syrus says. He appears to be the only one functioning, so I’ll take advantage of that. He holds me while I sway, whispers words of encouragement, and Izzy makes sure I drink water.
“Mm,” I say in way of thanks.
“You’re doing so good,” Harlan says, watching me. While he’s still sweating, it looks like he’s able to push aside what he’s feeling. “Such a fucking badass, love.”
“I think I’ll punch anyone who says this is easy,” Kyren decides. “Keep breathing, Princess.”
It feels like I’m managing until that feeling decides to pack up and move to another universe.
“I can’t, I…fuck!” I moan. “I can’t do this.”
“Yes, yes you can,” Syrus says. “You already are, baby.”
They talk me through it until I feel the need to push. It’s this guttural instinct, and I don’t even have time to be scared before I look up a Syrus.
“I have to push,” I whimper.
“Standing, laying down, how?” Izzy asks. “You’re the boss, mi amor.”
“Standing,” I decide.
“I’ll get a nurse,” Harlan says, moving away.
“What if you miss it?” I ask, panicking.
“Not happening,” he says, opening the door. “I need a nurse, please!”
“Sir, you need to use the call button,” someone says.
“She’s pushing. Right now. I can add baby catcher to my resume if necessary,” Harlan snarks.
“Already?” the nurse asks, rushing into the room. “Ma’am. You can’t be standing up for that.”
“Watch…me,” I bite out, bearing down.
I decided really soon after finding out that I was pregnant that I wanted to learn everything I could. The guys went to every class possible, and I learned about the autonomy I had over my body. The hospital doesn’t have rules about my standing.
I know this because I checked!
My understanding of contractions was simply incorrect. I know I was told everyone’s experience would be different, and that’s very true. You don’t know until you’re going through it. Even then, the next pregnancy could be totally different.
The body is an incredibly complex organism.
“I want another nurse,” Izzy growls. “Go find one.”
“Ahhh!” I yell, feeling an intense pressure pushing at my cervix. “It burns.”
“No time for anyone else, I’m afraid,” the nurse murmurs, stopping to pull off her gloves, wash her hands, and grab new gloves. “I’m who you get. That burning is a head being pushed out.”
I’m kind of amazed that she knows that without looking.
Crouching down, she pulls up the gown to see what’s happening.
“We have a head. Do what feels natural. Nice, easy pushes,” she murmurs.
Nodding, I take a second to take a breath before things start to get intense again. This whole counting thing feels like it’s bullshit. My contractions are on top of each other now.
Pushing down hard, I cry out as the baby’s head begins to make its way out. We decided not to find out if the baby is a girl or boy. It’s been making everyone crazy, but this is how I want to find out.
Two more pushes, and I whimper as the nurse catches the baby.
“Reach down and take your baby,” she murmurs.
I immediately burst into tears as I take my baby and hold them to my chest, feeling the cord that’s connecting us as I cry.
Isidro’s eyes are shiny as he watches us, as are the other men around me.
They help me into the bed, and I find I can’t stop staring at the wiggly baby who keeps trying to get closer to me.
“Hi, honey,” I whisper. “You’re here.”
“I’ll be back,” the nurse murmurs, but I barely acknowledge her once she hands a blanket to Harlan.
“Let’s keep her or him warm,” he murmurs.
Turning my kid as I wrap them up, I grin as I see something.
“Meet your son, guys,” I rasp.
“Really?” Izzy asks, grinning.
“I saw a penis too,” Harlan chuckles. “What are we naming him?”
Our baby has dark hair, dark brown eyes, and all of his fingers and toes. God, his nose is even cute!
We don’t care who the father is, because we all agreed that we’re his parents. The only reason for a paternity test later is if there’s some kind of medical reason for it.
Biting my lip, I smile as a name comes to me.
“What about Lucius?” I ask.
“I like it,” Syrus agrees.
“Same,” Izzy, Kyren, and Harlan say in that way they have.
I barely pay attention to the medical staff as they flutter around me, only having eyes for my son. I’m kind of numb from the waist down, so the placenta passes without any issues, and an hour later, baby and I have a clear bill of health.
“That wasn’t so bad,” I giggle, feeling high on endorphins. Lucius is nursing as I hold him, and Harlan rolls his eyes.
“It was so,” he says. “Let’s wait at least two years before we do it again. I’m all for practicing though.”
Kissing my temple, he smiles as he watches Lucius with me.
“He’s perfect. I’m so damn proud of you.”
“I’m proud of us,” I say instead. Each of them jumped in to help, and there’s no ‘I’ in pack.
We’re in it together, or not at all.
Follow the Widows’ adventures here!