Page 41 of Summer With You

“No. She’s just sleeping because the pain was too much for her little body to handle. Are you her brother?” The woman motioned for some help all the while reassuring my son. Ace knelt on the ground next to me and grabbed my hand, his attention on Summer. “I’m going to bring her back to a room and get her stabilized. She’ll need four staples, and I want to do a CT scan. I will also take a look at any other gashes. Is this alright with you?” She stood as a bed appeared that was pushed by two male nurses in light pink scrubs.

“Please, help my baby. I’ll do anything.” The two men gently put Summer on the gurney and wheeled her through the double doors, exiting the silent waiting room with everyone watching us.

“I’ll help her,” she assured me. “My name is Dr. Michelle. I apologize for the trouble you were having with the front desk. I’ll have that nurse reported. We don’t make children wait for care, especially not if it appears to be an emergency. Now, I’d like to get you in a chair. Stress isn’t good for a pregnancy.” She helped me up and led Ace, Charlie, and me to where they were taking care of Summer.

We stopped outside a room, and I could see them settling Summer inside, her tiny body swallowed up by the big bed. I fought back a sob. I had to be strong for my child.

“Momma, I think you went potty.” Charlie giggled, pointing at the ground where there was a puddle at my feet.

Fuck.

Ace’s wide eyes snapped to mine, and fear clouded my own. I was early. This couldn’t be happening now. I had to be here for my daughter.

“How far along are you?” Dr. Michelle asked, worry creasing her brow.

“She’s eight months along,” Ace told her. “Is she going into labor now?” Ace just about shouted in the hallway, his shaking hand clutching my arm tightly. “She’s not due for another month.”

“Oh, God, my baby. Ace! Oh, God!” I clutched at my stomach, tears rolling down my cheeks. I was going to lose my baby just like my doctor had warned.

“Let’s stay calm,” Dr. Michelle soothed. “It does appear that you’re going into labor. Can I get a wheelchair please?” she called over her shoulder, placing a hand on my shoulder and my back. “What’s your name?”

“Celine. Oh, God, what about my little girl?” I cried. “I can’t have the baby now! I need to be there for her!” I was settled into a wheelchair instantly, but I wanted to be with my child. “No, I can’t be here. I need to be with my child! I need to be there when she wakes up, you don’t understand!” I sobbed and pushed past the hands trying to hold me down.

Ace grabbed both my arms and held me down in the chair, his blue eyes dark and piercing. “Sit down now,” he growled, and I sobbed. “I’m calling Amber and Ryan and your parents. We will get through this. Summer is going to be okay. She’s always been our little fighter. You need to stay calm, or we are either going to lose this little one or you, and I can’t raise the kids without you.”

Dr. Michelle smiled at Ace before summoning over another woman in pink scrubs. “This is Dr. Nicole. She’s our resident OB and will take care of you. I’m going to take care of your child,” she told me. “She’s in good hands. I’ll come find you as soon as she wakes up, and I have results of her head scan. Right now, all you can do is rest to ensure that you have a safe delivery.” She smiled again and left, walking right into Summer’s room and began commanding the nurses as she inspected her little blonde head.

“Stay with her until someone arrives.” I looked at Ace, who was watching me with concern. He shook his head, ignoring my request. “Please, I’m not going to have the baby right away,” I told him. I didn’t want Summer alone, no matter how terrified I was. Our daughter always came first. “It takes time, you know that. Stay with her, Ace.” I grabbed his hand and squeezed, letting him know that I was strong enough to be alone, but our child was not.

He nodded reluctantly before turning his attention to the doctor. “Please get me if something is wrong.” His voice broke. “Please, I can’t lose her.” Dr. Nicole nodded before wheeling me down the hall away from my family.

She got me situated in a big room that I had come to recognize as the pre-delivery room. “How far along are you, Mrs. . . . sorry, I didn’t get your name.” She pressed a button on the wall to call in a nurse.

“Celine Danvers. I’ve had two children in this hospital before with Dr. Avery, but I believe he retired.” I wasn’t entirely sure. “I’m eight months, and my last pregnancy had complications. I was told this one would be risky and that I couldn’t have any stress, but today, my child was tackled at school and is hurt, as you saw, so naturally, I’m stressed,” I rambled, looking at the amused woman.

“Sounds just like me. I know Michelle will take good care of your little girl. She takes care of my children. Now, I do need you to try and stay calm. I need to see how dilated you are. Is there anything else I should know?” she asked me.

“I’ve been cramping the whole day, but I had Braxton Hicks a few months ago, so I assumed it was that again.”

She nodded, sliding gloves on her clean hands. “Sounds like this little one really wants to come out and play. Do you know the gender?” I shook my head. Ace and I had wanted a surprise because, at the end of the day, it didn’t matter if it was a boy or a girl. I would love them the same.

Three hours later, I was five centimeters dilated and still waiting for any good news. So far, I had only received bad.

The baby was breeched, coming out feet first. I hadn’t told Ace yet because Dr. Nicole told me it wouldn’t impact the baby at all, just cause me more discomfort. The umbilical cord wasn’t wrapped around the baby’s neck, so they wanted to try a vaginal delivery.

Summer had received four numbing injections and four staples to close the gash in her head. Thankfully, Dr. Michelle didn’t have to shave any hair away, and her scar would be small. She just couldn’t wash her hair for a few days, which was the least of our issues. She did have a concussion, which worried me the most, but everyone was optimistic. She just needed rest and would be completely fine in a week or two.

I wasn’t thrilled at the thought, and to top it all off, she still hadn’t woken up, and the time to push was beginning to quickly near.

Ace rushed between my room and hers, unable to stay calm like he had told me countless times to do. The man was going to run himself ragged. His fear of losing me was stronger than his worry for our child, so he spent more time monitoring me, but I insisted he be there when Summer woke up because I couldn’t.

Dr. Nicole was worried about delivering the baby a month early, which was really her only concern, but there was no way to stop it. Ace and I had already been told to prepare for the worst, and we had, but I just kept praying that the worst wouldn’t happen. I knew I wasn’t as strong as my sister-in-law and losing a baby this far along would break me and Ace.

Just as I experienced another wave of cramps, Ace ran into the room. He was winded, but there was a smile on his face. “She’s awake!” He stopped at the edge of my bed, saw my pain and discomfort, and grabbed my hand. “Squeeze, baby. I’m here now,” he soothed. I latched on and squeezed as hard as I could to try and ease some of the pain.

The wave washed over, and I checked the clock to see it had only been five minutes since the last wave. The baby was coming soon.

“How is she?” I forced through my clenched teeth.

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