Page 65 of Catching Dreams

“Congrats, Meadow,” I said. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Love you, Molls.”

“Amy, why don’t you call Dr. Watkins and the doctor on call and let them know what the monitors are saying,” Olivia said to the other nurse.

“Livie, your shift ended fifteen minutes ago.”

“I’m fine,” Olivia said. “Just go call them.”

“You guys are scaring me. What’s going on?” I asked. I took a closer look at the monitors to see if anything stood out to me, but they were just a bunch of lines.

“Baby B’s heart rate is dropping quickly.” Livie said and reached out to take my shaking hand. “Don’t freak out yet. It happens fairly often, and I am not going to leave your side.”

“But you’re off work now,” I stammered.

“Which frees me up from my regular duties. I can be at your side if you want. I don’t want to be in the way, but I am invested in these babies. Plus, I need to know their genders and what you end up naming them.”

“We could never ask you to stay longer. You’ve been here all day already,” Tyler said.

“You didn’t ask me, I offered. That’s if you want me to stay?”

I was nervous and gave my new friend a nod.

“It’s settled. I’m staying.”

“Thanks, Livie,” I said and squeezed her hand. I felt my panic lessen a little knowing she’d be here the whole time.

“So what is happening now?” Tyler asked, and I could hear the panic in his voice.

“We can’t make any decisions, but the on-call doctor is on their way,” Amy said as she came back into the room. “Based on the baby’s heart rate, my thinking is that we will be doing a Cesarean delivery soon.”

I just nodded. I knew I had wanted to do a natural delivery, but after several hours of labor, I just wanted my babies to be delivered safely.

“But they can’t come yet. My parents aren’t here yet,” Tyler said as he looked down at his phone.

“Ty, why don’t you call them and see where they are,” Olivia suggested.

Tyler nodded and pulled out his phone. “Mom, where are you?” I heard him ask. “Are you kidding me? Get in here now, please!” Tyler hung up the phone and ran his fingers through his hair. “They’ve been in the waiting room talking to everyone for ‘some time,’ as she says.” He added air quotes around some time and rolled his eyes at the phrase.

“Tyler, honey? Can I come in?”

“Yes!” Tyler called out and met his mom at the doorway. His dad followed close behind him. “I can’t believe you guys didn’t come here first.”

“Well, we didn’t want to be in the way,” Tyler’s dad said.

“I need you,” Tyler said simply and hugged his mom. “We need you. They might have to do a C-section, and I’m scared.”

“Oh, sweetheart!” his mom said and pulled him into a hug. “If they need to do a C-section, it’s for a good reason, and they will get those babies out as safely as they need to. You trust the nurses and doctors. Just listen to them.”

Tyler just nodded and seemed to calm down with his mom in the room.

“Molly, honey, how are you?” his mom asked as she left her son’s embrace and came over to my bedside.

“Worried but ready for them to be here, and if the safest way is through C-section, then I totally understand.”

“Good,” Susan said. “So, which of you ladies is Olivia? I’ve heard all about how amazing the nursing staff has been!”

“That’s me,” Olivia said from where she was still sitting at the other side of my bed. “I guess you are Tyler’s mom, who is also a nurse.”

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