Page 116 of Love Thief

“What for?” he asks, completely unaware of the chaos about to descend on us all.

“I don’t know, but they always ask for them on TV shows. The babies are coming. Now.”

He jumps up and we run into the kitchen to tell Aileen and grab some supplies.

“What’s the spatula for, Uncle Kellen,” asks Eamonn as I’m shoving random items in a bag.

“I have no idea, Eamonn. Let’s go.”

I leave Xander on the phone, ringing an ambulance, and set off with Eamonn to find my wife. She’s still on the path to the Fairy House, leaning against a tree, blowing out breaths in an attempt to deal with the pain. I throw the bag into the house and go and collect her.

“In a minute, Kell,” she tells me between breaths. She’s removed her scarf and coat and they’re both on the ground. Eamonn picks them up as I hold onto her. “Okay, I can move now,” she tells me, nodding her head. “They’re only two minutes apart. I think they’re coming fast.”

She’s so slow. “Shall I carry you?”

“No, walking feels good.” She stops again as another contraction takes over, and she grips my hand so hard I think the blood flow has been cut off.

She’s in agony, and I don’t know what to do. So I just hold her up, and wait, pushing the hair from her sweat-drenched face.

“Okay,” she nods, blowing outwards, “move again.”

We’re moving nearer to the house when Xander runs into view.

“There’s no fucking ambulance. Someone’s got hurt at the Point-to-Point and they’ve taken them off. It may be an hour, at least, before they can be here. I’m to call back and they’ll help on the phone.”

“What’s the phone going to do? It can’t deliver the babies.” I feel like I’m going to faint. I knew it, knew something would happen the minute I came.

“Kellen, it’s not you,” she pants out. I can see her side-eyeing me. “You can deliver them.” I literally let her go, she’s fucking lost her mind.

“Me,” I say, and she nods as she stops again.

“That’s a minute,” pipes up Eamonn. Xan and I look at him in amazement, he is the coolest person here. “Aunty Kitten told me what to do,” he says, looking at us. “I’m on timing.”

Evie laughs and then grimaces as she tries to breathe again. “Get Jonno,” she says. “He went to the classes with me.”

Xander fishes in his pocket, coming up empty. “I’ve left my fucking phone.” He turns to move back to the house.

“I’ve texted them,” says the seven year old. “They’re all on the way back.” Eamonn’s phone rings, and he answers in that same cool, in control voice. “Hey Uncle Jonno. Yes she’s here but she can’t talk. Yes.” He holds the phone out to me as he stares at his watch.

“We can’t get out of the car park. Some idiot’s blocked us in. We’ll be there as soon as we can,” he tells me straight away, frustration in every word.

“She needs you, Jonno. You know what to do. There’s no ambulance.” I wince as Evie grips my hand with inhuman strength. We’re nearly at the Fairy House now, but he must hear the panic in my voice.

“Calm the fuck down and deal with it,” he commands. ”You’re grown men, keep it together. She fucking needs you both to be thinking. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

Aileen arrives with towels and goes into the Fairy House. She shouts at Xan to sort out the living room as Eamonn, Evie, and I continue our slow movement towards the door.

The contractions are coming fast, and we just get through the doors when Evie says, “I need to push.”

“Fuck me.” I pick her up and carry her into the lounge, lay her on the nearest settee, and tear off her jeans and outer layers, boots, the lot. We have towels and water. Aileen is washing her hands as is Xan, while Eamonn is calmly passing everyone anything they ask for. I’m just holding onto my wife.

I go to move to get washed, ready for what, I have no idea.

“No!” she shouts. “Stay, Kell. I need you to breathe and talk to me. I like to hear your voice, it helps.”

I look at Xander, who reminds Evie, “Aileen can't bend, Kitten. It’s me or Eamonn,” he tilts his head in the direction below her belly, “and I don’t want to traumatise the boy. So it’s me. Is that okay?”

She nods at him, continuing breathing in a jagged but established pattern. “I need to push, Xan.”

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