Page 26 of Raptor

"Um, Jayne, I'm pretty sure Mal meant how long until she has the baby?" Jess clarifies for me.

"How am I to know?" Ma asks as she stops at a red light. She turns to face me. "Sweetie, everyone is different. This is your first baby and it could take a while."

I shake my head. "It hurts," I tell her. "It's only going to get worse. I don't want to do this anymore."

Jess' fingers brush over my hair. "You're doing amazingly. We'll be at the hospital soon and we can get you the good drugs."

I sigh as I turn to her. "Promise?"

Jess laughs and nods furiously. "Promise. There'll be something you can take that'll help ease the pain, right, Jayne?"

"Oh yeah. When I had you, I had all the good stuff. It'll depend on how far you're dilated to see what we can get you."

"Everything," I hiss as yet another contraction hits me. "It seems quicker than four minutes," I yell as the pain once again takes my breath away.

"That's because it is," Jess says, still running her fingers over my hair. "There's two minutes."

"Ma," I cry, horrified. "Please don't let me give birth in the back of your car."

I can hear the laughter in her voice. "Don't worry, love, you won't. We'll be there soon."

"If all else fails, keep your legs closed. That should stop the baby coming, right?" Jess asks, glancing between Ma and I.

"Don't think it works like that, Jess," I say, trying to catch my breath. "The baby comes when it wants. We have no say over the matter."

"It'll be okay," she promises me as she continues to try and help me relax.

"We're here," Ma says as she parks in front of the hospital. "Jess, run in and grab a wheelchair. There's no way Mallory will be able to walk. Once you have that, you take her to the maternity ward and I'll park the car." Ma's all business, and I'm so damn grateful that she is. She's taking charge and leading the way. I don't have the capacity to do that right now. I'm in pain and I'm exhausted. The contractions have been coming since around ten a.m. this morning and it's almost six in the evening. I just want this over with and then I can have my little boy in my arms.

It doesn't take Jess long to have a wheelchair ready for me. With the help of her and Ma, I'm out of the car and sitting in the chair with my bag on my lap. I grip hold of the arms of the chair as yet another damned contraction racks through me. Ma presses a kiss to my head. "I'll be as quick as I can," she promises me.

I don't want her to go, but I know she has to park the car. She climbs into the driver's seat and pulls away from the curb. I watch as she drives away from the entrance and toward the car park.

"Ready?" Jess asks once my contraction is finished.

"Yeah," I say, my voice a little wobbly. I'm wondering just how the hell I'm supposed to give birth when it's so damn painful already. I know everyone has a different pain threshold, but mine must be nonexistent. I've never had to deal with physical pain. I had no idea what to think going into this. Ma tried to forewarn me about the pain, but nothing could have prepared me for this.

We get to the maternity floor and it seems as though it's all hands on deck.

"Mallory," my midwife, Claire, says as she gets me situated on the bed. "We just need to see how far you're dilated."

I nod. My hand is tight in Jess' grip. My girl isn't letting go of me. I'm so damn grateful she's here.

"She's in pain," Jess tells her. "Is there anything you can give her when the contractions hit?"

The midwife checks me out. "I'm sorry, but we'll only be able to offer gas and air at this time. Mallory's close to ten centimeters dilated, which means she's too far along for an epidural."

"Give me anything," I cry as another contraction hits.

I hear Claire laugh as she sets me up with the gas and air machine. She walks me through how to use it, and the moment I inhale deeply, I feel as though I'm floating. It doesn't take all the pain away, but it makes it bearable. The door opens to my room and Ma walks in. I sob. I'm so glad she's here that I actually begin to sob.

"It's okay," she promises me as she comes to stand by my side. "You're almost there."

"She's almost ten centimeters dilated," Jess informs her.

"Yes," Claire says with a smile. "Are you all ready?"

I nod. I'm more than ready for this.

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