Page 19 of Forever My Boy

Another contraction rolls over my abdomen. I hold my breath even though I’m supposed to breathe through them. Iwatch the clock. They’re still eight minutes apart and not close enough to go to the hospital.

The baby punches my bladder, leaving me no choice but to get up and waddle my way to the bathroom. As soon as I turn on the light, a warm and uninviting gush explodes between my legs.

“Shit,” I say as I turn around and head toward the bedroom. “Katelyn.”

“What? I’m up. What’s wrong?”

“My water broke.”

She’s out of bed immediately and already has the phone cradled between her ear and shoulder, calling my parents while she directs me to the side of the bed and then grabs the clothes off the top of my dresser. This is probably the only time I will ever let her dress me. Right now, I’m not sure I could do it. Lord knows I can’t see my feet.

“Yep, we’ll see you there,” she says as she hangs up. “Your mom is calling Mason’s parents. They’ll meet us at the hospital.”

“Okay.” This has been the plan from the beginning. A small, little phone tree. My circle, all coming together for the birth of this baby.

“Can you walk?”

“Yeah,” I say as I stand. A contraction hits and my knees almost buckle but Katelyn’s strong and able to keep me upright.

She takes me to the kitchen, probably thinking I might pee all over the floor again, and then goes to get Mason. He’s near me in a flash, with a big cheesy grin on his face.

“You good?” he asks as if this is something we do often.

I give him a half shrug. “Stomach is cramping pretty good, but I can do this.”

“Right on. That’s what I want to hear,” Mason says with a bit too much excitement. I’m glad he’s excited though because my son or daughter is going to need Mason in their life.

Mason holds me as he walks me to the mid-size sedan my parents bought me. He makes sure I’m in securely and then heads to the driver’s side while Katelyn gets in the back.

“We should’ve stayed in town last night,” he says as he drives away from our apartment. I wanted to stay in our apartment, mostly away from my parents because they hover, and I know my dad wants to talk about Liam.

“It’s early,” Katelyn says. “There won’t be any traffic.” I feel her hands on my side, massaging. As much as I don’t want to be touched right now, it helps.

Thirty minutes later, Mason pulls into the emergency room drop off. My parents along with Mason’s parents are outside, waiting. The two grandpas come to the car and help me out and right into a wheelchair.

“No wheelies,” I say to my dad who chuckles. My mom walks beside me, with Katelyn and Mason’s parents behind me. As soon as we get to the check-in desk, the nurse sends me right to labor and delivery with Katelyn and my mom following. The nurses there have my room ready to go when I get to their floor.

Inside my room, they help me change from my clothes into one of those very revealing hospital gowns.

“Are you still going with no meds?” One of the nurses asks.

“Yeah,” I tell her as I breathe through a contraction. They put a band around me and hook me up to a machine to monitor my contractions.

“Let’s get you examined,” the nurse says as she helps me into bed. Thankfully the examination is quick because the pressure I feel is very uncomfortable.

“It won’t be long,” she says.

That’s too long as far as I’m concerned.

“My friend Mason, he’ll be out there with my dad, I’d like for him to come in for the delivery. Can you get him?” I ask oneof the other nurses. She nods and returns minutes later with Mason, who looks like he’s seen a ghost.

“Hey, Mase,” I say through another contraction.

“Hey, what’s up?” he says, trying to joke.

“Ah, nothing. Just trying to push a watermelon out of my?—”

“Don’t you dare say it,” he says, laughing. “Are you sure you want me in here?”

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