Page 82 of Emerald Waves
I was up, in Caro’s arms, and out the door faster than the next contraction could hit. Guess that answered the pee versus water breaking question.
Across the cold quad, into our house and up the stairs we flew. Caro set me on the bed and propped pillows all around me.
“The nest! The nest!” I cried out. “We can’t have the egg yet because we forgot to do the nest!” The tears ran wild, worsening as I screamed through the next contraction and scared Caro so badly he ran down the stairs and returned with a handful of blankets seconds later.
“Where do you want these?”
“Where we decided to put the nest. Over there!” I pointedly screamed. I’m not a screamer, this wasn’t me, but we couldn’t have the egg without the nest. How could we have forgotten such an important step. “We’re horrible parents!” I bellowed from bed. “We,”sob, “can’t,”sob, “even,”sob, “build a proper nest!”sob,“We suck!”
“Baby, baby, ssshhh. I’ll fix it now. It’ll be okay, I promise.” About that time Odem came barreling into the room with a pileof pillows. He spotted the area where Caro dumped the blankets and piled them on. “Get the rest and I’ll build the nest.”
The two of them tried, well, I think they tried, but it still wasn’t right. “No, put the pillows there!” I pointed. “No, Cade will be in the middle. We need enough room for your dragon. Help me up, I’ll do it myself.” The two of them looked at me like I’d sprouted another head. “AAAHHH!”
Raven entered the room, plugging her ears. “Emerson, let’s see how far along you are.”
“Alex! Where’s Alex! I need him!” He’d know if this was okay and was progressing as it should be, but the pain was unbearable. This can’t be right. “Alex!”
“He’ll be here in a,” Caro paused right when Alex walked in. “A moment.”
“Alex,” I grabbed his hand. “It hurts, like, a lot. Is it supposed to feel like this?”
Alex laughed. “Yes and imagine doing this four times in rapid succession.”
“No, nope. No. Not doing this again. Nope.” That was a hard no for me.
“Help me get his pants off, Alex, so I can check him.” Raven and Alex stripped me down. Once upon a time I’d been shy, but now, I wanted all the clothes off and this egg out of me. Why was it so fucking hot in here? “Emerson, I have a feeling you’ve been in labor all day and kept this from your mate because you’re fully dilated.”
“Oh, um, sorry. I thought it was just gas.”
“Dude,” Alex shook his head. “That would be explosive gas. I’ve felt the pains of labor and would’ve shit myself if it were gas.”
I wanted to laugh but it hurt too much. “When can I push? I need to push.”
“Caro, come and slide in behind Emerson and help hold him up. Alex, grab a couple of towels to put beneath him. Odem, keep working on the nest. Think fluffy, light, and comfy.” I’d never seen those three move as fast as they just had. Well, Alex I had, but usually it was when he had a fire extinguisher in hand, chasing after his twins.
Please don’t let Cade be a firebug.
“Need. To. Push!” I bellowed as they slid a towel beneath me.
“On the next contraction, Emerson, push. Caro, be his rock.”
“Got it.”
“Okay Emerson, push!”
I leaned back against Caro and pushed with all my might.
“Good, good, he’s moved down a bit more. Another good one and the tip of the egg will crown. One, two, three, push!” Thank the goddess of midwives for Raven. She was an angel.
“You’re doing great, Em,” Alex wiped the sweat from my forehead with a nice cool towel, and I wanted to wrap myself up in it.
“Emerson, push!” How was this even possible? My body wasn’t elastic. “With the next one push until I tell you to stop.”
“Or he passes out.”
“Not funny, Alex. Here we go, Emerson, push!”
“Ahhhhhh!”
