Page 58 of Omega's Reluctant Mate
“Is it wise to go out?”
I turned and saw my own house manager, Miriam, standing just outside the kitchen.
“I just need a walk to ease the pain,” I reassured her.
“You could go into labor at any time. Do you want me to accompany you?”
I shook my head. “We’re just taking a walk on the beach. I’m going to get Tiny and will stay within sight of the house.”
She studied me for a moment, then walked over and handed me my phone. “I may not be Nate, but I know both he and I will be more comfortable if you take your phone.”
I smiled. “Ok.”
She stepped back. “Have a nice walk.”
“Thank you.”
Bandit sniffed the sand as we headed towards Cody’s house, making me wonder what he smelled that was different from the day before.
I spotted Oscar at the bottom of the stairs with Tiny, something Wes had insisted on as I got close to my due date. Apparently he didn’t want me taking more stairs than necessary.
Tiny barked with excitement, and Bandit pulled on the leash, eager to greet his friend.
“Are you sure you’re up to this today?” Oscar asked.
“It’s walk the dogs or pace the house,” I replied with a shrug. “This seems the more useful of the options.”
He studied me for a moment then sighed, handing over Tiny’s leash. “As you wish.”
“Come on guys,” I urged the dogs. “Let’s walk.”
Bandit and Tiny fell in beside each other, walking at an easy pace.
I was so used to them being well-behaved and always leaving a bit of slack on the leashes that it took me a few minutes before I realized that Tiny had slowed and was walking almost beside me.
I looked down at the same moment he glanced up, and there was a worried look in his eyes.
“What’s up boy?” I asked, reaching down to scratch behind his ears.
I’d barely found the spot that he loved having scratched when I felt wetness between my legs. Then the first contraction hit.
I doubled over, breathing through it.
“It’s ok,” I told myself as it passed. “My water broke. But I know the plan: take the dogs back, call Nate, then have a car take me to the hospital. I’ve got plenty of time. That was only the first one.”
“Come on guys,” I said, turning to head back to Wes’s house. But I froze as another contraction ripped through me.
It hadn’t even been two minutes, when all the nurses in the birth classes said to go to the hospital when they were five minutes apart.
I fumbled for my phone, suddenly glad that Miriam had forced it on me. I dialed the house, and she picked up on the third ring.
“Miriam,” I gasped, breathing through another contraction. “Labor. Nate. Ambulance. Not gonna make hospital. Call Oscar for Tiny.”
I took another couple shallow breaths as the pain passed. “Call Theo. I think he’s got training, and he should still be home this time of day.”
“Got it,” she replied, as calm as if I had asked for a copy of the paper. “I’ll be right down.”
“Thank you.”
