walk right now. My trousers are soaked and I know Nathan must be freaking out about that. Fortunately he doesn’t seem to notice and I don’t point it out.
“I have no idea what to do.” Nathan’s panicking.
“Don’t you dare,” I shout at him as he places me on the couch. “Don’t start freaking out now. I need you to stop me from freaking… fucking hell this hurts so badly.” I drop to my knees and roll onto my back, placing my legs on the couch so they’re elevated. It brings little to no relief. “Please get me some clean trousers.”
Nathan does as he’s told and I use this moment of privacy to cry. I could still be in labour for hours. My water breaking doesn’t mean a thing. Something tells me I’m going to be unlucky and this baby is going to come soon whether I like it or not.
I turn the TV on and flick straight to the news. The weather forecast comes on after a few minutes. Worst snow they’ve seen in England in four years. Great. Fucking great.
I’m only slightly aware of Nathan kneeling beside me and peeling my trousers off. I’m in too much pain to care. I feel drunk.
“You don’t need to push do you?” He asks me, after I stop screaming through another brutal contraction, whilst pulling a loose pair of shorts up my legs.
I shake my head. “I don’t think so.” But the pressure is there. “Is anybody coming?”
“They’re all trying.” His hand works at my back but it’s just annoying me now. I bat it away and push him onto the couch.
With my arse on the exercise ball, I cross my arms on his knees and try to relax as his fingers rub the back of my neck and along my spine. “It hurts. I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“You’re doing great,” he reassures me and runs his fingers through my hair. “Honestly, you’re being so brave right now. I’m sorry we’re stuck here.”
“Not your fault.” My hands squeeze his thighs as it builds and builds before peaking and finally unleashing. “I’m scared. What if…”
Nathan places a hand over my mouth. “Don’t. I’m barely holding it together here. Please don’t put things in my mind that aren’t there right now. We’ll get through this.”
“But I don’t want you to deliver my baby.” Tears flow from my eyes, my tired body sagging onto his lap.
“It’s not on my bucket list either,” he jokes and wipes at my tears with his thumbs. “It’s going to be okay.”
“AH!” I scream and clench my fingers around his thighs. “We should prepare, if it’s…” Holy fuck.
“Good idea.” Nathan nods and lifts me from him, replacing my head and arms on the couch moments later. “I’ll be a second.”
“I’m going to resurrect your brother,” I pant through my ragged breathing. “And then I’m going to kill him again.”
Nathan chuckles and drags my overnight bag towards me. “I’ll help you.”
“Great. We need towels or something.”
“Hot water?”
I shake my head. “No. Just towels, old ones because they’ll…” Ouch, ooowie, ouch. “Fuck.” I wince at my own swear word and immediately apologize. “Load a video on YouTube or something! Don’t just stand there.”
“Right.” And he’s gone again.
This sucks. This really… oh thank god. Jeanine is here!
I hug her when she gets close and hold her tight for a while, almost breaking her neck as my belly contracts. “Nathan!” She shouts and Nathan looks as relieved to see her as I do. “I need to change and wash my hands. Stay with her. I’ll deal with this.”
Nathan does as he’s told but not before asking, “How did you get here?”
“With difficulty, it’s about two foot deep out there. I had to put bin bags over my trousers to keep the wet out.”
“That’s all well and good, but I’ve got a melon in me wanting to get out. Can we please share survival stories later?” I pant.
Jeanine vanishes for a few minutes. I vaguely hear the taps running and quick footsteps before she returns.
“Move her, I’m going to grab these pillows.” I’m not sure what they do. All I know is one minute I’m on the ball and the next I’m leaning back against Nathan’s open legs and my shorts are off.
The pain radiates throughout my body before focusing on one spot. The pressure is unbearable.
They keep talking to me, keep saying things, but I can’t hear them. I can’t focus on them. The pain is too much.