I laugh as my contraction subsides, and I put my head back on the seat.
We drive for a moment in silence. “Okay, tell me about panting,” he asks.
“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “Controls your pain, apparently.”
His eyes flick between me and the road. “Well, we need to pant. How do you do it? Show me.”
I blow out in short quick successions, and show him what they teach you in prenatal classes.
“Like this?” He practices, and I burst out laughing.
“Yes. Like that.” I wince. “Oh, here comes another one!” I call.
Adrian’s eyes widen in fear and he starts to pant.
I laugh as I screw up my face in pain. “You look fucking ridiculous.”
“Do it with me, Ash!” he cries, blowing in an overexaggerated fashion toward the steering wheel.
We both pant as he drives like a maniac, and eventually it subsides.
“See, that was better.” He smiles a proud of himself smile.
I lay my head back against the seat as I breathe heavily. “I hope Cam makes it.” I smile sadly over at him. He takes my hand in his sympathetically and picks it up and kisses the back of it. “It’s all right if he doesn’t—You’ve got me.”
I smile.
Jenna is in New York and Tash is at Willowvale. “Can you ring Tash?” I ask.
“Yes, sure.” He hits her number on the car Bluetooth.
“Hey, babe,” she answers.
“Hi, Tash,” I call.
“Ash? What’s wrong?” she snaps.
“She’s in labor,” Adrian calls. “Get your ass to L.A!”
“Oh, my God. It’s too early.” She shrieks. “Where’s Cameron?”
“He’s in surgery.”
“Oh, shit,” she murmurs. “Joshua!” she calls. “Ashley’s in labor.”
“Tash, can you ring Jenna and organize Owen to get picked up from school, please?” Adrian asks. “This is quite unexpected and a bit crazy on this end.”
“Ahhh!” I cry as another contraction rips through me.
Adrian starts to pant as his eyes flick between me and the road. “Pant, pant, pant!” he cries.
Natasha bursts out laughing. “Oh, please tell me there’s a camera in the car.”
“See you soon,” Adrian calls and then he hangs up on her, annoyed at her finding this funny.
I smile as I lay back against the seat. “You do have to admit this is pretty funny.”
He looks at me deadpan as he grips the steering wheel. “Hilarious.”
We pull up to the hospital and he jumps out of the car. “Can somebody help us please while I park the car?” he calls to a passing nurse.
“Of course,” she calls. She quickly returns with a wheelchair and Adrian helps me out of his low car and into the wheelchair.
“Let me guess,” the nurse quips, all smiles. “Maternity?”
“Yes,” Adrian snaps. “I’m just parking the car, Ash.”
“Okay.” I smile.
“I’ll take her up,” the nurse replies.
We make our way up to the maternity ward and the nurses help me and take me into a room and onto a bed. They instantly put the baby monitor on my stomach and we all start to watch it.
“I’m only thirty-six weeks. It can’t come yet,” I whisper through fear.
“Thirty-six weeks is fine, Ashley, you know that.”
“Are you here alone?” another nurse asks.
“Cameron is in surgery,” I reply sadly. “Can we just slow it down, so he can make it?”
The nurses both smile sympathetically.
Adrian comes sprinting down the hall at full speed and runs straight past the room.
“Excuse me, sir!” a nurse calls. “Where are you running to?”
“Oh.” Pants. “Ashley.” Pants. “Stanton.”
“In here, Adrian!” I call.
I screw up my face as another contraction comes, and watch the monitor.
“Oh.” The nurse smiles as her eyes stay glued to the monitor. “That’s a big one. I think we need to take a look at what’s going on.”
I ride the contraction out, then she takes my pants off and I glance over at Adrian. He points to the door with his thumb.
“You’re not going anywhere!” I snap.
She spreads my legs and the blood starts to drain from Adrian’s face.
“Come up this end,” the nurse comforts.
“He’s not very good with vaginas,” I pant.
The nurse smirks. “I thought as much.”
She inspects me. “How long did you say your husband is going to be, Ash?”
“I’m not sure. Why?” I frown.
“You’re eight centimeters dilated, darling. Baby will be here very soon.”
I look at her and then over to Adrian. He’s a pale shade of green.
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Call Cam.”
He dials his number. “Hello, Hanna, this is Adrian. We need to speak to Cameron please,” he asks.
“What’s going on?” Cam replies.
“She’s eight centimeters dilated,” Adrian replies. “You need to get here. Now!”