Stanton Bliss: Stanton (17 page)

“Its too early,” he pants. Cameron jumps in the other side of him.

I nod. “I know, it’s not due for another month.”

Max dials the other security.

“Where to?” The guard asks casually.

“L.A. Memorial Hospital.”

Chapter 10

I
sit nervously in
the back seat of the car with Joshua’s hand on my leg. Bridget sporadically looks back to check on me, while Cameron is on his phone looking something up. I think he’s Googling what development stage the baby will be at. I close my eyes. It isn’t time. I’m not ready, I don’t even have my hospital bag packed.

I take out my phone to text Mum and Abbie.

Disaster.

Wet my pants at polo.

Cameron thinks my water have broken.

On the way to hospital, keep you posted.

Damn it, Mum arrives in two weeks for the birth. I really wanted her here. You really are a naughty baby.

I start to dial a number. “Who are you ringing?” Joshua asks.

“I need to ring Adrian.”

“What for?”

“I don’t have anything with me,” I tell him in a panic.

He raises a brow but wisely holds his tongue as I switch it onto speaker.

“Hey, baby,” Adrian answers.

“Oh my God, Adrian. I’m having a nightmare,” I cry.

“What is it?”

“I wet my pants at polo and now Cameron thinks that it’s amniotic fluid and we are on our way to the hospital.”

“But… you are not due for another twenty-nine days.”

I smile. Of course he would know the exact days. “I know. What if they got a shot of me with wet pants?”

Joshua rolls his eyes. “Who cares?” he interjects. “We got bigger fucking problems.”

Adrian pauses as he thinks. “That’s ok, we will just issue a statement saying the images were photoshopped.”

“You could do that?” I ask hopefully.

“Of course we can. Swing past home and get changed and then go to the hospital.”

“Ok.” I nod. Good thinking.

“No!” Cameron snaps. “We need to get to the hospital as a matter of urgency and stop this labour.”

Joshua’s worried eyes flick to Cameron. “What’s the problem with this early.”

“The baby’s lungs are still developing and it may have trouble breathing.”

My face falls and Bridget reaches over the seat and grabs my hand. “Tash, this is just a false alarm. Everybody has false alarm stories, don’t they Cameron?” She glares at him in a
shut the fuck up, your scaring her
look.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Cameron corrects himself.

I think for a moment. “Adrian, can you go to our house and pack me a bag, please?”

“Of course, baby.”

I think for a moment. “Can you get my pink dressing gown and my nightdress from the bathroom?”

“Yes, what else?”

“Umm.” I think for a moment, what else do I need? Bridget can go and get my personal stuff later. My eyes glance at Joshua in his Polo gear. “Can you grab Joshua some clothes, too?”

“Ok, I will meet you there.”

“Thank you.”

Joshua grabs my hand again and winks.

I feel sick to my stomach. What if something goes wrong? What if the baby is underdeveloped?

“It will be ok, Presh,” Joshua saysassures me softly.

I nod nervously and put my head onto his shoulder. He wraps his arm around me. I rub my large stomach. Please behave in there and stop trying to escape. I’m not ready and neither are you.

After the slowest drive in history, we finally get to the hospital and find two nurses waiting at the door with a gown. They come over to the car and pass it in. “Put this on, dear.”

I take it with thanks and put it over my clothes. No doubt Adrian has rang ahead and organised this.

I waddle my way through the hospital with Joshua, Bridget and Cameron until we get to the maternity ward. The young nurse on the desk sees us and her face drops in shock.

“O-oh,” she stutters before regaining composure. “I mean… Hello. Can I help you?” She’s obviously a Joshua fan.

Joshua glares at her.

“Mrs. Stanton needs to see her doctor. Page Dr. Walton immediately!” Cameron snaps.

“Yes, sir.”

An elderly, kind midwife comes out and smiles. “Hello, my dear, my name is Nancy. What’s going on here?”

Cameron goes to interject and she holds her hand up to stop him.

“I’m talking to?” She raises her eyebrows at him in question.

“Natasha,” I murmur softly.

“I’m a doctor,” Cameron states, annoyed that he has just been dismissed.

She smiles warmly and takes my hand. I bite my bottom lip to stifle my smile. These older midwifes obviously don’t take shit from young doctors. She doesn’t give a damn who he is.

“Hello, Natasha. Why are you here, my dear?”

“Um.” I swallow my nerves. “I think my waters may have broken but it is too early.”

“How far along are you?”

“Thirty-six weeks.”

She smiles calmly. “I see.” Oh, this midwife is good, really good. She looks between Cameron and Joshua. “And who is the father?”

“Me,” Joshua snaps, affronted that there could be any doubt.

She smiles again. “And what is your name?”

Bridget and I exchange looks. She doesn’t know who we are. Thank God for that.

“Joshua,” he replies.

“And this is your family?” She looks between Bridget and Cameron, and they both nod.

“Ok, lets take you through here with Joshua to run some tests. Your family can wait in the waiting room.”

Cameron and Bridget wave us off nervously and take a seat in the waiting room.

Nancy leads us into a hospital room and opens the bathroom door to the side. “Just go into the bathroom, dear, and remove your clothes and underwear, then put this gown on.” She retrieves a gown from the cupboard and passes it to me. I nod nervously and do as she instructed. I put it on and take my place on the bed. She wheels a trolley in and attaches pads that are hooked up to monitor, to my stomach. The baby’s heartbeat starts to bleep a little noise. “Ah, there it is. A beautiful strong little heartbeat.” Nancy smiles.

My relieved eyes turn to focus on Joshua, and he smiles his first smile in two hours, squeezing my hand.

“The doctor is on his way and he will inspect you when he gets here.”

“Ok,” I murmur.

“Here is the buzzer.” She hands me a control thingy from above the bed. “If you need anything, just call me.”

We both smile. “Thank you.” She leaves the room.

Joshua and I sit for what seems like forever. Joshua is silent and pensive as he sits in the chair next to the bed.

I look around the room nervously. “This isn’t like the rooms we inspected, is it?”

“Hmm.” Joshua groans deep in thought.

“We don’t have a spa bath. I thought we were supposed to have a spa bath?”

“Hmm.” Joshua repeats, as he stands and starts to pace at the end of the bed.

“Do you think we will get in the spa?”

He doesn’t answer me, instead running his hands through his hair nervously.

“Are you listening to me?”

“Hmm.”

We hear a commotion down the hall and someone crying.

Joshua’s face falls and he goes pale.

“Wonder what’s going on down there?” I whisper. “Go and see.”

Joshua frowns. “What?”

“Open the door and see who is crying. I want to know if it’s a mother giving birth.”

“Oh, for fucks sake, I’m not doing that. Mind your own business!” he snaps in frustration.

We hear Nancy’s calm voice. “Come back into the room, dear, its ok.”

We hear more tears and a door slam.

I tap my foot on the bed impatiently as Joshua sits back in his chair. He rubs his index finger back and forth across his lips in his classic thinking pose. He is silently freaking out.

The room is quiet and still. “This is boring, isn’t it?” I mutter.

Joshua blows out a breath and rolls his eyes.

“Do you think I’m in labour?” I ask.

“Natasha” He sighs.

I smile cheekily. “Yes, my Lamborghini?”

“Why don’t you have a sleep? This is going to be a very long day if you don’t relax.”’

I screw up my face. “As if I could sleep.” I continue to tap my foot in excitement as I sit in my bed and look around.

He scratches the back of his head in frustration. I know he wants to snap at me and say ‘shut up, I’m thinking’ but he’s holding his tongue.

“Have you eaten?” he asks.

“No, I’m good.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Nope.”

“You will need your strength later.”

“I know,” I reply casually.

“Close your eyes and rest, Presh.” He rubs his hand on my thigh.

I smile mischievously. I’m going to play with him a bit. “Maybe we should have sex, Joshua. That would be cool, right? And it would take my mind off things?”

His face falls in horror. “Natasha. That is the absolute furthest thing from my mind, and
you
have just cemented what I always thought.”

I smile broadly. “And what did you always think?”

“You are a bona fide sex maniac.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Takes one to know one. I learnt from the best.”

Joshua closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. God, it’s so fun annoying him when he’s so stressed out.

After an extended time, Dr. Walton walks in with a nurse. “Hello, Joshua and Natasha.” He smiles calmly.

Joshua stands and shakes his hand. “Hello.”

“Hi,” I say through a smile.

He starts to read the printout from the monitor attached to my stomach. He smiles. “This is a bit earlier than we expected, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” I nod.

Joshua holds his breath. I’m expecting him to turn blue at any moment.

“I’m just going to examine you.” He pulls on a pair of gloves. “Pull your legs back, Natasha.”

He pulls my gown up around my waist.

Joshua cringes and drops his head, openly freaking out now.

“I’m alright, Joshua.” I smile as I hold my hand out for him.

He nods once. That was his
shut up
nod.

The doctor puts lube on his hand and goes in, feeling around, while both Joshua and I hold our breaths.

He smiles broadly and takes off his gloves. “Well, my dear, your water has broken.”

“Oh,” I mutter, I really did think it was a false alarm.

Joshua frowns. “Isn’t it too early? Can we stop it?”

“No, it will be ok. Once the amniotic fluid is lost, we need to go to the birth plan.”

I frown. Shit.

“The baby is relatively big, so I can’t see any problems with it at this stage. It’s actually more dangerous to delay.”

“Ok.” I nod.

“Now you have two options.” The Dr. continues.

“What?” Joshua asks too quickly.

“You haven’t had any contractions yet, have you?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Well, we can either wait for you to go into labour naturally, which may take a while, seeing how you are this early.”

“How long is a while?” Joshua frowns.

He shrugs. “Hard to say, but you are not dilated at all, so I would assume up to twelve hours.”

Joshua’s face falls in horror. “Twelve hours before she even goes into labour?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the other option?” Joshua asks as his eyes flick to mine.

“We could put you on a drip and speed up the process.”

“Induce me?” I ask.

“Yes.”

My eyes hold Joshua’s, and the worry on his poor face makes my decision. I want this done. I want our baby in our arms.

“I would like to be induced, please, if you are sure that’s ok for the baby?”

“Yes, of course.” Dr. Walton smiles.

Joshua swallows the lump in his throat, he looks like he is going to throw up, and he’s telling me to calm down and relax?

Dr. Walton turns to the nurse. “Please transfer Natasha to a birthing suite and arrange an induction.”

“Yes, Doctor.” She smiles.

He turns back to me. “Now, Natasha, I know you have discussed with me your pain relief.”

“I don’t want any,” I reply.

Joshua closes his eyes.

“Induction is faster and stronger. I would suggest you don’t dismiss it completely. The anaesthetist is here and can perform an epidural.”

“No, thanks.” I force a smile. No fucker is putting a needle in my spine. I have heard the horror stories.

Joshua runs his hands nervously through his hair again.

Dr. Walton smiles warmly. “I am going home for a few hours and I will be back to check on you.”

“Ah, no!” Joshua snaps. “I want you here the whole time.”

The doctor smiles warmly. “Joshua, it’s fine. I live around the corner and it won’t be instantaneous. We have time and I will be here for most of the night. I have another patient also in labour down the hall.”

“What time will you be back?” Joshua snaps.

“I will be back at about eight for the rest of the night. You need to relax, this is a natural process and you being stressed won’t help anyone. Least not your wife.”

Joshua’s worried eyes flick to mine. I smile softly and hold my hand out for him. “It’s ok, baby,” I whisper.

He nods nervously. “Ok.”

The doctor leaves and the nurse smiles warmly. “We are going down to the birthing suite now. Do you have a bag with you?”

“My friend has it in the waiting room.”

She smiles. “Go and get your bag and come back to me at the desk and we will go into the birthing suite.”

I swallow my nerves. “Ok,” I whisper.

She leaves the room and Joshua grabs me into an embrace so tight I can hardly breathe.

I whisper into the top of his head, “Relax.”

“I don’t like this,” he breathes.

“Joshua. Aren’t you supposed to be the strong one here?” I gently kiss him.

His worried eyes hold mine and I cup his cheek in my hand.

“We got this, baby,” I whisper.

“I don’t like this,” he repeats softly.

“I know you don’t but it
is
going to be ok.”

He nods and helps me down from the bed, and we make our way to the waiting room.

Cameron is pacing, Adrian is standing and Bridget is sitting. They all rush over to us.

“Oh my God,” Adrian splutters. “What’s going on?”

“I’m getting induced.”

“Fuck.” Bridget stammers as her face falls. ‘That shit is supposed to hurt.”

“Shut the hell up,” Joshua snaps.

Cameron slaps Joshua on the back. “Get ready for a ride, old boy. You are about to see vaginas in a whole new stretching light.”