Chapter Twelve
-Ben-
“Excuse me?” Ati’s words held a hint of anxiousness as she searched Gwen’s eyes.
“I said, I think my water broke. I mean I could have just peed myself, it's never happened before, but there’s a first time for everything.”
Ati moves toward her sister. Resting her hands on Gwen’s belly, she takes one of her wrists in between her fingers, looking to her watch. “Have you been having contractions?”
Gwen shrugs. “On and off for the past week or so, but that’s no different from all the other pregnancies. I’m not due for another three weeks. I’ve never gone early before, so I didn’t think much of it.”
“Well, let’s hope this is one of those times.” Ati turns to me. “We need to get her to the hospital.”
“That’s not happening. The storm is bad. We would be risking too much,” I reply.
She turns to Gwen, then grabs her sister’s hand. “I need to check and make sure. Come with me to the bedroom. Ben, my medical bag is in the front closet, grab it and a wet washcloth and towel.”
They head down the hall, and I grab what she needs. When I enter the room, Gwen walks out of the bathroom in a long-oversized t-shirt, Ati right behind her.
“Okay, well, I’ll be in the living room.”
“I need you here. I can’t rummage through my bag, you’ll have to pass me the things I need.” She looks to her sister. “Lay on the bed.” Gwen does as Ati asks, and Ati throws a sheet covering up Gwen’s lower half. “Okay, scoot right to the end. Ben, there are latex gloves in the bag in a box. Pull the box out so I can grab a pair.” I stand there frozen for a moment before Ati calls out. “Ben, I need you to snap out of it.”
“Sorry.” I grab the medical bag and pull out the box, holding it out to Ati. She pulls the gloves onto her hands then starts to examine Gwen. I really don’t want to be here. “Are you sure I can’t wait in the other room?”
Gwen groans. “Ben, stop being such a man; we need you here. Now come stand by me while Ati does her thing. Geesh, you’re worse than Liam.”
I take a deep breath and walk to the side of the bed by Gwen, shutting my eyes tight as I move by Ati.
A few moments pass, and Ati looks to her sister. “Nope, you didn’t pee yourself. You’re in the beginning stages of labor.”
Gwen lets out a sigh. “Well, isn’t that fan-freaking-tastic. What now? I can’t have a baby at some random guys' place. I need a nice sanitary environment with medical staff and drugs. I need drugs, Ati.”
“Gwen, you need to relax. Everything’s going to be fine. You're at about three centimeters dilated, there is still time. Hopefully, the storm will pass, and we can get you to the hospital to deliver,” Ati says.
“But what if the storm doesn’t stop. What if I have to birth this baby here? Liam’s not here. He has to be here, Ati.”
I pull out my cell, hoping that I might have service, but no luck. “No service, sorry.”
Gwen lets out a sob, laying back on the bed. “This can’t be happening.”
Ati stands, pulling the gloves from her hands. “Just lay back and relax, Gwen. But I have a quick question, when you went for your last doctor's appointment, did the doctor mention to you that the baby was in the proper position?”
Gwen thinks for a moment. “Yes, she said he was head down if that’s what you’re asking, why?”
Ati offers a smile. “Because if he wasn’t, that would cause a problem. I don’t have an ultrasound to check, and with your water broken, ECV isn’t recommended.”
“What’s ECV,” I ask.
“External Cephalic Version, we use it for breech babies when they haven’t moved into last position close to the due date. It’s a way of manually flipping the baby, but we don’t have to worry about that. Ben, can you come with me? I want to gather some things to be prepared.”
I nod and follow Ati out of the room, leaving a still sobbing Gwen in the alone.
“It’s not going to be fine, is it?”
Now in the living room, out of Gwen’s earshot, Ati looks to me. “It’s going to be okay, but she’s not having that baby at the hospital. This is her sixth. Generally, the more you have, the quicker they come. Right now, I need you to stay calm and help me gather things to prepare for when that baby arrives.”
I nod in understanding. “What do you need?”
“I’m not sure where everything is yet, so we are going to have to look around. If you could go in search of some clean towels and spare sheets, I’ll look around for some sort of medical supplies. I have the basics, but because I’m so close to a hospital, I don’t carry pain killers and other things for quick relief. She’s going to be in pain as the contractions become closer the more she dilates, the only thing we can do is make her as comfortable as we can.”
I walk through the condo in search of what Ati requested, while she heads in the opposite direction. I’m nervous as hell, yet Ati, she seems to be as calm as can be. I guess this is what she does, and now that I think about it, I’m kind of excited to see her in action. I just wish there was cell service. Liam is probably worried knowing that we are caught in the storm, and the thought that he might miss his son’s arrival is kind of giving me guilt.
When I enter the master bedroom, which I am assuming is Quinn’s, I can’t help but take it in. Masculine, no surprise there. Thoughts of Ati spending time in this room with him start popping up in my head. I know I shouldn’t be playing the jealous ex, especially at a time like this, but I can’t help it. It’s been bothering me, him with her, since brunch.
Clearing my head, I walk into the en suite and rifle through the cabinets, pulling out as many towels as I can hold. I then head to the hall closet just outside of the bedrooms and find sheet sets perfectly folded on a shelf, once again, grabbing a hand full.
When I walk back into the room where Gwen is, Ati is hooking something up to her finger. “What’s that?”
Ati finishes up and looks at me. “It’s an Oximeter. Like what they hook up at the hospital to measure your oxygen, just portable.”
“Do you have anything in that hideous bag to give me an epidural,” Gwen asks.
“Gwen, it’s a medical bag, not a fashion accessory, and no. You're going to have to go natural for this one,” Ati replies.
Gwen lets out a whimper. “You said we would be able to make it to the hospital.”
“Even if we do, they won’t be able to give you an epidural. You will be too far along.”
I ask, “Is the pain really bad?”
Gwen shakes her head. “No, but it will be.”
“Ati, is there nothing else we can do. Maybe a warm bath? There was a killer jacuzzi in the master.”
Ati shoots her head up to look at me. “Did you say jacuzzi?”
“Yeah. It’s enormous. The thing could hold like six people.”
A smile breaks across Ati’s mouth, and she turns to her sister. “How do you feel about water birth?”
“I heard about those, but they didn’t seem appealing.”
Ati leans in and takes Gwen’s hand. “Honestly, it may be the best option. The only thing I have is acetaminophen, and that won’t do much once the labor progresses. The warm water will help soothe back pain and minimize the contractions. It will also help with the delivery.”
Gwen looks to me, then to her sister, “I’ll be all pruny sitting in the water for that long.”
Ati tries to reassure Gwen. “You’ll only get in once you’ve dilated a bit more. You need to tell me when you’re having a contraction so I can start timing them. Once you're at about ten minutes and six to eight centimeters, we’ll move you into the water. Or sooner if the contractions become too much for you.”
“Fine, but you better not let my baby drown in there.”
I can tell Gwen’s worried; she’s starting to become irrational in her thoughts. I mean, Ati would never let anything happen to the baby. I think Gwen is just overwhelmed, and it doesn’t help that s
he won’t have Liam here to help her through it.
“Gwen; just lay back and relax. We don’t know how long you’ll be in labor, and once the contractions really start, you may not be able to get much rest,” Ati advises.
We leave Gwen to get some quiet and head to the living room. “What now?”
Ati heads over to the couch and takes a seat. “Now, we wait, and hope that this storm passes, if it doesn’t, then we bring our nephew into this world ourselves. The main thing is we need to keep Gwen calm. She’s done this before, but in a hospital and with her husband by her side. She’s scared, we just need to keep reassuring her that everything will be okay.”
“And will it?”
She gives me a smile. “Millions of women for thousands of years have been delivering babies at home. It will be more than okay.”
With reassurance from Ati, I feel somewhat more at ease. I take a seat on the couch opposite her, and we sit in silence for a moment before Ati speaks.
“Look about yesterday.”
“Ati, it’s fine. I think we both regret the events of brunch and are both apologetic—myself more than anyone. I acted like an ass.”
She locks her eyes with mine, pulling her bottom lip into her mouth. “Why did you? I mean, it was as if you were jealous.”
“That’s because I was. Stupid, I know. I had no right to be. But seeing you walk in with him, set something off inside of me, and I couldn’t help it,” I explain.
Ati nods, looking off out the window. I want to reach out to her. Pull her into my arms, and ask her if we can just forget about the past and move on, but that’s not what we need right now. Right now, we need to talk and figure these feelings out...or at least mine.
“Why didn’t you reply to my text last night?”
I look to her. “Because I was scared.”
She turns her head to me, brows pinched. “What? Why?”
“I wasn’t sure how to reply. I mean, I could have said sure let's meet for coffee, but I think we needed privacy. There’s a lot we need to talk about, and in public wouldn’t have been conducive to allowing us to say what really needed to be said.”
“Fair enough. But before we start, I need to ask you something,” she says.
“Okay, shoot.”
She hesitates a moment, taking in a deep breath. “Are things serious with you and Alex.”
I think for a moment. Do I tell her the truth? Let her know that Alex put a stop on any plans we had to move forward because of my feelings for Ati? I’d be making myself vulnerable without knowing exactly how she feels about me. But that’s just it, isn’t it? That’s what got us to where we are now, playing this game and neither of us being truthful to the other. But, then there’s also this thing she has with Quinn. Obviously, things are much more serious between them then Alex and I had ever got to...I mean, she moved in with him.
“I don’t know. How serious are things with you and Quinn?”
Ati lets out a sigh. “Ben, I thought we were going to be honest and not avoid what we need to talk about?”
“Ati, I don’t want to look like a fool.”
“Why would you look like a fool? Look, if you can’t open up and tell me what’s really on your mind, then this whole thing is pointless. Let’s just call a truce and come to the realization that we will never be able to get back at minimal the friendship we once had.”
“Is that what you want,” I ask.
“God, you’re so damn frustrating. No, that’s not what I want. I want you to tell me how you feel, or at least what you are thinking, that would be a good place to start. But every time I ask you something, you turn it back on me. Ben, I don’t have time for games, and honestly, I have no desire to play them anymore. For once, just open yourself up to me and tell me what you want. Tell me to just take a hike, or that you just want to be friends or dammit that you want to take me in your arms and hold me there, anything would be better than this.”
I’m speechless. I have no idea what to say, and before I can come up with anything, Ati stands and starts to move away. “Whatever, I’m done, Ben.”
What the hell am I doing? Before my brain can process what my body already knows it wants, I jump from the couch, grab Ati by the arm spinning her around and pulling her into me. With only a moment’s gaze into her emerald green eyes to prepare her for what’s coming, I lower my lips to hers, taking mouth into a passionate, well overdue kiss. Our bodies pressed together so tightly, not even a full breath can be taken. The more I take, the more she offers. Her arms wrap around my neck, her fingers sliding into the tresses of my hair.
I want more. I need more.
Trying to bring her even closer, I drop one hand from the back of her head to the slim curve of her waist and pull her in tighter, so tight I can feel the heat of her body warming mine. Her lips pull from mine, trailing down my jawline to my neck to that exact spot she would playfully tease all those years ago.
“God, I’ve missed your touch.” The words escape my lips just as she brings her’s back to mine, allowing me yet another sweet taste.
I start to move us toward the couch when a voice calls out. “You two, better not be getting it on out there, while I'm in here, about to give birth to your nephew.”
Gwen’s words are stabbing reminder that we are not alone. Reluctantly, we pull apart, a soft chuckle escaping both our mouths.
“We better get in there before she starts a one-woman mutiny,” Ati says.
I let out a groan, not wanting to let her go. I finally have her, right where I have been longing to for weeks now. But she’s right. At this moment, there are far more pressing matters than my desire to take her right here and now.
I give her one last kiss on the lips. A marker indicating we are far from finished, then we make our way to Gwen.
When we enter the room, Gwen is sitting upright, her hand rubbing her belly. “Nice beard rash there, Ati.”
I glance over, and sure enough, our ravenous make-out session has left Ati with far more than a smile on her face.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ati measures back.
“Mmmhmm. Whatever keep your salacious sexcapades to yourself, my contractions are getting closer.”
Ati moves toward her sister, looking at the oximeter she had placed on her finger, then grabbing her stethoscope from the nightstand and listening to Gwen’s belly. “Have you been timing them?”
Gwen nods. “They’re about fifteen minutes apart.”
Ati stands and moves to her bag, grabbing a bottle of hand sanitizer cleaning her hands then slapping on another pair of gloves. “Okay, I need to see where you’re at.” Ati does a quick examination, then looks to her sister. “You’re about six centimeters. As I had thought, this one is going to move fairly quickly.”
Gwen lays her head back, and from where I am standing, I can see a tear roll down her cheek. “Is there cell service yet?”
I pull out my phone to check, then regretfully turn to her. “Sorry, Gwen, nothing.”
More tears fall, and I know it’s not the pain from the contraction, but the fact that Liam isn’t here. He’s been there for all of them, and this will be the only one he will miss.
“Can you keep trying?” Gwen asks.
I nod. “The minute there’s service, I will have Liam on the line. I promise.”
Her eyes now pooled with tears; she just offers a simple nod then turns to Ati. “When do I need to get in the tub?”
Ati finished discarding the gloves and sanitizing her hands once again, then takes a seat back by her sister. “Not quite yet. Is the pain still manageable?” Gwen nods. “Okay, let’s give it a little while longer, then I will see where you're at and decide.”
“I’m just going to rest if that’s okay?”
Both Ati and I nod, then step out of the room to give Gwen some quiet.
“We really need to get the rest of the supplies together, and I would like to give the tub a quick rinse before it’s too late,” Ati says.
“Okay, do you need help?”
“No, it shouldn’t take long. But if you could go to the kitchen and grab a couple of garbage bags and a resealable plastic bag, that would be great.”
I look to Ati, confused. “A resealable bag?”
“It’s for the placenta when it comes out. I need to keep it in a bag and then take it to be discarded, you can’t just throw it in the garbage.”
“Gotcha. I’m on it.”
***
A few hours pass, and Gwen is quickly progressing. Ati has been checking fetal and Gwen’s heart rate as well as her oxygen regularly to keep on top of things. The rain has let up a bit, but cell service is still down, and Ati says Gwen is too far along to move her now, especially since we don’t know what it’s like outside and what condition the roads are in.
“Gwen, your about eight centimeters; I think now would be a good time to get you in the tub. I can tell the contractions are becoming harder for you to deal with,” Ati suggests.
Gwen nods. “It’s so much easier with an epidural. Are you sure we can’t call someone in to give me one?”
Ati gives her sister a smile. “Sorry, no can do. Come on, you’ve got this. You’ve been doing great so far. Just a little longer, and soon once that baby’s in your arms, all this will be forgotten.”
***
Once we get Gwen in the tub, things move fast. One minute she’s taking in deep breaths, and Ati is telling her to push, and the next thing I know, Gwen is holding the baby against her chest as tears fall from her eyes. I look to Ati, and I can’t help but think that she is the most amazing woman; she brought this baby into the world...well, I know Gwen did most of the work, but Ati kept it all together and helped her sister through it. I love Ati, and now more than ever, I know that one day, I want it to be her holding that baby in her arms…our baby—I want my future to start and end with Ati.
Ben & Matilda- Infinite Promise Page 11
