Page 34 of Aaric
She inhales deeply.“I love you, too.”
My smile is so wide it’s painful.“Sleep, honey.”
Eleven
Aaric
A deep moan yanks me out of my sleep.Bolting upright, I turn to find my wife on her side, her knees pulled toward her belly.
I reach over the top of her to turn on the lamp on the nightstand.“Hannah?Are you okay?”
She shakes her head, her face pinched from obvious pain.“Something’s wrong…” she mutters.
“Honey, look at me.”Gently guiding her to her back, I lean over her.“Is this the first contraction, sunshine?”
Finally, her face relaxes marginally.“If that’s what you want to call it,” she grits out.
I glance up and down her body.“Where’s the pain?”
She reaches for her back.“Here.”
“Okay.”Lifting her head, I stuff a few more pillows behind her.“How’s that?”
She’s staring at her tight belly, barely breathing.There are wet circles on the front of her T-shirt.Her nipples are leaking.
Suddenly, she fists the sheets at her sides and screams.If this is another contraction, it’s very close behind the first.
“Shit.”I jump off the bed and grab my cell phone from the nightstand, quickly calling Adam.Thank goodness he picks up on the first ring.“Hey.Sorry to wake you.”
“No problem.Is Hannah okay?”Adam asks.
“I think so, but she’s in labor.”
“We’ll be right there.”He hangs up.
I reach for Hannah’s hand.“Rebekah is on her way.I’ll text the midwife.”
My wife squeezes my fingers, panting as the contraction ends.“It’s not supposed to be like this.I’m going to die.”
“You won’t die, honey.I promise.Childbirth is different for everyone.I think yours is going to be fast.”
She gasps, her eyes going wide as she looks down.“Oh, shit… I think I peed.”
Wetness soaks the end of the T-shirt.“You didn’t, honey.Your water broke.”Thank goodness I did a little research yesterday.I’d be flailing right now if I had no idea what to expect.
I send a quick text to Charlene and toss the phone on the nightstand.After rushing into the bathroom for some towels, I return to my wife.She’s shivering, and the fear in her eyes breaks me.
“I’m going to slide a towel under you, honey.Then I need to take your panties off, okay?”
She shakes her head.“No.I’m not ready.It’s supposed to take hours.”
After tossing the covers completely out of the way, I lift her legs and arrange a towel under the edge of her bottom.Next, I move to her face, cup her cheeks, and hold her gaze.“You’re having a baby, honey.It’s happening now.Let me help you.”
She looks around frantically.“The midwife… Rebekah…”
“Rebekah will be here any minute.You’re soaked.It’s giving you a chill.Let me change your shirt and get rid of the panties.”
She grabs my wrists.“Aaric…”
