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“How are you so calm?” Dario asks as Vito drives us to the hospital. I at least managed to throw on a pair of his sweatpants before he woke the whole house to tell them we were going to the hospital.
“I’m not in any pain, or having contractions, yet,” I remind him of what I’ve been telling him since my waters broke.
“Yes, but the babies are coming,” he speaks slowly as if I’ve missed that part.
“Jesus Christ, Dario. You’ve spent this entire pregnancy telling her not to stress and now you're mad that she isn’t.” My brother winks at me over his shoulder from the front passenger seat.
“I’m not mad…and you can stop with that shit right now.” Dario looks ready to punch him and I rest my head back against the headrest and close my eyes.
“Madalina, what are you doing? You can’t just sleep.”
“Actually, it’s a very good idea for her to rest. She’s going to need to preserve her energy,” Serena tells him. “Once those contractions start she’ll be grateful for getting a little shut-eye.”
“Thank you, Serena.” My husband smiles at her politely,but the vein that's about to pop on the side of his head suggests he doesn’t value her input.
“Honestly, I don’t know why you both insisted on coming. These things can take hours, you're just going to be hanging around the hospital,” I tell them both.
“My thoughts exactly,” Dario speaks through his teeth while faking a smile.
“We wouldn’t be anywhere else, sissy.” Nic reaches back and taps me on the leg.
I feel a tightening in my lower belly but it’s nothing worse than menstrual cramps so I decide not to say anything. I can see that Dario’s anxious and I know he’ll feel much better once we’re at the hospital.
“Nic, get a wheelchair.” Dario orders as Vito pulls up outside the entrance then, quickly getting out of the car, Dario reaches back inside to help me out.
“Just breathe, and relax,” he tells me, supporting my back as he leads me to the door.
“Where's that goddamn wheelchair!?” he yells as he searches around for my brother.
“Dario, I don’t need a wheelchair, I can walk.” I laugh making my way toward the doors as gracefully as I can manage.
Serena follows behind us carrying my hospital bag and when Nic appears out of the darkness with a wheelchair and a cigarette hanging from his mouth, Dario snatches it out of his mouth and stubs it out under his shoe.
“Your sister is in labor for Christ's sake!” he growls at him before turning to me and finding some calm. “Take a seat.” He smiles.
“Seriously, I don–”
“Just get in the chair, Madalina.” His nostrils flare and his voice raises, so I hold up my hands and take a seat, rolling my eyes at Serena as he pushes me through the doors.
“My wife is in labor, her waters have broken but she’s not experiencing any contractions. Dr. Walsh has been notified and assures me he’s on his way.” He floods the receptionist with information as his hand kneads my shoulder and when another one of those pains strikes, it almost takes my breath.
“He certainly is and he’s asked for a room to be prepared for you. Follow me.” A nurse picks up a file from behind the desk and smiles.
“We’ll be right here if you need anything,” Serena calls after us as Dario pushes me down the corridor, following the nurse.
“Knock ‘em dead, sis!” Nic shouts.
“First time father?” The nurse looks from Dario to me as he plumps up the pillows behind my back and fusses over me.
“How did you guess?” I smile back at her.
“Believe me, you're lucky. I’ve had to wake some fathers up to tell them their baby’s head is crowning.” She laughs as she attaches the sensors to the bands that I have stretched around my stomach.
I have to grip the rail on the side of the bed when I feel another cramp, and she carefully strokes my arm and reminds me to breathe.
“How did you know?” I ask once the pain has subsided.
“This sensor here measures your contractions, and that was a good one.” She points to the machine that's beside me and there's a huge spike on the line.
