Page 32
“What?”
“Nah, jokes.” She smiles up at me, eyes are still bright but I know she’s downplaying things. For me.
“Don’t do that.”
Her brows furrow, teeth gritted. “Do what?”
“Make this easier for me.”
Chewy’s beautiful face screws up as I take her hand, her small fingers tightening around mine as she breathes through another contraction.
“You don’t have to make jokes or make this easier on me cos I’m shitting myself. If it fucking hurts, tell me it hurts. If you’re scared, tell me you’re scared. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Rhodie?”
“Yeah babe?” I press a kiss to her palm as she relaxes back onto the bed.
“It fucking hurts.”
My chest gets tight at her words. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. And I’m a little scared. But that could be a rise in my cortisol and adrenaline.”
“I think my cortisol and adrenaline might be a little high, too.”
“Well, that’s not very reassuring,” she mutters.
I snort. “Sorry.”
“Rhodie?”
“Yeah?”
“Tell the nurse I think my ass is going to fall out.”
“What?”
“It’s go time, baby.”
“What, now?”
“Noooooooow!”
Chewy bears down and my gut falls into my ass as she grips her knees. She’s silent, face determined, the color rising in her cheeks until she falls back onto the bed, panting. Two nurses come rushing in followed by Chewy’s doctor who takes a peek between Chewy’s legs.
“How’s she looking down there?” Chewy huffs out.
“We can see the head, mama,” the doctor says gently.
“I meant my vagina,” Chewy grits out.
“Beautiful as ever, babe,” I say, smiling softly at her, before it drops from my face at the look the mean lady doctor gives me.
Chewy starts wriggling in the bed, bicycle kicking at the thin hospital blankets. “Knees,” she grunts, getting into position on her hands and knees. “This is how the animals do it. I bet they’re onto something,” she murmurs before her body tenses, her tiny hand searching for mine on the bed. Wrapping my fingers around hers I hold on, tight, my other hand firm on her lower back, rubbing circles.
“That’s it, Mom, we’re almost there, keep going, keep going… that’s it, pant, and breathe, just breathe, and on the next one we’ll meet your little one.”
“You’re doing so good, baby.” I press a kiss to Chewy’s sweaty forehead, holding my lips there. “So good, you can do this, Chewy.”
