“Why? Is Will going to deliver the baby?”
I laughed. “No. He’s had enough of a poke around my vagina. She wanted me to let her know.”
Connor flopped back onto the bed. “Fine. We’ll do things your way. But if I end up having to work out how to get that baby out of you, it’s your own fault.”
“I’ll take full responsibility.”
I picked up the phone and dialled. Courtney, my midwife, was amazing. Being a midwife to a doctor was probably even more trying than usual, and I knew what a pain in the butt I could be. She had the patience of a saint.
“Hello?” Her voice was full of sleep.
“Hey, Courtney, it’s Vanessa Brown.”
“Vanessa?”
“I’ve had two really strong contractions. About ten minutes apart.”
I grinned as Connor began snoring beside me, already back to sleep. Some use he was.
I shook him awake five minutes later as Courtney finished grilling me.
“Hrmmm.”
“It’s time to …” The pain came again, and I tried my best to breathe deep, get through it. This was going to hurt.
He screeched as I dug my nails into his arm, gripping the bed sheet. “Holy shit, Vanessa. What’s going on?”
“It’s time to go.”
Confusion crossed Connor’s face. “Time to go?”
“Do you not remember the conversation we just had?”
He shrugged, and despite the discomfort I laughed. “It hurts. Courtney wants to check me over, so unless you want to see how far I’m dilated …”
“Let’s get you to the car,” he mumbled.
Midway through the drive another contraction hit me, and I leaned back in my seat, watching Connor focusing hard on driving. I couldn’t distract him, but they were way worse than any Braxton Hicks had been and growing in intensity with each one.
I swear Connor would have carried me into the hospital if he could, but walking helped the pain a little, and I held onto his arm as we made slow progress toward the elevator.
“You okay?” he asked as he pressed the button.
“Yes. Not really.” I leaned on him, letting out a big breath as the doors opened. I’d soon at least be able to lie down again. All I really wanted was sleep.
Courtney was minutes behind us, and I had already been led to a room where I could lie down. I hadn’t bothered changing before coming out—just thrown on my bath robe. The bag I’d packed had a couple of changes of clothes anyway.
Connor held my hand as Courtney checked me over.
“You’re at seven centimetres. Gotta get to ten,” Courtney said, way too chirpy for the middle of the night. “We’ll put the monitor on you and listen to the baby. If things keep progressing this well, it won’t be long.”
“Define long,” I said.
She laughed. “Of all my ladies, you know how this goes.”
I didn’t reply with some smartarse comment; I couldn’t. Another contraction took my breath away, and Connor talked me through breathing to get to the other side of it.
On and on it went, over and over. It took another hour to get to eight, and an hour and a half to get to nine.
It was four in the morning when I’d had enough. The contractions were minutes apart and more painful than anything I’d ever imagined them to be. “Can you check again?”
Connor stroked my head as she took another look.
“You’re so close,” Courtney said.
I waved my hand across by belly. “Can we hurry it up here?”
She broke into a wide smile. “It’s hurrying as quickly as it can. You’re progressing nicely.”
I slammed my head into the pillow and reached for my phone.
You suck. You didn’t tell me just how awful this is.
“What are you doing?” Connor asked.
“Texting Ella to tell her what’s going on.” I sighed as I slapped my phone back onto the cabinet beside the bed.
“Is there anything I can do?” He tilted his head, tentatively reaching for my arm to stroke.
“Rewind nine months and tell me how painful labour will be?” I laughed, and he bent, kissing my forehead.
“If I could take the pain away, I would,” he murmured. He meant it; he was so sweet. I really couldn’t fault him. Raising my hand to stroke his cheek, I smiled as best I could.
“I know,” I whispered.
He held my hand. How, I’d never know, as I must have held him in a death grip over and over again until the sensation changed.
“Courtney?” I pleaded. If it wasn’t time now, I’d start throwing things at the walls.
“I’ll take a look,” she said.
Connor leaned over and kissed me. I must have been smelly and gross by then, sweat dripping everywhere.
“It’s time to push,” Courtney said.
Connor looked at her in horror. “Already?”
It hurt so much to laugh, but I couldn’t help it. “Exactly who is giving birth here?” I teased.
He looked down at his hand in mine and shrugged. “Sorry.”
“Next contraction, push down hard.” Even Courtney looked amused as she looked down.
Pain, unbearable pain came, and I pushed with all my might. Everything burned or ached, and it was like having the worst period ever, but instead of being able to curl up in bed with a wheat bag, I had to get this watermelon-sized being out of my body. Until I did that, the agony would continue.
“I read this article that some chemical in your brain makes you forget the pain once it’s over.” Connor was only trying to be helpful, but all I wanted to do was smack him in the face. Maybe stab him with something sharp.
“I wish I could forget it now,” I huffed, the pain subsiding. It wouldn’t last long, and I closed my eyes while I had the chance.
This could be a really long night.
Chapter 28
Blood. So much blood.
This time, it was different. This time, I stood in the shower having just given birth and sighed as it dripped down the drain, washing away with the warm water that soothed my soul. The pain was over, and I was going to have to have a word with Ella about how much she’d downplayed that, but that wonderful feeling of my baby finally slipping out of me was one I’d never forget.
Best of all, we’d come through it unscathed.
A scrawny naked baby, covered in white waxy-looking vernix, had been placed on my chest.
“She’s beautiful,” Connor said, gushing over our daughter.
“I don’t know. She looks a little like a potato.” I didn’t think that, but it warmed my icy heart to see him roll his eyes, and the midwife look up in shock.
“I mean, look at that bald head and those wrinkles. No, not a potato. Maybe a Shar Pei puppy.”
“Vanessa,” Connor said.
“What? She knows her mummy loves her. She’ll always know that. No matter what.” I ran my finger over all those wrinkles while these big, dark eyes looked up at me. She’d always be mine, though, and whatever happened in the future, I’d make sure she knew just how loved and wanted she was.
Warmed by the water and the memory, I stepped out of the shower and dried off. My belly was still stretched, and I ran my fingers over the faint silvery lines that showed just how big the baby had been. The baby with no name.
We’d made huge lists in the weeks leading up to the birth. Our final list was so big we could have published it as a book and sold it. For the life of me now, I had no idea what to call her.
I dressed, slipping a clean nightgown over my head. It might have been five in the morning, but as soon as we got out of the delivery suite and into a room, I’d text Ella and Mum and Dad to let them know. Then, I’d curl up and try to get a little sleep before my little potato wanted feeding again.
Connor sat beside the bed with the baby still in his arms. My heart leapt to my throat as I watched them, and those stupid hormones gave me the urge to cry. He spoke to her in these calm, soothing tones, and I
fell even deeper as he rocked her gently. How I ever could have thought that I could live without him, I’d never know.
“How’s my Miss Potatohead?” I couldn’t help it.
“Our daughter is doing just fine. You know, I think she looks a lot like you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Ugh. Hope not.”
He laughed. “She’s beautiful, just like her mother.”
I crossed the room and leaned over for a kiss. Connor obliged, a silly grin on that silly face of his. The one I adored. I pushed his floppy hair off his forehead and kissed him again as he handed over the baby.
“Now. What are we going to call you? Miss Potatohead isn’t really a good choice.” I kissed my beautiful baby’s cheek and snuggled her tight against me. She had to be the most precious little thing ever. I was already head over heels in love with her.
“I kinda liked Dylan for a girl’s name.” Connor stroked her head.
“Over my dead body. I’d name her Miss Potatohead before I named her that.”
“Fine. What about Isabella?”
My heart warmed. We could call her Bella for short, and that was pretty close to Ella. I couldn’t think of a more fitting tribute to my sister, who had always been there for me, no matter what. As I gazed at my beautiful little girl, I got teary thinking of the wonderful relationship Ella and I had, and the close relationship I planned to have with my daughter.
“I like that,” I whispered.
Connor looked up at me. “Hey.” He raised a finger to my cheek to catch the tears that rolled down my face.
“Stupid hormones.”
“Whatever, Mother Potatohead.”
I laughed as he stood, burying my now snotty nose in his chest. This guy.
“I love you, Vanessa Brown.” He kissed the top of my head, and I sighed. Life couldn’t be more perfect in this moment.
“Isabella and I love you too.”
Connor laughed. “I guess that’s it then?”
“My child is destined for a life where people think she’s named after that Twilight character, but I can live with that. She’s my little Ella.”
Isabella yawned and closed her eyes.
“That’s it. You keep that up and we’ll get along just fine.” I laughed, leaning against Connor.
ELLA TURNED up the following morning. I’d stayed in hospital the night after Isabella’s birth, and had just arrived home when she appeared in the door, arms laden with presents, the kids jumping up and down as they came into the living room.
“Didn’t take you long.”
She laughed, dropping it all on the carpet and sitting on the couch next to me. “I got here as fast as I could get this lot into the car.”
Matt appeared behind her, baby in arms, moving toward the back of the couch. He bent over it and kissed me on the cheek. “Congratulations, Mum.”
“Thanks.”
“Ness, she’s beautiful.” Ella leaned over to take a closer look at the baby.
“Isabella.”
She grinned. “What a lovely name.”
“I think she’ll end up just being called Ella.”
My sister teared up, and held her hands out to hold the baby.
“Not that I’d name my kid after you or anything.”
She nodded as I passed her the baby. “No, of course not.” The grin on her face was huge as she cooed over Isabella. “Hello, little one.”
“I have a bone to pick with you. It freaking hurt.”
Ella laughed. “Of course it does. But it’s worth it in the end.”
“Sure is.”
I held out my arms to the kids, and in a second I had Finn and Georgia in a big three-way hug.
“There’s your cousin,” I said.
“She’s small like Zach was,” Finn said.
I laughed. “You and Georgia were small too once. Now you’re big; you get to look after the others.”
He wrinkled up his nose, leaning closer to take a look at Isabella. How quickly our family had grown these past few years, from so small to huge.
“She’s nearly asleep,” Ella said. “Want me to pop her down?”
“That would be great. Just in the bassinet over there.” I pointed to the corner. We had her in the woven basket that we could wheel into the bedroom. She’d sleep there until she and I were both ready for her to move into her cot.
“She’s so sweet.” Ella stood, walking the short distance to put her in her bed. She gently placed Isabella in the bassinet and patted down the blanket.
“So far, so good.” I laughed, giving the kids a squeeze.
“If it’s okay I thought we might stay the night rather than drag the kids back home again today. I can cook dinner, and we can help out.”
Matt made his way around the couch and sat beside me, Zach on his lap. “I told her that we should hold back, but Ella insisted. We’ll go and stay in a motel if you don’t want the added stress of this lot. We brought a big inflatable bed for Finn and Georgia, and the portable cot for Zach. They can crash in the living room if there’s no space anywhere else.”
I shook my head. “No, I love you being here. Isabella’s in the bassinet, so Zach can sleep in her cot.”
“You know Ella. As if I could stop her.” He grinned as Zach reached up and pulled at his lower lip.
Connor sat down on the other side of me, and rested his head on my shoulder. “I could do with more sleep.”
“Who wants a drink?” Ella stood over all of us, clapping her hands together.
What on earth would I do without Ella?
WE SOON HAD A HOUSEFUL. After all this time, it took the birth of Isabella to bring the families together.
I sat on the couch with Finn and Georgia on either side of me. Matt and Ella had taken over the spare room for the night, with the kids excited about camping over. There had been just enough space for them to blow up the inflatable bed to sit beside the cot.
Another knock on the door made me look up.
“More visitors?”
Connor shrugged. “Want me to get rid of them?”
“Depends on who it is.”
As Connor opened the door he laughed, and a small blonde head came speeding toward me.
“Nessa,” Molly shrieked. Her eyes widened as she saw the other kids, and she slammed the brakes on, coming to a halt in front of me.
“Hey, Molly. Want to see Isabella?”
She looked from Finn to Georgia and back again.
“Hey, Vanessa. We came as soon as we could.” Kieran leaned over the couch, and I raised my face for him to kiss me. Evie sat on one of the recliner chairs, their baby, Tyler, on her lap.
“It’s good to see you all. Molly, this is Finn and Georgia.” I looked between Kieran and Evie. “My sister, Ella, and her husband, Matt are in the kitchen.”
Molly just stood there gawping, and I smiled at her shyness. Not so much Finn.
“Want to play outside?” he asked.
“Yes!” Georgia exclaimed.
“Not you. Her.” He pointed at Molly.
Molly nodded.
“Come on you guys,” Kieran led the kids out through the kitchen to the backyard. He’d get a surprise out there. Connor, my big baby, had bought a trampoline recently, with the netting around it. The kids would have a ball on it. Connor had planned our child’s activities for years ahead. I could already see how impatient he would be for Isabella to grow up enough to play.
“How’s she doing?” Evie asked.
“Good. It all went well. She’s hungry as anything but we’ll get there.”
Ella had been fussing in the kitchen and appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on a towel. “Hi.”
“Ella, this is Evie.”
She nodded. “Nice to meet you, Evie. We met Kieran on his way through the kitchen. Matt’s gone outside with him and the kids.”
Connor just stood there, looking around the room. I knew him so well, I could tell he was itching to go, but felt he should stay. “Go and join them, Connor. Ta
ke some beers out or something. Have a boy-bonding session or whatever it is you do.”
He laughed, not waiting around to be told twice.
“Would you like a coffee or something, Evie?” Ella asked.
My house was full of people, and so much of me ached to just be alone with Connor and our baby, but at the same time, these were people who loved us, cared enough to be here for us.
I rocked Isabella, kissing her little face and snuggling her close to me.
She was everything.
AT TWO IN THE MORNING, the house was silent. Kieran and Evie had left to stay in a nearby motel for the night. Isabella grizzled, and I climbed out of bed, picking her up out of her bassinet and cradling her.
“Let’s go so we don’t disturb Daddy,” I whispered.
The living room filled with soft light as I flicked the switch, and I sat on the couch. I’d come out here because Isabella and I were still adjusting to one another, and we hadn’t quite got our breastfeeding technique down. She might make more noise as I got her in the right position.
I unbuttoned the top of my nightgown, and raised her to my breast. To our mutual delight she latched on perfectly this time and began to drink hungrily. I guess we just had to get used to one another.
Closing my eyes, I leaned back as she fed.
“She’s a good girl.” I opened my eyes to see Ella standing in the doorway.
“She is. I hope I didn’t wake you up,” I said.
Ella shrugged. “I’ve become such a light sleeper since the kids came along.” She took a few steps toward me. “Want a hot chocolate?”
“That would actually be quite nice, Mum.” I grinned.
“I’m allowed to spoil you. I really hope you don’t mind me and the tribe being here. Matt told me off for rushing, but I needed to make sure you were okay.”
I stroked Isabella’s head as she kept drinking. “I don’t mind you guys being here. It’s nice to be pampered.”
“I’ll make that drink and be back. Keep you company.”
If it were anyone else, I might be cranky someone had invaded my quiet time, but I could never be upset with Ella. I might have teased her and given her crap over the years, but she was the one person other than Connor that I wanted with me now.
In a Heartbeat (Lifetime Book 2) Page 20