The Dance We Shared

26

August 30, 1999

Stevie woke up to her bladder screaming at her. She tried to shift and go back to sleep because usually, she doesn't wake up to pee during the night, even during her pregnancies she didn't have problems with frequent urination, but she couldn't ignore it so she looked at the alarm clock reading 1 in the morning exactly and she whined. She had only been in bed for half an hour and had just fallen asleep. But she got up and emptied her bladder before going to check on a sweet sleeping Seth. Light snores were coming out of his little mouth. He was on his stomach his little hand up by his face and his face facing the bedroom door. She saw that he had kicked off his little white plush blanket with gray whales on it and he was just lying there in his little grey short sleeve bodysuit with colorful animals on it. She chuckled lightly and covered him back up with the blanket and she kissed his little temple. But as she stood up a sharp, sharp squeezing pain burst through her uterus and back into her sacrum and she whimpered slightly. The pain lasted for about a minute as she braced herself against the crib and when she was given a moment of reprieve she stood up and her hand found the underside of her stomach. 

She shook it off and crawled back into bed with Lindsey only for the pain to come back half an hour later and she shot up in bed knowing exactly what was happening. She had gone into labor. She situated herself in an upright position against the bed and braced the pillows under her back and she laid her head back into the headboard to try and get some sleep. She was able to take some quick cat naps between contractions and she was able to contain herself until about eight-thirty in the morning when she had made herself a bowl of yogurt and one of the strongest contractions gripped through her causing her to drop the bowl and it to shatter as she screamed in pain. 

Lindsey was down the stairs faster than a bat out of hell with Seth on his hip and he saw her loomed up against the counter crying out. 

"What's wrong? Are you hurt did the glass cut you?"

"No, I'm in Labor." She groans shaking her head.

"Okay, okay...don't move, breathe through the contractions remember. I'll clean this up." Lindsey sets Seth down in his high chair. 

***

Stevie groaned out as Lindsey massaged her back. "I can't do this again." 

"Angel you have to and you are, you're so close, baby." Lindsey coos kissing the back of her head. 

She reaches her left hand back and does the grabby hand motion. Lindsey sighs and looks at the bed. Her IV is in her left hand so he lifts it up and tries to maneuver the cords without pulling on them and then he crawls in bed under the wire and he spoons her massaging her stomach. 

"Whooooo...I can't I'm so tired." She shakes her head.

"Yes you can, I'm right here it's all going to be okay." He coos.

"Lindsey...Lindsey, if something h-happens to me you save this baby. Remember from when Seth was born if something happens to me you save this baby." She repeats.

Her water broke at around noon when she was making lunch for Seth. She was able to finish feeding him before they called Karen to come watch him, and then they headed for the hospital. It was going on seven at night now and she was absolutely miserable stuck in the bed connected to wires and machines simply because she was fifty-one and she didn't get the freedom so desired at that moment because they were worried about her and the baby's health. 

"Nothing is going to happen to you, you'll be okay." He soothes.

"It hurts so bad." She cries into the pillow.

"I know Angel but you're going to be okay." 

"Agh-ha...Why is it taking so long this time." She groans.