Allegro con fuoco

XLVI

The phone rang again, and again. Eddy grunted, turned on his side and tried to swipe at it, get it to shut up, so he could go back to sleep. But then he bolted upright.
"Lily!" he hissed.
Suddenly he had never been more awake in his life. He grabbed his phone from the nightstand and slid his finger across the screen.
"Hey." he whispered.
"Eddy. It's time. Please. Come quick?"
"Yes. Jesus. Are you okay? I... I'll be there."
The line was already dead and Eddy jumped out of bed.
"She's in labour?" Brett asked softly.
"Yep. Let's go."
He was already in his jeans as Brett got up, dragging yesterday's t-shirt from the chair and pulling it back on. Who cared anyway? He wasn't going there to look good, right? He ran out of the room and knocked on Todd and Ian's door.
"Hey. So sorry. I know it's like three A.M.. Lily's in labour. Can you drive us?"
Todd groaned but he got up straight away.
"I will if you promise to get your fucking license before Christmas."
Eddy smiled. Actually, Todd had a point.
"I promise."

"Sorry, but why are we not going to the hospital?" Todd asked grumpily as he turned left at a deserted traffic light.
"Yeah, I know. She's been absolutely adamant she wants to give birth at home. Something about a birthing pool? I'm guessing her dad is filling it as we speak."
"But who is going to know what to do?"
"She's got a midwife."
Todd shook his head as he braked for another traffic light, red for absolutely no purpose whatsoever because there wasn't a soul in sight.
"A midwife. A pool. She's insane."
Eddy sniggered.
"Yep. But you know Lily. Once she's got something in her head..."
Todd nodded.
"Yeah."

They arrived at Lily's parents' house only fifteen minutes after Lily called him.
"Thanks so much, Todd. You get some sleep."
"Sure. Good luck. Don't forget: you're getting a driver's license. Text me updates."
"About the license or the birth?"
"Fuck you, Eddy."
Eddy laughed.
"I'll text you updates. Thanks again, bro."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get in there and help your friend."

Eddy was so, so grateful that Lily wanted them both there. Wow, he could have been here by himself right now, entering the unknown, but at least he had his hand in Brett's as he rang the doorbell. Lily's dad opened the door.
"Hi. So glad you're here. Come on through." he said in Mandarin.
"Hi, of course. We wouldn't miss it."
They walked in quickly, kicked their shoes off and went into the living room.
"Eddy!"
Lily was there, on the couch, a flanel on her head. She held out her hand for him and he rushed forward. Behind him he heard Lily's dad asking Brett to help him with the pool, which turned out to be a massive white plastic round thing in the middle of the living room, about half full of water.
"Lils." he whispered as he crouched down beside her. She squeezed his hand and closed her eyes.
"So glad you're here." she whispered back.
Wait. Weren't all births supposed to be women screaming, shrieking their heads off in pain? But everything here seemed to exude a calm. There were red candles, lit on the coffee table that had been moved to make space for the bath. It smelled nice too, something soothingly floral he couldn't place. The light was soft, and muted, and when anyone spoke it was in hushed tones. Only now did he notice what must be the midwife: a motherly looking lady in her forties with a bun on her head. She smiled encouragingly at him.
"Lily has been looking forward to you arriving, Eddy." she said as she stepped forward. "My name is Lydia. Lily is doing incredibly well."
"I'm at five centimeters already." Lily said at that time, before groaning very gently and closing her eyes again. She stilled completely into the sofa, not moving an inch, in fact there was nothing to indicate that it hurt except for her fingers around his, squeezing strongly.
Now he remembered of course all the stories she had told him in the last months about the hypnobirthing classes she had been taking. Was this the result? He looked around him subtly as Lily rode out her contraction in complete silence. Then, when she opened her eyes again he smiled at her.
"Wow, Lils. You... you have it all under control."
She shrugged.
"I'm a dancer. I'm used to pain."