A Dauntless Love

Chapter 33

"Okay I think that is the last of it." Marley said flopping down on the couch next to me.

"Home sweet home." I said leaning over on her shoulder.

Marley put her arm around me and gently rubbed my arm. The baby was moving around a lot and I could see the movement through my tight shirt.

"That still kinda freaks me out." Marley said poking at my belly.

"Yeah it is really weird to see it move like it. It feels even weird on the inside." I said.

We sat there in our new home and both poked at my belly. Every time the baby kicked we would poke back and they would kick again. We continued like that until they stopped responding. The baby either got bored with us or fell asleep. Marley tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear and looked at me.

"I think we are going to be happy here." She said.

"Yeah I think so too." I replied.

...

I lay in my new bed and glanced around my room. We could only find a 2 bedroom place so my room doubled as the nursery. We had spent all day fixing up the little house to make it feel like home. Seeing my baby's things all around me had a calming effect on me. I wouldn't have to sleep alone in this room because they would always be with me. I struggled to get to sleep because of how uncomfortable my belly was but finally managed it.

...

I woke up to a strange sensation that I didn't understand. I sat up and felt my belly. It felt very tight. I got up out of bed to try and walk it off. I took a few steps before a rush of water pooled under me. I stopped for a second and tried to figure out what it was. I turned on the light and woke up a little more. That's when I realized that my water had broken. I felt a pulling inside my belly and knew it was a contraction. It was finally time. My baby was coming. I cleaned up the mess as best as I could. I changed my wet clothes and went to wake up Marley. I went into her bedroom and went up to her bed. I gently touched her shoulder.

"Marley, hey Marley." I said.

She startled awake and looked around frantically.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked.

"My water just broke."

She sat up quickly.

"Wait so you are in labor?" she asked.

"Yeah I think so. It feels like it."

Marley got up and turned on her light. She put on a jacket and a pair of boots.

"Okay will you be alright here by yourself while I try and find someone who knows what they are doing? They don't have a hospital set up yet so we have no place to go to."

"I am okay for right now. The contractions aren't bad yet. I want to go with you. Walking is good for labor so let me come."

Marley nodded and I went to grab my jacket and boots. I put on one of Eric's jackets I kept and slid my boots on. I went back out to where Marley was waiting. Right as I got to here I felt another contraction. This one was a little stronger than the last but still not something I couldn't handle. I breathed in and out as I waited for it to pass.

"Okay I'm good. Let's go." I said.

Marley held her arm out to me.

"I'm okay. I've got it." I said.

We hadn't met any of our neighbors yet so now seemed like the perfect time even if it was the middle of the night. I walked beside Marley to the next door neighbor's house and she knocked. We waited a minute and then heard movement inside. The door swung open and it was a middle aged man.