Daylight

Chapter Thirty-One

All Ava had been feeling for nearly the last two days was belly and back pain. Labor was coming, the doctors assured her. There was little she could do for the discomfort. She adjusted her position regularly, but it even made it difficult for her to sleep.

She laid on the couch now, fingers rubbing her eyes as she rested the book she'd been trying to read on the coffee table. She groaned a little as she sat up, and as she did she felt... a contraction. Her fingers curled into the cushion beneath her it eased in and out. She didn't move, simply breathing slowly instead. It was too soon to go to the hospital. Should she tell Sebastian yet? Or should she let him be relaxed just a little longer? She wasn't sure.

Sebastian sat at the kitchen table, helping Luca with his homework. "That's right," he nodded. "Carry the three. Now the two." He grinned. "Good job buddy, you're getting it now."

She didn't say anything immediately, but as the second contraction came more intense than the first, she winced as she exhaled deeply. "Sebastian," she finally said, glancing back over her shoulder. "I'm having contractions."

Stopping immediately, Sebastian looked over at Ava. "Are you sure?"

She nodded; the discomfort written on her face. "They're far apart, but I'm sure. We might want to call your mom..."

Sebastian stood from his chair, his phone in hand as he dialed his mom. "It's alright honey. We've got this."

Ava nodded in a wordless reply as Georgetta answered the phone.

"Is it time?" she asked without greeting. Why else would Sebastain be calling at this time in the evening?

"I think so," Sebastian answered, a small smile on his face. "We still have a while yet to go."

"Well, I can make my way over. Tell Ava I love her and rub her back like a good husband," she said with a smile of her own.

"I'll do what I can, Mom. I just wanted to let you know."

"I'll get ready and head over," Georgetta said. "I love you, son."

Ava sat forward on the edge of the couch and breathed through another contraction. "Luca, can you get me the exercise ball, please?" she asked through her discomfort.

"Okay!" Luca slid from his chair and ran down the hallway.

Meanwhile Sebastian stood and moved the coffee table out of the way and sat beside her. "Breathe baby."

She nodded wordlessly as their son came down the hall rolling the large exercise ball. "Here Mami," he said sweetly as he rolled it to her.

"Gracias, papito," Ava replied, reaching for Sebastian's hand so he could help her to the ball. "My back is killing me..."

"It's okay, you're okay," Sebastian soothed. He rubbed her lower back, putting gentle pressure against her.

Leaning forward a little, she dropped her head to breathe slowly and deeply. "We're ready, Papi," she said between breaths, reaching back to rest a hand on his leg.

"I'll start timing them, okay?" He asked. "Let's see how far we are apart."

"Mm hm," she replied wordlessly, groaning a little at the aching in her back.

It felt like forever, but it was about half an hour before Georgetta arrived at the apartment.

"How far apart are the contractions?" she asked as she set her bag down.

Sebastian looked up from his place on the couch, while Ava rocked on her exercise ball. "A little less than seven minutes."

"Oh, it's almost time to go," she said as she approached them.