Can we love again?- A Reddie Short Story

Chapter Seven

Kim Campbell was in her office, putting her laptop into her bag. She was leaving work later than usual for a Friday, but she had wanted to get all her paperwork done so she could relax when she got home. She always got more paperwork done at school than she did at home.

She picked up the files she needed, along with her bag and left her office. Now all her paperwork was done, all she had to do was drop it off and leave a couple of papers on Rachel's desk for her to sign on Monday. Then she could go home.

...

Meanwhile, in Rachel's office, things weren't going well. The contractions had suddenly ramped up in intensity and were back to back, leaving Rachel only one or two seconds to catch her breath. She let out another blood curdling scream, tears rolling down her cheeks as she gripped Eddie's arm tightly.

She couldn't ignore the pressure in-between her legs anymore, it was unbearable. She bore down uncontrollably, groaning into a push, whimpering as she felt the baby move downward. Eddie seemed oblivious to what was happening.

"Eddie?" She whispered

He looked up at her, concern clouding his eyes.

"The baby's coming...I can't... help me" she whimpered between moans

She screamed into another push, her hand trembling as she gripped his hand tightly.

"Alright, Rach. It's ok; everything's going to be just fine." He replied calmly, even though he was panicking inside

He helped her to take her trousers and underwear off. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the top of the baby's head already in view, moving further forwards as Rachel pushed again, her cries of pain threatening to break his heart. He didn't know what he was doing. Even though delivering a baby seemed relatively straightforward, so much could go wrong, and that scared him. But he pushed his fears aside, focussing on Rachel. She needed him.

"You're doing great, Rach. I can see the head already" he reassured

She ignored him; the only thing she could focus on was the pain. Everything else seemed to fade away, silenced by the agony she was in. She pushed again with a pain filled groan, blindly reaching for Eddie's hand to squeeze.

Kim walked through the empty corridors and up the stairs to Rachel's office.

Unfazed by the fact that the office door was closed, she pushed on the handle, frowning as it didn't budge. Rachel always left the office door unlocked.

"Hello?" She heard a voice call from the other side of the door

It was Eddie.

"Eddie?" She frowned

What was going on?

On the other side of the door, Eddie breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of Kim's voice.

"Kim! Oh thank god! We're locked in! Finn Sharkey took the office key!" Eddie explained hurriedly

"We?" Kim frowned

That was when Kim heard a cry of pain. She knew it was Rachel immediately, but she needed confirmation.

Eddie sighed. Did the details really matter right now?

"Rachel's in here, she's... in labour. Can you let us out?"

Kim frowned, this didn't make any sense.

Rachel was pregnant?

And in labour?

"Kim?" Eddie called