Intertwined

Chapter 62: Arrival

A/N: I have been looking forward to writing this chapter for a while and have used some of my own experience in writing this chapter. There are insinuations of blood and mention and description of childbirth.

Thank you to all who continue to read. I'm really enjoying writing for you.

21st August 2025

Autumn found the closer she got to her due date, the more people started to give their birthing stories and experience, completely unsolicited.

Autumn walked away, in irritated horror, when Mandy started to give a play-by-play in graphic detail, of the horrors of her 30-hour labour with Henry, whose giant head required her to have an episiotomy.

'What on earth possesses people to tell such things in so much disturbing detail to a nearly full term pregnant person?' She groaned to Marjorie that morning. The manager chuckled.

'Mandy?' The manager asked with a smirk on her face.

'It's not funny Marjorie. It's insane that people think it's appropriate to tell these stories to anyone who is 39 weeks pregnant!' The deputy was indignant and frowned back at her best friend.

'I guess it is what I have to look forward to at the pointy end of my pregnancy,' Autumn raised her brow at the manager and shifted in her seat. 'What?' The manager said as she stood to collect some paperwork from the printer, for the preschool room, 'Please don't say pointy end, when referring to pregnancy. I felt that on my hips,' the brunette sucked in a breath as a sudden wave of pain pushed down her hips and legs.

Marjorie narrowed her eyes at her best friend. 'Aut?' But the deputy waved her away. 'It's just this symphysis pubis dysfunction,' she dismissed Marjorie's concern and stood to stretch.

'Aren't you supposed to wear a belt for that?' The manager asked and Autumn lifted her shirt to reveal the wide bandage like belt that was designed to take some weight of her pregnant belly off her pelvis, the ligaments being quite loose at this stage of pregnancy, and painful if she stayed in certain positions for too long. 'You know you could have started your maternity leave, Autumn?'

'I'll be here until this baby decides to make an entrance,' Autumn looked above her glasses at her best friend who threw her hands up in defeat. 'Marjorie, I've cleaned all the baby's clothes and blankets, dusted every surface, got all the safety things in place, although that was Reece's idea. I've changed all the cleaning products to be natural and safe. I grilled the poor young man at the supermarket as to the whether he knew of the toxic ingredients in toilet cleaner,' she shook her head at herself, 'The poor kid has probably never cleaned a damn toilet, and I thought he would run away when I started to cry because he didn't know. This weekend, I suddenly felt the urge to scrub the inside of the washing machine! The washing machine!' She looked at her friend like she was telling her the most shocking news ever told, 'I scrubbed it! With a brush and vinegar and hot water,' The manager tried not to giggle at Autumn's disbelieving tone. 'I'm Nesting! Me!!'

'I think it's beautiful,' Marjorie exclaimed. Autumn rolled her eyes, but truthfully, she loved that her baby was nearly here and that part of her just couldn't help but do, seemingly insane things, to prepare for their arrival.

Just as Autumn shifted again trying not to show the slight pain she felt in her hips, Winter came through the office door. 'Hello, my sweet, ready for lunch?' and he reached out for Autumn's hand and helped her up, 'I've got you two sausage rolls and a vanilla milkshake,' he smiled at his wife affectionately and Autumn's whole face softened.

'Thank you my love, lets go for a walk across to the park and eat outside,' and Autumn let out a slow breath, before slipping her ballet flats back on her feet and walking as quickly as her pressure heavy pelvis would allow.