Unexpected

A Sudden Urge

Matt

It was just after 7 o'clock when I walked in from shift. No one was downstairs which was a good sign- the kids were probably still asleep and Gabby too. I grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen and smiled at the new sonogram Gabby had attached to the fridge after her 20 week appointment yesterday afternoon. I'd been stuck at a call so I knew she wouldn't be too happy when she woke up this morning. Hopefully she would sleep for a while- she wasn't feeling well yesterday morning and I think she might have caught the cold Lucas had a couple of days ago.

A hot shower was exactly what I needed and exactly what I did. That was until the bathroom door slammed open and I turned around to see Gabby on the floor in front of the toilet. This was a joke, 20 weeks, in the second trimester and she was still sick at least every second morning. This was starting to take its toll on her much more than I liked. I quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around me. A grabbed a hair tie from the bench and quickly pulled Gabbys hair back into a bun. I grabbed the cup she left sitting on the bench and filled it up with water before handing it to her. She turned away from the toilet and leant her back against the wall and sighed before taking small sips from the cup. Her skin looked clammy and when I pressed a hand to her forehead her temp felt up. "Good morning," I whispered with a small smile as I tucked a strand of hair I had missed behind her ear. "Sorry I interrupted your shower." "It's fine baby. Are you feeling better?" "Not really, but I never do. It's a repeating cycle Matt." "I know, I know. You feel warm." "I've been up most of the night either coughing or blowing my nose and I've tried to avoid taking anything but I did at about 2am." "What did you take?" I whispered. "A couple of ibuprofen and a decongestant." I nodded my head. "Do you want to go back to bed?" "What time is it?" I checked my watch on the counter and turned back to her, "7.30. The kids were still asleep when I got home and I can get them when they wake up. You look exhausted Gabby." "Gee thanks," she chuckled with a small smile. While she could laugh her exhaustion off, I could see the pregnancy was really starting to put pressure on her. Her eyes were dull and tired and the dark circle around them worried me. "You have a construction job at 10 though." "You can still sleep now, and I'll wake you up just before I leave. The kids will be fine." She looked doubtful at my plan but she also seemed to realise that she wasn't going to be able to stay awake for much longer this morning. "Come on Gabby, go back to bed." I gently kissed her forehead and then placed my hands on her sides to help get her up. I rested a hand on her stomach and she smiled before getting placing hers on top. "Feeling anything yet?" "No," she replied shaking her head. "Hopefully in the next few weeks." "Bed for you two." She began to walk out of the bathroom with my hands on my shoulders. She was nearly at the bed when she suddenly stopped and stood still.

Gabby

A wave of dizziness hit me and I stopped to steady myself. Then I felt it, it was sudden. All of a sudden a strange feeling came over me like something was wrong. Matt walked around to my side and I placed a hand on his shoulder and took a few deep breaths. And then just like that it was gone again. It's hard describe what it felt like, something just felt wrong and now I couldn't help but think maybe something was. "Gabby what is it?" Matt asked as I turned to him. I shook my head, "nothing. I'm fine. Just strange feeling that's all." "What kind of strange?" "I don't know. It's gone now. I'm probably just overtired and sick." I think I was trying to convince myself more than Matt. He helped me lay down on the bed and gently placed a kiss on my forehead. "I'll be downstairs if you need me." "Okay," I whispered with a small smile.

As he left the room I placed one hand on my stomach, everything is fine- it has to be. I just needed some sleep to try and get rid of this cold before it makes me feel any worse.

When I woke up just after 9.30 I felt it again. The only way I can think to describe it is the sudden urge that something was not quite right. Like before it lasted a brief moment before it was gone again. I took a deep breath and a sip of water before slowly getting up. Matt would have to leave in the next 10 minutes to get to his job on time.

Matt

Gabby came down the stairs just as I finished making her some toast and she didn't look much better than before. She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose before getting another ibuprofen. "How are you feeling?" I asked wrapping an arm around her and kissing her head. "A little better. I needed it. How were the kids?" "Fine. They had breakfast an hour ago and so should be ready for a snack in another hour or so." "Alright. What time are you planning on being home?" "Should be finished by 12 so maybe just after that."

As I grabbed my things together I couldn't help but notice Gabby. She slowly sipped her tea and took small bites of her toast as she watched over the kids playing in the adjoined lounge. "You sure you're okay baby?" I asked looking over. "Yeah I'm fine," she said with a small smile. "I promise." "I love you, I'll be home soon." "Alright be safe," she smiled giving me a small kiss. "Bye you two monkeys," I smiled kissing both of the small heads as they looked down at the toys on the floor. "Bye dad," Lucas said smiling.

Gabby

Once Matt left I put on a load of washing and loaded the dishwasher to start it. The kids were content and so I slipped to the bedroom to get changed. "GET OFF THATS MINE!" I sighed a quickly slipped a new top over my head before walking out and back down the stairs. "Give me! Mine!" Ellie squealed grabbing the toy straight back out of Lucas' hands and hitting his arm. He hit her leg, and as expected the crying started. "Hey!" They both turned towards me and Ellie ran to my legs. "You do not hit your brother Elouise and you know better than to hit her back Lucas." "Mum she was taking my fire truck. She can play with any of my other toys just not that one." I sighed and picked up Ellie. The fire truck had been one of the first things Matt bought for Lucas after he'd been born and if there was one thing he was sentimental about it was that. "Ok, I'll talk to your sister, but please don't hit her. I know you don't like it when she takes your things but she doesn't understand. You used to take all Diegos toys when you were her age." He nodded his head and turned back to playing as I carried Ellie into the kitchen and sat her on the bench. "Alright baby girl no more crying," I said wiping her tears. "Mummy will kiss it better." I placed a kiss on her leg, and then her forehead. "How about a snack. Do you want some blueberries?" She nodded and I was able to sit her down with her blankie and a punnet of blueberries. I leaned on the couch and looked at Lucas. "Your sister is sitting at her play table eating. I'm just going back upstairs to finish getting changed okay? Please behave." "Yes mum," he said looking up with a small smile.

I finished changing and after making the bed went into the bathroom to clean my teeth and wash my face. I had to steady myself on the sink and I looked down momentarily to make sure I would fall from the dizziness affecting my balance. That's when I felt something different. It started as a dull ache in my back, which moved around to one side of my stomach. Something was wrong. Something was wrong. The feeling returned and before I knew it I'd let a tear slip and I quickly brushed it away. I went back and sat on the bed before grabbing my phone from the bedside. Matt left 15 minutes ago, he might not hear his phone if he's already working. I let out a breath of relief, "Gabby is everything okay?" "I- I don't know Matt. Something- it just doesn't feel right and I don't know. I might be working myself up but I feel like a felt a cramp. I've had this feeling since this morning in the bedroom that something wasn't right. And then I didn't think anything of it until I felt something." "Gabs are you sure it wasn't a kick? Or just you not feeling great from the cold?" "No. No Matt something isn't right. I can feel it. I don't know how but I can just feel it. And I can't go downstairs Lucas will know something is wrong and I can't have him panic." "Just take a deep breath and calm down. I'm going to come home okay? I'll call Antonio on my way. Just stay there. What were the kids doing?" "Lucas was playing, Ellie was having a snack." "So they'll be preoccupied for a bit. They shouldn't come looking for you." "Okay. Okay." "Gabby you're going to be fine, so will our baby." "I hope so, I really hope so Matt. I can't do it again," I whispered wiping a tear. "Hey no negativity. I'm going to go so I can call Antonio okay? Just relax." "I love you Matt," I said shakily. "I love you too Gabby."