One // Leigh-Anne Pinnock

Chapter Eighteen

Leigh was almost two weeks overdue and to say she was going insane was an understatement.

Every two seconds she had to pee. Her back was in knots. The kicks to her ribs were more frequent than ever. Her hormones were all over the place. One minute she'd snap, the next she'd burst into tears. She was a hot mess but she couldn't help it.

On top of that she got extremely strong bouts of pain in her groin and lower stomach. They weren't contractions though. They weren't frequent enough. It was just Braxton Hicks.

Debbie, her mum, flew in to stay with her. The girls popped in when they could to see how she was doing. Andre stopped by to finish the nursery which he had started two days before.

Leigh laid on her bed with her eyes closed. She was trying to take a nap when she heard a knock on the door. She huffed and sucked her teeth.

"Yes?"

The door opened to reveal Andre.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"I was almost asleep. Did you want something?"

"I finished the nursery if you wanted to see."

"Of course I want to see."

She swung her feet over the bed. As soon as her feet touched the ground, her lower stomach tightened.

"Oww!" She whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut. Andre was at her side in a second.

"Are you okay? Is the baby coming? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Leigh was in too much pain to tell him to be quiet. Instead she clamped her hand over his mouth.

After what seemed like hours, the pain finally stopped. Leigh removed her hand from his mouth and took a deep breath.

"I want this baby out!" She said through gritted teeth.

"I know, I know. It'll be here soon."

"It's taking too long!" She whined dragging on the 'long'. "It was due on the 24th of May. It's the 1st of June!"

"Maybe it wants a grand entrance." He shrugged. Leigh looked at her bump and caressed it.

"Mummy doesn't care if that's what you want. You're causing her a lot of pain and discomfort and she just wants you here in her arms."

"Come see the nursery. Hopefully it'll take your mind off the pain."

She nodded. He tried to help her stand up but she swatted his hand away.

"I can get up for myself. I'm pregnant not an invalid."

Andre held his hands up in surrender. Leigh successfully maneuvered herself off the bed. She followed him to the nursery, literally waddling in the process.

...

A little after midnight, Leigh awoke to the strongest pain she ever felt in her life, in her lower stomach. She changed her position but that made it worse.  She slowly got of the bed and walked around her room.

The pain finally passed. She sat on the bed and sighed.

"These Braxton Hicks are gonna be the death of me."

She sat there staring out the window. The moonlight shone brightly, illuminating the dark room. Crickets chorused and the trees danced in the light breeze. The calm of the night instilled a sense of peace it her. That was...until the pressure in her groin began again.

It hadn't even been ten minutes. Seven for the most. Despite being in immense pain, she grabbed her phone and timed it.

She balled the duvet in her fists trying to take short, quick breaths. Strings of swear words flew from her lips. Beads of sweat began coating her forehead.