Farraway Mist ?A Wattpad featured story?

Chapter 37: Alis Arrives

Scout realized that, however the decision had been made, her baby was going to be born in the back bedroom at Farraway Mist, and her delivery was going to be attended by her baby daddy and two very kind but inexperienced teenaged boys. And four curious dogs. In the middle of a violent thunderstorm. And the possibly malevolent spirit of the baby daddy's dead first wife.

Oh my god.

She looked around the candlelit room, which really did look like something out of a gothic romance novel. The flames flickered, casting weird shadows on the walls, while the flames from the fireplace gave the whole place an eerie glow. At least it was relatively warm, and close to the kitchen, where the boys were using the gas powered stove to heat water, and George could get Scout ice chips from time to time.

The contractions were coming fast and furious now, nearly one on top of the other, and Scout was having a hard time keeping on top of the pain. She was used to things hurting; she'd spent her entire life falling off her bike, hitting her head on diving boards, breaking limbs, things like that, but this continuous, deep ache, with no end in sight, with no professionals to help her, was frightening.

"Miss Scout? You okay?" Sunil asked, seeing her expression. He was arranging a bunch of things, including a pair of scissors and a very sharp knife, on a clean towel along the top of the chest of drawers. Scout saw the array and blanched. He followed her gaze.

"Oh no, miss, please, don't be scared," he said with a gentle smile, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. He took her hand. "I mean, I'm not saying there's no reason to be frightened, I'm just saying there's no point, you understand?" He looked carefully at her face. "Like I've heard you say to Mr. Wilder at some point tonight, most women could do this completely alone, no problem at all." He patted her hand. "We're just here to help out if you need us to, like."

Scout looked around for George.

"He's getting you some more ice, miss," Sunil said.

Scout nodded, gripping Sunil's hand tightly as she felt another contraction. Sunil held tightly and counted with her until it was over. He wiped her forehead with the cloth when she was finished.

"I'm really, really glad you and Alfred are here," she confessed to the boy in front of her. "Please keep an eye on Mr. Wilder, okay? This is really scary for him, you know? In many ways, it's probably more frightening for him than it is for me."

Sunil nodded, smiling like a brown-eyed angel at her. "I know, Miss Scout. He looks like he's going to faint dead away sometimes. We're watching both of you." He looked up when the door opened. It was Alfred, carrying more clean things carefully on a tray. Sunil rose to go help him.

George was right behind him, with more ice for Scout.

Scout took a deep breath. She was already exhausted. It felt like she'd been in labor forever in this room lit by candles. This was going to be a long night.

She felt another contraction coming, and braced herself, reaching out for George's hand.

*********************

"I want to walk around," Scout said.

"It might help," Alfred put in.

It was close to one A.M., and everyone was feeling the strain of waiting. George nodded, and held out a hand to help Scout get out of bed.

Wordlessly Sunil followed along behind her with the mop to clean up any drips, which Scout found hilarious, even given the awful, dire, scary circumstances. She turned around to look at him a couple of times and smiled when he waved at her while holding the mop handle, waving back at him, biting her lips together.