No Games Left to Play

30: We're Parents

I have never had more of a rough night than I did on the train ride home to Twelve last night. Between the horribly uncomfortable bed, and the return of those strange back pains, I didn't get a wink of sleep. As the night went on, I would bite my lower lip to keep the moans at bay so they wouldn't wake Peeta. I internally scream as I see the sunlight creeping across our private bedroom and right into my eyes. Wanting to actually scream because I'm exhausted and in so much pain, I settle for a groan instead. I put both of my hands on the sides of my bump and lightly run my fingertips in circles on the sides of my stomach. 

"Why won't you let me sleep?" I whisper to the baby.

"Hmm?" I hear Peeta mumble.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep," I say, running my fingers through his hair to soothe him.

"No, it's ok," Peeta slurs, still half asleep. "I'm awake."

I giggle, "No, you're not."

"Yes-huh," he says, opening his eyes. "See."

"Honey, you won't hurt my feelings if you wanna go back to bed. I've been awake for a really long time already."

"I'm fine," he scoots himself closer to me and presses a kiss to my cheek. "Morning, love."

"Good morning," I smile.

Peeta rests a hand on my belly, "Hello, little bun. Daddy says good morning."

Another ache consumes my body— a twinge in my back and a tightening in my belly— making my breath hitch. After the pain dulls, I sit up hoping a new position will make a difference and relieve a lot of the agony I feel. Instead of leaning against the headboard, I sit straight up and criss-cross my legs. Peeta is distracted by trying to get the baby to kick for him that he doesn't notice something is wrong. It's odd, but I'm grateful because I know that if I had his full attention, this pain would just open up a whole box of questions that I'm not really sure how to answer.

Once the feeling fully passes, I notice Peeta has removed his hand from my abdomen and is just gawking at my bump with a loving, yet zoned out, gaze.

"What are you staring at?" I laugh.

"We have two more weeks of you being pregnant so I'm trying to enjoy your baby bump while it's still here because I love seeing it and I'm going to miss it so much," Peeta laughs, giving my belly a rub.

My face quirks up in a look of discomfort when another, more intense, sharp, stabbing pain in my back surfaces. I put my hand near the source of the pain and arch my back. Slowly, the pain circles forward into my abdomen, making my belly feel really tight.

"Ow," I whine pitifully as I lean forward, my belly ending up in my lap.

"What's wrong?" Peeta asks me with wide eyes.

"I think these aches are the real deal," I tell him.

"What do you mean?"

"I think it's time," I say, wanting to cry.

"Time for what?" 

"You know how you wanted those two weeks to admire my belly before it's gone? Yeah, you're not going to get those."

"Please don't tell me you are going into labor while we're still on the train."

"Ok, I won't tell you then."

"Really?" Peeta asks, sitting up at full attention, looking a little too excited.

"Something is definitely happening."