Child (Ish) Dreams

Chapter Nineteen

Sapphire took maternity leave after the baby shower. Sammie would be granted some form of maternity leave herself, getting five weeks off maximum. Both of them would be paid though. However, Sam didn't get her maternity leave until the labour. This left Sapphire around the house by herself a lot. She tried to clean and tidy, prepare the nursery for a boy. They had bought a cot, a rocking chair, changing mat, nappies, clothes. It was sorted. The delivery plan was ready and Sapphire had her hospital bag ready too. She had her final appointment when she was thirty-eight weeks pregnant and she was completely ready for it to be over, she felt so big and hot.

"Do you want a flannel?" Sapphire was starting thirty-nine weeks now and she was ready for it to be over. Crystal was in the house with her. That was who had spoken.

"Yeah if you don't mind." Sapphire was on the sofa with her feet propped up and the T.V on. Crystal came in with a cup of herbal tea for them both and a damp flannel. Sapphire placed it on her head while Crystal placed down the teas and switched on the fan.

"Please tell me you're dying too," Sapphire said to Crystal as she sat down in the armchair.

"No. But it is spring. You're going to be dying a bit anyway, even if you weren't pregnant."

"Could have fooled me," Sapphire muttered as she picked up her cup and sipped. She dropped the cup as her baby boy moved and she felt a sharp pain. The cup spilt the liquid but didn't smash on the carpet.

"You alright?" Crystal asked seeing her pain.

"Yeah gimme a minute... It's just Braxton hicks. I've had it before, rushed to the hospital and it was a false alarm." Sapphire breathed in and out, just as she had been taught. After a little while, it passed and she relaxed back on the sofa.

"Have you decided on any names yet?" Crystal asked.

"Yeah. We both like Noah, Lucas and Isaac. Typical baby names." Sapphire gasped again as her pain shot through her.

"Maybe we should take you to the hospital... Just in case." Crystal said, anxiously.

"No, no... I'm fine. I'll walk it off. Or take a bath. That's supposed to help." Sapphire got up slowly. She started to pace around the room. Crystal watched her, narrow-eyed. The pain was sharp and she had to remember to breathe. Suddenly she felt a wet sensation, her leggings were soaked.

"Oh shit... My waters broke." Sapphire gasped.

"Okay, time to go." Crystal said, dropping her cup too.

Things happened very quickly. Sammie was on shift so her phone was switched on but on silent. This infuriated Sapphire but Crystal drove Sapphire in her own car. Her hospital bag was on the back seat, Sapphire was buckled in, all she had to do was breathe. It was more painful though and more sudden and she was sobbing. Her hospital stay was for two weeks more time and she was a week before she was due anyway. She was crying out as the pain hurt and Crystal was hitting the speed limit on the roads as she drove to the hospital.

They got to the maternity wing quickly. The doctors and nurses were quick in setting Sapphire up in a hospital bed. Crystal helped Sapphire by putting her hair up in a quickly braided plait, by dressing in a pyjama top (no bottoms, unfortunately) and helping her into the hospital bed. The nurses and doctors busied themselves by setting up an IV, a fetal monitor and giving her gas and air.

"I need Sammie!" Sapphire cried out as Crystal held her hand. Cassie walked in, all business.

"We'll have a nurse keep trying for you Sapphire but for now it looks like Crystal will be your birthing partner. Keep on the gas and air and remember your breathing."

"What about the epidural we agreed?" Sapphire sobbed as the pain hit again.

"Your contractions are coming too quickly. This baby is coming today and soon."

Time seemed to go by very s-l-o-w-l-y when Sapphire was in pain. This was one of those days. However, it was a comfort when her and Sammie's parents got there and poked their heads round to say they were here if she needed them. All Sapphire wanted was Crystal and Sammie though so they waited in the waiting room.

Finally, Sam burst through the room and went to Sapphire's other side. Sapphire cried out in relief.

"Oh thank God!"

"I'm so sorry, baby... I was on a break. But I'm here now."

"I know..." Sapphire cried out as the pain came.

"Okay, Sapphire. We need to deliver this baby. It needs to be now. Your baby is starting to get distressed. Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

"Then push!" Cassie said. Sapphire pushed. She held the hands of her sister and her fiancee, she pushed with all her might. Anything to get rid of the pain. She pushed, she screamed, she pushed and cried out and pushed and...

"Congratulations Sapphire," Cassie said. Sapphire sobbed with relief as she fell back against the pillows. Her eyes landed on Sammie who had tears in her own eyes as she watched Cassie and the nurses with their baby. Their son cried and it was like music to Sapphire's ears. She found her little baby boy in a nurse's arms. The nurse passed over the little boy and Sapphire held him, covered in white stuff and blood. He had big blue eyes and a shock of wet black hair. He was beautiful, wrapped in a blue blanket.

"Oh my God..." Sapphire sobbed as she cradled her son.

"Well done, Sapphire," Cassie said. The nurses cleaned and tidied up then left to give them a moment. The family all came in and cooed over how sweet he was with his chubby cheeks, his dazed eyes and his perfect features.

"Have you decided on what you're going to call him?" Sam's dad said as Sam placed an arm around Sapphire and the baby. Sapphire and Sam exchanged a glance.

"I think so..." Sapphire said. Sam nodded.

"You know what we both liked."

Sapphire kissed their son's forehead before looking back up at everyone, their parents, Crystal. She took Sam's hand in her free hand, feeling their rings click together. She smiled, still tired, still in some pain but surrounded by love.

 "Say hello to Lucas Samuel Woods."