The Dream Is Not Over

It's All Happening

Lindsey takes one look at me and blanches. That's not a good sign. The only one who doesn't seem to be in the know is River who is still grinning at me.

"Maybe you should sit down." Olivia suggests and I nod, Lindsey guiding me by the shoulders toward the couch with warm hands. "When did it start? Any rhythm to your surges?" She kneels by my side and holds my hand.

"Surges?" Lindsey asks and Olivia and I answer at the same time.

"Contractions."

"Oh." He looks nervous, running his fingers through his hair.

"Contractions? But she's not due until like, September, right?" River's eyes show such fear and confusion.

"Babies don't care, River. You should know this from the books we've been reading." He chuckles nervously. "You have been reading them, haven't you?" Her eyebrow raises and he scratches the back of his neck.

"Uh...I've thumbed through them...and I listen to most of it when you read it aloud to me in bed every night."

"River!" Olivia scolds, shaking her head. She shows she's not really mad by smiling at him and he places a hand on her shoulder. "Well, you're getting a crash course today." She palms my belly, feeling it become tight as a contraction builds. "Breathe and let it happen," she reminds me, picking up her long necklace and sliding the pendant aside to reveal a watch face. "Tell me when it tapers off."

"I bet you didn't think this was how your day was gonna go, huh, son?" Lindsey said, nudging River with his elbow.

"I bet you didn't either, huh, Dad?" River gets the last laugh, crossing his arms as he watches Olivia stand in as midwife until we are ready to go.

"Good..." she encourages, feeling my stomach relax.

"It's over," I confirm and she nods.

"You're coming right along. Your waters haven't broken?"

"No," I sigh, shifting slightly on the couch. God, my back hurts.

"What's your birth plan?"

"Mmm, I had a natural birth with River. It was beautiful. Drug free, all those euphoric post-birth feelings last time kept me on a high for weeks, it seemed." I smile at the memory, it slowly fading as a feel the familiar build of a contraction.

"Ooh! Another one!," she squeals in delight, her eyes lighting up.

"She seems like she's enjoying this," Lindsey says from behind me. River nods, stroking his wife's hair.

"She lives for births and babies! Her mother was a doula, if you remember. It's a shame she couldn't be here, but thankfully, Olivia knows what she's doing. She could probably deliver the baby if she needed to."

"I don't think it will come to that." Lindsey says confidently. Then he pauses, his brow furrowing. "Will it?"

"I don't think so, but you never know. Some births are by the book and others, well, they're wild cards. Stevie's contractions are pretty regular but close together. We should probably get on the road if you two planned to have a hospital birth," Olivia looks up at me, making sure I'm alright. She squeezes my hand comfortingly and it makes me feel a lot better.

"We do!" Lindsey says, "We definitely do." He stands in front of me in an attempt to help me up. Another contraction comes and I don't want to move.

"No," I whisper and Lindsey lets his hands he had extended to me fall to his sides with a slap. I whimper, this one much stronger than the last and Olivia's eyes are focused more on me than her watch.