Forget Me Not

Chapter Fifteen

Victoria went into labour the day before her hospital stay. She called Sienna and Jude to come over in case her water broke. She then called Nancy to be prepared. Nancy said she would get Arthur to come to the Miller house so he could pick up the girls in case something happened.

Sienna and Jude were there within half an hour. By this point, Victoria was in a bubble bath and trying to ride out the pain. The contractions were at least twenty minutes apart but her water hadn't broken yet, she was certain on that. Sienna came into the bathroom.

"Jude's packed the car with your hospital bag." She said.

"Eurgh I need medicine. Painkillers. Anything." Victoria groaned.

"Has your water broke?" Sienna asked.

"No, I don't think so. But my contractions are getting closer."

"Okay. I think we should breathe and calm down. Get dried, I'll get you some clothes." Sienna left and Victoria got out of the bath. She pulled the plug and dried herself. Sienna came back in with a pyjama top and bottoms. Sienna helped Victoria into the pyjama top but as she pulled the top down over the bump, Victoria felt her waters break. The liquid trickled down her legs.

"Jude! Start the car!" Sienna called. Victoria groaned and cleaned up the liquid then pulled on her pyjama bottoms and grabbed her flip flops before she followed her mother down the stairs and to the car.

Jude drove the car quite quickly. He was under the speed limit and yet his driving was still quick and effective. He stopped the car in the hospital parking lot and grabbed her hospital bag. Sienna helped Victoria to the entrance of the hospital. Once there, the receptionist called the maternity wing to inform them Victoria was coming up. A guy in orange scrubs helped Victoria into a wheelchair and took her to the lift and up to the maternity wing. Sienna and Jude followed. Sienna had her mobile out and was calling someone. Victoria couldn't take much notice, her contractions were closer now. It seemed like they were no more than five minutes apart.

Once at the maternity wing, they were buzzed in and Freya was there. Freya directed them down a corridor and into another wing which Freya had a card and a code before the doors opened. She then led them past a desk and into one of the hospital rooms.

"Get onto the bed, Vick. We'll get you checked out." Freya said. The orange scrub guy left as Jude helped Victoria into the hospital bed. Sienna grabbed Victoria's hand.

"Nancy is on her way," she said.

"Oh good." Victoria squeezed her mother's hand as the pain hurt her again. She felt her son move inside her. Freya came in followed by a woman with grey hair in a ponytail and blue scrubs.

"How are we doing, Victoria?" Freya asked as she squirted hand sanitiser into her hands and rubbed. The grey-haired lady did the same as they both approached the bed.

"I'm in pain. What're the chances of an epidural?" Victoria asked with a gasp. Freya and the grey-haired lady started to put in needles, strap her to heart monitors and fetal monitors and check the machines.

"Not very high. How far apart are your contractions?" Freya asked.

"About six minutes apart." Sienna replied.

"Then definitely not. Gas and air it looks like." Freya sorted this out and Victoria got a tube to breathe through which she did while trying desperately to maintain her breathing as she had practised in her classes. The door burst open and Nancy came jogging in. She was sweaty and looked flushed but she was here which is what mattered to Victoria.

"Aurora?" Victoria gasped.

"She's absolutely fine," Nancy promised.

"Oh, by the way, Victoria... This is Greta. As promised." Freya introduced as she checked Victoria's lady parts.

"Hi," Victoria said through gasps. Greta smiled kindly.

"Let's deliver a baby, shall we?"

Sienna put Victoria's hair into a ponytail while Nancy wiped Victoria's sweaty forehead with a damp flannel and Jude hovered anxiously. Freya and Greta encouraged Victoria and Victoria pushed and breathed and cried out. When all of a sudden, there was another smaller cry that rippled through the air and made Victoria breathless.

"Well done, Victoria. He's beautiful." Freya said as she and Greta fussed over the baby, checking it over and wiping it clean. Freya then handed over the little boy. And he was beautiful. Chubby cheeks, no hair yet and beautiful big blue eyes.

"Oh my God, he's gorgeous." Victoria sobbed.

"Congratulations." Nancy was crying too and Sienna was wiping away tears. Even Jude looked so proud.

Freya and Greta busied themselves by helping tidy the room up and changing the sheets. Victoria got checked over again and then the baby was checked over again.

"I'm calling Arthur with the news," Nancy said as she handed over the baby to Sienna. Sienna rocked the baby and tucked his blue wool blanket closer. Victoria was exhausted. It was draining work to give birth. And she missed Nathan. When she held her son, she only thought of Nathan. Her tears were tears of happiness and emotion.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" Jude asked as Victoria closed her eyes.

"Yes. But I don't know if it's right."

"Tell us." Sienna encouraged, her voice soft.

"Riley. But I don't know about middle names yet." Sienna and Jude smiled, although Victoria didn't see it. She was asleep.

"It's perfect," Jude whispered. He took Victoria's hand and squeezed her fingers gently.