The Game | Completed

epilouge

January 14

I stood next to my bed, folding towels with Henry, when what I thought was another Braxton Hicks pulled a low groan from deep within me. 

The baby was due in a little less than a month and I had officially started nesting. And when I say nesting, I mean nesting. I wouldn't let the numerous shades Henry had employed help me because I stubbornly had wanted to do everything on my own.

Henry watched the weirdly domestic image unfolding before with a laugh. He wrapped his muscular arms around me from behind and held my swollen belly lovingly. His lips kissed my neck chastely, "I love you." He whispered in my ear.

I turned and kissed my husband as deeply as my bump would allow. Anything more was near impossible because of the damn watermelon strapped to the front of me. Henry got down on his knees and kissed my bump as well, "Our future's beginning, babe." He looked up through his eyelashes.

Adrienne walked into our bedroom and smiled. "Have I told you how cute you look?" She asked.

"I feel like a whale," I said dryly. 

My best friend ignored my remark quite literally pushed Henry out of the way and whispered into my belly, "Hey baby Theotita, it's your auntie A, I want you to know that I love you so much."

I meant to smile down at her but instead, I winced. "What's wrong, Liv?" My best friend asked but I shook my head.

"Braxton Hicks," I told her and she nodded. "I had them all last night and this morning."

"I'll grab you some water. Sit down." Henry instructed but I pointed to the pile of unfolded towels.

"I can't!" I argued.

"Sit down, Liv," Adrienne ordered.

I sighed, "What kind of fuckery is this?! I don't appreciate you two ganging up on me." I pointed between the two of them. I placed my hand on my belly and rubbed it lovingly. Henry and I had chosen not to find out the sex, but we both knew it was a girl. A baby girl, just like we planned forever ago.

Roughly ten minutes later, another Braxton Hick, more intense this time, made me grimace. "Mmm... Can someone grab my mom?" I asked. Adrienne nodded and left the room.

"Are you okay, babe?" Henry asked once she left, I nodded.

"The Braxton..." I found it hard to finish the sentence. "Can you..." My breathing got heavy and I found putting my feet up didn't help.

"Wa...ter?" It was nearly impossible to speak through the pain. Henry got up and ran to get me another water. The contraction lasted almost a full minute, much longer than I was used to.

Nevertheless, It did eventually end and as I took a few long, deep breaths, my body slowly began to recover. Adrienne reentered and my mom was close on her tail. "How are you doing, love?" Kate asked.

"The practice contractions are getting worse," I told her and she nodded, Henry returned and handed me a glass of water.

"Could you talk through it?" She asked but I shook my head. "How about putting your feet up, did that help?" Mom added but I shook my head again. "Does water help?" She said frantically but I shook my head again. She laughed excitedly, "You, my dear, are in labor!" She told me.

My jaw dropped. "There's no way!" I argued.

"The baby isn't due for another month!" Henry added with a hand on the small of my back.

"Sorry, sweetheart. Babies come when they want." Kate told us.

"How do you know I'm in labor? Maybe they're just really intense Braxton Hicks! It's too early!" I cried.