Charlotte

23 // blank canvas

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23 // blank canvas.

"Where are you Wren?" I tapped his contact again and sighed when it rung several times before going to voice mail.

I sighed feeling disappointed and let down. He told me he'd make it to the birthing class and he'd given me no reason not to believe him.

I used my hand to shield my eyes from the sun as I looked up and down the sidewalk for any signs of him. Other pregnant women and their partners walked pass me into the small studio where the classes would be held. Many of them gave me warm smiles and even a quick hi before entering through the glass doors.

Other cars pulled up and parked along the curb. Some of them were there for the class and others were just there to shop at the stores on the block. I bounced on the soles of my feet and continued to look up and down the street for him. I knew it wasn't always realistic to have a partner come along, but I wanted him there. We both could benefit from the information greatly.

After Wrens mom, Shelly handed me the piece of paper with her friend, the childbirth instructors, number on it, I took no additional time and ended up calling her the very next day. I even asked Wren to come along.

Lucky for us, the instructor was able to squeeze us in into her second week of classes. The first week was a class on breast feeding and since Shawna and I never discussed that topic or anything about me being around after giving birth, I figured I didn't miss much.

Today's class would be on relaxation techniques to handle pain and delay the use of medication for as long as possible when I went into labor.

I didn't have any plans to use medication like an epidural, and hopefully this class would help me be more confident in that decision. However, if the pain became too unbearable, I would be kicking and screaming for the drugs.

"There you are!" I shook my head once I saw Wren jogging down the sidewalk and towards me. He wore black Nike sweatpants, gym shoes and a dark blue muscle shirt that was more on the tighter side. At the sight of him and his unruly brown hair, his tardiness had already been forgiven.

"Where have you been?-"

"I'm so sorry i'm late-,"

We both said at the same time.

I giggled and he grinned, pulling me into a hug.

"I had a meeting with a man who wants to rent one of the warehouses for a night and he ended up arriving late so I had to stay a bit late," he murmured into my ear.

"I'm just happy that you made it," I smiled and dropped my hands from around him.

"This class will be great for the both of us," he opened the door for me and waited for me to walk in.

Once inside, I looked around. It was a decent sized room with large grey tiles that spanned the floor. Three tall windows faced the front of the place, streaming in enough light to the point where it wasn't necessary to use the lights over head.

"Come quick," the instructor ushered us over. Wren grabbed himself a mat and I grabbed a large grey bouncy ball. I rolled the ball to an open spot in the back of the class and got myself comfortable on it. Beside me, Wren rolled out the mat and sat on it with his legs out in front of him.

Like myself, most of the pregnant women had opted for yoga pants and a T-shirt. They too were far into their pregnancies.

"Welcome everyone, my name is Vera Stewart, I'm a certified childbirth educator," the instructor introduced herself. Her hands were clasped as her gaze landed on each of the couples in the room. "I'm glad that everyone was able to join me in the second week of classes and i'm excited to welcome our newest couple right there in the back," she motioned her hand to us with a kind smile.