Thinking Out Loud

Chapter 15

"You sure you're gonna be able to stay up past half nine?" Joe teased as him and Dianne settled onto the sofa that evening. Dianne hit him gently and gave him a side glare before taking the remote and flicking through the channels.
"As long as you don't bore me," she retaliated, "then we should be fine." A grin spread across her glowing face as Joe gasped, his brow furrowing in thought.
"You are something else miss Buswell. Well and truly." Giggling slightly, Dianne cuddled further into Joe and kissed his shoulder before settling, her head now on his lap, looking up at him through doe-like eyes. As he watched tv, Joe ran his index finger over Dianne's forehead, softly stroking it. His other hand came to rest against her bump as she laid perfectly still.

Dianne sighed heavily and turned over so she was now facing the tv. From behind, Joe traced the delicate lines of her tattoo with the soft pads of his fingers, smiling gently as he heard her breathing became heavy and calm.
"Are you falling asleep?" He asked quietly.
Dianne shook her head. "No, I'm just relaxed."

The couple had been laid on the sofa for an hour or so, the traditional New Years Eve show on the BBC not yet started but both had begun to get tired. Dianne, her eyes stinging and heavy, gave up and closed them, falling into a peaceful slumber as Joe seemed to do the same. Pregnancy was tiring and Dianne needed all the sleep she could get.

Joe's eyes fluttered open as loud cheering echoed around the cosy room from the tv. He stared, confused, at it for a couple of seconds before he realised what was happening. It was midnight, and 2021- the year his daughter would be born, the year his life would take another turn he never expected. Just as a cascade of fireworks flew into the air, lighting up against the blackened sky, the colours striking, Dianne murmured three words to Joe as she woke up slightly.
"Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year, Di." Joe bent down to kiss the side of her head and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Let's go up to bed," he whispered, "we're both knackered. Come on."
"M' okay." Dianne sat up slowly, hauled herself off the sofa and waddled across the room, out of the door and up the stairs, Joe close behind. "I'm not doing my teeth," she said as they reached the top of the stairs, "I can't be bothered."
"Neither can I." Dianne smiled gently. They walked into their bedroom and changed as quickly as they could- Dianne taking considerably longer considering her current condition. Pulling the covers aside, Dianne climbed into bed and, resisting the urge to just fall asleep, waited until Joe was in to kiss him goodnight. Finally, she fell asleep wrapped up in Joe's arms, one protective hand resting on her stomach, Joe's hand just on top, their regular position now.

•••

"I've bought these." Joe held up a pack of baby grows, newborn nappy's and a teddy. Dianne smiled and took them from his outstretched hands, neatly tucking them into her hospital bag along with all the other essentials listed in an information booklet from the hospital.
"Can you check the list?" Dianne asked, "I'm pretty sure we've got most of it, if not all." Joe nodded and ran downstairs to get the sheet from where it sat on the kitchen table before rushing back upstairs.
"I think we've got everything," he said as he walked through the bedroom door. Passing Dianne the list, Joe watched as she checked through her bag, mentally ticking each item off.
"Yep, we've got everything." Dianne zipped up the bag and carefully put it on the floor, at the foot of the bed. "I've never been so prepared," she joked.
"Neither, parenthood is changing us!"
"Slowly but surely. God, imagine what we'll be like after she pops out."
Joe shook his head. "I don't want to think about it. No ones ready for the fatherly side of Joe to come out, not even Joe himself."
"I am," Dianne smiled, "it'll make me fall in love all over again."
Joe smiled shyly.
"Only if you're good at it mind. Not sure I'd keep you if you were a crap dad."

•••

Dianne woke with a start, and checked her phone.
3:12 am
Saturday 30 January
She laid in silence for a few minutes before a tightening pain ran across the bottom of her bump. The pain wasn't bad enough to lead Dianne into panic but she was very aware of the feeling and what it could mean. Her due date wasn't until late February, this couldn't be the start of labour. Pushing even the possibility that the pains were the beginnings of labour out of her head, Dianne settled back into her pillows and tried to go back to sleep.

Another tightening pressure came, painful enough to wake her up. She checked the time again, 4:02 am. Everything was becoming more and more uncomfortable and Dianne, heart beating quickly, let panic fill her. Baby Sugg wasn't due until February, yet she was beginning to make an appearance, Dianne was certain of it. As she laid in the silence, Dianne felt a small pop.
"Oh crap," she muttered into the dark. Her sleepy brain couldn't work out if she had felt her waters breaking or if the mucus plug had come out; Dianne hoped it was the latter as it meant she wouldn't necessarily be going into labour. Carefully and quietly, Dianne pushed aside the covers and made her way across the bedroom and into the bathroom, just as another tightening feeling hit her. She checked in the bathroom. Her mucus plug had come out and the pains she felt were the beginnings of contractions.
"Shit." Dianne was completely panicked now. This baby was definitely coming now, there was no doubt about it.
"Joe!" She half-shouted as she came out of the bathroom, the pressure getting worse. "Joe, wake up!"
"Huh?" Joe questioned as he rubbed his eyes. "Dianne, what are y-"
"Joe, I think I'm in labour!"