It's You: Book Two

Chapter Thirteen

I put my left hand against the kitchen counter, sighing uncomfortably as I feel my stomach tightening again. I rub my belly, glancing up at Aiden after the pain subsides.

"I'm not going to work." He says.

"Just go to work. They're Braxton hicks. I'm not due for another week, and you don't need to start paternity leave without a good reason."

Disapproval is all over his face.

"Are you sure? You've been having a lot of those lately."

"I'm sure," I smile. "I've done this before. I'm not having the baby today."

"I still think you're going into labor before Ali." He says.

"I don't think so." I say.

He sighs and leans forward to kiss me.

"Just please call me if anything changes. If the braxton hicks get closer together, call me. If your pee feels weird, call me. If you get tired, call me."

"I will." I smile. "I promise."

He kisses me again, says goodbye to Declan and then walks out the door.

"What do you think, Decky? Wanna go see Auntie Ali?"

"Yeah!" he exclaims.

"Alright. Go get your shoes."

I really don't feel like walking up those stairs right now.

The last couple of months have dragged by. We had the baby shower around six weeks ago, and we've spent the time preparing for the baby. I have an emergency hospital bag by the door, Anthony and Emily on standby to come and get Declan, a car seat in both my car and Aiden's truck, an overnight bag for Declan, and a bag for me and Aiden.

I'm due in one week, down to the day. My twenty fifth birthday was yesterday and everyone came over for the party.

Ali was due yesterday, but she still hasn't gone into labor. She said she's getting small pains, but they're very faint.

Declan comes downstairs with his shoes in his hands, and I sit him down on the counter so I can tie them on, rubbing my belly when I feel a slight pain again.

I put Declan on the floor and grab my purse and keys, waddling down the pathway to my Honda.

Declan climbs up into the car, getting into his car seat.

I buckle him in and get in the drivers seat, turning on the car.

I back out and head over to Ali's apartment.

The whole family is frequenting the area. Mike moved here, so everyone is staying at his apartment waiting for one of us to go into labor.

We have three hundred bucks on the baby being a boy, one fifty on the baby being a girl.

I'm convinced it's a boy, but if it's a girl, I'll be delighted.

My family is staying with Ali during the day, because she should've had the baby yesterday and everyone think she's going into labor. I don't blame them. I do too, and there's no way I'm missing the birth of my niece.

I turn off the engine outside of Ali's apartment and get Declan from the car, carrying my purse while he walks in front of me.

I knock twice on Ali's front door and then let myself in.

She's up, vacuuming, while Camilla tries to convince her to calm down.

"Calm down? I'm overdue. My ankles hurt, my back is killing me, and I just want this baby out right now. Everything they say that's supposed to make me go into labor isn't working."

Ali shuts off the vacuum and turns to me.

"She keeps telling me to calm down."

I put my hand on my back when I feel some pain, sighing as I waddle over to the couch, gesturing for Danny to move.

He stands up and I sit down, putting my hand on my Dad's shoulder so I don't fall into the cushion.

"Don't tell her to calm down," I say to my mother-in-law breathlessly. "You haven't given birth in twenty five years."

"How are you feeling?" Camilla asks me, ignoring me being a little bit snippy.

"I'm feeling fat and useless." I reply, putting my feet on the coffee table.

"I mean are you getting contractions? Any pain? Anything?"

"Aside from the usual Braxton hicks, no." I say. "And I'm honestly with Ali. I can't wait to not be pregnant. Do you know how difficult it is to lug around a two year old when you're thirty nine weeks pregnant?"

"I do, actually." She says. "Your mother and I were pregnant at the same time, remember? That's why I think it's a girl. I had Aiden when your Mom had Michael. It makes sense for you both to have girls."

"I think it's a boy." I mumble. "Aiden swears up and down that it's a girl."

"Well Aiden's an idiot." Ali says. "I wish guys had to get pregnant. I wish they had to push a fucking fetus from their penis hole."

"Ow." Mike mutters, and then he turns to me. "Aiden's still working?"

"I'm making him go," I reply. "There's no reason for him to go on paternity leave. He only gets eight weeks. If I don't have the baby for two more weeks, that's only six weeks for him to spend with the baby."

"You're going to make him work until you go into labor, aren't you?" Peter asks.

"Yeah."

"That's what I did with all three of you." Dad shrugs his shoulders. "He'll be fine."

"I have to pee again." I groan. "This baby is sitting on my bladder."

I struggle to get up, and then helplessly reach my hands out for my brother, who pulls me up from the couch.

I put my hand on my belly and waddle across the apartment to Ali's bathroom.

I use the restroom, wash my hands, and then waddle back to the living room, sighing uncomfortably when I feel my stomach tightening.

"What?" Ali asks. "What is it?!"

"It's just Braxton hicks. Calm down." I wave her off.

I don't want to sit, so I walk around the apartment, putting my hand on my back as I do, sighing uncomfortably when I feel another Braxton hicks.

This one is slightly stronger, and I get a feeling that I'm going into labor soon.

Maybe Aiden was right.

I take a few deep breaths as I walk. Ali is sitting down now, and I'm the one walking.

I lap her apartment a few more times when I feel my stomach tightening, but this one hurts more than a usual Braxton hicks.

I rest my forehead against the wall, shutting my eyes.

"You need to sit down." Mom says.

I want to tell her no, but I don't feel like standing anymore, so I walk over to the couch and use my Dad's shoulder to sit down again.

And then, just like I did last time with Declan, I get a gut feeling that I'm having the baby today, so I pick up my phone and text Aiden.

Me: hi I don't want to pull you out of work early, but just so you know I had a contraction and I can't decide if it was a labor one or just Braxton hicks

The message goes to read almost immediately.

Aiden: I'm coming home, nothing you say or do is going to stop me

Me: okay but I'm at Ali's

Aiden: I'll be there soon

I start typing a reply when I get another pain. This one hurts a lot more, so I squeeze my eyes shut, shaking my head and rubbing the spot that hurts.

When it passes, I look up.

"Yeah, I think I'm going into labor."