The Game

Fifty

"Hurry up!" I yell at my mum, backing in and out of a fucking car parking space.

"I'm wonky" she panics.

"No one gives a shit, you're in the lines now please before I pop this baby out in the car" I scream as another pain comes coursing through my body.

"OK ok, let's go" she takes the keys out and takes her seat belt off. I scramble out the car and at a fast pace walk towards the front door of the hospital.

My coat is covered in blood, my nose is throbbing but nothing is like the pain in my stomach. It feels like all my muscles are constricting together so tightly I can barely breath.

"You had to park in the furthest fucking parking space!" I say annoyed, my mum doesn't answer me I think she knows right now isn't the right time to argue with me and she's right. It isn't.

I get to the reception and lean on the counter as another pain comes and I try and breathe it away.

"Hi we are here to see Doctor Keith-" my mum starts to say when he himself walks out the door with a group of nurses and a bed.

"Lauren, jump on love. Let's get you checked out" he ushers me onto the bed.

".. And get me some drugs, pain killers anything please Keith" I huff and puff.

"All in good time, lauren" he starts pushing the bed through some double doors and brings me into a private room.

"Here have this, breath nice and steady through the mouth piece" he hands me a long tube and I start breathing through it as they do some checks.

"OK, so your waters are leaking, it's a slow trickle so because you are too early for my liking I'm going to give you a drug that will hopefully slow labour down. She's safe and we will monitor you to make sure your fluid levels don't drop too low. I'll also give you some painkillers so you can come off the gas and air" he covers me up with a blanket.

"Oo no I like gas and air. It's amazing and beautiful and I just loooove how I feel. Don't take it away, I'm so happy" I smile as I hold the tube close to my chest.

"Yes leave her on it" my mum agrees, I give her a deadly look.

With a nervous laugh Keith backs away "I'll just get the pain killers, the nurses will check out your nose"

I take another puff of the magical gas and air as a female walks over to me, "I'm going to clean you up first and then hopefully we can see what's going on" with a smile she starts slowly wiping the dried blood off my face. There is no pain with the gas and air so I happily talk to her about her life.

I learn her name is Jessica, she has three children. Twin girls and a boy. Their names are Eve, Olivia and George. She has been married to her husband for five years.

"OK yes it's broken but by feeling it I would say it should heal on its own. There isn't much we do with broken noses, as far as I can see you'll heal fine with no bumps although be prepared for some good old bruising in the morning" she puts all the Wipes in the bin, "I'm going to get you a gown so we can get you out of these clothes. Mum, I'd go home and rest nothing will happen tonight and it gives you a chance to bring back your hospital bag because I can tell you for definite you won't be leaving here until you've had baby" she leaves the room to find me a gown.

"Are you OK if I leave? I'll bring back the hospital bag, is everything packed you need?" she asks.

"Yes I'm OK and I think so I packed it last week. The car seat is in the spare room so make sure you bring that" I lean back on the pillows and close my eyes.