Cameron James had the perfect life. For the past eight years he's been happily married to the first and only woman he's ever loved. What happens when an accident takes away Amelia's memories of the past twelve years? What happens when she only remem...
"Another headache?" Cameron asks, coming up to me, his hands cupping around my neck, angling my head to lean back against him.
"No." His soft voice and soothing hands pull me from my pain. "Not this time."
It's been a month since he came home. His recovery has been smooth and he's even returned to work this week. Which means he's only seen the aftermath of my headaches.
Cameron only knows them as 'annoying', but they're so much more than that.
They're crippling headaches that blur my vision.
The headaches, coupled with the fact that I'm nine months pregnant makes a very miserable me.
I don't know if past me enjoyed being pregnant; but this me doesn't. My back and feet are killing me, I can't get comfortable at night, and I'm constantly moody.
It just want to hold her in my arms, I want to see Cameron hold her in his arms.
I'm tired. I'm tired of the pain, I'm tired of worrying if the delivery will be alright, I'm tired of waiting.
"Then what is it?" Cameron pulls away, turning me to look at him, my hands move to his tie, pulling him down toward me. "Amelia," He mutters, his lips brushing mine, causing a shiver to run through me. "Are you hurt?"
"Just Braxton Hicks." I whisper, just as my body starts to tense in pain again.
Two weeks ago, I convinced myself the irregular cramps I was feeling were contractions.
Cameron rushed home, timed them, and popped the little bubble of excitement that had grown around me.
"They're too irregular to be real contractions, baby. Soon though. Soon."
Just as he leans in to hold me, I gasp, pulling back, as a popping sensation fills me. Warm liquid runs down my leg as heat fills my cheeks.
Did I just?
"Amelia," Cameron says slowly, approaching me. "I think that was your water."
"Really?" I smile up at him but my happiness quickly fades. Oh gosh, this is it. I'm having a baby.
"It's okay." He pecks me quickly before walking to our dresser, grabbing our overnight bed, and setting it on the bed. "We're gonna start timing your contractions, okay? We're ready to go so the second they get close enough."
"We can't go now?"
"No, we went early when Theo was born and you hated it. You like to rest in our bed and walk in the garden." He pulls back the duvet cover. "Rest first, while I tell Zoey." I don't hesitate to crawl into the large bed and lie down, letting him cover me with our warm blankets just as another contraction starts.
Two contractions later he's back, softly closing the door behind him. My eyes flutter open, watching as he take off his suit coat before kicking off his shoes and laying down next to me.
"It's quiet here." I whisper as his hand comes to my stomach.
"They always go to your parents." He mutters, his thumb stroking what must me Nora's knee. "Are they bad yet?"
"No." I inhale sharply at the tightness that comes again. "They're not too bad yet."
"Okay, you like to walk when they start getting worse than 'tight' as you call them."
"Okay, I just wanna try to sleep for a little longer."
"Okay, Baby," Again, he kisses my forehead, still rubbing my stomach. "Rest, I'll keep timing them."
An hour later, I contraction builds up so hard I whimper.
"Amelia," Cameron starts to climb out of the bed. "They're getting pretty close, it's time to go."
"I can't move." I tell his, my hand clenching as I try to breath deeply. "Not yet."
"I'm gonna carry you okay," He leans down, one arm going behind my back and the other under my legs. "I may have let you sleep too long."
The pain starts to dwindle as he lifts me up, and I'm momentarily distracted my his arms bulging in his dress shirt.
He softly sets me in the seat of his SUV. "Let's bring our baby into the world."
"Kiss me first." I grab his tie. "Please."
He grins boyishly, showing his crooked tooth that I've fallen in love with.
He inhales deeply as his lips meet mine. It's tender and full of love, excitement, and nervous energy.
"We have to go." He mumbles, nibbling on my bottom lip. "Now." He's kisses me deeply before pulling away.
In hour later I've been rushed to a private room, dressed into a birthing gown, and placed in stirrups.
"I don't go down there." I grit through a contraction, my hand tightening my grip on Cameron's. "Eyes up here."
"As you wish." My husband leans to kiss my forehead, currently beaded with sweat. "Your an amazing woman." He breathes, as my current contraction causes me to whimper. "Sometimes I think you can't get anymore perfect and then..." He breaks of his sentence with a chuckle. "You always prove me wrong."
I'm about to respond through my tears when Dr. Kingsley suddenly looks up, a frown on her face. "She's turned." The doctor looks from between my legs to the nurse in pink scrubs, waiting next to her. "Frank's breech, prep for a cesarean." She then looks from me to Cameron in the chair next to the bed. Noting the panic in my face, and I'm sure Cameron's, she smiles comfortingly. "I know this is scary." Her eyes then slowly focus on mine as I attempt to control my breathing. "The baby has moved and instead of coming head first, she's coming bottom first which angles her like this." Her palms meet forming a 'V'.
My mind goes back to the scan from only two days ago. "But.."
"I know that she was fine a few days ago." Her hand rests on my foot still in the stirrup. "But she's moved, and it's too late to try and turn her again."
"So surgery is our only option?" My husband asks, looking down at me before focusing on our obstetrician.
"A very basic surgery, one I do multiple times a week."
"It wasn't like this with the others!" I find myself crying out, frustration, fear, and anxiety filling me. "Theo came out so easy, Cameron, it was so simple. And Mayzie," I sob, gripping his arm. "She came out so quickly, she was ready."
Then my eyes connect with Cameron's and I can see every emotion there.
I can see the court room where he was granted custody of the kids.
I can see our first Christmas together, mistletoe hung throughout the house, in every room.
I can see him on one knee in my childhood bed room.
I can see every memory we've made together.
*** One chapter left! Then an epilogue and Cameron's letter.
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