A Twist For Pop

Chapter 18 - It's Time

At 35 weeks pregnant I'm a mass of hormones, aches, pains and stretch marks. I haven't seen my feet in months but my ankles feel as though they're the size of footballs. Despite mine and Michael's best attempt to keep the news of the pregnancy a secret, within a week it was plastered all over the papers and I had a very angry mum on the phone complaining how the rest of the world got to find out before her, that was not a fun conversation but at almost the exact same time Michael had the same talk with his mum. My dad was a little more laid back but Joseph just didn't seem to care which I wasn't bothered about to be honest.Since my due date is only just over a week away my mum has flown over to America so that she can be here for when I have the baby which I'm so happy about because I can't imagine going through childbirth without my mum. At the moment though she's out shopping for some last minute baby things despite the fact I had a baby shower two weeks ago and was presented with loads of beautiful things for our little one. While mum is shopping Michael and I are in the nursery putting up all of the finishing touches, since we don't know if we're having a boy or a girl we've decided to keep everything simple and keep everything either white or cream. On the walls we've hung some simple canvases that I created a few weeks ago when I was bored and to one side of the room is the beautiful white cot with a large beige bear inside.I stand back to admire my hanging skills and feel hands snake around me then lips pressing against my temples 'looks good' Michael whispers nibbling my ear which he knows always tickles, 'thank you, everything looks perfect' I smile glancing around the room. 'I actually meant you, you look radiant in your overalls' Michael grins 'ok now you're just making fun of me. You know these are one of the only things that fit, blame your child that won't stop eating' I playfully scold back only to feel a sharp clenching pain low in my abdomen causing me to lean over in pain. 'Ok, it's me that's eating a lot. Chill out baby' I talk down to my heavily pregnant stomach and gently run my hands over it. Michael places his hands on my stomach as well 'how is the little one?' 'Fine, thankfully it's not doing as much wriggling today. I think it might be asleep since I've not felt it for a while' I answer only to be rewarded by another sharp pain, this one stronger than the last.My insides feel like they're being ripped out of me as I double over in pain, 'honey are you ok?' Michael asks gently rubbing my back as I lean on the chair 'yeah I'm just getting pains, do you think it might be labour?' I turn my head to face him. 'I don't know do you want me to call your mom?' Michael continues to rub my back but I can hear the panic in his voice, 'yes please' I answer trying to stand up straight I manage it but the sudden urge to go to the toilet overwhelms me and I rush to the bathroom. As I urinate I feel something fall and realise I've had a show, oh my gosh the baby's coming.After flushing the chain and washing my hands I hurry to find Michael, he's still on the phone 'ok then, try and get here as soon as you can...ok... bye' he hangs up the phone 'you're moms on her way' 'I've had a show' I blurt out not caring about handling it delicately but Michael looks at me confused. 'Basically it's a mucus lining that stops bacteria getting inside me, and without it the baby could be born very soon' I answer and the fear in Michael's face is evident 'I'm gonna ring the midwife' he insists to which I nod my head. I make my way into the living room and sit down but it's not comfy anymore, the only way I'm comfy is if I'm moving around so I pace the length of the living room until Michael hangs up the phone.'She'll be here in a few minutes and she's going to bring a doctor with her just in case you give birth here' Michael explains, I nod my head but feel another painful contraction twisting my insides it's not as bad as I thought it would be but I'm still in early labour...It's been three hours and I'm lying on the sofa crying in pain, mum is in the kitchen making me some food but I don't want it I just want all this pain to be over. Michael is holding my hand and stroking my hair and the midwife and doctor are in the corner timing my contractions, and as if on cue I feel the familiar cramps as another contraction tears its way through my abdomen causing me to scream out in agony. My waters broke half an hour ago but apparently I'm not dilated enough for me to be able to push the baby out. 'Evie, we're going to take you to the hospital since I can see that you're not coping well with the pain' my midwife Sarah mentions as she kneels beside me, I nod my head frantically. 'Michael would you like to drive her or shall we call for an ambulance?' she asks Michael 'I'll drive her' Michael insists 'ok, I'll go in the car with you so that I can monitor Evie while Dr Hopkins takes Evie's mom' Sarah explains to which everybody nods in agreement.Within seconds I'm being placed in the car with Sarah sitting beside me, she grips hold of my hand and I'm just so thankful that she's here. Michael drives us to the hospital which doesn't take long since its late evening so there are hardly any cars around at this time. I'm whisked into the hospital and waiting for me is a wheelchair since they must have been expecting me and know that I don't have the energy to walk. My contractions are getting closer and when I enter the room I'm examined, 'ok she's 10cm dilated' Sarah explains to the Dr who is now standing behind her. My mum isn't allowed in the room, she has to wait outside but Michael has been told to put on some scrubs which I have also been changed into.I ride out another seemingly endless contraction, I can feel my eyes closing as the exhaustion takes over me 'come on Evie, you need to stay awake. You need to push our baby out' Michael kissing my forehead as the midwife continues to examine me 'ok hon, when you next get a contraction I want you to push through it ok?' I'm handed gas and air and I nod my head to show my understanding. I just want this to be all over.The most excruciating contractions rips me apart, I inhale the gas and air then push with all my might although it doesn't seem like I've done anything. Every few seconds a new contraction releases itself and I have to push. It's been two hours and I'm ready to give up, a contraction hits me again and with the little energy I have left I push long and hard through the full duration of the contraction and to my relief I hear a high pitched cry. I did it. My breathing slows as I look down and see the midwife holding my baby in her arms, she offers a pair of scissors to Michael and watch as he cuts the umbilical cord to which I smile in return.Sarah wraps the baby in a blanket and places it on my chest 'congratulations Evie, you've got a little boy' happy tears cascade over my face as I stare at the beautiful little boy lying on my chest. His eyes tightly closed until I gently stroke his already thick black hair then I see the most gorgeous pale blue eyes I've ever seen staring up at me 'hello' I whisper with a huge smile on my face 'I'm your mummy' that sounds so weird to say. I hold the baby close and Michael comes to stand beside me, he lowers his head and softly kisses me then gently kisses our sons head as he yawns and closes his eyes once again. I'm in love.After a few moments Sarah takes the baby to be cleaned up and I have to be stitched up, but as soon as we're done she hands the baby back to me, 'Wendy, would you like to come and meet your grandson' I hear Michael ask as he opens the door, then seconds later my mum barrels into the room and the moment she sets he eyes upon the baby, tears flood down her face. 'What are you going to call him?' she asks taking a seat beside the bed, I glance up at Michael who's gently caressing my shoulder 'Prince Michael, after Mike's Grandad' I smile down at the child quietly sleeping in my arms. 'Our little Prince' I carefully lift him and place a soft kiss on the top of his head Luckily since it's late at night I don't have to endure family members swamping around to see Prince, the only people around me are Michael, Sarah and the occasional doctor. But Sarah has told me that as soon as I have shown her that I can breast feed Prince, bathe him and get him dressed then we're free to go home since I had no birthing complications and Prince is perfectly healthy. The first task is breastfeeding, it just feels so weird and I'm thankful that Michael has nipped home to get the car seat as I wouldn't have been able to do this if he were here. Sarah helps me and within a few minutes Prince is suckling. Afterwards I wind him just like Sarah shows me and bathe him, I'm half expecting Prince to scream the place down but he seems to enjoy the bath it's the longest I've seen him with his eyes open and he's constantly looking around.Following that I carefully get him dressed into a nappy, a vest, a baby grow and a hat. Lovely and toasty warm. Sarah wishes me luck and I'm allowed to leave as soon as Michael gets here which isn't long. He places Prince in the carrier and I grab my overnight bag that we bought with us then the three of us make our way back to the car to have our first night as a family.'Right, I'll stay up for a few hours with him and I want you to go to bed. Don't worry about showering or anything like that, you just get some rest' Michael insists as soon as we get home, 'but I don't want to leave Prince' I sulk 'ok I'll bring him into our room but you are going to sleep' he orders before gently pushing me in the direction of our room. As soon as I reach our bedroom I flop onto the bed and drift off into a peaceful sleep, not hearing if Michael has come to bed or not.I jolt awake. What was that noise? I listen out but can't hear anything. Then I hear it again, it's crying... Prince. I throw the covers off me and hurry over to the Moses basket and peer inside. Prince is crying his little heart out, I gently lift him out and bounce him softly on my shoulder but at the moment I don't know what's wrong with him. Hmm, his dummy isn't in his mouth. I see it on his pillow and place it in his mouth automatically calming him; with a soft kiss I place him back into the Moses basket, cover him up with the blanket then climb back into bed. Light floods the room and my eyes flicker open, I glance over at Michael, he's still fast asleep then I glance at Prince, still asleep. Well I might as well join them both so I close my eyes and drift back to sleep...Heavy banging wakes me up then the noise of Prince crying as the noise has probably woken him too. I sit up and rub my face before determining the noise is someone banging on the bedroom door 'come in' I holler only to be met by Katherine, Michael's mom. 'Morning Katie, how are you?' I yawn 'morning? Baby girl it's 3 in the afternoon. I just wanted to stop by and meet this little angel, oh my lord he is adorable' Katherine runs her finger down Prince's face. I smile watching her with him, 'the others are downstairs, I'll leave you alone for a minute to get ready' and with that Katherine rushes off back down the stairs. Surprisingly Michael is still asleep but after a few kisses on the cheek and gentle shaking he wakes up and tiredly looks at me. 'Your family is here so we need to get out of bed' I say by a way of explanation.Within fifteen minutes both Prince and I are dressed, Prince has been fed and his nappy has been changed. So I make my way down the corridor with Michael following closely behind me. In the living room I see all of Michael's brothers, his three sisters and his mum and dad and my parents in the corner chatting happily away to each other, then from the middle of everyone I see Grace handing out drinks and snacks.The moment we walk into the room we're bombarded with questions; all the women crowd me to get a good look at Prince while all the men just sit nearer to Michael to ask him some of the more boring questions about what it was like. When the initial excitement has died down we all take our seats and chat for most of the afternoon, but I'm thankful when they all go home because it gives Michael, Prince and I chance to just bond with one another on our own without family around us.It's soon time for Prince to be fed and changed again 'you're a natural Evie' Michael compliments as I sit on the rug feeding Prince 'what do you mean' I ask 'you just already seem to know what Prince needs and he's not even a day old yet' he explains to which I smile 'I guess it's just mothers instinct or something like that, but don't worry you'll get to figure out what he wants soon' Prince starts to squirm so I place him over my shoulder and wind him although I'm rewarded by vomit trailing down my back. 'Nice, thanks for that one Prince. Much appreciated' I hold Prince in front of me but he just looks at me all cute and innocent. 'Could you change him' I glance at Michael as I place Prince on the changing mat before walking into the kitchen to change my top. 'Ugh this is impossible' I hear Michael muttering from the next room, I peek my head around the door and see Michael on his knees changing Prince's nappy. Prince is just looking up at him in the adorable innocent manner as Michael continues to get himself into a flap.I can't help but smile, but I guess I best help him. With a smirk on my face I merely push Michael out of the way and make little work of securing the nappy. 'See easy peasy' I glance at him and I'm rewarded with Michael sticking his tongue out at me to which I return. I turn to look at Prince but I find myself being pinned to the floor with Michael straddling me and staring down into my eyes, he kisses my lips and I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer to me. 'Right darling I think that you should go and have a nice hot bath, I'll look after Prince' Michael kisses my entire face before standing up and pulling me to my feet.Michael lifts up Prince and hugs him tightly against his chest while I hurry to our room and run a hot bath for myself with lots of rose petals and candles. Ahh sheer bliss...What the hell was that, I snap my eyes open and look around the room. Ugh the bath water is cold and most of my candles have gone out leaving me in almost complete darkness I then hear a loud crying from the living room. Prince? I fly out of the bath grabbing my dressing gown as I race towards the living room where I find Michael gently bouncing a sobbing Prince on his shoulder. 'What's wrong?' I ask stroking Prince's hair, 'I don't know, I've checked his diaper and that's fine, I've tried entertaining him but that's not working, he doesn't want his pacifier. I just don't know what's wrong, maybe he needs feeding?' Michael explains to which I look at him confused 'I only fed him a few minutes ago' Michael stops walking around 'honey you've been in the bath for three hours' wow, well that explains why the water was cold.'He's bound to be starving then' I carefully lift Prince out of Michael's arms and take a seat on the chair before opening my dressing gown and feeding Prince. I glance up and see Michael staring at me 'what?' 'just thinking how gorgeous you look' he answers not taking his eyes from me, 'I'm sat here with mad hair with my boobs out and a deflated baby bump and you think I look gorgeous' I laugh. Michael crouches on the floor in front of me and looks directly into my eyes, 'not because of that. You're glowing Evie, motherhood certainly agrees with you' he kisses my forehead then leaves the room so that I can finish feeding Prince.