massive thank you to Shannon for helping me with all the factual stuff in this chapter, she's an absolute star.

tears down my walls

"And I might not be perfect at first, well I'll probably never be perfect, but your Daddy is going to be amazing. He's going to always look after you and he'll play games and laugh with you. I'm not saying I won't do those things but I find it hard, I find it hard to show my love but I do love you," My hand drifted across my stomach once more before resting on top of the remote. The daytime programmes never failed to cause boredom to fall upon me and no matter how many times I channel surfed nothing new would appear.

"You must be ready to come and meet us soon, Mummy needs something to keep her occupied all day," I sighed as I flicked through the channels again. Maternity leave had to happen even though I'd tried to avoid it at every cost. When I became unable get myself to important meetings or run the factory swiftly, Aidan had practically forced me out saying I needed to rest. Rest has never been something I'm good out, at home my mind would turn and turn thinking about orders at the factory that were due to go out or thinking about the baby. Nick was becoming desperate to meet her, as soon as she out stayed her welcome by one day he was impatient, in fact he was impatient for the last five weeks.

"You're quiet today, getting ready to come to see us all?" Since the last appointment I'd been less stressed about the lack of movement, I counted the movement each day and it made me calmer, both Nick and I. I sighed as I looked round the flat, the same news segment playing for the fourth time that morning, my eyes locked with the crisp packet on the side and my strength was exerted upon the sofa as I pulled myself up.

"That was harsh," I said as I felt a sharp pain in my stomach my body stopping its movement as the wave of pain moved through me, my hand resting on the worktop. I took a deep breath as the pain subsided and gradually stood up straight again, my hand brushed over my stomach as thoughts flew around my head. I knew it was time for my baby to come, it was more than time but a part of me was still not ready and there was a part of me that thought I'd never be ready.

The daytime TV was coming to an end now and as the early evening game shows began another wave of pain ran through me and my body tensed once more. Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes was loads of time, no need to panic. Contestants went through the show answering questions that were supposed to be general knowledge but I rarely knew the answers and then the pain hit again. I watched as the team lost their money they'd won in the rounds and then as the local news began it happened again. Fifteen minutes, panic began to rise within me now as I was more than certain of the situation arising, my hand reached to the coffee table were my phone was rested.

The ringing droned in my ears as I was then greeted with Nick's answer phone. "Hey babe, no need to worry but can you just give me a ring when you get this." I sighed as I placed the phone back down on the table deciding Nick wouldn't take long to reply and I'd be okay, Rob said I'd have loads of time.

The first set of adverts in the news didn't arrive before the next pain, ten minutes and now I couldn't help but panic. My phone was grasped in my hand again and Nick's number but, for the second time, his pre-recorded voice greeted me. "Nick please just ring me or come home, I need you." My short nails tapped along the screen for a moment as I thought about what I could do. I scrolled in my contacts looking for the number of The Bistro and found it. "Hello, Nick's Bistro how can I help you?"

"Hi Steph, it's Carla. Where's Nick?"

"He's in a meeting, he should only be another hour or so, I can-"

"Steph I don't know if I'll have an hour, go and get him now."

"Okay, okay I'm going now, bye."

Five minutes now, the contractions, the pain growing ever closer together, the progression of the situation happening a lot quicker than I was warned it would. Thoughts were swirling through my head quicker than I knew they could. All my strength was used to pull myself off the sofa and over to the side, the side where Nick had placed the folder with everything we needed in it. It had all the phone numbers I might want, all the paperwork we'd collected over the many months.

"You're a strong one aren't you," I said as yet again I had to grip the side to stabilise my body. Seven minutes and still no sign of Nick. "Shit," I whispered as I felt liquid down my leg but nowhere near as much as I thought there would be. I stared down at the floor for a few moments thinking that the liquid would all just disappear as if none of this was happening. My thoughts began to gather again as I opened the folder and began to dial the maternity unit's number.

"Hello, Weatherfield maternity ward how can I help you?"

"Hi um it's Carla Connor, I just got told to ring here when um when my waters broke and they just have."

"Okay Carla, who's with you?" The lady asked.

"I'm on my own but my partner's on his way back he'll be here any minute," I explained and tried to hide the wavering in my voice, I'd been off the phone to Steph for a while now, plenty time for Nick to walk home.

"Okay well when he gets in I want you to make your way here where we'll have everything ready for you. I'll page Rob now to let him know you're coming," The lady explained, her voice having a calming impact.

"Thank you," I said before putting the phone down. I walked over to the bathroom, the walk taking longer with a contraction hitting me twice on my way. Three minutes. I placed a sanitary towel on to protect my clothing, something Rob recommended and then grabbed a towel from the cupboard for the car journey.

"Just hang on in there for Mummy, just till Daddy gets here," I said through gritted teeth as yet another wave of pain hit me, panic rising even further due to Nick's absence.

I gathered everything by the door, the bag we packed a few weeks ago full of clothes and magazines. I was struggling to stand now, the pain becoming more regular and a lot harder to cope with.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Nick said as he walked through the door picking up the hospital bag immediately.

"Where the flamin' hell have you been!" I said, the stress evident in my voice.

"I was in this meeting and then I swear everyone on the street wanted to talk to me on the way back," Nick explained and he genuinely sounded guilty.

"Well you're here now," I sighed releasing now wasn't the time to be arguing, "Can we just go?"

Nick smiled and let me out the flat and that's when it hits me, this was really happening.