SIX MONTHS LATER

Amelia wondered how she had got through the last few months. Despite the continued counselling, she had tried to ignore every thought of the pregnancy but with the passage of time it wasn't so easy for her to forget the fact, as the bump was now so big her feet had long since disappeared from view.

With only two weeks to go before her due date, she had still not come to any decision about what would happen after the baby was born but she also had other things on her mind and she had voiced her concerns to her brother on several occasions.

Amelia had been feeling uneasy for quite a while now, she was not a woman to be scared easily or indeed prone to imagining things but she had complained to Lucas in the last few months that she thought she was being watched when she sometimes ventured out.

At first she had thought she was just being silly and had reasoned that nobody would want to follow her as she was not remotely interesting, but as the weeks had drifted by that uneasy feeling would not leave her.

Lucas had first thought that it was Amelia just being over anxious but when she had continued to be concerned, he had looked into it further even to the point of following her at a discrete distance in order to put her mind at ease, he had found nothing untoward and tried to reassure her everything was fine.

The next day Amelia woke early, she was hardly getting any sleep anymore as it was so hard to get comfortable in bed, her back now ached everyday from trying to counter all the weight out in front and she was getting very fed up indeed. Plus to top it all this morning she had a stomach ache as well, so she took herself off to have a warm bath and to try and relax a little, but with the due date ever closer the more worried she became.

Although Amelia had been in the bath for a while she was still not feeling any better so she decided to get out. Dressing herself in some loose fitting clothes, she began to feel very restless but could not pinpoint the reason why when suddenly she was bent double with a severe cramp.

Gasping in agony from the sudden increase in pain, Amelia grabbed hold of the edge of the bathroom sink to steady herself. When the pain had subsided and thinking nothing more of it, she took herself off to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

While the kettle boiled she gazed out of the window, the dawn was breaking and the sun was starting to show itself on the horizon. She looked at the clock thinking that her brother would be up soon and so she decided to make Lucas a drink too and take it to him in bed.

Knocking on his door she heard him mumble it was ok to come in but no sooner had she opened his bedroom door when she was bent over again in terrible pain. Dropping the cup of tea, Amelia couldn't help but moan out loud.

Lucas leaped out of bed and went to her side.

"Amelia….what's wrong?" his voice full of concern.

"I'm ok….I've just got a stomach ache."

"Here….let me help you." Lucas led his sister back to the lounge and sat her down on the sofa.

"How long have you been feeling like this?" he enquired worryingly.

"About three hours…I had a bath but it didn't help."

"Why didn't you wake me?" he questioned, unable to understand her reasoning.

"I thought it would just go away….and besides I didn't want to worry you."

"I'll call the hospital and see what they say."

"No Lucas….it's ok…I'll be fine in a bit and besides you don't want to waste their time when they have more important things to do."

Lucas looked at his sister, not at all convinced she was telling him the entire truth.

"Ok then…I'm going to have a quick bath….I won't be long….but promise me you'll stay put and rest."

"I promise…now go…I'll be fine."

Lucas left the room and headed for the bathroom but when he emerged thirty minutes later he found his sister on the floor doubled up in pain again.

"Amelia!" he shouted, rushing to her side.

"Lucas….it's getting worse…the pain….the baby…..I think it's coming."

"You think you're having contractions?" he asked, helping Amelia back onto the sofa and getting more anxious by the second. "How long are they apart?"

"I'm not sure….but I think about every five minutes."

"Every five minutes?" he exclaimed loudly. "Christ…..we better get to the hospital."

"I don't want to go." Amelia said nonchalantly.

"What? You have to….you can't have the baby here."

"I can't do this Lucas…..I can't."

"It's ok…I understand….but Amelia….If the baby is on the way…then nothing is going to stop it…so the best place to be is the hospital… you know I'm right."

Amelia nodded before adding "I'm just so scared Lucas."

"It will be ok…I promise."

Suddenly another contraction came, making Amelia groan out loud. She watched her brother lose his cool exterior and the once calm man was now anything but as he began rushing around the flat getting everything his sister needed to take with her to the hospital.

As they were heading out the door Amelia had to stop as another pain gripped her.

"Oh my god…they're coming quicker!" She gasped.

"I thought you told me the other day that the first baby always takes it time." Lucas said as his sister held onto him for support.

"I did….but this one hasn't got any intentions of hanging around I think."

Arriving at the hospital, Amelia was taken straight into a side room where she was assessed. With the contractions now coming thick and fast she was told the baby would soon be here.

About 30 minutes later Lucas popped his head round the door.

"The midwife said it was ok for me to come in." Sitting in the chair beside her bed Lucas spoke again. "How are you feeling…or is that a stupid question?"

"I'm fine….just bloody hurts when the…." She suddenly stopped speaking as another contraction took hold. Grabbing hold of Lucas' hand she did her best to breathe through the pain without inflicting too much injury to her brother.

"Christ Amelia…" Lucas exclaimed as he rubbed his now released hand. "I didn't realise you were so strong….I've read about women in labour on the internet…and now I know all the stories are true."

"LUCAS!" Amelia was shouting now. "Get the midwife in here now."

"Why?"

"Just get her."

"Why?"

"Because I need to start bloody pushing!"

Lucas ran from the room and into the corridor, 30 seconds later he came back in with a midwife following him. After Amelia explained how she was feeling, the midwife approached Lucas and told him it was his time to leave and that his sister would be safe in their hands.

Lucas went back to his sister's bedside briefly.

"Amelia….I've got to leave now." His sister grabbed his hand once more and held it tightly, he could see how scared she was and he tried to reassure her. "It's alright….I'm staying right outside that door…I'm not going anywhere…ok….and just think…when I see you again you're going to be a mummy." he said smiling.

"I ….don't ….want….to….be….a ….mummy!" Amelia blurted out between the pain of another contraction.

"It will be alright…trust me." Lucas replied, releasing his hand from his sister's grip. He left the room at the bequest of the midwife telling him to leave and the shouts of his name ringing in his ears as his sister continued to call out to him.