Chapter 26
Week 40 (due date)
It is a little known fact that only 4% of babies are born of their actual due date, with an average four days over for first-time mothers. I was no different to them. The first real contractions I felt were the day after my due date. They continued into the late night. I couldn't sleep because of them, it was really unpleasant. Storm had rarely left my side since they had begun. So purely just to get a minute to myself, I asked her to wake Owen to drive us to the hospital.
Once checked in, they called the arranged mid-wife. Only now it was happening was I really scared. Storm tried. Owen tried. But I was too scared to listen. My dialation took less time then expected, and I was in lots of pain with the contractions growing stronger and closer. It was going scary quick, but the mid-wife assured me there was nothing wrong. But as I got more dialated things started to slow down. To me that seemed odd, but at least everything was at a more sane pace.
The delivery room was loud. There were my screams of pain, Storm and Owen's words of encouragement as I fell back against the bed, the constant instruction to push. But all of that stopped, as a high pitched cry sounded from between my legs.
"It's a girl!" I was so happy tears burned my cheeks, and they gave me the tiny wriggling bundle, whom settled in my arms.
"Hi" I whispered, stroking her bloody locks atop her small head.
It was 04:45 am, June 24th 3010 and all that mattered, was the precious, warm creature I held. It felt surreal. But at the same time, totally normal.
In the past there had been some disputes about names, on whether it was a boy or girl. But as I thought of all the names we had seen when scowering the texts, one stood out the most. Christina.
They took her away to check her over and I was taken to the ward. It felt wierd, not having a baby bump but it felt terrific that I could lay on my stomach again. All four of us managed to get a couple of hours sleep before my parents arrived at the hospital. Just like when Mercury had been born they were supportive. My mom asked when they were letting me out of the hospital, and they said as soon as I was ready. I didn't hesitate to start to get ready. I had never really been too keen on hospitals. When we go home, most of the others were just coming around from their alcohol induced sleep and had hangovers. And it was still early. Well, early for the Heartbreak, (11am).Ish. Galileo was watching Mercury and some of the other kids painting when we got in. Merc was the first to look up. "Aunt Liv!" She called, causing Galileo to look up from the music he was reading.
"Hey kiddo" she hugged my legs. "Whoa, let go kiddo, then you can meet your cousin." Setting the carseat on the table I took Christina out and craddled her in my arms.
"Pretty." She said in a child-like voice.
She looked over her cousin, with absolute adoration, and I knew that we were home.