A/N: I am really sorry about how long it took. My muse abandoned me for some reason. It's still not done. It's just getting harder to come up with good stuff so if you have ideas let me know!
Alexis had put all of the presents in the nursery after the baby shower and they had stayed in their bags and boxes for too long.
I started to go through the gifts again and put the books on the shelf. It started to feel perfect with all the books around me. Alexis and Rick had decided on Purple and Green since we didn't know if the baby would be a boy or a girl. There was a jungle theme in the room. Monkeys and elephants were most prominent. Stuffed animals were everywhere and the changing table was stocked and the drawers were filled with baby clothes. It started to feel like the room belonged to the baby.
It was all so real. At this point I was terrified about how terrible I was going to be at this, at being a mom. Just when I started to feel confident about something someone would say something that would assure me that I was completely out of my element. In the beginning I thought planning and being prepared would be all it would take, but I was so wrong. Rick was reasonably overprotective, but so calm about all the preparations. He had experience with this kind of thing and I was just trying to be brave like I always did.
The first twinge of pain I had, I wrote off as my imagination. The second time it happened I felt like I couldn't breathe from the fear. The third time it happened I tried to trick myself into being calm and I was. I didn't say anything to my family at first. I knew they would take me to the hospital the second they found out. My doctor had told me how long it could take so I waited it out. I didn't want to spend too many hours in the hospital.
I watched a romantic movie with Alexis that neither of us had seen. I helped Martha pick an outfit for her date hoping she would still go on it tonight. Then Rick asked me to help him brainstorm the top-secret plot of his new Nikki Heat book.
About half way through the fourth chapter he looked up and noticed the pained expression that I was making.
"Kate? Are you alright?"
I smiled, trying to hide it. "I'm fine."
The pain was getting pretty awful at this point and I was starting think it might be a good idea to say something. I didn't want him to freak him out just yet though. He was watching me now, instead of working and he noticed the next time I had a contraction.
"Oh my God! Alexis! Mother! Come quick!"
Alexis came in running. "What's wrong?"
She saw Rick's flabbergasted expression fixed directly on me. "Grams come on! It's time, we're going to the hospital."
Rick looked nervous for the first time in forever and I smiled. For once during this pregnancy I wasn't the panicked one.
"Oh dear, why didn't you say anything?" Martha was astounded.
I sighed, accessing the heightened excitement in the room. "I didn't want to be in the hospital for half the day so I just…" I took in a deep breath as I felt the next contraction.
As Rick grabbed my bag he interrupted me, "How long?" He said completely stunned.
"Since this morning."
Alexis looked freaked out. Martha just laughed as we headed out of the loft. "That's actually a marvelous idea."
"Marvelous? Mother, are you crazy? We should have left the moment…"
I looked over at him and gave him the look. He went completely quiet.
Martha pinched Rick's cheek as we got on the elevator. "As I recall, I was in the hospital for 16 hours with you young man. Kate's plan is quite genius!"
Rick clicked the button for the car garage and I clicked the one for the ground floor.
They all starred at me like I was crazy.
"Mom, what are you doing?" Alexis said completely concerned.
"It's only ten blocks." I said stubbornly.
As the doors opened Rick took my hand. "It will be easier if we…"
"It will take longer in the car and you know it! It's New York, we might never get there with traffic."
He sighed and let me pull him out of the elevator. He wrapped his arm around me like I might fall. "You're sure?" He asked nervously.
I nodded and smiled up at him reassuringly. The effect was ruined when I flinched in response to another contraction.
I knew I could get to the hospital; it was the rest of our lives that I was worried about.
I had no idea how to be a mom. Even with Martha's help I still felt unprepared, but at the moment none of that mattered. For some reason I was calm, at least for now.
