Chapter 18
Two months later, Mercedes held on tightly to Colby's hand as she laid in her hospital bed.
"That's it," Colby said.
Mercedes took a deep breath as she squeezed her fiancé's hand a little tighter as she felt the contraction come on strong.
"Almost over."
Mercedes slowly breathed as the contraction subsided. "Goddamn," She said, looking at Colby.
"You're doing great, baby," Colby said. He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Thank you," Mercedes replied. "I think this is more painful than taking all those bumps and bruises in wrestling."
Colby chuckled. "Well, you're a very strong woman. You can get through childbirth."
"Thank you, Colby. I'm so happy I have you here."
"Even if we weren't together romantically I would want to be here with you. Wanting to give my friend moral support."
"You're still my friend, baby," Mercedes commented. "My best friend and my lover."
Colby laughed. He gave her a light kiss on the lips.
There was a knock on the door. "Come in," Mercedes shouted.
Mercedes's mother, Judith smiled as she walked into the room. "Hi sweetheart."
"Mom," Mercedes smiled.
Judith smiled herself. She went over to her daughter. "How are you doing?" She asked, kissing her daughter on the cheek.
"Good. But much better now that you're here," Mercedes said.
Judith smiled again. She gave Mercedes another kiss on the cheek.
"How was your flight?" Colby asked.
"Good," Judith replied. "I tried not to think too much about my daughter being in labor, waiting for me."
"Well, you're here now," Mercedes said. "And that's all that matters to me."
Judith smiled.
"She's doing great," Colby commented.
"How many centimeters are we dilated?" Judith asked, looking at Mercedes.
"Just five," Mercedes answered.
"Well, we'll get you all the way to ten."
Mercedes smiled.
A few hours went by and Mercedes slowly dilated one centimeter at a time. But the contractions got closer and closer to each other and Mercedes felt a little more stress on her. And with her stress on herself, she put stress on the baby. With that stress on the baby, the baby's heartrate slowly rose. The nurses kept a close eye on it. However, with a sudden strong contraction, the heart monitor for the baby went crazy.
"Oh, God," Mercedes cried out as she felt pain.
A few nurses and a doctor came into the room. They all looked at the monitor.
"What's happening?" Colby asked.
Judith was at Mercedes's side as her daughter was crying out in pain.
"The baby's in distress," The doctor said. "We need to do an emergency C-section."
Colby and Judith looked at each other.
"Get her ready," The doctor said, who quickly headed out of the room.
Everything happened quickly. Mercedes was taken from her room. She was quickly prepped for her C-section.
Meanwhile a nurse said Colby or Judith could be in the operating room with Mercedes. Judith told Colby go.
As Mercedes was in the operating room, the surgical team getting ready, she was scared.
"Everything's going to be okay, Mercedes," the scrub nurse said. "Your fiancé is coming."
Mercedes nodded her head. At that moment, Colby came into the room all dressed and ready to be in the OR with his fiancée.
"Colby," Mercedes said, crying a little.
"It's all right, baby," Colby said. "Evie is going to be just fine. They'll get her out and then she'll be okay."
Mercedes nodded her head.
"Okay, let's get this baby out," The doctor said.
Colby stood by Mercedes's head. "It's all right, baby," He said, soothing her. He looked over the drape that was hung, blocking Mercedes's view from the procedure.
Within a few minutes, the baby was pulled out and she was crying.
The baby was taken over to be checked out.
"Is she all right?" Mercedes asked.
"She's doing just fine, Mercedes," The doctor said.
That was music to her ears. The baby continued to cry.
The doctors finished up the procedure with Mercedes.
A few minutes passed and Colby had Evelyn in his arms. He walked over to his fiancée.
"She's beautiful and perfect, sweetheart," Colby said. He held Evelyn so Mercedes could get a better look at her baby girl.
"She is," Mercedes said.
An hour later, Mercedes was back in her room, lying in her bed. She smiled as her mother held her granddaughter.
"She looks just like you, sweetheart," Judith commented.
"She does," Colby said as he stood by Mercedes's bedside.
Thank God, Mercedes thought.
Mercedes looked to Colby with a smile. She held her hand out to him. Colby smiled. He grabbed onto it and kissed it. Her smile brightened.
"Thank you for being in there with me," She said.
"You're welcome," Colby said. He leaned in and kissed her passionately.