Chapter 32
5 Months Later
Damon
About a week after our wedding, Elena and I finally moved to our new home in New York City. As her due date approached, Lena wanted to be closer to her family and my mom. I agreed with that decision. Her due date of December 3 came and went. Mom and Miranda said there was no reason to worry because most first time mother's delivered late. She is 41 weeks and finally in labor. She woke up this morning to contractions. Her midwife arrived shortly after.
"How are you doing?" I ask Elena as she leans into me. We're standing with her back to my front. Just rocking and back and forth.
Elena groans, "I think I need to get back into the water."
I rub the lowest part of her swollen stomach. "That's probably a good idea."
Her midwife walks over to us and helps me guide Lena back into the water. Her mom set up a small inflatable pool in the center of the living room. I turn the tv on and play some quiet music in the background.
Elena moans loudly. "I don't think I can do this," she says looking at me with desperation.
I kneel beside her and gently kiss her head. "You can do it baby. Just think, before you know it our little girl will be here."
Lena leans her head back into me and I wipe her forehead with the cool cloth my mom hands me. Her midwife tells her to lean back some and spread her legs so she can check on her progress.
"You're finally at 10 centimeters Elena." Her midwife says helping Lena to lower her legs back into the water. "You can stay in here and try to push, or we can move you somewhere you might be more comfortable. You can push whenever you have your next contraction."
Elena groans out a very loud, "Ohhhh." I wish there was something more I could do for her. I really feel helpless in the situation. I know it's not possible, but if I could just help take her pain away I would.
"What do you want to do Lena?" I ask massaging her neck.
She looks back at me and I swear there are tears in her eyes. "Stay in here;" she whispers to me.
I nod my head and kiss the back of her neck. Miranda hands Elena a glass of cold water and tells her to sip on it. Lena takes small sips and hands the cup back to her.
"I need to push," Lena groans out.
"Okay. Showtime." Her midwife says kneeling down beside the pool and helping Elena to bend her legs some.
Elena bears down and pushes. I look over her head and encourage her the best I can. I continue to rub her neck and shoulders. She takes a deep breath and pushes again. Some blood pools between her legs and I look over to her midwife. Concern must be written all over my face because she reassures me that it's normal.
After about 10 minutes of steady pushing, Elena has made no progress. Her midwife takes her vitals and tells her she can rest for a few more minutes. I kiss Elena on the neck and whisper to her that I'd be right back. I head into the bathroom and splash some cold water on my face. She has been in labor since 6 o'clock this morning. I check the time on my phone. It's almost 11 pm. She has been in labor for seventeen long and painful hours. I don't even know how she's doing it.
I hear Lena moan out loud. It's probably the loudest cry I have ever heard from her. I rush out of the bathroom and see that she's pushing again. I kneel behind her again and encourage her. "You can do it Lena. Just breathe baby, you got this."
Elena pushes again and the midwife says her head is out. I look down and see a head full of dark hair between Elena's legs. "Come on baby," I whisper to Lena. Elena pushes again and our daughter enters the world screaming. Her midwife places our child onto Elena's chest and the room is quiet. Serene. Elena looks down at our baby girl and back up at me. She gives me the smallest of smiles, but I return it, nevertheless. She closes her eyes, just as her midwife takes our baby off her chest.
"You did it Lena. She is so beautiful," I whisper out my eyes moving from our daughter back to Elena.
Elena's hands have fallen to her sides and she has gone still. Too still. I brush my fingers across her cheek and whisper her name. Panic fills me. I look from my mom to Miranda and then over to her midwife.
"Elena," her midwife states but also gets no response.
Mom asks me to move but I'm frozen in place. Her and Miranda grab me under the arms and pulls me up. Am I going into shock? What is going on?
I look back at Elena and see that Mom has taken over and pulled her out of the tub. Miranda is crying on the phone to 911.
Tears fall from my eyes. I cry out quietly; "Lena."
To Be Continued…..