Please see chapter one for disclaimer. I don't own Gymboree or any restaurant or store mentioned in the chapter.
A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks for the reviews! Can you believe that we're already up to double digits! Hope you enjoy chapter 10.
Sunrise
Chapter 10: Holding Their Breath
Anna Camden walked through the mall with Sarah, her hand over her stomach. They had decided to go shopping for some baby clothes, and she was glad. She was already at seven and a half months, and didn't have any clothes, cribs, a rocking chair, or any baby supplies at all. They walked into Gymboree and Anna rushed over to the rack of little pink dresses. She smiled and picked one up, holding it over her rather large stomach.
"Aww look! Avery looks so cute in this!" She exclaimed. Sarah began to laugh. She reached out and picked up a soft blue overall set, and placed it on Anna's stomach as well. Anna laughed as well. "And look at Connor! He looks absolutely adorable!" The women both burst into laughter. "Well, I've got to get these. The babies are already attached to them." Sarah smiled at her and they continued looking around. After choosing 3 more girls outfits and 2 more boys, they checked out, and started out into the main part of the mall once more. Anna turned to her sister in law. "Sarah," she began, "I know it's only 11, but we have to go eat. I'm starving. This eating for three thing just doesn't agree with me." Sarah laughed.
"Yeah, I remember when I was pregnant. I was hungry all the time. I can't even imagine being pregnant with two babies! When Lucy was carrying Mia and Emily, I remember we were all out to dinner and she ordered two meals and finished them both, then still had room for dessert! We couldn't believe it." Anna laughed.
"Yep, that's about what I feel like. It's so strange." She said. Sarah smiled at her. They rounded the corner of the food court. Anna placed her finger on her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm…what am I craving today?" She asked with a laugh. "I'm thinking Panda Express." Sarah agreed and the women started for the line. After they got their food, they found a table and began to eat. Only a few minutes after they started, Anna's plate was half gone. Sarah began to laugh. She stood up and walked over to Anna, leaning down to talk with her stomach.
"Ave! Connor! Calm down! You'll get the food. No need to rush!" Anna laughed and placed her hand subconsciously over her round stomach. Within the next 5 minutes, Anna finished her plate, and continued waiting for Sarah to end. After 10 more minutes, Sarah finally finished eating, and they started towards Robinsons May. Anna and Sarah walked towards the maternity section. Anna walked over and picked up a light pink top, holding it up to herself. She continued to hold it, then continued shopping. After she chose one pair of sweat pants and 4 more tops, she started for the dressing rooms. Sarah stood outside while Anna began to try on her choices. She opened the door a moment later in her dark grey sweat pants and the pink top. She spun around, modeling. As Sarah told her that she liked the outfit, Anna frowned slightly and put her hand on her stomach. "Are you all right?" Sarah asked. Anna nodded.
"Yeah, I'm fine. One of the babies just did something funky that's all. They've been doing it for like 10 minutes, it's odd." Sarah laughed.
"When I was pregnant with Jared, he loved to jump all around in there. It takes a little while to get used to." Anna nodded and started back into the dressing room. She emerged next in a green top with the pants still on. Sarah agreed that she liked that one as well, and Anna shut the door again. As Sarah waited for her sister-in-law to come out and model the next top, she heard Anna cry out from inside the dressing room.
"Sarah!" She called frantically. "Something's not right." Sarah tried to open the door but it was locked.
"Unlock the door!" She did so, and Sarah hurried into the small room. She found Anna on the floor, holding her stomach. "What happened?" She asked.
"I don't know, I was just standing here and all the sudden, my stomach started to hur…ow!" She held her stomach. Sarah leaned down and helped her up.
"We're going to the hospital." She told her. She helped her change back into the clothes she had come in, and they hurried out of the store. As they drove, Anna continued to hold her stomach. Sarah used her cell phone to call David, who said he would meet them at the hospital. After 15 more long minutes, they pulled into Glen Oak Hospital. Sarah helped Anna inside, where they got her a wheel chair and let the staff know what was going on. As Anna was being wheeled into the maternity section, they passed Matt, who spun around, looking confused.
"Sarah?" He asked. "What's going on?"
"Well," Sarah explained in a hurry, "It's my day off, so I was taking Anna shopping at the mall for baby supplies, but something's wrong. Oh Matt, what's going to happen?" She asked, afraid. Matt put his arms around his wife.
"Everything's going to be alright. I'm coming with you we'll figure out what's going on." They turned and followed the nurse and Anna. When they got into the hospital room, a doctor immediately began an exam while a nurse hooked her up to a fetal monitor. Sarah held Anna's hand, trying to reassure her.
"Where's David?" She asked, sounding afraid. "I need him here! What's going on?" Matt looked at her with compassion.
"Anna, David's on his way, but he's not here yet. Don't worry, everything's going to be all right. You're in good hands here." Anna tired to smile at him, but it didn't work. After 10 more minutes of chaos, David arrived. He hurried into the room and ran to Anna, taking her hand is his. He looked at Matt.
"What's going on?" He asked him. "What's wrong with Anna? Are the twins OK?" Matt talked with the other doctor for a few minutes, and looked at the fetal monitor. Matt came back over and looked at David and Anna.
"OK you guys, here's the thing. Anna is in premature labor. We need to get you on some medicine fast to stop the contractions. You're only 7 and a half months into this, and the babies aren't ready to be born. We need to do everything we can do to stop it." Anna yelled out and grabbed her stomach.
"Make it stop!" She cried. "Matt, they're getting worse!" He nodded.
"I know, Anna. Just hang in there. This nurse is going to get you going on an IV right away." He explained. A short, brunette woman came up next to Anna and took her arm, carefully placing an IV in. Anna winced as the needle came though her skin, and still placed her free hand on her stomach. She looked up at David who kissed her forehead. The doctor stood up.
"Well, it's just going to take time now to stop the contractions. After that, we'll do an ultra sound to check if the babies are all right. You try and get some rest. We'll be back in about a half hour, all right?" Anna nodded and the doctor and nurse that put in her IV left. Sarah smiled sadly down at her sister in law.
"So much for our shopping trip." She said. Anna laughed weakly and nodded. Matt came over and put his arms around his wife, who stood, looking at Anna nervously. As he whispered to her that it would be Ok, a nurse ran into the room.
"Dr. Camden! Where have you been? We've been paging you for 10 minutes! Alyssa Jacobs is ready to give birth! We can't hold this off much longer! Let's go!" She cried. Matt nodded, smiled apologetically at Anna, then ran out of the room. Sarah laughed.
"Last month, when I came to visit Matt here, Alyssa Jacobs was trying to get though to Matt about her pregnancy questions, and couldn't. Now she's here having the baby and can't get though to him." She laughed. "That'll give Matt a great rep, huh?" Everyone laughed. Anna let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"They seem to be slowing down." She said. "Thank goodness. You'd never believe how badly contractions hurt." Sarah raised one eyebrow.
"Really, I wouldn't?" She asked with a laugh. "I've given birth to two sons, and you think I don't know what contractions feel like?" Anna's eyes widened.
"Wait, you mean they always hurt like that? They weren't just that bad because it was premature?" She asked, sounding panicked. Sarah smiled nervously at Anna.
"Sorry. They're always that bad." Sarah said. Anna moaned and put her head back on her pillow. Sarah laughed and held her hand. "It's worth it though, I mean, sure the actually birthing part isn't the most fun, but look at what you get afterward. I'm sure Lucy would agree, I mean, I now have two amazing sons, and Lucy has four absolutely beautiful daughters. After you go though this, you're going to have a daughter and a son, and you're going to love them with all of your heart. You're going to be fine, don't worry." David nodded.
"And Anna, I'm going to be here every second of it holding your hand. We're going to get your through this. After it's all over, we're going to be parents. Parents, Anna! How amazing is that? Yeah, it's going to hurt, but come on, it's so worth it." Anna raised an eyebrow at her husband.
"Yeah, well then how about you give birth to these babies then, all right? After all it is worth it, right?" Sarah laughed, remembering how she had been the same way when she was in labor with their first son, Trevor. She had decided to go without pain medication-not the best choice. 15 minutes being giving birth to their son, she had screamed at Matt about how he got this baby is there, and he needed to get it out himself, then banished him from the room. She only let him come back in when the doctor had instructed her to start pushing, because she didn't want to go though it alone. She laughed to herself. She had been so angry with Matt that day for getting her pregnant, but when she first held Trevor in her arms, all of the anger disappeared, and she knew that that moment was the happiest she had ever been. She smiled at David with understanding as Anna continued to yell at him. Boy, Anna would be a lot of fun when she was actually in labor. She shook her head at the thought and mentally planned to be out of the country on August 11th. The nurse entered the room and walked over to Anna, asking her how she was feeling. After she answered that she was no longer in pain, the nurse pulled Anna's shirt up over her protruding stomach and smoothed some of the cool, clear gel over her stomach.
"I'm going to do an ultrasound now so that we can take a look at your babies and make sure that they're alright." Anna nodded, and the nurse moved the probe slowly over her stomach, watching carefully as the images on the screen moved. Finally, she reached her verdict.
A/N: Haha! A cliffy! Review please, and look for chapter eleven soon.
