Ch. 9 Labor!
(When Melissa is almost done with her 8th Month)
Melissa stared out into the vast ocean. A light breeze carried over her face as Nathan walked over and sat down.
"Hey Mel," he grinned at her.
"Hey," Melissa smiled, "how is Lexie doing?"
"We really think she's perfectly better now. She hasn't coughed or sneezed in weeks, and her temperature's perfect. It's such a relief," Nathan smiled, "How are you and Jackson doing?"
"Anxious," Melissa rolled her eyes, "the baby could come any day now."
"Wouldn't it be funny if you had the baby on Lexie's first birthday? It is in a week…" Nathan laughed.
"Hilarious," Melissa laughed. The two old friends stared out to the ocean as a humpback whale broke the surface of the water.
Daley walked over then, "Hey Nathan?" she asked.
"Yeah?" Nathan spun around.
"Lexie's asking for you, and I quote: 'Where Da?'" Daley smiled.
"Oh, okay," Nathan got up, "see you later Mel."
"Yup," Melissa smiled as Nathan and Daley left.
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Jackson was quietly reading Lex's story as Melissa walked up to him. He was sitting in the chair they had built. It was three days before Lexie's birthday.
"Hey Jackson," she smiled and sat next to him.
"Hey Mel," he stroked her hair, "how are you?"
"I'm feeling fine," Melissa grinned, "and no, there is no 'wetness' as you call it, yet."
Jackson rolled his eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm anxious and I have a funny feeling the baby's going to come when we least expect it."
"Well don't worry," Melissa smiled, "for now, the coast is clear," she smiled and nestled herself in Jackson's arms.
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Nathan walked along the shore, Lexie walking next to him and clinging into his finger.
"Look Da, Be!" she giggled, pointed at the beach.
"Yup, it's the beach. Where we live," Nathan smiled.
She continued to giggle as a wave tickled her foot.
"Wata!" she giggled.
"Yes, that's a wave," Nathan laughed.
"Waf!" she laughed.
"Yes, a wave," Nathan laughed himself. Daley came running over.
"Hello you two!" she laughed as Lexie cried, "Ma!" and let go of Nathan's finger. Since she couldn't walk by herself, she fell to the ground and crawled to Daley.
"Hello sweetheart," Daley smiled and hugged Lexie. She giggled and hung on to Daley's leg.
"Hey Lexie," Nathan asked, sitting down. Daley took the hint and sat down herself, "can you walk to me?"
Lexie got down on her knees.
"No, no," Nathan laughed, "walk, like me and Mommy do."
She tilted her head for a second, then got up and totted slowly to Nathan. Daley was crying in happiness and put her hands on her mouth. Lexie managed to make it to Nathan, but fell on Nathan's knees and giggled.
"Now walk back to me," Daley stammered out through her tears.
Lexie obliged, and turned around and walked to Daley. Daley was still crying as she held Lexie.
"Very good Lexie," Daley smiled, and Nathan walked over and hugged them both.
Daley couldn't stop crying as she picked up Lexie and held her. Lexie squirmed around and Daley set her down. Nathan wrapped his arm around her waist as Lexie toddled around and got dangerously close to the waves. Daley immediately pulled her back. A whale broke the surface of the water.
"Whale!" she giggled at the Humpback whale in the distance.
"Yes, it's a whale," Nathan smiled.
Lexie walked back and clung to Nathan's leg.
"Home? Nap?" she yawned.
"Yes," Nathan smiled, "let's go home."
Daley picked up Lexie and Nathan wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and they walked home.
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Eric was yawning under a tree. It had been a long day. Taylor had been busy, so it wasn't like he had gotten any comfort from his wife. Nathan and Daley had been gloating on how Lexie had walked the entire day, and Jackson was insisting that Melissa sit down. She was heavily pregnant- Eric had commented that she looked ready to burst and Melissa had begun to cry. Now he was being punished by Jackson.
It's going to be trouble whenever Melissa is pregnant; Eric thought sadly, because Jackson won't think how she's acting is unreasonable. And he is the leader!
Eric heard someone walk up to him and lift up his tattered hat, "Hey Eric?" it was Taylor.
"Yeah?" Eric sat up and grinned.
"I need to tell you something…" but then Taylor was interrupted by Daley running over to her.
"Taylor! You left your shirt by the fire and it's…"
"Oh no! I'll tell you later, Eric!" Taylor gasped and ran off.
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Lex was walking up to Abby.
"Hey Abby?" he asked nervously.
"Oh hey Lex," Abby grinned, "what's up?"
"Well, I need to tell you something. In fact, I've been trying to tell you for a while…" Lex laughed nervously.
"Oh, really? It does seem you're always getting interrupted. Okay, shoot," Abby sat back against a hut.
"Well, I was going to ask you… if… well… if… I mean… it's kind of a stupid question…"
Suddenly there were yells coming from Jackson and Melissa's hut. They looked at each other and sprinted off to it, across the campsite.
Jackson looked panicked as he ran to them, "Guys, Melissa's in labor!" he murmured, staring at them, panicking.
"Oh no," Abby murmured, "I'll go boil some hot water. Lex, um… go get Taylor!" (The women would all be midwifes for each other,) "Okay!" Lex gasped, and took off. Daley came walking over.
"Hey, what happened?" she asked pleasantly.
"MELISSA'S IN LABOR!" Jackson seemed to be shaking, and he rested his head on his knees.
"Oh dear," Daley murmured, "here, put your head between your knees. Nathan!" she called, for Nathan had reacted similarly when she had gone into labor.
Nathan came running over.
"Calm Jackson, okay! Melissa's in labor!"
"Oh," Nathan looked scared himself, "okay Jackson, just take a deep breath…"
Daley ran into Melissa and Jackson's hut carrying cloths to wrap the baby in. Melissa was inside, lying down.
"Have you had any contractions yet?" Daley asked immediately.
"One," Melissa murmured, "and it didn't hurt very much."
"Okay, that's typical of the first one, but watch out- they do hurt. So your water broke and everything?"
Melissa nodded, "Uh hu."
"Okay," Daley grinned, "now smile, for heaven's sake- your having a baby!"
(1, 046 Words) ooh, cliffy! Dun Dun Dun…
