Here is the next chapter. Enjoy! Please read and review. Amber

Chapter 20

Callie was writing thank you notes at the kitchen table that night. Her back had been bothering her all day. It was getting worse actually. She had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Anderson tomorrow. Joe came in to get a glass of milk. He saw Callie hunkered down with the thank you notes. His parents were out for a date night. Callie insisted on cooking the three of them dinner. He watched as Callie winced while rubbing her lower back. Joe was nervous. He asked. "Cal are you okay?"

She stood up. "I just finished the thank you notes. The gifts were so nice!" She winced again.

Joe didn't like it. He called. "Frank!"

Callie chastised him. "Joe! I'm…" suddenly her face contorted in pain and she grasped her stomach. "Oh god!" She started moaning.

Joe rushed to her side and looked at his watch. "FRANK! Get in here!"

Frank called from the other room. Where he was setting up a pack-in-play. "Joe what is it?"

Joe was busy timing Callie's pain. It stopped after a full forty seconds. He finally answered his brother. "FRANK! Callie just had a CONTRACTION!" He pulled out his little notebook from his pocket and wrote down the start time.

They could hear Frank scramble up. He hurried into the kitchen. "Babe what happened?"

"I finished the notes and pain just overtook me after she moved a bit. Ohhhh!" She gripped his hand.

Joe looked at his watch and wrote down the time it started. Callie had four intense contractions over twenty minutes.

Frank ran to get Callie her hospital bag which she had packed a week ago. They propelled Callie out the door between them. Joe attached his phone to the blue tooth and quickly dialed his mother. He backed out of the driveway. "MOM! Sorry to interrupt your date but Callie is having contractions five minutes apart. We're going to the hospital."

Laura Hardy addressed Callie. "Honey have you been having any contractions today?"

Callie in the middle of a contraction couldn't answer at that moment. She was moaning and rubbing her stomach. Frank was soothing her, but said. "One minute mom."

"No problem honey."

Callie took a deep breath. "Okay that one's over. I haven't had anything like this! I've had a backache off and on all day. Isn't it too soon?"

"No sweetie, she's fully developed. Any signs of your water rupturing?" Laura asked.

"No ma'am." She started moaning again as another strong contraction hit. "Shit Frank!"

"Breathe baby. Or moan. Relax your body." Frank reminded her.

Callie moaned and a short scream escaped her lips as the contraction rose sharply. Frank could feel her stomach was hard as a rock. He applied counter pressure to her lower back. Callie moaned. "Hurry Joe! Frank that helps."

Laura added. "If you've had a back ache off and on all day, you may have been in back labor. We'll meet you at the hospital. We are two blocks away so will get there before you. Drive carefully Joe."

Fenton who turned out of the parking lot of the restaurant said. "We'll meet you at the emergency room entrance. It's after nine PM."

Fenton heard a painful scream from Callie and felt a pang of sympathy for her. Laura squeezed his hand. She said. "Women are strong, she'll be fine."

Frank had called the doctor's office as they had left the house. His phone finally rang. "Hello?"

"Yes my wife is Callie Hardy, date of birth is November fifth of 2002. She's having contractions really close together. They were five minutes apart when we left the house but now they are three minutes apart lasting for a whole minute! Who's on call?" Dr. Fleming now and at midnight Dr. Anderson? Alright. Thank you."

Callie said through gritted teeth. "This baby better hang on until after midnight. Ahh!"

Frank soothed her. "Moan Baby."

Callie took a deep breath and then moaned. It was much easier than the breathing and huffing. Joe pulled up to the emergency room entrance. Fenton and Laura were there with a wheelchair. Callie was very grateful. She waited for her contraction to stop then hurried out. Fenton and Frank helped her from the bucket seat in the van. She sat in the wheelchair and Laura pushed it. Frank held her hand as they walked hurriedly down the hall.

"Frank here's another one! Oh!" Her head fell back as she road the pain.

Frank kissed her hand. "I love you Callie."

"You'd better because you're stuck with me." She said between moans.

Laura and Frank both chuckled at that. Laura used her badge to get them into the Labor and Delivery Unit. The night charge nurse stood up. "Laura is this?"

"Yes. I was out with my husband, I haven't checked her." Laura said.

"That's alright. I'll call Emily; take her to room 401."

Laura turned to Frank. "Honey you need to wait here in the waiting area for just a few minutes. We're going to get her set up. I won't leave her I promise."

Frank didn't like it but his mother gently insisted. She hurried into the room that was right next to the waiting area. Frank very reluctantly joined his father. Fenton forced him into a chair. "Relax son, it will only be a few minutes."

Joe came in and saw Frank. "Is everything okay?"

Fenton was rubbing Frank's back. "They are setting her up now. They will ask her routine questions. Then they will bring him in."

"Why can't I be in there?" Frank asked.

Fenton soothed. "Frank, think about it this way. If a woman was in an unsafe home, what better way to get help?"

Frank looked thoughtful for a minute. "Okay so they are protecting the moms and babies. I can understand that."

Fenton reassured him. "Just a few minutes son."

Frank paced. A few minutes, it felt like years since that door closed. His eyes didn't leave the door his mother pushed Callie into. Then a young nurse came out. "Frank Hardy?"

Frank jumped up out of the chair that his brother had coaxed him back into. "Yes! That's me! Is Callie okay?"

"I'm Emily and yes she's okay. In quite a bit of pain, her contractions are quite strong, come on in."

Frank followed the nurse and entered the room of 401. It was comfortably furnished. Callie was dressed in a pink hospital gown. Her hair was wet from sweating and she was currently moaning in pain grasping the bed. He hurried over and applied counter pressure to her lower back again. His mother had changed into scrubs. "I work at seven in the morning."

The charge nurse came in. "No you won't. I had Jenna come cover for you. There is an open day shift this Saturday."

Laura nodded. "I'll pick that up gladly."

Callie cried out. "Frank! Oh it hurts."

Frank asked. "Can we get her anything for pain?"

Laura soothed them. "Not yet she needs a CBC first. Then we can talk about pain management."

Emily said. "Let me see if you've dilated any Callie. You're going to feel some pressure."

Callie nodded. "Just do it quickly before another contraction."

Emily complied. "You're four centimeters Mrs. Hardy."

"Call me Callie, you've seen me naked."

Emily laughed. "I see a lot of naked people in this hospital. We have a birthing tub. That helps with pain. Did you want me to set it up?" She turned to Frank. "Did you bring swimming shorts?"

Frank blushed but nodded. "Yes that was on the list of items to pack. Along with a one piece bathing suit top for her."

Emily smiled. "He follows instructions. I like him, Laura. Give me ten minutes."

The same phlebotomist came in that drew her blood the last time. "Hi, I'm Mary. I need to collect some blood."

Frank glanced at the tubes. Two red, one blue, one green, one lavender, and one pink. "What are you testing?"

Laura answered. "The standard labor and delivery labs honey."

Callie was gasping. "Can I get ice chips? My mouth is so dry." The phlebotomist put the tourniquet on her arm and Callie due to her contraction didn't even feel the stick.

Laura nodded. "I'll get them."

Frank settled down into a chair next to Callie. "Frank...I really don't want an epidural. The idea terrifies me. I also read that pain meds can affect the baby."

Frank kissed her hand. "My love, this is your party. I'm here to support you."

"Oh god another one!" She moaned painfully.

The phlebotomist put an arm band on Callie's wrist. "Please leave this on with your ID bracelet."

Frank saw the arm band read. 'Blood Bank.' "Your running a typing test and cross match?"

"Yes."

Laura came back in with ice chips. Frank took the cup and the spoon that Laura offered. He gave a few to Callie. Laura looked at the time. "Once you are in the tub, I'll go update Fenton and Joe."

Joe was not good at waiting. They saw a gowned Callie walk two doors down with Frank behind her. Laura followed them in and closed the door. She had a couple towels in her hands and Callie's smaller bag. He called Vanessa. He tried Rick but only got voice mail. Then he remembered the camping trip that his dad took him on.

Laura came out. "Hello."

Joe turned. "Mom! What's going on? What's Callie's progress? Is she alright?"

Laura ruffled Joe's hair with affection. "She's quite alright. Managing pain with position, she's going to use the laboring tub for a bit, then maybe the shower. She doesn't want an epidural."

Joe nodded. "That's brave of her, most women are getting them now. But Callie is going to do this her way. I respect that. What's her progress?"

"She's four centimeters and in active labor."

Fenton smiled. "So how long before our first grandbaby?"

"It could be anywhere between four to twenty hours. It just depends on how fast she progresses."