Awhile later, Kellie woke up to find Jason sitting on the bed next to her.
Kellie was a little out of it as she got her bearings. She looked at the clock.
"Your birthday campfire," Kellie said.
"You haven't missed anything," Jason said, "The campfire didn't happen. The storm's taken out trees and knocked out power in a few places. And we have company. They may need to stay here until the storm clears."
"What company?" Kellie asked.
"The kids invited a bunch of people for the birthday campfire," Jason said, "Most of them couldn't come. Drew, Sam, Monica, Charles, and Michael made it before the storm hit. Sage and Milo and their kids came in soaked."
"How did the kids pull that off without us knowing?" Kellie asked, "I'm sure someone would have asked questions."
"The twins stole your phone," Jason said, "And deleted any evidence of their activities. They did at least ask Sam and Drew to bring pizzas and Michael got the birthday cake."
"At least they ordered food," Kellie said, "Though we'll have to talk to them about surprise birthday parties like that."
"I get the feeling Charles suspected something," Jason said, "The kids were about to stage a mutiny over no bonfire when he whipped out a copy a of some new movie they wanted to see."
"He knows his grandkids too well," Kellie said, "Are we celebrating Drew's birthday too if he's here?"
"Drew had something planned for tomorrow," Jason said, "when Danny was back home with them."
"That's right," Kellie said, "I think we got an invite. Honestly, I really don't remember right now."
"The kids said that they wanted us to have own our parties," Jason said, "Personally, I think they were angling for more cake."
"And another party," Kellie said.
"The kids should be halfway through the movie by now," Jason said, "We figured the cake and gifts could happen after the movie and you were awake. If you feel like going downstairs."
"You saved me some pizza right?" Kellie asked.
"I hid the box with your favorite," Jason said.
"I knew there was a reason I like you," Kellie said, sitting up slowly, "I was hoping that nap would do something for my back. It's still killing me."
"Here," Jason said, moving behind Kellie. He started rubbing Kellie's lower back.
"Any better?" Jason asked after a couple of minutes.
"Not really," Kellie said, "Thank you for trying though."
"I'm sorry that pregnancy is miserable for you," Jason said as Kellie curled up against him. Jason rested his hand on her belly, feeling their daughter kick. He kissed her forehead.
"Go figure that with all the stuff I have to handle and deal with," Kellie said, "it's pregnancy that I don't handle well. By the way in case I haven't warned you, I will curse you, threaten to kill you, cut body parts off, never have sex again, and blame you entirely for my pain and suffering during labor."
"I'm sure I can take it," Jason said.
"I might throw things at you," Kellie said, "It's not pretty."
"I'll make sure any objects that could be turned into projectiles are far away from you," Jason said.
"What's the fun in..," Kellie said, wincing, "in that?"
"Are you sure you're okay?" Jason said, taking note of the time, "We could have Monica check you out since she's here."
"If they get worse or regular," Kellie said, "Sure. But this right now. It does't make sense just have her tell me it's false labor."
"If you change your mind," Jason said.
"I'll let you know," Kellie said, "Now about that pizza?"
Downstairs, Jason kept an eye on Kellie throughout the rest of the movie and as everyone got cake upstairs afterwards. Charles pulled Jason off to the side.
"Is she okay?" Charles asked.
"She says she is," Jason said, "But I don't know. She's sure it's false labor. They don't seem any worse than what's she's had all week. But they are all about 13 minutes apart."
"Did she tell you anything the twins or Alyssa's births?" Charles asked.
"Just that she had false contractions for weeks before Alyssa came," Jason said.
"I recall hearing she slept a lot the day or two before their births," Charles said, "Jared mentioned she slept a lot today. With Alyssa, by the time Kellie realized she was in labor, they barely made it to the hospital before Alyssa made her entrance."
"Who made an entrance?" Monica asked.
"We were discussing the night Alyssa was born," Charles said, "and my concern over some similarities between the end of her pregnancy with Alyssa and what I'm seeing tonight."
"It could still be false labor," Monica said, "But I am concerned that they seem to be regular from what I've seen.
"The problem is," Charles said, "If it becomes obvious she's in labor, I don't know we'll get her to the hospital in time. Not if her time frame is short like it was with Alyssa."
"And with trees and power out all over the place, it'll take longer," Jason said.
"If Kellie's still having contractions in an hour or if there's a change in the frequency, intensity, or duration," Monica said, "I want to check her out. In meantime, I need to check in with the hospital. I'll try to find out if the roads or clear or not. I'd rather know what we're dealing with if Kellie does deliver the baby tonight."
Jake ran over interrupting them, "It's time to open your presents, Dad."
"Give me a minute or two," Jason said, "I'll be right there."
"Go," Monica said, "We'll keep an eye on Kellie and reassess after you open gifts."
"Thank you," Jason said.
Jason tried to keep an eye on Kellie while opening the gifts. Judging by her facial expressions and the tension in her body, he was pretty sure she was trying not to let on that the contractions were stronger and longer.
At some point, Kellie snuck off into the kitchen. Charles noticed and caught Jason and Monica's eyes, letting him know he'd follow her.
He found Kellie standing with her hands on the counter leaning and trying to stretch her back out.
"You look like you're having a tough night," Charles said,
"While I wasn't expecting to be uncomfortably pregnant during a surprise birthday party," Kellie said, "Emphasis on the surprise. Thanks for the movie distraction by the way."
"You're welcome," Charles said, "So is there anything I can do to help?"
Kellie looked in the direction of the party.
" I need…." She started to say and then stopped.
"Kellie, Jason, Monica, and I are well aware you've been having contractions all evening," Charles said, "I'm more than a little concerned about whether this is actually false labor or not. As far as the party goes, the kids went behind your and Jason's backs to set this up. If their little sister interrupts those plans with her arrival, well that's on them."
"I need to start timing the contractions," Kellie said.
"Just shy of eleven minutes apart," Charles said as Kellie jaw dropped.
"I thought they were further apart than that," Kellie said.
"I'm sure it seems like it," Charles said, "As for the pain, is it any worse or the same?"
"The last three were stronger than the earlier ones," Kellie said as Sage walked in to grab a drink.
Before anyone could say anything, Kellie had another contraction. This was one causing her to cry out in pain and sustaining longer than the previous ones. Kellie cursed, holding on to the counter to steady herself.
"Remember to breathe," Sage said.
"I'll get Jason and Monica," Charles said, "Sage…"
"I got her," Sage said, helping Kellie move to a chair.
They heard Alyssa yell, "Mommy said a bad word."
Before Charles got out of the kitchen, Jason was coming in with Monica behind him.
"What's going on?" Jason asked, kneeling next to Kellie.
"Pretty sure I'm actually in labor," Kellie said, "The contractions are getting worse and getting closer together."
"Have you been timing the contractions," Monica asked.
"10 minutes apart now," Charles said, "That last one was about 30 seconds long."
"How long have you been having contractions today?" Monica asked.
"Since I woke up earlier," Kellie said, "And before I was having what felt like the false labor on and off today. They weren't regular. My back's been aching all day more so than usual. I don't know if you need to know that or not."
"That's good information to have," Monica said.
"I'll have Johnny get the car," Jason said, "We'll get you to the hospital. It'll probably take awhile with the storm."
"I'd hold off on that for now," Monica said, as the lights flickered, "I'd like to do a more thorough examination of Kellie before we try to send her to the hospital."
"Try?" Kellie asked.
"The road between here and hospital is still blocked," Sage said, "I was called in to work during cake, but I can't get there. Two, possibly three different trees are down on Harbor View Road. They don't know how long it's going to take to get them cleared. There's other areas closer to town they're focusing on first."
"So I'm supposed to what?" Kellie asked, "Give birth here?"
"You're water hasn't broken yet," Monica said, "We still might have time. Sage, would you check and see if the road conditions have changed?"
"Sure," Sage said, leaving the room.
"I'll let the others know what's going on," Charles said, "And we'll get the kids moved downstairs to the tv and play room at least for now."
"Jason, why don't you help Kellie upstairs," Monica said, "And then I'll see how dilated Kellie is."
Jason helped Kellie upstairs, during which time she had another contraction. The lights also kept flickering as Monica examined Kellie.
Sage came upstairs with a couple of duffel bugs, "I got our emergency bags out of the car. All routes to the hospital from here are still blocked."
"So I know this isn't ideal," Monica said, "But I don't think we should try moving to Kellie to the hospital. You're already more than halfway dilated. From what I understand you have a history of quick labors. If that's the case here, I don't want to risk you giving birth out on the road."
"If they get the roads cleared," Kellie asked, "Can we try to get to the hospital then?"
"It depends on where you're at with the delivery," Monica said.
"Tell me you at least have drugs if I want them in those emergency bags," Kellie said.
"We don't carry those kind of drugs," Sage said, "But you got this. Dispatch knows what the situation is here. They'll try to send an ambulance as soon as they can get the road cleared."
"The good thing is you don't have a history of difficult births," Monica said, "I don't have any concerns of with you delivering at home."
"You've got this," Sage said, "Along with Jason to blame as much as you need to or crush his hand. You've got Monica and I to make sure this little girl makes her arrival in style and smoothly."
"I'll try to refrain from my labor-fueled rants with the kids nearby," Kellie said.
"Not allowed," Sage said, "You and the kids will be on totally separate floors. I doubt they'll hear anything. If they do, we tell them only woman in labor get to use that kind of language."
Kellie laughed, but was interrupted by another contraction. Afterwards, she took several deep breaths and then the power went out.
"Are you kidding me?" Kellie said, "Can this get any worse? Nevermind, I should haven't asked that."
"What happened?" Jason asked.
"My water just broke," Kellie replied.