Fitz arrived at his hotel room on Tuesday night, with only a week left before Olivia was due to give birth. He had one month's worth of clothes to last him during his stay. His assistant was staying in a room a few floors underneath him.
It was almost midnight and he was laying in bed when his phone rang and he answered.
"Luck, it's almost midnight in New York you know?"
"I know, I know, I just wanted to say my first day went great, I know I don't officially start for like two weeks but it was still pretty cool and Cyrus was a little annoying but he taught me a lot so you know, thank you man, good lookin' out."
"Don't worry about it but I gotta go, I'm tired, I'm gonna catch up with you tomorrow."
"Alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow and I can't stress this enough, call me when the baby is born okay, I'm not playing."
"I know you're not. I'll call."
"By the way, I just want to give you a little advice before you go."
"Son of a bitch, here we go," Fitz said.
"I know, I'm annoying but you have to listen anyways, I just wanted to say I know your struggling with your relationship with Olivia or you're feelings for her or whatever and I don't know what she did so I'm not on her side but regardless, you're gonna have to do what's best for the baby, the last thing you want your daughter to see growing up, is you constantly hating and fighting with her mom so just be on your best behavior, please."
"I'm not a child, you know."
"Yeah but you can be, I'm not saying that's what your going to do, I'm just saying, if you feel the urge to lash out, don't do it, be better, not for Olivia but for your daughter."
"Okay, I hear you."
"Good, call me later!"
Fitz hung up and rested his phone on the nightstand and then turned off the lights. His conversation with Lucky played on a loop until he finally drifted to sleep.
The next morning.
Olivia laid surrounded by lukewarm water, massaging her belly in the bathtub, her mucus plug had just passed earlier in the afternoon the previous day. Her doctor told her to take it easy and call if if her water broke or she began to experience signs active of labor.
She'd been laying in the tub for almost an hour, trying to get out but not wanting to because she felt so comfortable. It was the last week before her due date and she was trying to get as much work done as possible.
"Soon sweetheart, I'll get to see your little face," she whispered to her stomach, "and your gonna be so gorgeous and I'm going to give you the best of everything just promise me you won't be a spoiled brat like your father," Olivia smiled, "that was absolutely biased, I suppose some people might say I'm spoiled too, though I don't like to admit it."
She sat silently for a while and before long she was crying.
"I don't even know why I'm crying," she said to herself.
She leaned over the tub and dried her face with the towel before checking the time on her phone.
"It's time to start the day."
She held on to the side of the tub and stood up slowly and then stepped out and dried off. She dressed in a pair of shorts and a stretchy t-shirt and made herself a bowl of cereal for breakfast then she went to her living room studio and got to work until Marita and Margaret came to help her out.
She stopped working a little after 1pm to take a nap. Midway through her nap, Natalia, her maid, woke her.
"Olivia."
Olivia sat up slowly.
"You have a guest downstairs."
"What?"
"A man, his says his name is Fitz."
"Let him up."
"Okay," Natalia replied and then swiftly left the room.
"Wait, Natalia," she called.
Natalia came back into the room, "yes?"
"What does he look like?" she asked.
"Curly brown hair, tall, white-"
"Okay, yeah, I was just making sure it was him, let him up."
"Okay," she said as she walked to the door.
Olivia had made it clear that they weren't to let anyone inside unless she knew who it was, no matter if they said they knew her or that she was expecting them.
She reached for her phone to check the time and realized that she's missed three calls from Fitz.
She stood up and stretched a little before she walked out into the hallway, only to bump into Fitz.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
She stepped back from him, unhurt.
"Yeah, I'm alright."
"I didn't hurt you or anything, right?"
"No, no, I'm fine, "
"Okay."
"I'm sorry, I was asleep, I didn't see that you called."
"It's fine."
"I didn't know you were back," she said.
"I got back last night, I came because I wanted to talk."
"Okay but I have birthing class in like 30 minutes and also I'm quite hungry so I wanted to grab a bite to eat before I left."
"What exactly do you do at birthing class, I'm curious," he asked.
"Well, they just teach you how to breath, how to push, how to cope with pain and what do when you're in labor that sort of stuff. Today is my last class actually."
"Do you think it would be a good idea for me to come?"
"Yes, of course-if you want to-all the dads are welcome."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah-can we go the kitchen, I'm actually really hungry."
Fitz stepped aside to allow her to walk, "sure."
He followed her to the kitchen and stood by the island as she unwrapped the food her maid had left on the counter for her. She quickly pulled the panini from the wrapper and bit into it.
"So uhm-are you staying until after the birth?"
"Yes, I thought that's what we agreed on."
"I know but you haven't called to tell me if things had changed so I just wanted to be sure."
"No, nothing's changed."
She cleared her throat and bit another piece of her sandwich, "what did you want to talk about?" she asked.
"How's the house hunting going? I spoke to Jessica and she said you couldn't decide."
"I-um found a place in Bel-air, it's gorgeous, 4 bedroom, marble floors and a pool so I can swim but there's also a gorgeous high rise condo for sale that's downtown, I like that as well and I'm not really sure how long I'll be in L.A, so I thought it might be better to buy a place instead of leasing or I could just rent somewhere for the time-I don't know, I still have a little time so…"
Fitz didn't know what she meant by 'I don't know how long I'll be in L.A.'."
"Well, it's on my tab so get whatever you want just make sure it's enough for the both of you."
"You're paying for it?" she asked, surprised.
"I wouldn't ask you to move from your home that you own to let you pay to live somewhere."
"Oh, I didn't know that."
"That's why I let you use my realtor."
"Oh."
She took another bit of her sandwich, all the while she kept her eyes on everything except him, Fitz could tell something was wrong.
"Is something bothering you?"
"Uhm-there is something that I needed to speak to you about but I don't want you to get upset."
"What is it?" he asked, anxiously.
Olivia really didn't want to argue with him, not when she was so close to giving birth.
"You know what, it's fine, it's not urgent, we can talk about it after I give birth."
"You already brought it up, so just tell me what it is."
She took a deep breath, nervously, "I just-when we last spoke you said you wanted us to have even custody-"
"I'm not negotiating with custody-"
"-I know that but I also think that a one month old is too young to be away from her mother for half the week and I'll be breastfeeding as well so..."
"...So what are you suggesting?"
"I think that it would be best for her, if for the first few months she stays with me full time and you could visit her whenever you want, for however long you want, until she gets a little older and then she can stay with you and I wouldn't have to worry about breastfeeding."
"How old is a little older?"
"I don't know, maybe 5 months."
Fitz was quiet for a while as he thought it through, Olivia waited on pins and needles for his response.
"Okay," he said, "If you think that's what's best for her then okay."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I mean, I already got her a nanny so I guess she'll just be sitting at home for four extra months."
"I haven't hired a nanny because I'm moving anyways but I did hire a baby nurse to help out with her until I move so if you don't mind, the nanny you hired could stay with us until you need her."
"Okay, that makes sense and I guess if she's not going to be staying with me then I can give you some of the diapers and stuff, she'll probably grow them out by the time she starts staying with me."
"You got her diapers," Olivia asked.
"Yeah, I went to this baby store and bought her a whole bunch of shit and most of the stuff I didn't even know existed, like a formula dispenser, I thought people just mixed formula by hand, now there's a machine that does it."
"You bought all that?"
"Yeah...for her nursery which looks terrible by the way."
Olivia chuckled.
"Why?"
"Because I thought, oh well since I'm going to be a father, maybe I should do the nursery by myself you know, but no, it's looked terrible so I had to hire someone to take over, not everyone has interior decorating chops like you."
"Thank you but I hired someone too."
"Smart."
Olivia smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, their conversation went significantly better than she anticipated but she knew that one good conversation didn't mean they were on good terms.
"I actually wanted to talk to you about something else," Fitz said.
"What it is?"
"The last name."
"Don't worry, it'll be yours," Olivia said.
"Okay."
She checked the time on her phone, her class was set to start in 20 minutes. She took another bit of her sandwich as she debated the pros and cons of Fitz accompanying her to class. After a few silent moments, she hadn't been able to think of pros, however, she had a list of cons. It was a very intimate class, fathers were expected to join in the very intimate exercise and be as involved as the mothers and she just didn't see him participating with her in that way. When she was in class by herself, she accepted the fact that she was alone but if Fitz was there and she still had to do all the exercises by herself because he just didn't want to touch her then she was sure she would melt from embarrassment at the fact that she couldn't even get the man who impregnated her to touch her in public.
"What time does your class start?" Fitz asked, snapping her from her train of thought.
"Soon but...I don't think I'm going anymore."
"Why not?"
Olivia stretched her hand on the counter to him.
"Touch my hand."
Fitz looked at her skeptically, "why?"
"Nothing just...please."
Fitz didn't move.
Olivia smiled, sadly.
"Yeah so I think I'm just gonna go by myself."
"What are you talking about?"
"It's okay, you need time, we're not there yet, it's okay."
Fitz sighed, "Olivia-"
"I wouldn't want your hand to fall off when they force you to touch me in class," she said with a chuckle.
She wrapped up her sandwich and left it on the counter.
"Olivia you're uninviting me because I won't touch your hand."
Olivia didn't respond because she knew that he knew- that wasn't the reason.
"Look, I don't want to cause you any added stress so if you don't want me to come then I won't."
"Okay."
"Do you want me to take your there, I have a car downstairs."
"I-it's alright, it's only a block away, I can walk."
"Okay, how long will the class be?"
"An hour."
"Well, I still thought there were some things we could talk about but I guess I'll just come back tomorrow just call me if anything happens."
She nodded and walked Fitz to the front door and let him out and then she went to the bathroom to freshen up and then changed for class as she waited to Trevor to arrive to accompany her.
When he arrived, they slowly walked down the block to her class at the end of the street and then made their way into the building and up the elevator.
Most if not all of the other woman in the class had been seated on the cushions and their partners were seated directly behind them. It was a class filled with men wealthy enough to be able to spend an hour a day from work or running their respective businesses and participate in a birthing class with their partners, there weren't there all the time but they were there most of the time.
"Liv, hey, welcome, welcome, come on in- Sarah, help her down on the cushion please."
Olivia slipped off her shoes by the designated area and then walked over to the cushions. The attendant helped her down on the cushion. Trevor stayed outside the door.
"Okay, now we can begin our last class," the instructor said, "most of you are due in a week, at most, two, and we've really done good work, I think your ready so this class will be about what can the father do, right? We know what the mother will do, she'll be doing all the hard work but it takes two, how can the father make your delivery a better experience right? But first, let's start with some breathing exercises-hi sir, welcome to my childbirth class, how can I help you?" the instructor said.
"Yes, I'm here for Olivia."
Olivia recognized the voice instantly and turned around.
"Okay, well, just remove your shoes and your can leave them there and just pop a squat, you came just in time."
Fitz slipped off his shoes and walked over to Olivia who was blushing from embarrassment because she could feel everyone staring at her, not necessarily in a bad way but she was embarrassed all the same.
Fitz sat behind Olivia, with his legs stretched out on both sides of her like all the other fathers.
"Okay so let's begin, first, I want all the dads to reach around and place both hand gently on your partner's stomach. It's routine, come on dad, let's go."
Fitz reach from behind and placed both hands on her stomach, as did all the other fathers. When Fitz rested his hands on her stomach, she flashed back to the night that he pointed the gun at her head, the memory made her squirm.
"Are you okay?" Fitz asked.
"Yes," she replied.
"Okay good, now let's just breathe together, but I want you to breath in sync with your partner, feel the air and the energy flow-1,2,3,4 exhale and breathe again-1,2,3,4 and exhale."
They breathed together, as instructed and as Olivia inhaled, she could smell his cologne because he was barely inches away from her. The scent of his cologne brought back good memories, specifically, the day when they went shopping together on Rodeo Drive and he wouldn't stop kissing her in front of the sale associate in one of the boutiques.
The one hour class seemed to go by much quicker with Fitz there going through all the exercises with her, when it was time for the discussion, he didn't say much but all the same, she was glad he showed up.
At the end of the class, he slowly helped her from the cushions and over to where they'd left their shoes.
"How did you find me here?" she asked.
"I followed you."
"Oh."
Fitz slipped on his shoes as well and then they both walked outside the class, Olivia looked for Trevor.
"Where's Trevor?" she asked.
"I sent him away, I'll walk you home, it's fine."
She nodded and walked behind him to the elevator and then once they were out of the building, they both walked quietly back to her apartment.
He walked up to her building entrance.
"I'll guess I'll talk to you later."
"Okay," she responded with a nod and walked to her building's front door where her doorman opened the door and allowed inside. Fitz went to his driver waiting patiently in the car on the street.
When Olivia got back to her apartment, Marita, Margaret and Natalia were still out on lunch, Simone was training her newest assistant George were at the showroom.
She used her time alone to shower and dress in her pajamas even though it was only late afternoon. By the time she finished her bath, everyone had returned from lunch, however she was too tired to work so she went to her room to lay in bed and watch tv.
A few minutes into an episode of 'Curb your enthusiasm', she fell asleep and only woke when she felt a cramp down her spine. It wasn't very painful, just uncomfortable, it felt like a period cramp, only it was in her back.
She sat up and took a deep breath and checked the time on her phone, it was 7:12 pm. She experienced slight cramping here and there during her pregnancy but if it was her contractions that were beginning, she wanted to time them exactly so she knew when to go to the hospital.
She went down to the kitchen and got herself a bottle of water and checked the time on her phone; 7:15 pm.
She was anxious.
She opened her fridge and stood in front of it, trying to find something to snack on. After sifting through the drawers, she found a banana muffin and some strawberries and blueberries and brought them back to her room.
She laid in bed and checked her phone again. 7:23 pm. She chomped on the banana muffin and fruits as she flipped through the channels to find something to watch.
7:40 pm, she felt the pain in her back once again, more or less of the same intensity. 8:11 pm, she felt it again.
She been in enough birthing classes to know it was too soon to go to the hospital, all she could do it wait. She debated whether or not to call Fitz to let him know and after a few minutes, she decided on sending him a text.
'Contractions have started, really mild, I'll let you know if anything else happens.'
Fitz sat on the couch in his hotel room, eating his steak dinner sent up by the hotel kitchen and watching the Lakers basketball game. He didn't notice at first when the text came in because the tv was so loud. It wasn't until he finished eating and got up to change out of his towel robe and find underpants to sleep in, that he picked up his phone to check his messages and saw the text from Olivia 20 minutes earlier.
"What the hell, why didn't she call me," he said out loud as he read the text.
He immediately dialed her.
Olivia was sitting on the edge of her bed when her phone range in her hand.
"Um hey," she answered.
"Um hey? Wha-why didn't you call me."
"I didn't want to bother you.:
"Olivia that doesn't make any sense. Did you call the hospital, I mean, what happens now?"
"It's too early, I have to wait."
"Okay, I'm coming over. Are you okay though, how bad is it?"
"It's a wee bit uncomfortable, that's all."
"Okay, well, I'll be there soon. Do you want me to bring you anything?"
"No, I'm alright."
"Okay."
As soon as she hung up, she felt another cramp, a slight degree more painful than the earlier.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch," she said as she felt the tightening sensation in her back.
Once it ended, she breathed. "Phew, okay, that wasn't bad at all."
She stood up and walked slowly across the room, pacing for a short while until she went back to her bed and sat down.
9:25pm, her doorman called her house phone to let her know Fitz was coming up. After she hung up the phone by her nightstand, she walked down to the kitchen and waited for Fitz to buzz her front door.
Two minutes later, Fitz buzzed her. She walked slowly to the door and opened it, allowing him inside and then closed it behind him.
"How are you?" he asked the moment he stepped inside.
"I'm alright, so far."
"Uh-so what do we do now?"
"We just have to wait."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I know, it sounds strange."
He kicked off his shoes and followed her to the kitchen.
"So are you hungry or anything?" he asked.
"No, I just ate a muffin, I'm fine."
Fitz gasped, "you ate a whole muffin!" he said sarcastically.
He was being funny again, which felt both normal and abnormal, she didn't know what to do.
"I was watching tv in my room."
Fitz wasn't ready to hang in her room, that felt too comfortable but he also didn't want to be too far away from her so he had no choice.
"Okay."
He followed her up to her bedroom. Olivia sat on the bed, Fitz sat on the bench by the end of her bed.
They sat quietly while the sound of tv filled the room.
"This is weird," Fitz said after a while.
"What?
"I mean, isn't your water supposed to break?"
"Yeah, but it doesn't have to happen right away."
She checked the time on her phone, another contraction was minutes away by her calculation.
"Another one should be coming soon," she said as she rubbed her stomach.
As the words left her mouth, she felt the tightening in her lower back.
"Ow, ow, ow."
She held her back. Fitz ran over quickly.
"How bad is it?" he asked quickly.
"Not too bad, it feels like a menstrual cramp, only, it's in my spine-"
Fitz looked confused.
"-not that you'd not what a menstrual cramp feels like," she said, shaking her head at herself.
After a few more seconds, the pain subsided.
"Can you time the contractions going forward," she said as she checked the time on her phone, 9:44 pm, the contractions were still about 30 minutes apart and lasting about 30-45 seconds.
He nodded, "are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm alright."
He sat once again, this time, on the bed beside her.
1:43 am
"You should get some sleep," Olivia said.
The contractions were now about 25 minutes apart but hadn't grown in their intensity. It had now been over 6 hours since they started. It was a much slower process than she'd expected.
"I'm fine," he replied.
"I can't sleep either," she responded even though he hadn't asked a question.
3:30 am.
Fitz was trying to pretend he wasn't falling asleep but he was.
"Is it getting worse?" he asked, sleepily.
"No, the same," she paused. "Fitz, you should get some rest."
"I'll get rest when you get rest."
Olivia stood up and paced around the room slowly.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I need to walk, the birthing instructor said walking helps."
She continued to walk back and forth for a few minutes and then she go tired so she went back to her bed and laid on her side, hoping to get some sleep.
5:40 am.
"Mmm," she moan in pain as she rubbed underneath her stomach.
"How bad is it?"
"It's bad but bearable," she uttered as the pain subsided.
She had begun feeling stronger pains in her lower abdomen an hour earlier. The contractions were now around 20 minutes apart.
"We should go to the hospital, it's been almost 12 hours."
"No, it's too soon, I shouldn't be able to talk through the contractions and they should be closer together."
She fanned her face briefly to cool down, she had no idea why she was feeling so hot even though the room was cool.
"I need a bath."
She stood up from the bed and headed to the bathroom.
"Wait-where are you going?"
"To the bathroom, I need a bath, I need to cool down."
"Are you sure that's a good idea right now?"
"I-the birthing instructor said it's fine."
She quickly walked to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. She gauged the water and pulled the lever to fill the tub.
Fitz walked in seconds after her.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm alright, I just need to cool down a little."
"Okay, I'm gonna be right outside, just call me if you need anything."
She nodded.
Fitz walked out and pulled the door in behind him but didn't close it.
Olivia took off her clothes and stepped into the water. She leaned back and sighed in relief. She washed some water over her face and neck and then closed her eyes.
Moment's later, a contraction came.
"Ah, ah, ah."
She held onto the side of the bathtub.
Fitz ran in quickly from outside the door and kneeled beside her. He ran his hands up and down her back as she gripped the side of the tub and closed her eyes until the contraction subsided then she sat up.
"What was that? From 1-10?"
She panted softly, "I don't know, maybe a 4 or 5, I have no idea how painful this is suppose to get, maybe a 6."
"Okay, do you want me to help you out of the tub."
"No, I want to stay."
She leaned back in the tub and closed her eyes again, tired.
Fitz sat on the ground beside the tub, trying to avoid looking at her laying naked in the tub.
Minutes later, another contraction came and then another and another. They were getting more intense but not more frequent.
"What time is it?" she asked, anxiously.
"7:03," he said as he checked his phone.
"It's been 12 hours, why are they not getting closer?"
"I really think we should call the hospital."
Olivia nodded, "the number is in my phone. It's in the bedroom."
"Okay, I'll be right back."
Fitz quickly went to get her phone from the room and came back to the bathroom.
"Your password?"
"1956."
Fitz entered the password.
"It's saved as 'hospital'," she said.
When Fitz found hospital's number and called it quickly.
"Mmm," Olivia groaned, another contraction was beginning.
"Hello? Yes, I'm calling for Olivia Pope, she's in labor- no, her water didn't break- yes-yes- uhm for the past 12 hours- I'd say about 20 minutes apart- yes, she can talk through them- I'm not sure-Liv, how far are you dilated?"
"I don't know."
"She doesn't know," Fitz said over the phone.
"She asking if you know how to check?"
"I know how to but I can't right now," she said breathlessly.
"She said she can't right now, she's a little distressed- if I know how to check? Well, tell me how to check and I'll do it- use my what? My fingers to check her cervix? You're gonna stay on the line...Oh dear."
"Just check it...please," Olivia said.
Fitz hesitated, "Okay, how do we-"
Olivia eased up slowly and stooped in the water.
Fitz took his index and middle finger like the nurse told him, he dipped it under the water and slowly slipped it inside her and felt for the opening of her cervix. Considering how many time he'd done that to her during sex, he felt silly for feeling so awkward. Her cervix felt like soft, puckered lips.
He pulled out his fingers, Olivia looked away.
"Two fingers," he said to the nurse, "barely."
Fitz stayed one the phone listening for a moment before he responded.
"Are you sure?" he sighed, "okay."
Olivia was still kneeling on the tub.
"What did she say?"
"She said it's not time. She said you're around three centimeter dilated but you also need to be having contraction every 5 minutes."
Olivia sighed, "I want to come out."
"Let me get you a towel," Fitz said as he went to the closet in the bathroom.
He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her shoulder as she stood up and stepped out of the tub. They went back to the bedroom, where Olivia put on a pair of panties and a t-shirt then wrapped herself in a towel robe and laid in bed. Another contraction came, more painful than the last. Fitz waited beside her until it subsided.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"What do you want?"
"I don't know." she sat up and got off the bed.
"Are you coming with me?"
She nodded and followed him downstairs and sat on the couch in living room. Tired, irritated and anxious, she leaned against the pillow and tried to rest her eyes until the next contraction.
Meanwhile, Fitz looked through the fridge to find something for her to eat, he ended up just making her a fruit plate of all the available frust he could find with oatmeal.
He brought it all over to Olivia and placed it on the coffee table in front of her.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Fitz sat beside her on the couch as she nibbled on some blueberries and strawberries.
11:30 am.
Olivia was back in the bedroom, all her employees had arrived and were downstairs working. She told them she wanted privacy, so they wouldn't bother her.
The pain was getting worse and fortunately, the contractions were coming closer together and she was hoping that in a few hours she would be able to go to the hospital.
"Can I have some water?" she asked Fitz.
"Sure, gimme a sec."
He quickly ran down to the kitchen to get her a bottle of water and then ran back up to her. He opened the bottle and placed it in her hands as he sat on the bed beside her.
"Soon okay," he said as he gently rubbed circles into her back.
Olivia nodded and began sniffling.
"No, no, no, don't cry, don't cry-"
"-I just, didn't think it would be like this, I didn't think it would hurt this much and I'm not even at the hospital yet."
"Hey, you're gonna be fine, okay. She wouldn't be my kid if she didn't give you a hard time," Fitz said, trying to lighten her up.
She nodded and wiped her eyes.
Moments later, she had another contraction. She grabbed a handful of the sheet and tried to breath through it, while Fitz timed it.
2:01pm.
"Come on Liv, the car is downstairs."
He helped her up off the bed and walked her to the stairs then he carefully lifted her down the stairs, she was still light enough to be carried.
Once they were down the stairs, they walked to the foyer and out the door, headed for the elevator. Fitz had her hospital bag thrown over his shoulder, along with food Natalia packed for her.
The moment they stepped out of the elevator, she had another contraction.
"Owwww, ow, ow," she cried. She stopped and held onto the wall and tried taking deep breath until the pain subsided.
"We waited too long, you should've taken me to the hospital hours ago," she complained.
"We called the hospital and they said it was too early, you said it was too soon," Fitz said, perplexed, until he realized that it might just be the contractions talking.
"Come on, we need to get to the car so you can sit, the hospital isn't far away."
She began walking again, as quickly as she could to the car.
10 minutes later, they were walking into the hospital.
When they walked into the lobby, a staff member quickly gave Olivia a wheelchair and took her pre-registration papers to check her in and then they took her to labor and delivery, during that time, she prepared for her next contraction which were now coming 5 minutes apart. It was obvious that she was in labor so they brought her straight to a room.
Once they got her in the room, Fitz helped her onto the bed.
The nurse hook a fetal monitor to her stomach to check the baby's heart rate and then she checked her cervix to see how far she was dilated and effaced.
"Ah, ah, ah," Olivia whimpered as she felt another contraction.
Fitz held onto her hand, he was perplexed as to how someone with such small hands could grip so tight, but he didn't complain.
"How close are the contractions?"
"About every 5 minutes," Fitz answered.
"Okay, she's about 6.5 centimeters dilated."
Olivia's contraction lasted 40 seconds and then subsided.
"'I'm tired," she said breathlessly.
"I know mama, I know, but I'm gonna have to ask you some questions and get you a drip okay but bare with me, let's get you changed out of these clothes first."
An hour later.
The nurse had left after going through procedure and asking her questions from 'is this your first pregnancy?' to 'we're there any complications during pregnancy?'."
They were now waiting for her doula, who was offered by the hospital for a fee.
The contractions were getting stronger and more unbearably as time passed.
"Are you sure you don't want the epidural, I mean, you're in a lot of pain," Fitz said.
"I already told you-" she stopped mid-sentence for a few moments, "natural is better for the baby."
She scrunched her nose and closed her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"I want to vomit."
Fitz remembered the nurse had showed him the disposable vomit bags in the room, he quickly grabbed one and held it by Olivia's mouth as she hyperventilated into it.
The doula walked in, an older latino woman with a mixture or grey and black hair, once she saw what was going on she quickly walked over to the bed and rested her hand on Olivia's back and rubbed circles into it.
"Breathe," she said.
Olivia took a deep breath and regurgitated the contents of her stomach into the bag. As she threw up, she felt pain in her lower abdomen.
Fitz handed her a tissue to wipe her mouth and then he took the bag and threw it in the garbage.
"I'm gonna call the nurse," Fitz said.
The doula continued rubbing Olivia's back gently.
"She's going through the transition phase, it's likely to get worse." the doula turned from Fitz to Olivia, "I'm Fran, your doula," Francisca said, as he handed her some water to wash out her mouth.
"Olivia," she said as took a sip of the water and spit it back in the disposable cup.
The doula discarded the cup while Fitz pressed the button to call the nurse.
Fran walked back over to Olivia, "how do you feel?"
"Nauseous, it's really really bad."
"Okay, she reached into the pocket of the medical apron tied around her waist and took out a small jar with peppermint oil. She opened it and brought it up to Olivia nose.
"I want you to inhale deeply, the peppermint oil will help, okay sweetie, breathe deeply."
Olivia inhaled the scent of the peppermint oil and as if by miracle a few moments later, the nausea waned.
"How do you feel?" Fran asked.
"Better."
The nurse walked in.
"Olivia, I hope Fran is taking good care off you. How is the nausea?"
Olivia wasn't in a joking mood, she was too tired.
"I want the spinal block."
She was sweating mildly even though the room was temperate.
"Okay but it's policy for me to tell you all the pros and cons of the procedure before it's administered."
Olivia didn't respond so the nurse took that as her que to go ahead. From her clipboard, she retrieved a document and proceeded to read everything from the sheet of paper, the effects of the procedure, pros, cons, what drug would be given and where it would be given.
"Okay, I understand, I still need it."
"It's a quick procedure and as I said, the relief is almost instant, it take a few minutes."
"Okay, I know, please, I need it."
The nurse nodded and headed out.
4:50 pm.
The nurse, anesthesiologist and doctor had left some time ago. After giving her the spinal block, she also received medicine for her nausea which had returned.
The pain relief was euphoric and although she wasn't feeling completely pain free, it was a significant improvement from what she was feeling before.
Fitz had called his assistant Meghan to bring them food.
She laid still on the bed, quiet, the nurse advised her not to move because of the numbness in her lower body from the pain medication.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Tired."
"Get some rest, you can sleep you know."
"I can't sleep during labor."
"Sure you can," Fran said, "I slept in between contractions with my second child, now's the time to sleep, you'll be feeling your contractions again soon."
"Okay, I'll try," Olivia responded. Try she did because a few minutes later, she fell asleep.
While she slept, Fitz ate and read some of the literature on newborn babies as he waited for her to wake. The nurse came periodically to check on Olivia and Fran was in and out of the room as well.
As Fitz sat reading his phone vibrated, it was Lucky calling.
"Oh shit," Fitz said before he answered the phone, he forgot to call Lucky to let him know Olivia was in labor.
"What's up man?"
"Hey," he whispered, not wanting to wake Olivia.
"Why are you whispering?"
Fitz stood up and walked to the far side of the room.
"Olivia's been in labor, she's sleeping now."
"Really?" Lucky said excitedly, "Congrats man, you gonna be a father, what about Olivia, how is she doing?"
"She's tired, she just fell asleep, I don't want to wake her can I call you back later."
"Alright, I'll talk to you later. When is she going to give birth."
"I don't know but I'll call you."
Fitz hung up and sat back in his chair beside the bed and continued reading.
"Fitz?" Olivia said.
He hadn't realized she woke up. The pain was coming back, she couldn't sleep through it any longer. The spinal block was wearing off.
"I need a vomit bag. Quickly."
He grabbed her one quickly from the stand and held it by her mouth in time for her to throw up in it. When she was finished, Fitz took the bag and discarded of it in the bin.
"Should I call that lady Fran, with the peppermint oil?"
"Yeah, please."
"Okay, I'll be right back."
He walked out quickly and returned a couple minutes later with the doula.
"Liv, you're awake."
She put the peppermint oil by Olivia's nose and waited as she inhaled.
"Better?"
Olivia nodded and then shifted her body, causing a rupture in her amniotic sac.
"My water just broke."
"Really?" Fitz said.
"Call the nurse," Fran said.
Fitz pressed the button.
Fran checked under Olivia's hospital gown and confirmed that her water broke.
"It won't be long now, okay sweetie," Fran said.
Olivia attempted to respond but then she felt a sudden contraction and grabbed onto the hospital bed railing.
"Remember what the birthing instructor said, you have to breathe through it, take deep breaths," Fitz said, not wanting to let the Instructions he learned in his only birthing class go to waste.
He breathed deeply, in and out, attempting to coach her.
She inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth in a series of breaths.
"Good job, you're doing great."
She continued until the contraction subsided and she let go of the rail and leaned back on her pillow.
The nurse walked in.
"Hey, your up, how's our girl doing?"
"Her water broke," Fitz said before Fran could.
"Great, she's progressing nicely."
The nurse slipped on a pair of gloves by the door and walked over to inspect Olivia.
She checked her fluid and her cervix.
"Looks like your 9 centimeters dilated, it's almost time to push." the nurse said.
Another contraction came and another and another, giving her a minute of rest in between.
The pain felt like she was stabbed but only in very specific parts of her body. She felt like giving up, only, she didn't exactly what that would entail, would she just stop resisting the contractions and let her body do whatever it needed to do.
She laid still and closed her eyes.
"Olivia?" Fitz called, he was standing right beside, trying to coax her through the contraction along with the help of the doula.
"I'm tired!" she screamed.
She immediately felt terrible for screaming at him. He'd been so good throughout the labor.
"I'm sorry, it just hurts so bad," she said as she opened her eyes, crying.
"Hey, it's okay, you don't have to apologize, just focus on breathing, okay. I feel like after one birthing class, I'm basically a pro at this, so you should listen to me."
She wiped her eyes, "don't make me laugh."
Another contraction came. "Oh my god," Olivia whimpered in pain.
"Come on sweetie, let's try something," Fran looked to Fitz, "help turn her to her side."
"Okay."
Fitz help gently turn Olivia took her side. Fran took out one of her soothing oils and raised her hospital gown and began massaging lightly around her lower back and legs.
While it didn't stop the pain, it was very soothing in between contractions.
7:22 pm
After a brief resting period Olivia felt the urge to push, badly. Fitz called the nurse. She arrived within minutes to check her cervix, she was fully dilated.
The nurse left briefly and returned with the delivery team. They prepared her for the second stage of labor: pushing.
She was positioned on her side to push. Fitz held her hand the entire time.
She'd been 30 minutes into pushing.
"Come on Olivia, you have to give me a big push."
Olivia pushed as hard as she could.
"1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10," the doctor said as she pushed. "Breathe," the doctor said.
"Gimme another push, come on Olivia."
"No, I can't, it's not suppose to hurt like this, something's wrong," she cried.
"No, no, no, you're doing great," the doctor said, "I need a big push, I know you're tired but we have to do this. Come on."
Olivia inhaled deeply and pushed.
"1-2-3-4-"
"Come on champ," Fitz said as he brushed her hair from her face.
"5-6-7-8-9-10. Breathe." the doctor said.
Olivia exhaled.
"I can see her head," the doctor announced.
Fitz smiled, "come on Livie, push our little princess out."
"I can't."
"Come on Liv, think about the bone structure she's gonna have, you can't keep her hidden forever."
The nurse and doctors chuckled, Olivia didn't, she was in too much pain.
"Come on, big push, big push," the doctor said.
Olivia took a deep breath and pushed again, a hard as she could. The burning sensation was agonizing but she pushed through it. She could feel her daughter's head.
"Come on, one more, one more."
She breathed and pushed again. For a moment, she felt like there was fire in between her leg and then it subsided.
"We've got her head out," the doctor said.
They quickly suctioned the baby's nose and mouth.
"Thank god?" Olivia said, relieved, "I don't think I could do that again."
"You did it champ!" Fitz said.
"Not yet, not yet-" the doctor said.
"Come on doc, let her have this," Fitz said.
Olivia smiled even though the burning sensation was dizzying.
"Come on, let's get these shoulders out, gimme another big push. 3-2-1.."
Olivia inhaled and pushed again, as hard as she could and moments later her daughter's shoulder were out and the doctor pulled her out, upon realizing she was alert and had a healthy color, she placed her on Olivia's chest.
There was no feeling in the world that could describe finally getting to meet her newborn baby and to finally feel her in her arms. The tears immediately began flowing, she looked up to Fitz to see what he was doing and he just seemed to be standing staring at them both, awe-strucken.
As Olivia held her daughter against her bare chest, one of the nurses slipped on a soft pink hat on her head and draped a blanket across her back and quickly did an apgar assessment to check heart rate, muscle tone and reflex of the baby while she laid on Olivia chest.
Fitz leaned over and kissed her head softly and ran his index finger down her back and smiled. "Hey there princess," he cooed softly as he gazed at her rosy cheeks.
Her eyes were still closed. Olivia watched the entire interaction, smiling happily. It was hard to remember a time when she felt that much raw joy and contentment.
"Hi sweet girl," were her first words to her daughter, "how are you? I reckon you're a bit tired after the long day we've had," Olivia said as she leaned down a kissed her forehead.
Fitz kissed his daughter's hand again and placed his finger in her palm just to feel her tiny hand and fingers.
"She's gorgeous," he said, amused. She looked just like her mother, with her chubby cheeks and already pouty lips, he felt was a cruel joke on him. He couldn't love one and not the other, it was going to be impossible.
"Come on dad, time to cut the cord, it's done it's job."
Fitz kissed his daughter's hand gently and waited for them to hand him the clamp scissors, he already felt the tears coming. The nurse helped position the baby and then another nurse handed his the clam scissors and showed him where to cut.
"Right there dad," the doctor said.
Fitz cut the cord and handed the scissor back to the nurse.
"Good job," Olivia said, congratulating him. She noticed his watery eyes but didn't say anything, she knew it might only make him uncomfortable.
Fitz walked back to her, to stay by her side. They were both so fascinated by the baby that before they knew it, she'd delivered her placenta, the doctor had inserted the iud, sewn up her vaginal tears and cleaned her up.
Once she was cleaned up, she decided she was ready to breastfeed to further bond with her baby.
The doula helped her position the baby and then she patiently waited for her baby to latch on.
"Come on sweet girl, give it a try," Olivia said.
Fitz stood watching, fascinated.
"Lily," Olivia said as she looked up at Fitz, "do you like that? Lilly?"
"Yeah, we should nickname her Rosie though, for her rosy cheeks."
"Lily Rose Grant?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah, Lily Rose Grant, that's a pretty baller name," Fitz teased.
Olivia chuckled, "Lily Rose Grant, blink twice if you hate that name," she said to Lily, trying to get her to open her eyes. Lily didn't move her eyes.
"I guess she loves it," Olivia said with a smile.
Disclaimer- I have never given birth and so I thoroughly researched the delivery experience in order to write it in such detail but I know every birth is different and so I did the best I could. Enjoy and as usual let me know your thoughts.