I think I got a bit carried away writing this chapter so I've split it into two parts. I hope you like it!
It was a little before 10 when she knocked on the door to Dylan's boat dressed in a long white tshirt and the comfiest pair of maternity jeans she owned, had she been at home she'd probably have stayed in her pyjamas all day, or she'd be wearing the maternity scrubs that, with Connie's permission she'd 'borrowed' after the Clinical Lead had confessed they were one of the most comfortable things she'd worn in her own pregnancy and that she too had 'acquired' a few pairs to wear at home. But no, she figured that if Dylan was going to make the effort to be a father to their child, she could at least make the effort to get dressed.
Rita, this is Dervla" Dylan introduced her to his dog once he'd helped her on board the houseboat, "Dervla, I told you about Rita, remember I told you that she's pregnant so no getting too excitable with her and try not to harass her too much" he finally looked up at Rita, "I can put her in the bedroom if you'd rather…"
Rita shook her head and reached out to stroke Dervla's head, "she's fine aren't you girl."
"Have you eaten?" Dylan asked as Rita continued to fuss over Dervla.
"No, I erm, I still feel quite queasy in the mornings, the anti-emetics help but I can't eat anything until I've given them time to start working."
"Right, well, how about I make us some breakfast and then we set off, I know a little country pub about an hour and a half from here so I thought we could go there for lunch and maybe a walk if that'd be okay with you?"
Rita nodded, "that sounds nice"
"Okay, well" Dylan gestured to the sofa, "make yourself at home."
"Thank you" Rita smiled a while later as Dylan placed a large cooked breakfast in front of her, "it looks lovely but please don't be offended if I don't eat it all, I get really bad heartburn if I eat too much at once, I've just sort of been constantly grazing for the past few weeks."
"Oh, yes, I should have thought, sorry."
"No, no it's fine"
"Well just eat what you can, I'm sure Dervla will be only too happy to finish what you can't."
Rita smiled and nodded, Dervla settling on the floor by her feet, "thanks."
They ate in silence for a while before Dylan spoke, "has everything been okay since the other day."
Rita nodded, "yeah, she's been fine, she's not moving as much as she used to but my midwife says that's normal and that she's probably just running out of room to wriggle, I had a couple of Braxton Hicks contractions that night but other than that she's been fine."
"Yes" Dylan nodded, "it would make sense that she's running out of room." He was surprised by the size and the 'neatness' of her bump every time he saw Rita, the weight she'd put on in her pregnancy was solely around her stomach, so much so that someone approaching her from behind would have no idea she was pregnant until she turned around.
"I erm, I've been working on my birth plan" she told him as she began to push the food around her plate, already starting to feel full, "Dixie's agreed to be there but you're welcome to be there too, I won't mind if you'd rather just come up and see her when she's been born though."
"Would it make you uncomfortable if I was there?"
Rita shook her head, "no, not at all, she's your daughter as much as she is mine."
Dylan nodded, "I, I'd like that. Are you planning on having her in the hospital?"
"Yeah, I'd like to try a water birth I think, and I've said in my birth plan that I don't want to be offered pain relief but I don't want anyone to try and talk me out of it if I ask for some. I might be being too optimistic but I'd like to do things as naturally as possible.."
"I don't think you're being too optimistic, you've had a fairly smooth pregnancy, there's nothing to suggest that your labour won't be the same."
"I've read so many stories about women being pressured into things, like, if they don't think I'm progressing fast enough, if she's not distressed or anything I think I'd rather just wait and let things happen naturally but consensus seems to be that the professionals would rather go for a c section than wait and see."
"You could always refuse to be examined" Dylan suggested, "that way they'd have no idea of how quickly you were 'progressing'. And erm, excuse me if I'm being too forward but you could write out a list of things you definitely do and don't want and things you're willing to compromise on, that way, if you're feeling pressured into anything Dixie, or myself, would be able to speak out on your behalf because we'll know what you want."
Rita nodded, "that sounds like a good idea, I've been looking at the benefits of delayed cord clamping too and I think I'd like to do that too if I can...I just want what's best for her" she said as she ran her hand over her stomach.
"I know" Dylan nodded, I erm, I borrowed some books...from the library, I've been reading them, parenting books" he clarified, "I, I'd like to be involved in her upbringing but I won't...I won't." He sighed as he tried to compose his thoughts, "I don't want you to feel like I'm imposing, if you'd rather…"
"Dylan" Rita said softly, "you won't be imposing, not at all. Having her is going to be a big change for us both but we're in this together, if you don't feel comfortable having her on your own at first then that's fine, I've never done this before either but I want you to be a part of her life. I we ever have to make any big decisions, about childcare, her health, then we'll sit down like adults and discuss things to make the decisions together. We're both her parents, she'll need us both."
Dylan nodded, "I erm, I've got her a few things, I didn't know what you had already so… Would you like to see them?"
Rita smiled, "yeah okay."
Dylan took Rita through to his bedroom and opened the wardrobe taking several carrier bags, "it's mainly clothes, I got some bigger sizes but there are some toys and nappies, wipes, baby shampoo, that sort of thing."
"Thank you" Rita smiled as she looked through the bags, "you're going to be well dressed aren't you hey" she asked her bump, not seeing Dylan reach up to take something from the top of the wardrobe.
"I got this too, I've still got the reciept so if you've already got one I can take it back."
"Oh Dylan" Rita felt tears fill her eyes as she saw the soft pink playmat he was holding, the thick padded mat shaped like a rabbit, the picture on the packaging showing that the rabbit's head and arms would support her daughter's own head as she played with the toys that hung from the bars over the mat, "it's beautiful thank you" she said before wiping at her eyes, "sorry, I seem to be crying at everything at the moment." She felt the baby move and smiled, reaching for Dylan's hand so he could feel it too, "I think she's saying thank you."
They spent a while looking through the things Dylan had bought before they put them back into the bags and Dylan left Rita in Dervla's company so they could make a start on their journey. He left her curled on his sofa reading one of his many books, Dervla squashed along side her, her head close enough that Rita could scratch between her ears as she read, an action that Dylan knew would make Rita a firm friend of Dervla's.
It was about an hour later when Dervla appeared by Dylan's side, "Ah, you've finally remembered me have you?" He joked as he saw her, "what is it girl?" He briefly scratched Dervla's head as she yelped and nuzzled against his legs,"what's wrong with you?" he frowned as he watched the dog walk over to the stairs that would take her back below deck before turning and barking at him. "Stop it now. Sit" he said firmly as the dog continued to walk from him to the stairs, still barking occasionally. "Dervla, enough" he tried to shoo her away, "what's gotten into you?" he asked as she nipped the leg of his trousers between her teeth and tried to pull him to the stairs, "okay okay, what do you want me to see?" He steered the boat to the edge of the canal and managed to tie it to a nearby tree, "go on girl, what is it?"
Dervla yelped at Dylan before running down the stairs, turning at the bottom to make sure he was following her before she bounded off into the kitchen area of the houseboat, "Dylan"
"Oh God" he raced over to Rita's side as he realised what Dervla had been trying to tell him, "take some deep breaths Rita."
"I, I don't think these are braxton hicks" she groaned as she stood, bent over, rocking slightly and clutching at the kitchen side, "how, how far are we from the hospital?"
"We're about an hour from Holby, I don't know if there's anywhere closer, do you want me to call an ambulance?"
Rita groaned out in pain, "I don't think she's going to wait" she said before gasping as she felt her waters break
"Okay" Dylan tried to get himself together, "can I…" he gestured to the, now damp,maternity jeans Rita was wearing.
"Mhmm" she groaned, grasping at the kitchen side, rocking slightly as she felt another contraction.
Dylan frowned as he helped Rita from her trousers and underwear, "did your midwife say anything about the position of the baby?"
Rita nodded, "head down and…" she inhaled sharply, "why?"
"Well, no, she's not. I don't want you to panic Rita but I can see a foot."