Chapter Forty-Eight: Braxton Hicks
Meredith groaned as the shrill sound of the alarm sounded the time for both her and Mark to get up and get ready for work. She was still being allowed to go to work but she wasn't to scrub in on any surgeries she was only allowed to suture, run labs and chart. Also her shifts had been cut back considerably.
She smiled as Mark wrapped an arm over her stomach. The only way she was able to sleep now was on her back. Her stomach was too large and uncomfortable to allow her to sleep any other way.
"Time to get up" Mark said softly kissing Meredith on the cheek.
"Yeah, I feel like I haven't slept" Meredith mumbled. "Babies kicked all night" she explained.
"Well I would carry them I could" Mark said half joking but Meredith was in no mood for his humour as she climbed out of bed and made her way to the bathroom to shower. Usually Mark would have joined her but it was too awkward for the both of them to be in the shower of late.
An hour later Meredith was entering the locker room, still feeling half asleep.
"Good Morning" Cristina greeted her unusually happy for that time of morning.
"What's got you so happy?" Meredith grumbled to her friend.
"Hahn let me scrub in on a double bypass surgery last night, it was awesome" Cristina explained eagerly. "What's wrong with you?" she asked noticing Meredith's bad mood.
"Barely slept, pregnancy sucks" Meredith answered barely able to strong together her words as she slowly dressed. She finished dressing and sat down on the bench rubbing her stomach in small circles.
"McBabies want out" Cristina told her friend, noticing she must have been in pain. "You okay?"
"Yeah just little pains, Braxton Hicks, been having them for ages they are nothing to worry about" Meredith reassured her friend.
"Why are you two fools still here, don't you have work to do?" Bailey snapped making her way into the locker room where two women were still talking.
"Meredith isn't feeling so great" Cristina said quickly.
"I'm fine I keep telling you" Meredith snapped at Cristina. "It's just Braxton Hicks" Meredith explained to Bailey. "I'm fine" she added again.
"Okay well if it gets worse see your doctor, don't go being all brave about it" Bailey lectured her.
"I will" Meredith reassured her before heading off to start her duties for the day.
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Meredith gently eased herself down into a chair next to Cristina in the cafeteria. All her friends had been keeping a close eye on her since this morning and had insisted she take her break with the instead of waiting for Mark like she usually would.
"Anything interesting happening guys?" she asked everyone. Since she was unable to assist in surgeries she had resulted in living vicariously through them.
"Your husband did a complete facial reconstruction this morning, was awesome" Alex answered.
"Dr Montgomery did a C-section on an 8 week premature baby, we are just waiting to see if she makes it" Izzie said sadly.
"Hemisphectomy with Shepherd later this afternoon" George replied, he rarely spent time with the group anymore now that his relationship with Callie had progressed.
"Hahn finally lets me scrub in on a surgery last night, praises me then today treats me like crap again" Cristina complained.
"Well I'm sure it's more exciting than doing charts" Meredith said dipping her fry into her milkshake.
All four of them stared at her. "What?" she questioned. "Don't knock it until you try it" she defended herself.
"I cannot wait for this kids to be born and I thought I would never hear myself say that" Cristina commented sarcastically.
"You know I am going to remind you all of this when you's are having children of your own" Meredith snapped at them.
"I'm not having kids Meredith, we've talked about this. And I want nothing to do with those twins until they are about 10 years old they should be less annoying by then" Cristina told her friend with a small smile.
"You are all….." Meredith began before clutching her stomach in pain as another pain shot through her.
"Mer are you sure those are just Braxton's" Izzie asked concerned watching her friend clutch herself in pain.
Meredith nodded. "They haven't been this bad but I'm sure, I think I would know if I was having contractions" she snapped at them annoyed that no-one would believe her. She figured she would know her own body better than anyone else.
"It's just they seem to be getting pretty bad" Alex chipped in also knowing that Braxton's weren't usually so severe, he had spent enough time on the 'gynie squad' to know what went on.
"If it makes you feel better I will page my doctor but she is only going to tell me the same damn thing I am telling you so just leave it be" Meredith snapped getting more irritated by their questioning what was going on.
"Okay Mer, calm down" Izzie soothed her giving the others a look to let them know to back off.
"It's okay Mer we believe you, it's all fine" Cristina said trying to get Meredith calm.
Meredith was about to thank them all for finally backing off when she felt a rush off liquid. Her eyes widened in shock and yet another surge if pain ripped through her stomach.
"Ah guys, usually I would apologise for being wrong or whatever but in this situation I think things are a little different" she said looking at her friends trying her best to stay calm and collected.
"Meredith what are you on about now?" Cristina said confused with Meredith's mood swings and the way she changed her mind.
"My water just kind of broke" Meredith said watching all her friend's faces drop at those few words that were about to change her whole life.