Just a couple more chapters left. I plan on tweaking them and posting them in the morning. Enjoy!
Chapter 27
Lexi leaned against the sink and bit back a moan as her midsection tightened with a vice like grip. She hit the button on her phone, looked at the time and closed her eyes as reality slowly began to set in. These weren't just random and sporadic Braxton Hicks contractions that had kept her up all night and if her suspicions were right, about a half hour ago the pattern switched from random to methodical. If she were right the next one would hit in about five minutes.
She eased down onto the edge of the tub and waited. Right on time her belly began to tighten and it was everything she could do to catch her breath. Once the contraction passed she managed to get to her feet and headed into the bedroom. "Roman." She gave him a quick shake and watched as his eyes opened and he set his sleepy gaze on her.
"Hey." He grinned. "What are you-" The question died on his lips as his eyes widened. "What's wrong?"
"I'm pretty sure I'm having contractions," she said as fear began to crawl up her throat. "I think I might be in labor."
In an instant, he flung the covers off and sprang out of bed. "Are you sure?" he asked as he took her by the shoulders and eased her down onto the bed.
"Pretty sure," she gasped as yet another contraction hit, the pain tore through her and it was everything she could do to breathe.
"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" Roman asked as he grabbed his sweatpants from the suitcase.
"I wasn't sure it was anything until about a half hour ago when I started having steady, painful contractions. It's not like I've ever done this before, Roman. I didn't want to wake you over nothing." She turned her head and eyed the closed drapes. "This is just perfect. When I couldn't sleep I turned on the early morning news. The governor has put us under a state of emergency. How am I supposed to get to the hospital?
Roman leaned down and with one finger, turned her face to his. "Hey, don't worry. We'll get through this."
"How?" she asked as that rising panic began to build upon itself. The baby wasn't due for another month and she was supposed to give birth in a hospital, damn it. Her hospital. With her doctor. "How are we supposed to get through this when help is somewhere out in that storm?"
"Let me handle the how, okay?"
Knowing she had few options and that he would do his best to make things right, she nodded. Panicking wouldn't do any good anyway.
"Good girl. Now do you remember any of the breathing you learned from that online childbirth class?"
She nodded and eased back onto the pillow. "Good," he replied. "Work on your breathing. I'll be right back."
Within ten minutes, the room was bustling with people. Once Roman woke the others, everyone scattered. Phone calls were made, and somehow Amber managed to locate Doctor Amman, who had thankfully also been staying in the hotel. He eased onto the bed next to Lexi while Seth, Amber, Dean and Zoe stood near the bedroom door.
"How far apart are the contractions?"
"Five minutes," she replied as she prepared for the next one. "They were far apart and random overnight, so I didn't think anything about it. I assumed they Braxton Hicks, but they're strong and steady now."
His lips thinned at her response. "I need to check to see if you're dilated."
Lexi nodded. "Okay," she gasped as the contraction hit and a small groan slipped from her as her belly tightened again.
He reached for his bag, pulled out a rubber glove.. "I'll wait until the contraction is over to check." He slid a glove onto his hand, turned back and waited.
Roman ease in behind her, giving her some support. He slid his arms beneath hers and held her as Doctor Amman began the exam. Trying to ignore the discomfort, Lexi sucked in a quick breath, but didn't utter a sound. "Well," Doctor Amman began as he pulled back and stripped of the glove. "Looks like we're having a baby." He glanced over his shoulder at Amber. "Call 911, tell them we have a woman in labor and close to giving birth. Find out how long it will take to get an ambulance here."
Amber nodded, then disappeared into the other room even as Lexi's eyes widened and terror streaked through her. She turned her head to look at Roman who also wore a mask of concern. "What? No. I'm not supposed to go through labor. My doctor wanted to do a C-section."
Doctor Amman placed a hand over hers. "Listen to me, Lexi. You're eight centimeters now and nearly fully effaced. Your little one is on its way and there's no stopping it now. Hopefully the ambulance will be able to get here quickly and we can at least get you to the hospital."
"No dice, Doc," Amber called from the doorway as her attention darted from Doctor Amman to Lexi and back. "The 911 operator is telling me that service is maxed out. There's a forty minute lag for calls. Plus the main road leading out of town this direction is flooded because of the storm. She's not sure when she could get someone here."
Doctor Amman sighed. "Then we don't have a choice. We're going to have to do this the old fashion way." He glanced at Amber. "Call them back and cancel the request. Then come right back here because I'm going to need help."
Oh God. Lexi felt as if she was slowly losing control. She hated that feeling. "But...I can't have the baby here." Tears welled as she surrendered to the strong grip of terror that quickly took hold. It was too soon. She wasn't ready. She was supposed to have at least three more weeks. And what about the scar tissue? What would happen to it during labor?
"Sure you can," Doctor Amman corrected. "Women give birth at home all the time. Besides, you're pretty far along for only realizing you were in labor less than an hour ago. If I were a betting man I'd say you're going to start transitioning shortly and then everything is going to progress very quickly." He pushed off the bed and stood. "We need to prepare."
"Try and relax, sweetheart," Roman whispered. "We're not going to let anything bad happen to you or the baby."
"Roman's right," Doctor Amman agreed. "We're going to take good care of you and the baby. He paused and gave her a reassuring smile. "You know I haven't delivered a baby in quite a few years. Kinda nice to have the opportunity again." He turned to the crew still standing near the doorway. "We need to get some supplies here right away. Ladies. I need ice for Lexi to suck on between contractions. Also, if one of you could check with the hotel manager I need the following items. A new plastic shower curtain liner." He began ticking off the list on his fingers. "Lots of clean towels. Preferably ones they won't want back, because they're going to be blood soaked by the time we're done. Extra pillows. A clean, empty bucket. A clean basin to hold fresh water and trash bags."
The women nodded and immediately disappeared. Doctor Amann turned back to Lexi. "Do you guys have anything here for the baby already?" He cocked his head to the side. "I know your due date was three weeks from now, but maybe you've been picking up diapers and wipes, onesies? Anything?"
Her brain cloudy with pain, Lexi shook her head even as Roman replied with a resounding yes. "The Diva's threw Lexi a baby shower the day before yesterday. We have all the gifts still in the tour bus." A frown claimed him as he turned to look out the window. "It's got to be seventy five mile an hour winds or more outside. The bus is parked at the back of the lot. There's no way anyone could safely reach it, right now."
Seth stepped forward and smacked Dean on the shoulder. "Make a list of what you need from the bus. We'll get it."
Roman shook his head. "No. It's too dangerous."
Seth grinned. "Don't worry, bro. No little bit of wind is going to keep us from getting whatever it is our new niece or nephew needs, right, Dean?"
Dean nodded. "That's right. We're The Shield, remember. Nobody and nothing can stop us."
Within minutes, they'd also disappeared, leaving her alone with Doctor Amman and Roman. "Lexi," Doctor Amman started. "Honey, your water hasn't broken yet, so why don't we make use of the whirlpool tub for a little while? The hot water will help take the edge off the pain."
With quite a bit of effort, she let Roman help her to her feet and over to the tub in the corner of the room. She struggled to keep her composure as Roman drew the bath. This wasn't at all how it was supposed to happen. Labor meant giving up control and she simply couldn't do that she thought as she sank into the water and leaned back. The heat infused her skin and soaked into her muscles, loosening them.
She lifted a hand to her head and closed her eyes as she let the heat work its way through her body. This wasn't at all how she'd pictured giving birth, but so many people were here to support her. Dean and Seth were damn near risking their lives to get the baby's things from the tour bus. Did it really matter how she got there as along as the end result was the same, as long as she and the baby were safe and healthy? Back when she'd first learned she was pregnant she'd actually had her heart set on a natural childbirth. Of course, that was before she realized just how out of control she'd end up feeling.
Still, it wasn't as if she had a choice. She thought about her dad, her past and Roman. She was a Hart damn it, which meant she could do anything. That thought disintegrated on the wave of pain that arrived with her next contraction. Caught off guard by the sheer intensity of it, she grabbed her belly and cried out. In an instant, Roman was at her side. "What is it?"
Unable to speak she shook her head and tried to remember her breathing. When the contraction finally began to subside she laid her head back and looked at him. The concern in his eyes melted her heart and she reached a wet hand up to touch his cheek. "I love you so much," she whispered as emotion poured through her.
He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. "I love you too. Are you sure you're doing okay?"
She nodded. "Harder contraction that before. It caught me off guard, is all."
He reached out to cup her cheek and rubbed a thumb along her jawline. "I'm sorry you're hurting."
She smiled now as she placed a hand over his wrist. "I'm not. Every contraction is bringing our baby closer to us. No matter how bad it gets, I'll won't regret a moment of it."
Before Roman could reply the girls burst through the door, arms loaded down. "We're back with supplies," Amber announced. "Where do you want everything?"