Zoey finds herself being nudged awake. She looks up at the person standing over her. She squints.
"What time is it?"
"Three am."
"Why are you waking me up at three o'clock in the morning?"
"I couldn't get back to sleep."
"Why not? What woke you up?"
"I am having contractions," she answers.
"You have been having those on and off for weeks," Zoey answers.
"And my water broke."
"Ok, let's go then."
"You don't have to be in a hurry. I am sure that we have plenty of time. I was in labor with Grace for eighteen hours. Fiona's was eight."
"Ok."
Once they arrive at the hospital Jackie proceeds to fill out a mountain of paperwork. Finally she is escorted to the O.B. floor. Zoey follows her into the elevator. Jackie hits the button, and the door begin to close. Jackie, and Zoey are the only two on the elevator.
"You are supposed to use a wheelchair, you know," Zoey points out.
"Zoey I started having contractions an hour and a half ago. I highly doubt that the baby is just going to fall out in the two minutes it takes to get where we're going."
The doors open, and Jackie exits the elevator. Zoey rolls her eyes, and follows her. They get her changed into a gown, and hooked up to a fetal monitor. The young O.B. nurse gets out an IV start kit. Jackie looks over her, and shakes her head. The O.B. nurse, clearly knows who she is, and is rather nervous.
"I am going to start your I.V," she approaches Jackie.
"I could really use some ice chips," Jackie tells her.
"I'll get them in just a minute."
"Can we get the ice chips first, please?"
The nurse sighs in frustration, "Sure, I'll be right back," she turns to leave the room.
As soon as she's gone Jackie turns to Zoey. "Put the IV in before she gets back."
"Jackie," Zoey tries to reason.
"I've heard horror stories about her, just put it in," she demands.
Zoey grabs a pair of gloves. She cleans Jackie's arm, and puts a tourniquet on. She carefully, yet quickly puts the IV into her vein. She gets blood return, and then quickly tapes it down, and tosses her gloves, and the trash into the trashcan. She takes a seat as the nurse returns with the cup of ice chips. She places the ice chips on the bedside table. She looks at Jackie's arm, and furrows her brow.
"What's going on in here?" the O.B. nurse asks.
Jackie shrugs, "I don't know what you mean."
The nurse shakes her head, "Never mind. I called your doctor, he'll be in shortly."
"Ok."
"Do you want anything for pain, right now?" the nurse asks her.
"No, I'm good."
The doctor arrives to check on her ten minutes later. He pulls on gloves, and smiles at her.
"Just think a few weeks ago we were concerned that you wouldn't make it to your due date."
"And it came, and went days ago."
"I am just going to check your cervix and see how things are going."
Jackie rolls her eyes, "Yeah I know how this goes." She say, sourly.
Zoey looks at Jackie, "Do you want me to leave the room?"
"Just stay up here," Jackie answers pointing towards her own shoulder.
"Ok."
The doctor quickly examines her, and then takes off his gloves.
"You're at four. Do you feel like you want anything for pain?"
"No it's nothing I can't handle right now," she admits.
"Is there anything that I can do for you?"
"You know I am not going to just sit here and wait until it happens, right?"
"I am fully aware of that. Just make sure you take your IV pole with you. Besides it will probably speed up your labor if you walk around."
He leaves the room. Zoey looks over at her.
"Jackie are you sure that I am the one you want to be here for you?"
"Who else would be here? O'Hara abandoned me, and went back across the pond."
"I can call someone, if you want."
"Zoey you don't need to call anyone."
"Do you want me to call Mike?"
"No. Absolutely not. He doesn't even know that I am pregnant."
"Jackie you have to tell him, eventually."
"Why? He isn't here anymore. He has moved on, and so have I."
"Jackie you haven't moved on, and now you are in labor, with his baby."
"It's mine."
"It is his too."
"No," she shakes her head.
"Fine. Are you going to walk?"
"Yeah," she nods.
She makes six laps around the department, before she decides to return to her room. When she finally returns to the room she takes a seat on the edge of the bed. Zoey takes a seat on the chair, next to the bed. Zoey looks at her watch.
"Your contractions are getting stronger, and closer together do you want me to tell the nurse you're ready for an epidural?"
"I don't want one," Jackie answers.
"You don't want one, now?"
"At all," she answers.
"Are you sure about that?"
"I'll be fine."
"Do you want me to call the girls?"
Jackie shoots her a look, "They don't need to be here for this. They can come after the baby gets here," she answers.
"Is there anything I can get you?"
"No, Zoey."
The doctor knocks on the door. He enters the room. Jackie looks at the clock, it's been an hour since his first visit. He checks the monitor, and then pulls on a pair of gloves.
"Jackie let's see if we're making any progress," he suggests.
She climbs back into the bed. Zoey looks away, while he checks her progress. He peels off his gloves, and tosses them in the trash.
"Do you want the good news, or the bad news first?" he questions.
"Good news," Jackie answers.
"You are dilated to an eight, fully effaced, and plus one station."
"What's the bad news?" Zoey inquires.
The doctor looks at the clock, "I don't think it will be much longer now," he answers, "I'll be back to check on you in about half an hour, ok?"
"Ok," she agrees.
Zoey stares at Jackie, as the doctor leaves the room.
"You have been in labor two and a half hours, and you're ready to push?" Zoey questions.
"I could be at eight for hours. With Fiona I stalled at seven for three hours."
"And Grace?"
"I didn't think that she was ever going to come. Apparently she wasn't ready. She was nine days past her due date."
"Did you get induced?"
"She finally came on her own, but it was slow going."
"And Fiona?"
"She was here four days before her due date, ready to go, as always."