Days passed and I still continued to get morning sickness, which was awful. A week after we all went clubbing, we went round to Tasha's house to have a barbecue with everyone. Rachael's baby was due in a short week's time, and she was now very huge.
''I'm not complaining. That baby can just stay in there.'' Rachael told us, making us all laugh as the barbecue started. ''Mind you, it would be nice to go back to my own weight again; especially as my cravings keep making me starving!'' She complained, making us all laugh.
''Well this barbecue will be ready to go in ten minutes!'' Kellan told her proudly, and she turned to wink at him, making him grin.
''Good man.'' Rachael said, making Kellan laugh.
We sat down outside at the outdoor table, and I ran my hands tenderly over my minor baby bump whilst the Rob, Jackson and Aston helped Kellan start the barbecue. Rachael's hand only barely about fit her huge baby bump.
''Any kicking yet?'' Rachael asked me curiously as I gazed down to my tender, small baby bump. I looked back up and frowned at her.
''No not yet.'' I replied, sighing. I was getting panicked about the fact that the baby wasn't doing anything…again. ''There's been absolutely nothing; no kicking, nothing.'' I added, frowning in response.
''I'm sure everything's fine.'' I looked round to see Rob walking towards me. He sat down next to me, and took my hand in his. ''You're only just four months pregnant as well.'' He added, trying to soothe me.
''True, but…Rachael was three months when the baby first kicked.''
''That's because my baby's going to be a Boy darling.'' Rachael replied, making us laugh. I rolled my eyes because she didn't actually know whether it was a Boy or not, and I didn't know what my Baby was either; I had decided that I didn't want to know until the Baby was born.
I had my usual vegetarian burgers as usual, because I just couldn't stand to eat meat at all. The thought of it still put me off, but whilst everybody had seconds of the barbecue…well Rachael was onto her fifth burger (thanks to the baby of course), I cooked some fish up for myself, with some vegetables, and a glass of water.
I'd just eaten it and went back outside, when everything all happened, and it definitely panicked me. I walked out into the garden to see everyone besides Rachael and Kellan sat down. Rachael was standing next to Jackson who was sat down, eating yet another burger.
I rolled my eyes at her, and went to sit down next to Rob and took his hand in mine; a usual habit for me.
I looked back to Rachael after I heard a gasp of shock, and saw that she had frozen still with her burger in hand, with her wide eyes on the floor. I looked at the same place that she was looking to see that her waters had broke.
And that's when everybody moved. ''Kellan, phone for an ambulance, Rachael's waters have broke!'' Tasha warned him, throwing him the house phone as she got up and ran over to Rachael to comfort her.
Kellan caught the phone effectively and was already dialling for an ambulance for Rachael as the Girls helped Rachael sit down next to Jackson. ''Fucking hell, this is embarrassing; having my waters break whilst I'm eating a fucking burger!'' I couldn't help but laugh in response, just a little bit.
Jackson was helping us trying to calm Rachael down, and trying to do the breathing exercises that she had done in her class, but it definitely wasn't working.
''Well how about you try and do these fucking breathing exercises when you're eight and half months pregnant and going into fucking labour!'' She shouted furiously at Jackson, who tried so hard not to smile, but didn't succeed.
We helped her carry on doing her breathing exercise, though it was hard to watch because she kept complaining about being in so much pain. She was nearly almost in tears by the time that we heard that the ambulance was on their way, but we calmed her down the best that we could.
I looked back then, wondering why it was so quiet from Rob and Aston, to see them both sat there, still in shock, and their mouths hanging open as they watched this unfold.
I glared at Rob, helping him up from the chair, and snarling the words at him. ''I hope that you're not just going to sit there, with your mouth hanging open and go all quiet when I go into bloody labour!''
His eyes, wide with shock focused back onto me, and he opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again. I huffed in response, and turned back to help Rachael with her breathing exercises again. She had already put down the half eaten burger about five minutes ago.
We helped Rachael out to the front of the house somehow, when the ambulance helped her onto the stretcher and put her in the ambulance van. Jackson went with her, along with Kirsty and a still-stunned Aston.
I went to the hospital with Rob in the car, with Tasha and Kellan in the car with us. I was still not very happy with Rob's reaction at Rachael's unexpected labour. It was a shock, I could understand that, but it was me and Rachael who would have to be facing the pain.
In all honesty, it made me worried to think about what would happen when I was in labour, because if I wasn't with the Girls, then what would Rob do? I hoped the answer wasn't to freak out like that.
''Still in shock, are we?'' I asked Rob sarcastically as his eyes narrowed the slightest bit from their wide frames.
''N-No.'' He replied, sounding in shock.
I shook my head furiously at him, turning to look out of the front windshield. ''Typical bloke. I really hope you don't act like this when I go into labour. Otherwise, I'm going to be fucking done for, aren't I?'' I replied; getting more and more furious by the minute…and stressed too. I felt so stressed about this baby now, that I could hardly think about nothing else.
The panic was there, distinct and evident in the way I was struggling to keep my breathes calm and collected.
''Charlie, you need to chill out,'' Tasha warned me, sensing my fear straight away. ''And you Rob…you need to be comforting your wife, not me. Just think about who'll be going through the pain when she has this baby.'' She warned him, slapping him lightly on the shoulder.
He sighed, but reached out and took my hand in his. ''I'm sorry,'' he apologized. ''It's just a…a shock.'' He admitted, gulping as he said this.
I huffed in response, trying not to get pissed off with him. I didn't need to be stressed, and the more stressed I was, the more I was making Rob and everyone else stressed out. Which was probably why Rob was trying so hard not to panic.
''Well how do you think I feel? I have to go through this in less than six months Rob. I'm freaking out big time here!'' I complained, because it was true. He nodded, and kissed my hand tenderly.
''I know, and I'll be there to give you support. Better support, I promise.'' He promised me, squeezing my hand in encouragement. ''I love you.'' He added, wrapping our fingers together perfectly.
''I love you too.'' I promised him, giving his hands a squeeze of encouragement this time. We had been through so much together that this was just the icing on the cake. This wouldn't ruin us, like none of the other stuff hadn't.
We had each other and I knew that we would always have that, no matter what happened. And that, was what I relied on mostly. He was my whole life; I lived for him only, and he knew it. He was the one thing I couldn't live without.
When we got into the hospital, Rachael was rushed into labour straight away, and we stayed outside, with Jackson with Rachael, while we waited for the baby to arrive…
***
''This is your fault, Jackson!'' and then a bang. I grimaced and jumped as I heard it, and then even worse; Rachael's scream of pain as she gave another push. I looked to the side to see Rob's wide eyes watching the wall in front of us.
He looked in utter shock, and as I noticed how his hands were gripping his dark jeans, I realized that he was probably stressing about what I would be like. Had to admit; now I panicking. Would I really be that bad?
I mean, yeah the pain would be bad, I knew that, like how I had known all along, but Jesus. I hoped Rob would put me out if I was that bad, that moody. I was constantly driving him mad, labour or not.
And actually, Rachael was wrong about that statement. It was not just Jackson's fault, like it wasn't just my fault for this baby. It was Rachael's fault too, and Rob's. But we were still married at the time, and this baby was more important than my own life now.
And as I rubbed my round belly over tenderly; appearing small through the stretched top, I just prayed that we both wouldn't have to go through too much during this pregnancy or labour. And labour actually.
''I WANT MORE GAS!'' I heard Rachael scream, and I looked to the side to see Rob grimace in response as he heard her agonizing scream of pain. I had to admit; if I was like this, I think I would have preferred to have gas too. Shut me the hell up!
I went downstairs with Rob to get a drink then, and a bite to eat because we had been waiting outside for Rachael for a good few hours. Everyone else was waiting outside as everyone else wasn't very hungry.
Before we left, Jackson came out of the room, still looking shocked about the whole thing. ''Ow.'' He complained, whimpering as he showed off his red, bruised hands where Rachael had been squeezing them so long whilst she was in labour.
Tasha laughed, but I was still like Rob; very much in shock about the whole thing. If I was going to be this bad when it came to my labour, then I would definitely like to be put out, and get the labour done whilst I was asleep.
I took Rob's hand as we strolled through the hospital to the canteen area where the night food was being served.
''Are you hungry?'' I asked him anxiously. Rob hadn't properly eaten the barbecue to begin with, so he hadn't really had a proper meal since breakfast, which was only a slice of toast. And only one, at that.
He actually sat there and watched me eat a whole fry up, after he reminded me stubbornly that it was; 'good for the baby'. The more that this pregnancy went on, the more he stressed about what the baby should be eating, and the more he did that, the more he sounded like his Parents.
But I knew that he was only doing it for a good cause. We were his family now, and it was obvious that he just wanted everything done right for us both. Through this pregnancy, he had been so good to me. Despite the tears, fits, and whining.
''A little bit…but I can wait.'' He shrugged as we picked up a tray. ''What about you?'' He asked me worriedly.
''Starving.'' I admitted, because it was true. And my rumbling belly backed me up on that one. Despite the barbecue lunch that I had, this baby wanted more food…and more protein. Rob grinned in response.
We both got food in the end, because I had convinced Rob to get something now that I was eating too. He was as hungry as I was, after all.
We sat down at our table and waited for our food to be cooked. I had a glass of water like usual, and Rob had a cup of coffee. I had the normal meal to eat; fish, cooked just like how I had at home, and all the variety of vegetables that I liked and eat.
It only took ten minutes to get to us, but during those ten minutes, me and Rob talked. Mostly about this baby.
''I wonder how Rachael's getting on.'' I commented as lightly as possible, after sipping a small amount of my water and putting it back onto the table. It was too quiet between us; Rob hadn't spoken since we had ordered his food.
He hated me being quiet, and I hated him being quiet. I wanted us to both talk; silence was certainly not golden after the panic that I saw in his eyes when Rachael was giving birth. It got me panicked too.
And of course there was also the excuse to hear his voice too. His voice was what I lived for; that accent, the way it managed to dazzle me. Everything about him thrilled me; even from the beginning, I couldn't say no.
I wanted, wanted, wanted, and took as much as I could get from him. Because he was who I lived for.
Rob cleared his throat. ''I don't know. She should be fine after the nurse gives her something for the pain.'' He added soothingly. I nodded, and looked down at my small, round stomach after finishing my dinner.
My hands instantly went to my stomach, more out of habit than anything, but felt nothing. My stomach was definitely hardening up slowly; the skin on my belly and around it had hardened up; a protective barrier for my silent baby.
''Any kicking yet?'' Rob asked me, spotting that my hands were once again on my belly, protectively again. I shook my head and frowned at my belly. All I wanted was one little kick, was that too much to ask for?
''Nothing. Absolutely nothing, and yet Rachael's baby was already kicking by three months!'' I complained, pissed off. Rob wheeled his chair around, closer to me, and put a hand on my belly too, tenderly touching my small bump.
''That's why our baby's special. She or he is our silent baby. Do you remember calling the baby that?'' he asked me, laughing quietly as he remembered. I laughed too, trying so hard not to cry in response to his hand, gently rubbing my stomach through my dress.
''Yeah. Yeah I do. How could I forget?'' I asked him, breaking into a grin, as I took my hand in his, and held it below mine; gently pressing it to the middle of my bump.
''You should get used to it; the silence. Whilst you can. That baby will be here soon, and then we will be getting no peace.'' He joked, because it was true. I nodded in agreement, laughing along quietly with him.
''You're right.'' I agreed simply, closing my eyes and enjoying the moment that his lips came down and gently brushed against my right cheek, before settling to my skin, and kissing me. ''But she'll be our baby. She or he will belong to us, and I know that our baby will be okay. She or he will be the most looked after baby that a baby can be. Spoilt too.'' His lips lifted gently off of my cheek, and he laughed in response.
''Oh definitely spoilt.'' He agreed with an easy laugh. I laughed too, because it was bound to happen. She or he would be our baby. Our first. ''Are you ready to go back?'' He asked me. I nodded, and went to get up, taking his hand in mine.
''Ooh!'' I said in shock, my hand running to my stomach for a whole different reason. I fell back onto the chair in shock, not expecting that heavy footed kick. That had been one hell of a first kick.
''Are you alright? Is it the baby? Was it a kick or?'' Rob asked me worriedly, panicking. I threw a delighted grin at him, pleased that our baby actually was kicking.
''Feel this.'' I took hold of his hand again, after his hand had dropped from mine, and pressed it to my belly where I had just been kicked, and very roughly too. I watched his face after yet another rough kick, and watched the same grin spread across his face.
''It's got a good little kick on it, right?'' I asked him, laughing in happy relief as I said it. Relief because my baby had finally kicked me. It wouldn't matter how roughly this baby had kicked me, as long as some movement had been made. And for today, it had.
''A hell of a good kick. What did I tell you when you had that scan done? A fighter, right. This kicking has proved it.'' He said proudly, his hand still gently running over my baby bump; feeling yet another kick that this baby threw at us.
''Wow.'' Rob commented, still impressed.
''I know, right?'' I agreed with him. We stayed sat down, with Rob and my own hands on my stomach, but there was no more kicking. We went back to Rachael's room, with my hand still on my stomach in-case there was any kicking, but it had gone silent again.
''Any kicking?'' Rob asked me with a grin, as we walked, hand in hand into the corridor, to find it empty now. Everyone must have been in the room. The screaming had stopped anyway.
''No,'' I replied, a little unhappily.
We walked into the room to be greeted by Rachael's new baby. Rachael grinned up at us from her bed, looking exhausted, but extremely happy, with her new baby in her arms. We walked over to the bed, to see this tiny angel yawn.
''Meet Leo-Jasper-Rathbone.'' Rachael told me as we both took his beauty in. He was absolutely gorgeous; more gorgeous than a baby could be.
He had small, tired blue eyes, with small, minor creases in his forehead from where he had been yawning and frowning. The small amount of hair that he did have was a light brown colour. Jackson's own hair was dark brown, and Rachael's was blonde.
His hair was perfectly in the middle. His little button nose was creasing with every single frown, and his small, pink, pouting lips looked absolutely adorable. His hands were absolutely tiny; his miniature fingers even smaller.
He was wrapped up in a gorgeous, white blanket and I had this overwhelming urge to hold him like how Rachael was doing. And as a new Mum; Rachael sensed the need straight away, and smiled at me in response.
''Do you want to hold him?'' She asked me.
I smiled apologetically at her as it was her baby after all. ''No it's okay…I can wait.''
''Don't be silly; I'll have plenty of time to hold him. We both will.'' She added, turning to smile at Jackson. He smiled at her, squeezing her hand, and kissing her.
I held myself carefully as she passed him to me, holding his head as I took a seat on the chair. Rob was just as bad as I was; running his hands carefully over the small creases in Leo's tiny fingers, while I took in the amazing beauty of Leo's face.
He was a looker this one, I could tell that much already.
''You're perfect.'' I looked up to see Rachael smiling proudly at me; her eyes wet with tears. ''You're holding that baby better than I am.'' she added, making me huff in response.
''I doubt that very much.'' I replied sourly.
''No really. You'll be a fantastic Mum when you have your baby.'' She promised me. I hoped that she was right about that one.
We left later that night at ten, as Rachael was getting tired, and wanted to go to sleep. Leo, her new baby was already wrapped up in his new hospital cot, and Jackson was being allowed to stay at the hospital overnight, between his beautiful new baby, and Rachael. We left them to get some sleep, and went home, talking about tonight.
Rachael was due to be out tomorrow so we were planning to go back there and see her and the baby before they came out of hospital.
***