Chapter 16 Past Due
"Vincent," I whined. "There's got to be something you can give me. I'm eight days past my due date and I'm miserable." Vincent caressed my protruding bump. "Catherine, Becca will come on her own, when she's ready. I think what you need is to relax." I rolled my eyes. "Easy for you to say Mister Keller. You're not the one who's peeing every ten minutes, and hasn't been able to see her feet in weeks. I hurt, I'm tired, I'm swollen, and I just want to hold her in my arms." He led me into the birthing room, and went to the Jacuzzi tub, starting the water. "Come, Catherine, you need to relax." He slowly undressed me and helped me in the tub. It was so warm and relaxing. I held out my hand, and he undressed and crawled in behind me, rubbing my back and shoulders. He was right, this was so relaxing and the warmth of the water felt so good. I leaned into him, and let every muscle relax, and his hands made their way around my waist to rub my bump. Several minutes later, a twinge made me sit up, startled. My whole belly tightened, so much so I could see it. The twinge turned into pain, and I grabbed my belly. "Vincent, I think I'm in labor." He nuzzled my neck. "I know Catherine, I could feel it before you even did. Relax, lean into me, breathe. I'm here." There we sat, like a normal couple in labor, he soothed me, calmed me, and helped me breathe through each and every contraction.
About an hour and several contractions later, I had to get out of the tub. I was pruney, and I just wanted to sit on my ball. With Vincent's help, I climbed out of the tub, and leaned over the side, just as another contraction hit me. In between breaths, I had managed to ask Vincent to get my ball and call Tess. He returned minutes later with my ball in one hand, and my robe in the other. "I called Tess, she's on her way now." I nodded. "Good, cause I have a feeling this is gonna take a while." Vincent helped me onto my ball and I rocked in circles, the only relief I got from the growing contractions. This was quite different from my other two labors, and I knew it from the first contraction. The pain was progressing slowly this time, it wasn't immediate.
Tess burst into the room four hours later. "Did I make it in time?" I nodded and groaned through another contraction. She looked to Vincent. "How long has she been like this?!" As he rubbed my back, I whimpered and gripped the side of the tub, nuckles white. "Five hours Tess, and she's only at four. We're gonna have a long night." Tess ran to my side and took Vincent's place. "Go. She's gonna need you rested and alert." she said. Vincent kissed my head. "Catherine, I'll be back in a little bit." I nodded. I didn't feel like talking, I felt like throwing up. I think I'd rather an hour of torture than dragging this out all night. I tried to hoist myself from the ball. "Tess, help me get to the bed. I need to move again." She immediately grabbed me under the arms and helped me to the bed, and as she pulled back the covers, I climbed in, chest on the bed, belly between my knees. I cried as another contraction hit me, and threw my head into the pillows, to stifle my moans. Tess sat beside me, rubbing my back, trying to soothe me. As the contraction faded, I felt wet. My water broke. "I'm going to get Vincent, Cat." I shook my head. "No Tess, he needs rest. You can go get him later."
Fourty five minutes after my water broke, my contractions are only a few minutes apart, and excruciating. I have tried every position known to man to labor in, and not one of them helps. Vincent bursts in during my worst contraction yet and I am on all fours, panting like a dog. "Catherine, as soon as it's over, I want to see how far you are." I couldn't nod, couldn't speak, couldn't move, but he knew when my contraction was over, and proceeded to check me. "Catherine, you're at eight. Just a while longer." I honestly didn't know if I could make it through progressing another two centimeters. This was horrendous. to think that I had wished for a normal delivery before. What the hell was I thinking?! I just want this over with.
Thirty minutes later, I had somehow ended up on my side, and the urge to push was overwhelming. I grabbed one knee and my body took over. I don't' think Vincent or Tess either one had realized I was pushing until they heard the grunting escaping my throat. As Vincent and Tess rushed to me, I could already feel the burning at my opening. I wanted her out, and I pushed harder. "Catherine, easy pushes!" I ignored him and pushed harder. I could feel him easing my opening around her head as quickly as he could, to accommodate for my massive pushing. When her head was free, I cried out in agony, before gasping for air and pushing again. "Catherine please! Stop!" Vincent pleaded. I felt her shoulders stretch me further, and my body convulsed with pain. I whimpered Vincent's name as he freed her from my body, and I waited to hear her cry. Nothing. I watched as Vincent pleaded with her to breathe, flicking the bottoms of her feet, and puffing little breaths into her. After the third breath, she gasped for air and cried to let us know she was ok. Vincent left her attached to me until he knew she was breathing well enough to sustain her little body. After several minutes, he freed her from her cord and laid her on my belly. I think I had been holding my breath the entire time she struggled to breathe. Sobs escaped me as I held her close to me. She was so small, almost half the size as Hope. It was then and there I decided she would be our last child. I had two beautiful boys and two beautiful girls now.
Several days later, JT had the results of Becca's DNA test. 100% human DNA. Not one single trace of Vincent's mutated genes in her. We weren't sure how and although we were all relieved, I wondered, how I was going to raise a "normal" child in this household.