Chapter Thirty Eight
Jamie had wanted to go and see his little girl. He was waiting for Lila and Steven when they walked in. Jamie looked up at Steven's state of undress and raised his eyebrow.
"Hey, Jamie," said Steven dropping the clothes on the floor. "Sorry, give us just a moment here."
"No problem," Jamie replied. "You do whatever my Kitten needs you to do then for Heaven's sake put your clothes on."
"Thanks," said Steven as Lila locked her fingers together behind his neck and once more buried her head against his chest. They rocked slowly, right to left, and Lila breathed through it all.
The father in Jamie couldn't help but gently rub Lila's back while she worked through the contraction. Eddie never had the opportunity for such support.
When the contraction was over, Lila smiled at her father. "Glad that's over for now," she said as she released her fingers and stepped back. "I'm ready to get back in bed."
"Can I help with anything?" asked Jamie. He wanted to be involved, if only a little bit with the coming of his grandchildren, but didn't want to infringe on this moment.
"Sure," said Steven. "You can help her get settled in bed while I get out of these wet swimming trunks."
"Got it," Jamie replied. "Hey, after you get dressed, why don't you go take a snack break?"
"I'm not hungry right now," said Steven as he dug his clothes out of the suitcase. "Besides, things are starting to pick up now and I can't miss anything."
"Steven, you haven't eaten in a while," said Lila. "I know you're hungry, go have a snack."
"But I -" He began to say when Lila cut him off.
"No buts," she ordered. "Yes things are beginning to happen, we think, and this might be your only chance to duck out for 10 minutes and not miss anything to speak of. Now for my sake and that of our children, go find the cafeteria, get yourself something good and then come back, okay? My parents are here."
"Well, when you put it like that," Steven laughed. "How could I refuse?"
"Good answer!" said Lila. She laid back in the bed as Steven went into the bathroom to change his clothes. He emerged a couple minutes later dressed in a white "Property of FDNY " T-shirt and a pair of faded Levi's.
"Much better," he said as he sat down in a chair to put his socks and tennis shoes on. Jamie glared at his choice of attire. He had purchased twin NYPD onesies for the twins.
Once Steven had his shoes on and headed down for his snack, Jamie had Joey and Frank back to visit with Lila. "How's he treating you through all this?" Frank asked. He liked Steven even though he didn't want to.
"I doubt there's another guy in the universe who'd do as well with this as he's done," said Lila proudly. "Actually, who'd do as well with the last 8 months as he's done? We went through some brutal stuff, and because he wouldn't let us give up, here we are."
"Like I said before, Lila" said Eddie as she stepped into the room to be ready for when it was time to deliver. "You're a perfect match." Eddie looped her arms around Jamie's neck and kissed his cheek.
"Thanks" smiled Lila, a smile which soon faded from her face. "Oh boy…"
"Another one?" asked Jamie.
Lila nodded and grabbed the side rail on the bed as she rolled onto her side.
"Want me to rub your back?" asked Eddie.
Lila nodded.
"What can I do?" asked Joey.
"Just sit next to her, sweetie," said Eddie. "She knows what to do, it'll be over in a few minutes."
"You're doing great, Lil," Joey soothed. "That monitor thing is going down now…it's flat…" Joey offered his sister some ice chips.
Lila had two more contractions before Steven returned. Frank and Joey had left to update the rest of the family, leaving Jamie and Eddie to tend to Lila. She had just finished a contraction when Steven returned.
"Has Dr. Mianni been in yet?" Steven asked, anxious himself for a report.
"Not yet," said Lila. "But she should be any time now."
"How does right now work for you?" asked Dr. Mianni as she entered the room.
"Sounds good!" laughed Lila.
"I see you're contracting closer together now," said the doctor as she looked at the printout from the fetal monitor.
"Yep," said Lila. "We're down to every 8-9 minutes now. Not much difference, but hey, I'll take it!"
"Indeed," agreed the doctor. "You ready for me to check you?"
Lila nodded, Jamie and Eddie stepped outside to give the young couple their privacy.
Dr. Mianni sat on the edge of Lila's bed and did the exam, finishing up just seconds before the next contraction.
"Good news," she said as Lila was breathing through the pain. "You're now dilated to between a 5 and 6!"
"Oh…I'm glad," said Lila between breaths. It felt great to hear all the pain was producing results.
"I'm pleased with everything right now," said the doctor. "So unless you'd like to, we don't really need to do anything right now to speed things up."
"I think we're okay for now, doctor" said Steven as Lila squeezed his hand tight. "But if anything changes, we'll let you know."
"Sounds good, Steven," said Dr. Mianni. "Now that Lila is far enough along to have pain meds, I'll make sure the nurses remember not to offer her any. I told them before, but I'll mention it again while I'm out there."
"Thanks," said Steven. As the doctor left the room, Lila's contraction let up.
"What was that she said about pain meds?" she asked as she laid back against her pillow.
"Just that she'll make sure the nurses remember that if you want any, you'll ask for them," said Steven. "Why, are you thinking you want something?"
"No, but I can definitely see why most women do!"
"I know, Lila" smiled Steven. "I'm so excited, aren't you?"
"I'll have to get back to you on that," she said. Steven was puzzled at her answer for a split second, then he realized she was contracting again.
"Here, Lila," he said as he knelt in front of her. "Just like before…"
"Dammit, this hurts," she cried.
"Want to stand up?" he asked her softly. "Would that help?"
"Maybe" she cried.
"Let's try it," he replied as he helped her slowly to her feet. Once standing, she locked her fingers together behind his neck, just like before, and laid her head on his chest. She had been leaning the top of her had against his chest, but this time she didn't feel like doing that. They swayed back and forth as she breathed, and eventually the pain let up.
"Bad one, huh babe?" he asked as he brushed her bangs off her sweaty forehead. She pulled the rest of her hair back in a scrunchie.
"Ya think?" she replied harshly, and for the first time Steven got a taste of what laid in store for him.
"I'm sorry" he said. "That was a stupid question. Can I get you anything?"
"I need to pee again. Can you get that IV pole, please?"
"Of course I can," he replied, taking the pole and walking alongside Lila to the bathroom.
"I got it from here" she said, "thanks."
"Welcome" said Steven. He popped his head out the door and looked down the hallway. Not too many people out there, didn't seem to be much going on. He went back over to the window and looked out over the city once more. It was so serene, so calm.
"Where are my parents?" Lila asked when she came back out of the bathroom. "I think I want my Mom to come back."
"Okay, sweetheart, I'll go and get her." Steven poked his head out but only found Jamie. "Lila's asking for her Mom."
"She went to get something to eat. I can stand in for her if…" Jamie pushed Steven aside. "Mom's getting dinner, Kitten."
"Okay," Lila nodded. "I'm seriously rethinking my position on the epidural, Dad!"
"Are you sure, Lila?" asked Steven. "I mean, I'm not about to try and tell you that you shouldn't have one if you think you need it, but try to remember how important it was to you to do with without any drugs."
"That was before I'd had any contractions! I'm not saying I want one yet, or even at all, but just so you know it's a little more of a possibility than I thought it would be."
"That's fine with me, babe," replied Steven. He knew better than to deny his wife pain medication with her father standing there. "If ever there was a time when I needed to defer to you on something, this is it."
"Very good answer!" proclaimed Jamie as he wiped Lila's face with a cloth. "You're okay, sweetie. Mom will be back soon."
Before Eddie returned, the nurse entered the room. "Time to check you again."
"Guess that means back to the bed," said Lila as she stood up from the rocking chair.
"Trust me, Lila," said the nurse. "It's a whole lot less uncomfortable if I check you in the bed as opposed to in that chair!"
"You don't have to tell me twice!" joked Lila as she got back in the bed. Steven stood at her side and held her hand as the nurse proceeded with the exam.
"Oh, God!" exclaimed Lila. "That hurts!" She was unintentionally pulling back away from the nurse because of the pain.
"Try to lay still for me, Lila" said the nurse. "I'm almost done."
"It's okay, Lila" Steven soothed as Jamie stared at him. He remembered when Eddie would cry out during her exams, he always wanted to do something, anything…Steven was so calm about it.
"It hurts!" she said again.
"I know it does, but you're doing fine."
"You'll like the news, Lila" said the nurse as she finished the exam and pulled the sheet down. "You're a good seven centimeters dilated now."
"Yes!" exclaimed Lila.
"And the baby's head is at a zero station" added the nurse. "At this rate, you should be able to start pushing within another couple of hours."
"Oh, I hope you're right about that," Lila sighed.
"If you'd like, Lila," said the nurse. "We can break your water now to maybe help things along a little faster, and then you can walk around the halls again if you feel like it?"
Lila looked up at Steven. "What do you think?"
"I think it's up to you, babe," he said. "If you don't have a problem with letting them do it, then maybe it's the way to go, but if you don't want to, that's fine."
"Yeah, let's do that," agreed Lila. "I'm ready to try just about anything to speed things up."
"Yes, Lila," said the nurse. "I'll go page Dr. Mianni and as soon as she gets up here, we'll come take care of that, okay?"
"Okay" said Lila. As the nurse was leaving, Eddie returned to the room.
"I am SO sorry, sweetie!" she exclaimed. "I never meant to be gone this long. The line was crazy. Jamie, I gave your sandwich to your Dad if you want to go out and update them. I saw Danny getting restless."
"What happened while I was gone?" asked Eddie.
"The nurse just checked me, and I'm now dilated to seven centimeters and the baby's head is at a zero station."
"Oh, yea!" exclaimed Eddie.
"So they're going to break my water and then let me walk around the halls again," Lila told her mother. "She said at this rate, I might be ready to push within a couple hours."
"It sure sounds like it!" said Eddie. "Did they page your doctor?"
"They paged me and I'm here!"
"How do you do that?" asked Steven.
"Do what?" replied the doctor.
"Always show up just when someone is asking where you are. It's freaky!"
"Oh, just a gift I guess," said the doctor with a little laugh. "I see we're really getting things underway now."
"It's about time, huh?" replied Lila.
"Oh, I know it seems like it's been forever," said the doctor. "But really, for a first labor, you're moving along fairly well."
"Well, that's good to hear," Lila smiled. "I was always an over achiever."
"If you'll lay the bed back a little more, I'll get this done up real quick." Lila pressed the button on the control panel of her bed, and the head slowly lowered.
"Lift up for just a minute, Lila," said the nurse as she held a big towel in her hands. "We need to put this underneath you or else your bed will get soaked."
"You'll feel this," said Dr. Mianni as she began the procedure. "But it shouldn't hurt too much."
"Okay," said Lila. As always, Steven was right beside her, holding her hand. Eddie stood on her other side. She never had to endure this particular procedure.
"Whoa!" said Lila as she felt a sudden gush.
"All done," said Dr. Mianni. "Fluid is clear, looks great, so we'll see if this doesn't help bump you up to a ten pretty soon."
"This feels disgusting," Lila griped.
"Yes, it does, but it'll end in a couple minutes, and you should be prepared for your contractions to come closer and stronger now, Okay."
"Thanks, doctor," said Steven.
"I'll be back in an hour, or sooner if you need me. Pressures and everything still look really good, so just keep doing what you're doing." said Dr. Mianni as she exited the room.
Sure enough, Lila's labor began to speed up and her contractions intensified. "Ow, Steven, ow!" said Lila as the first contraction after the procedure came on hard and strong. She laid on her side again, and he put his hands around hers as she clung to the bed rail.
"Breathe through it, babe," he coached. "There you go…yeah, just like that…"
"Can I rub your back?" Eddie asked Lila. Lila nodded wanting her mother's touch. She was glad she decided to have her in the delivery room.
"Oh my God!" said Lila. "This hurts so freakin' bad!"
"I know, Lila" said Steven. "You're almost through it, just a little bit longer." Another minute later, the worst of the pain was over.
"That sucked!" said Lila as she tried to catch her breath.
"You did awesome, though," Eddie encouraged.
"Yeah, you did," agreed Steven. "Do you still want to go for a walk?"
"Yeah, let's try it," said Lila. "Anything to get this all over with!" Steven helped her out of the bed, and Eddie brought over the second gown and helped her put it on. She took hold of the IV pole, and they were almost out the door when…
"No, no, stop!" said Lila. "Back to bed, now!"
"What's wrong?" asked Steven.
"I can't walk around right now! It hurts too much."
"That's okay. We'll go back to the bed." Steven was starting to get a little nervous at the pain Lila was in. He watched Eddie, if Lila's mother and mother of two wasn't worried, he'd keep his head.
"Owwwwww!" cried Lila as another brutal contraction began.
"You're okay, babe" Steven said, hoping to reassure her. "Here, put your arms up here." For what seemed like the millionth time since her labor began, Lila hung onto Steven's neck and together they moved back and forth in an effort to ease her agony.
"I can't do this!" sobbed Lila. "I want drugs!" Steven hated to hear her ask for drugs when she'd gone that far without any, but he knew better than to try and talk her out of them.
As soon as the contraction ended, Steven hurried to find the nurse. She agreed to drugs and quickly checked Lila before paging the doctor. "Sorry, Lila, I can't give you drugs now," said the nurse. "But you went from seven to ten centimeters in the last half an hour, and the baby's head is at a plus two station. You're ready to push!"
A/N: Thanks to all who have hung in there with Lila through three chapters of labor…I have never experienced it myself so special thanks to those who shared their wisdom with me.
Next Update – June 26th – Babies Reagan arrive!
