Metamorphosis

Memories

Chapter 75

Memories

"This huurrttss!" Mira whined loudly. It was almost eight in the evening, and she had been in labor for almost eight hours. Her dilation had widened to four centimeters, and she only had a couple more to go before she could get her epidural. Her water hadn't broken yet, and the doctors were giving it a bit more time before they manually broke it.

"Want some more ice chips?" Sara asked from her bedside, holding up the little plastic cup.

"I'm not really feeling hot," she said, "I just feel pain."

"What's it feel like?" Paige asked, her slender body bouncing when she planted herself on the bed. Mira glared at her.

"Painful."

The three girls were in Mira's hospital room. Paige had brought her laptop and several seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD. After one episode, however, Mira began complaining of the pain again.

"I've been doing this for hours," Mira said softly, "And it hurts like… I don't even know how to describe it."

"How far apart are the contractions?" Sara asked. Mira shrugged.

"I haven't been keeping track. The doctor only tells me how far I am dilated." Mira rubbed her stomach and looked at her friends, "Let this be a lesson to the both of you; don't have sex."

"I don't plan on having sex until marriage," Sara said proudly, "Or… at least until I'm older."

"That's a good plan," Mira said. Both girls looked at Paige.

"What?" Paige asked.

"Seth?" Julie asked from her seat beside her brother. Seth looked up from his phone.

"Yeah?"

"What's a bastard?" She asked innocently. The phone nearly slipped out of his hand, but he managed to catch it.

"Where did you hear that?" He sputtered.

"Aunt Sally said Sunshine is gonna be a bastard child." From across the room, Seth saw Carolyn's rub her forehead in annoyance. Sally was David's sister who had a strong dislike for Seth since he told her 'maybe if she got some Botox between her legs, some man might sleep with her before she croaked' when he was thirteen.

He sighed and patted his lap. The child hopped off her chair and toddled over to him. She situated herself on his lap and looked at him expectantly.

"That word means that sunshine is being born and me and Mira aren't married."

She nodded her little head, "Ohh," she said, "Are you gonna get married?"

He smiled gently. Spending time with his sister had really rejuvenated him. It was like she helped restore his faith in the innocence of the world.

"Oh god!" Mira said suddenly. Paige paused the laptop and looked at Mira in alarm. "I-I think I'm having another contraction."

Sara hopped off the bed, "I'm gonna go get her mom." She ran out of the room. Paige reached her hand out and took her friend's.

"Just breathe," Paige instructed. Mira nodded and took several shallow breaths. But after a few seconds, the pain intensified and her grip tightened on her hand.

It was then Paige regretted wearing a ring.

"Mira… Mira, you're crushing my- ow!" she screamed. Paige sunk to the ground, her hand still in Mira's grasp.

Audrey and Sara came running in. Audrey rushed to her side.

"What is it honey? Another contraction?" she asked. Mira nodded, her eyes squeezed closed.