Playing For Keeps (Book 2 & 3)

2. Chapter 20

"The best is yet to come..."

Alex placed some towels and a garbage bag over the car seat where Drei was supposed to sit because her water broke already. They arrived at St. Luke's Global City after a few minutes since it's just around the corner. The intervals of Drei's contractions were already every 5 minutes.   When they got into the hospital, Drei was wheeled directly to the OB Gyne Complex and was changed into the hospital's patient's gown. One of the OB residents on duty did an Internal Examination. She was already dilated at 5 cm.  

"Teka... where's the baby bag?" Drei checked again as they were being transferred to the High Risk Pregnancy Unit (HRPU).  

"It's with Ate Des, everything is there already..." he assured her.  

"Yung camera?" she added. "Don't tell me you left it! I will kill you if you left it!"  

"It's in the other bag I prepared na may gamit mo... everything we need is there... relax okay?"  

The High Risk Pregnancy Unit (HRPU) is a private labor room where there's a bed, leatherette pillows, fetal monitor, a big flat screen TV and La-Z-Boy sofa. Alex was right beside her, holding her hand and breathing along with her. Inside, the nurses have already placed her on a fetal monitor.

"Ahhhhhh...." Drei cried out. Her contractions were rapidly progressing and just a few minutes after, the pain began to accelerate.  

"Okay, bubba, just breathe..." Alex coached.  

"I'm breathing... hoooh... hooooh..."  

Dr. Datu came in a few minutes later. She did another IE (Internal Examination) to check the progress of her dilation. Dr. Datu found out that she was already at 7cm.  

"I hope magtuloy tuloy na Drei," Dr. Datu told her. "You're already 7cm."  

"Doc I thought her due's next week, napaaga ata?" He asked.  

"There are cases talaga that the labor starts out earlier than usual... and with Drei's case, since this is the second baby, minsan mas maaga talaga..." Dr. Datu explained. "Your baby is already 38 weeks according to her check up, which was last week, so she's all set to see you guys... Di ka ba excited?"  

"I am. It's just that..." Alex gave out a nervous smile then he glanced over at Drei who is trying to relax herself despite the pain she's currently going through. "We didn't expect this to come earlier that's all..."  

"That's fine," Dr. Datu smiled. "Importante, you guys are here already..." and then she checked the fetal monitor. "The baby's doing great... so we just have to wait a little more... okay?"  

"Puwede ba akong tumayo at maglakad?" Drei asked.

"Sure! If kaya mo, Drei...it wouldn't be a problem..." Dr. Datu remarked. And then Drei was given the option of having an epidural anesthesia for painless labor.  

"Ayaw ko..." she answered. "I can take the pain, Doc.. I can still manage it."  

"Are you sure?" Alex asked and she nodded. But he wasn't convinced. "We'll keep our options open, Doc... if it's okay?"  

Dr. Datu just nodded and then left the room. Ate Des came in after her. She told them that their room was all ready and that their things were there. Then she handed Alex the baby bag, the baby book and the camera. He took it and placed it at the small coffee table beside the La-Z-Boy chair. The Legaspi's had already left when they got to the hospital so it was just the three of them – Ate Des, Drei and Alex. When Ate Des left, the two are left alone inside the HRPU. Drei couldn't sit still. She wanted to walk around. She wanted all these to be over. Slowly, Alex assisted her to get up. Her contractions were still at a regular interval and the pain was still bearable. Alex's phone rang and he was surprised to see Drei's mom calling him.