Consequences

Part 48

"How did you find me?" Isabelle asked as she shut the door.

Charlie winced again even as she gave Isabelle the information she wanted. "Cara told me you were staying here to avoid the press." Charlie screwed up her face, "Ohh" She blew out another breath.

Isabelle was worried about Charlie's antics. The woman looked to be in pain. "Are you ok?" Intuitively Isabelle lent Charlie an arm and led her slowly and gently toward the couch. It was at times like this that Isabelle wished Rina was at hand. She'd know what to do. Charlie panted, and began to make slow progress toward the couch. But before they could make it, what appeared to be a torrent of water flooded her trousers.

"Oh shit!" Panted Charlie without any concern for her language. "I think my waters have broken." She blew out another breath and looked at Isabelle in a mixture of shock and hope.

Isabelle blinked in consternation. What was she supposed to do now? She made a quick study of Charlie's expression and saw that Charlie, like her was in a state of bemusement. "Ok, Ok, take it easy." Isabelle said attempting to be matter of fact as she helped Charlie to the chair. "Are you due now?" She figured that would be the type of question her medic sister, Rina would ask.

Charlie winced, "Another six days." She muttered through the wince. Did things happen this fast with a first child?

Isabelle wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. But she figured that the best people to help would be medically trained. She was not going to be much use to Charlie having never experienced childbirth.

"Oh. Ok. Look, I'll call for an ambulance. If you could just hang on." Though Isabelle was pretty sure that if that baby decided to make an appearance, Charlie would have no real say in the matter. Isabelle raced down the hallway and grabbed the phone. She dialed the key digits waited for a response and then explained the situation. She gave them directions and returned to find Charlie's face scrunched up as another contraction worked its way through.

Isabelle reached for Charlie's hand. Charlie gripped it. "Should I call Ryan?" She had the cordless in her other hand.

Charlie nodded. "Tell him to meet us at the hospital. He's going to kill me."

Isabelle smiled. "OK, let go of my hand. What's his number?" Charlie told her, Isabelle dialed. Isabelle got an answer phone. She left a message.

Isabelle wasn't sure whether to help Charlie to a chair or toward the door. But by the looks of things, Charlie was in need of medical attention or at the very least, someone who knew what to do with a pregnant woman going into labour. Isabelle felt inadequate.

Charlie kept swearing about the delay with the ambulance and Ryan.

Panting, Charlie looked over at Isabelle and said, "Try him again." She was pretty sure this baby was in a hurry to see the world. For it wasn't long before another contraction began.

Seeing Charlie's response to the contraction all but panicked Isabelle. Another contraction? Surely the contractions shouldn't be that briefly apart? Not knowing quite what to do, Isabelle kept talking to Charlie in a quiet, soothing voice.

Charlie grimaced, "He's at the office, I know he is." She released Isabelle's hand from the manic grip and fleetingly noticed the nail imprints she had left.

Isabelle dialed Ryan's number again, and got the answer phone again. So she left another message.

"It's just typical! Isn't it!" Charlie muttered having just taken in several shallow breaths.

"What is?" Isabelle looked a trifle worried.

"Not being able to get in touch with Ryan." She scrunched up her face again and reached a hand out toward Isabelle. "I'm going to flatten him! I told him to be ready! That our baby might come anytime! Men! They just don't listen."

Instinctively Isabelle allowed Charlie to hold on her fingers. And tried not to wince when Charlie all but crushed them as she handled yet another contraction.

Isabelle was pretty sure her blood supply to her fingers had been cut off. For such a slight woman, Charlie had an incredible grip.

"Just try to stay calm." Isn't that what they said in the movies, Isabelle wondered. She tried to think of a movie she'd seen with a pregnant woman giving birth scene! What did they say to the woman in labour? Push! Except, Isabelle would rather Charlie waited until the ambulance arrived before she began to push.

"Where is that bloody ambulance?" Charlie panted.

"They'll be here. Soon. You're doing just fine." Isabelle hoped that was the truth.

"No I'm not!"

"You're not?"

"I want Ryan!"

"I'll try him again." Isabelle said, hoping Charlie would release her fingers.

Once again Isabelle dialed Ryan's and once again she got the answer phone again. So she left yet another message. She wondered whether there might be another way to get a message to Ryan. According to Charlie he was at the office, so he must be somewhere in the building. Someone must know where he was.