Fingerprints ( #1 BOOK IN THE SERIES )

June (Part Two)

The next few weeks after we had all finished decorating the nursery were filled with buying the last few things I needed for the baby. This included gear like changing pads, a baby bath tub and infant nail clippers. Who would have thought you needed to get infant nail clippers? It was mainly me, my mum and Cory who went out and got these items so I rarely got time to see any of my friends. They kept me updated though by sending pictures of themselves out in town or if they go shopping. I'm starting to find it irritating. In fact I'm starting to find most things irritating.

I yelled at my mum the other day simply because she was vacuuming and I couldn't hear the television. I yelled at Cory the next morning because during the night he was snoring and I couldn't get to sleep because of that. I just keep yelling at people. I'm getting especially irritated at night though because no matter what position I try, I just can't get to sleep. I'm too big now to get comfy and when I do finally find a position that I think will work for me, the baby begins to start kicking and punching and just generally fighting me it feels like.

Tonight I have just been the same. I've been tossing and turning and nothing feels comfortable. I've thought about moving downstairs onto the sofa but I know that isn't going to help so I stay in bed. In my head I begin to make a list of things we have already got; crib – yes, bottle sterilisers – yes, clothes for the baby – yes. I do this for while which eases my mind but then I feel a strange sensation which is almost painful. It doesn't last that long, less than a minute but it is long enough to worry me. I contemplate waking Cory up but as the pain subsides I decide it is best not to. I go back to making lists but this time it's a list of things I don't have. I'm in the middle of doing this again when the pain comes back. I look over at my clock on the bedside table and notice how it has only been ten minutes since the pain first begun.

"Cory." I shake him a bit to try and wake him up.

"What?" he mumbles at me.

"Something doesn't feel right with the baby." I tell him while rubbing my bump. He looks at me for a moment while he processes what I said and then once he realises he sits up straight away.

"What is actually wrong?" he says though this time he sounds more awake. I tell him about the pain and I can see how concerned he is. "We should probably get you to a hospital. Hopefully it will be nothing but it is better to be safe than sorry. I'll go wake your mum." He tells me while rubbing my back trying to comfort me. I nod him along because the sooner I get to hospital, the better!

My mum rushes me straight into the car after Cory explains to her what is wrong. I can't help but worry that the baby is coming and I'm not ready for that at all. I still have four weeks until my due date and I know I don't have everything I need.

"Mum, what if the baby is coming now?" I ask my mum but I have never felt this small or scared before. My voice was more of whimper.

"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it. Hopefully that won't be today and even if it is, well they can do marvellous things with medicine these days. Everything will be fine."  She says trying to calm me down.

"I hope so." I say back though my voice is barely a whisper. I'm not sure if anyone heard me.

The drive seems to take hours when in reality it didn't even take us twenty minutes to get to the hospital. Thankfully it doesn't take long for me to be taken into a room with a doctor to explain what is wrong. The doctor nods while I speak and scribbles notes down on a clipboard. The pain is still every ten minutes and because the intervals haven't become closer, the doctor says that is a good sign.

I am then told that an examination needs to be done so they can find out what is wrong, whether I am in labour or not. The whole experience is rather uncomfortable but I understand that it needs to be done.