The Kind of Man You Like

Steady

SAM

"Kill me...I'm begging you just kill me."

She's been in labor for seven hours now. The doctors have told her that she's only about four and a half centimeters dilated and she's suffering. She's tired and she wants the pain to be over and her baby to be okay.

"It's going to be okay. You're doing great. Just a little while longer."

"They said that hours ago..." The nurse that's in charge of her, nurse Kelly, walks in and gives her a look of pity.

"How are you doing?"

"Unless you're coming in here to tell me that I can push, probably not good."

"Sadly, no. The doctor says he wants you to walk around a little bit so you can walk the baby down." She groans as she comes over to unhook her IV plug from the wall. In retrospect nurse Kelly is one of the best nurses in the world. From the time she got here, which was about six this morning, she has been helpful. Staying by her side almost the entire time and giving her breathing exercises. She's a tall, dark skinned woman with almond shaped eyes and a small salt and pepper afro. She had a soft voice and a big reassuring smile and she's very beautiful.

The older woman gets rid of the blankets on her and Marlo and Alaina help her up and out of the bed. Her body feels impossibly heavy and she's hungry and she doesn't want to get up at all. But they start walking with either of them on the side of her holding her hand, nurse Kelly in the front of her pushing her IV stand and Danielle behind her. They're all very encouraging and she's trying her best not to snap at them.

"I'm chasing the next man that comes near me away with a sharp stick." She grumbles. The women giggle and she leans back a little as she waddles down the long hall.

"The baby is stubborn like you, isn't it overdue?"

"Four days overdue. Of all things my kid isn't punctual?"

"It's paying you back for showing up to everything early." Danielle laughs.

"This is hell reincarnate. Please remind me why I'm having the baby naturally?"

"You were scared of the epidural. You're doing great though."

"Cut me. I can't do this anymore. Just cut me, Marlo. I'll give you a raise."

"You're doing great. We gotta see this through, remember? You never back down from a challenge, you've got this."

She doesn't know how long they walked. In the end it felt like her feet might fall off and like the contractions were getting worse as they went. And she was so glad when they finally got back to the room after walking several floors of the hospital. Doctor Capaldi is there waiting for them.

"Alright let's check to see how the baby is doing." They help her lay out on the bed again and flat with her legs open. He prepares himself with gloves and what not and at that point she's just waiting for him to tell her to push because she can't stand it.

But that moment never comes because when he's feeling around her cervix his eyebrows furrow. He keeps feeling for a minute or two longer before he looks to nurse Kelly.

"Get the ultrasound machine, please." She nods and moves to the other side of the room to grab it. She looks at the doctor.

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

"Just stay calm Samaria." He chides a little and she feels someone rub her shoulder but she can't concentrate on that as they put the gel on her stomach and ready the camera. They switch the machine on and look around a bit; murmuring to one another. He checks several different angles before they pull the camera away.