2.3 | Notorious ✓

12 | precious

1 2

p r e c i o u s

Callum and I got to the hospital minutes after Molly did, arriving just in time to see her being wheeled down the hallway, donned in a light blue hospital dress. I rushed up to her, clasping her hand tightly as I followed her into the room and helped her onto the bed.

"Charlie will be here any minute," I told her, when she asked about him, "He'll be here, I promise. Until then, Callum and I will be here for you."

The furrow etched between Molly's eyebrows eased as she heard my words, I could almost see her ears perking up. "Hello," she greeted cordially. "How're your bruises? You didn't look too good the last time you dropped by."

"I'm alright," Callum replied, without missing a beat. He grasped her hand when she offered it; let her squeeze his hand when she groaned through another wave of contractions. "How're you feeling?"

"Oh, just wonderful," she said, mildly, a miraculous feat – considering that she was practically going into labour at any moment. "You know, Scout's talks a lot about you. I think you're good for her."

My mouth fell open. Unbelievable. I could hardly wrap my head around the fact that Molly was trying to match-make us whilst having a baby.

"You make her happy," Molly continued, oblivious to my annoyed nudges, "You make her less of a bore – "

"I'm not a bore!" I exclaimed, as Callum chuckled. "Aren't you supposed to be having contractions?"

She glared at me, her mood abruptly taking a 180-degree turn for the worse. "I do, that's why I was talking to Callum to take my mind of the pain but now the pain is back – thank you very much!" Turning to the nurse who was arranging the equipment, Molly grabbed her by the arm. "Where's the ice? Or the epidural? Or the doctor or am I supposed to have these kids be my midwives?"

The nurse stared back, alarmed. "Didn't they give you the epidural earlier on? It's far too late to take it now."

"No, there was no epi-freaking-dural – and now I'm going to die giving birth!" Molly shrieked, now looking truly panicked as the nurse scuttled out to get the doctor.

After feeling the slight pressure of Callum's hand on my shoulder, I reached down and eased Molly back onto the pillow. "You're going to be fine," I repeated, "You have me."

And I held her hand through the next wave of contractions, squeezing my eyes shut but not flinching as she gripped my hand in a vice-like grip. Through it all, I felt Callum's presence behind me. He was like a pillar of strength; helping me to be courageous when I could not be.

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But I had to leave the room eventually to contact Charlie again, because I was certain he didn't want to miss the birth of his child. After getting through his line and telling him about the current situation, I hung up, heaving a sigh of relief. Charlie was already on his way. He was going to be here and everything was going to be fine.

I headed back towards the delivery room, where I'd left Molly and Callum together. It was rather unsettling, almost surreal to see the two of them in the same room together – two people who had heard so much about each other but had never had the opportunity of meeting. And now they had finally met, in the most bizarre situation possible.