Symphony

Perfect Timing

Once the girls are gone he walks back into the lounge to see what is happening, "Jack we're going to need towels and- ", She begins.
"Not my best towels!" Nikki pants as she is now kneeling on the floor her upper body leaning on the sofa as she gently rocks, "I didn't want a home birth" She cries as she bites the pillow again.
"Towel's make sure they're warm, erm... warm water, and a plastic bin bag or a washing up bowl..." Josephine speaks as she gently rubs Nikki's back helping her through a contraction.

"The maternity unit keeps going through to answer machine" Jack shouts through as he messes through the kitchen to find the things they need before running upstairs and grabbing as many towels that he can find before turning the heating on.

He rushes back downstairs and places three towels on the radiator and then comes to Nikki's side. "Hey, you're doing so well" He smiles as he kisses her head as she practically throws herself at him for comfort.

A contraction comes again and she cries into his chest, Jack holds her close and strokes her back, "Jack.... Make it... stop!" She cries clearly in a lot of pain.
Although Nikki was a resilient woman and had been through two past births with minimal pain relief, he knew her age was starting to get to her pain threshold and she was struggling. "Jack, please... make it stop!" She cries again as she looks up at him, the tears streaming down her face.

"Nikki? Are you pushing?" Josephine asks noticing a change in Nikki's breathing, movements, and behavior. Twenty-three years of practicing as a midwife and matron helped her stop these tiny little signs that Nikki was giving away. There was no response from Nikki but she could tell, "Right Nikki we need to move you, the head is starting to show... Jack any news of this maternity unit?" She asks.

"No, Should I call for an ambulance?" Jack asks noticing the pain Nikki is in more than ever now.  Josephine nods and Jack does exactly as he is told, he is put straight through to the operator and then through to the ambulance service. Although his heart dropped her he heard that there was a high number of emergency calls today and that they would have to sit tight and wait for the ambulance.

Josephine looks at Jack who still has Nikki crying into his chest while on her knees. "Nikki you've heard that the ambulance isn't going to be here for a while, there is a possibility you'll have the baby soon, so I'm going to check you over okay?" Josephine smiles again.

Nikki nods and grabs hold of Jack's shoulders as Josephine examines Nikki, she catches Nikki off guard and she jolts and ends up biting Jack's shoulder. "Ahh, Nikki! That really hurts... let go!" Jack panics as Josephine looks up at Jack.

Jack looks at his Mum with confusion on her face as she looks slightly worried. "Nikki, you're fully dilated... which means-" She begins.
"Yes, I know what is fucking means!" Nikki cries out as she grabs hold of Jack's top.

Jack kisses her head as she screams into his chest as another strong contraction takes over her body, "Just breathe Nik, you've got this... just remember the yoga" Jack smiles.

"Fuck yoga!" She cries out. Jack grits his teeth and then feels Nikki moving as he opens his eyes again.
"Where are you going?" He speaks noticing her getting to her knees again.
"I can't kneel, my knees!" She pants as she manages to turn and sit between his legs on the towel that Josephine has laid out now she has moved the coffee table.

"That's it, Nikki, the head is now crowning" Josephine smiles as she clicks back into her midwife role as if she never retired from it in the first place.
"I can't, I can't!" Nikki cries out in pain as she throws her head back against Jack's chest, she lifts her hand and places it around the back of Jack's neck as a contraction once again takes over her body.

"Yes you can Nik, I believe in you... just breathe" He speaks as he strokes her hair from her face again before placing one hand to the side to support himself and the other hand takes hold of Nikki's hand.
"Fuck off!" Nikki shouts as she grabs his hair tightly before loosening it again and moving her hand back to in front of herself and resting on her bump.

Josephine looks at Jack and smirks slightly noticing that Nikki had hurt him, "Jack... Son, don't tell her to 'just breathe' she's pushing an entire fully formed baby out of her vagina, let's see you do this" She smirks noticing more progression from Nikki at the same time, "Looks like my third grandchild is a fast mover."

Nikki clasps Jack's hand as tightly as she can, before putting her whole effort into pushing with the contraction. Slowly but surely the baby's head starts to emerge, "Keep doing that Nikki, and you're doing great, honestly!" Josephine smiles.

Nikki throws her head back into Jack's chest as things become more intense, she cries out as she pushes again and all Jack can do is hold her hand and allow her to imprint her nails into his hand. "Almost there, push, push, push!" Josephine smiles as she places her hand on Nikki's knee in a bid to keep Nikki from moving as she keeps trying too.

Nikki suddenly loosens Jack's hand and sits up as she moves her hand lower to support the baby, she gives it her all before the baby slips from her body with ease and into Nikki's waiting hands. She quickly lifts the newborn to her chest and smiles happily at her with a breath of relief.

Nikki's mothering instinct instantly jumps in when the newborn doesn't let out a cry. She rubs its back, "come on baby girl" Nikki mumbles as she watches the newborn cough and splutter before letting out a loud cry.