Darina was extremely chatty that morning as we got ready to go. I think part of it was nerves but the rest was excitement. She couldn't wait to live in a bigger city and on her own. I never realized what it was like to be the baby of the family, but was slowly learning from her some of the things it entailed.
"Should I get Spartan gear while I'm here?" Darina asked while we passed the bookstore with apparel inside.
"If you feel like you would possibly go here after the tour. I knew where I was going immediately but not everyone does. Also, you don't have to walk with me. There seems to be some people your age, make friends."
"No one is going to know where Duran is," she laughed.
"Doesn't matter. You're in California now. Totally different environment."
Darina went ahead after the tour guides had shown the dorms for upcoming freshman and talked with twin girls that seemed to have their hearts set on going here. The group we were with wasn't too big. About twelve soon to be graduates and a few parents. Since I didn't really fit into either category just yet, I looked around the campus while walking and made sure to take notes on my phone for later.
"I don't mean to pry," a woman asked me while we were inside the library just looking around. "How far along are you?"
"Thirty-two weeks." I smiled.
"And you're here with,"
"Darina. She's my sister-in-law," I pointed to her as she was taking a selfie in front of some banner that was on a wall.
"That's sweet of you! My daughter, Sam, she's the one in the grey hoodie over there." She pointed at a petite girl with her bun as high as it could be pulled up on her head. "She's hoping to get her acceptance letter from the dance team here. We've been in competitive dance for years."
"How exciting! I'm sure she'll get it. I'm Dasha by the way."
"Nora, nice to meet you."
We shook hands and continued chatting while the tour continued onto the outside of the coliseum. Sam was super chatty at this point and kept asking one of the guides questions.
I leaned against a pole and took a deep breath. Ryder had moved again and caught me off guard. Guess we hadn't walked this much in a long time.
"Sorry Squirt, we won't be doing this again I promise." I rubbed my belly gently.
The group started to move again as I didn't catch where they were heading next but I remained where I was. Probably needed a minute before I started walking again.
Darina noticed and walked a few steps back to me, "Dasha? Do we need to go home?"
"No sweetie, I just need to sit. I just don't think Squirt has felt me walk this much in a minute. How much longer,"
"Maybe twenty to thirty minutes? I think we're making our way back to the bookstore and the front. I could ask if there's someone who could bring you back to the entrance?"
"No I'm good." I stood up and moved my hips slightly. "Just walk slow with me."
"More like waddle," she teased while I rolled my eyes.
Nora and Sam had hung back too and struck up a conversation with Darina while we made our way back to the front. The more steps I took I felt better but also felt like I had to pee again. Ugh, I didn't think I would be getting pregnant again anytime soon after Ryder.
Once we got to the front, I told Darina I was using the restroom while she went to go check out the clothes with the other freshmen. Waddling as quickly as possible, I got the end stall and sat for a moment before trying to stand and pull my pants down. Jeez, when did I start sweating this much?
Right as I bent my knees to pull my pants I felt a huge contractions hit as I slammed down onto the toilet an gasped. What the fuck?
My pants immediately began to grow darker as I felt my hands shake trying to grab my phone out of my bag. Fuck, not now.
I waited impatiently for Hayden to answer as I heard the bathroom door open and a concerned voice, "Dasha?"
Hayden answered at this point and I put him on speaker. "Hey love, how's the tour?"
"Nora," I took a deep breath, "I need you to tell me where the nearest hospital is."
"Dasha?" Hayden's voice grew concerned.
I stayed seated on the toilet as another contraction hit and I gritted my teeth. "I think I'm going into labor. Now."
"Unlock the door Dasha," Nora spoke gently while Hayden tried to stay silent on the other end.
Standing up, I felt more fluid cover my pants and opened the door. "Fuck, I liked these pants."
"Dasha," Nora put her hand on my shoulder, "look at me."
I did and she took my phone for a moment, "is this your husband on the phone?"
"This is Hayden yes, is she okay?"
"I believe she's in labor. I want you to listen very carefully Hayden. My husband is a doctor at the hospital up here. He can make some calls and we can get your wife in with our L&D department. Can you come this way with everything?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, I'm hanging up so I can get your wife to the hospital okay? I'll have Darina call you in a minute."
I nodded and took the phone back before hanging up. "Hayden? It's too early."
"He'll be okay baby. We need to get you to the hospital okay?"
I hung up the phone and walked out slowly from the bathroom and sat on the bench while Nora went into action and called the manager over, explaining we needed to leave now for the hospital.
"Dasha, can I drive you or do we need an ambulance?"
"Now," I gritted my teeth as Darina came running over and looked at me. "Dasha?"
"Sorry," I felt tears prick my eyes as Sam rushed to get her mom's car. "Darina, call Hayden back and have him call family. Please."
She started dialing while Nora was reminding me to breath through contractions. "I need you to tell me when you have one. We're going to have to time them."
"Kay," I took a deep breath and felt my body heat up. "I feel like I'm on fire."
"That can happen," she pulled some of my hair back from my face and crouched down in front of me. "Keep breathing Dasha, we need to get up and get to the car. Can you do that?"
The four of us piled into the car as we headed in the direction of Regional Hospital. Nora was on the phone with her husband who was paging the NICU and OBGYN doctors. I felt super grateful in that moment that I was with someone who had already gone through birth.
"Rose!" I dialed her number and drummed my fingers along my leg. I had to tell her if Hayden hadn't already called. "Pick up, pick up..."
"Hey! How was the,"
"We had to cut it short... Ryder is making his debut."
"Shut up! Where do we need to go?"
"First," I took a deep breath as another contraction rolled through, "what is that? Fifteen minutes?"
"Seventeen," Sam replied while I nodded. "Rose, make sure the dogs are okay, then you can come to Regional Hospital. We won't be going to the original one it seems."
"Do you need me to call family?"
"Hayden is on it. He's coming this way shortly."
"You're going to be a great mother Dash, I'll be there soon okay?"
I blinked back tears, "thanks Rose. I love you."
"Love you too. I'll tell Sean and Ty."
Hanging up the phone the hospital came into view as Sam pulled into the entrance and waited for her mom to get out. A wheelchair was being wheeled out with what seemed to be Sam's father as they shared the same facial features. Darina grabbed my bag while I scooted out and sat back into the wheelchair.
"Mrs. Blaze?"
"That's me."
"I'm Doctor Travis. I'll guide you to the Labor and Delivery area okay? They have a room set up for you and their doctors will take over from there. Just keep breathing for me okay, you look a little pale."
"Right," I breathed out tiny puffs and squeezed my eyes shut as we wheeled into the hospital. I wasn't feeling motion sick until now.
"How far along are you?" He asked as we entered a hallway that sounded of monitors beeping and babies crying further down.
"Thirty-two weeks as of yesterday. I'm having a boy."
"Congratulations. You've made it pretty far," he stopped to tell one of the nurses my name as they called out a room number and we continued on down the unit.
"Room fourteen, I'll make sure the front desk brings your husband up as soon as he arrives okay?"
I smiled weakly while Nora helped me sit on the lumpy hospital bed before stepping outside to talk to her husband for a moment. Sam and Darina were looking around the room and peeked out the blinds to see what sort of view we had.
"Well... at least you can see part of the garden that they have for the pediatric ward," Sam pointed for Darina to see.
I laid down carefully and sighed as the pressure was relieved from my back and rubbed my forehead. Thirty-two weeks...
"Ryder, this better be fast if you're coming early baby," I murmured and turned my head when someone knocked before stepping in.
"Hello, Dasha. My name is Mary, I'll be one of the nurses helping you alright? Do you mind if I check you out? I brought some water for you as well."
She sat it on the table and raised my bed up before covering my legs with a sheet. "If you girls don't mind either leaving or just staying right there while I examine her?"
"Dasha?"
"Stay," I felt panicked as Mary nodded and squeezed my knee. "It's alright sweetheart, I promise everything is going to be okay."
Numbers were muttered while she pressed on my abdomen, "his head is definitely down. He just needs to move slightly."
"If you poke him hard enough he may move still," I sighed as Mary smiled.
"No worries dear, he'll move if he wants to truly come out. You're not dilated enough yet so it's going to be a little while. I'm going to hook you both up to monitors so don't mind the beeping, it's just your heart rates."
Darina watched in fascination as Ryder's heartbeat steadily pounded underneath mine. "Whoa it's so fast!"
"That's normal, since he's tiny and all. Let me go check some orders and let the doctor know how you're doing okay?"
"Thank you," I sipped more of the ice water and watched the monitor with interest as Ryder's heart beat was twice as fast. Incredible.
"What's his name going to be?" Sam asked quietly.
"Ryder Calum Blaze."
"I love that!"
"Hayden hadn't told me the middle name," Darina laughed. "He'll be a heartthrob regardless."
"It's too early for this discussion," I laughed and stopped as another contraction hit. "Jeez labor sucks."
"I'm sure... I bet he's tiny though," Darina looked at the monitors. "Maybe I should go into pediatrics, or babies. I like this stuff."
"There ya go kiddo, you're welcome," I teased as my phone rang. "Hello?"
"Dasha?" My mom answered the phone with relief. "How are you feeling honey?"
"Pain, but it's expected. You'll be a grandmother soon so get a ticket Mom."
My father laughed on the other end, "you'll do great Dasha. We're looking at tickets right now and will be there soon enough. Is Rose with you?"
"Darina is, Rose and Hayden are on their way."
"Good, I'm sure you're in good hands honey. Just keep breathing with the contractions."
I was going to roll my eyes if one more person told me to do that. "Thanks mom. I'll call you back okay? I think the Doctor may be coming in," I ended as someone had opened the door and knocked softly.
"Sure honey. I love you, Ryder is so lucky to have you."
I hung up and sighed as the Doctor introduced herself as Doctor Sanchez and her PA, Tori. They asked me a lot of questions and looked at the monitor before doing another check like my nurse had done. Thankfully no contractions happened during those few minutes and I felt a wave of relief hit me.
Tori seemed to notice, "you're going to go through waves of calm per se and then anxiety or discomfort. Welcome to labor. You're nearly at the cut off though for an epidural if you're wanting one."
"I sincerely don't do needles," I breathed. "Can I get up? I'd feel better if I stood for a minute I think."
"Yeah! I'll help you," she extended her hand as I slid my legs around and took a deep breath before standing up and resting my hands on my back.
"Better?"
"For now."
"Your son isn't crowning yet, so you have time to move around and such. When you're closer we'll have to make you sit back down okay? I'm going to make some calls, but let Mary know if anything changes and she can page us. We'll be on the floor," Doctor Sanchez smiled and walked out the door without another word.
"Don't worry," Tori took in my apprehension, "she's amazing. Just not much for idle chit chat. That's my job."
"I appreciate it, thank you."
"Yep! I'll leave you to your family?"
"Yes, my husband will be here soon I'm hoping."
"No worries. If you're able to sleep," she hung by the door for a moment, "I know that's impossible to imagine, but you'll need it for when the pushing begins."
"Thank you."
Sam stepped out to check on her mom while Darina watched me walk around the room. Who would've thought this would be my experience with my sister in law in the room? As long as Hayden made it...
"He'll be here Dasha," Darina voiced my worries as I nodded and kept pacing around the room. If I stopped the contractions would start up was my thinking so staying busy seemed better than laying down.
She checked her phone, "he thinks he's a little over an hour out. Must be speeding but stuck in traffic."
"Thank you," I breathed and looked at the clock. Pretty sure when Hayden arrived the anxiety would only go higher waiting for Ryder, but at least he would be here. That's what mattered.
**So she's going into labor! yay! Don't worry, I'm asking my sister who works NICU questions before I'm typing some of this out. It'll be as accurate as possible. Let's meet Ryder Calum Blaze!**