I can't decide if pregnancy is going by quickly or slowly. The past few weeks have been full of what Dani's called nesting. I've been in her room more and more putting things away, organizing, doing the laundry, and ultimately preparing for her to arrive. Joe's been helping, though he's also been trying to allow me to have the time to myself to focus on preparing for her. I think he thinks it'll help me mentally prepare for becoming a mother. I've been thinking about it a lot lately. More than I was before, if anyone would believe that's possible. About becoming a mother, what it takes, what is expected, and how everyone's going to react when I'm not the hands-on excited mother that everyone is expecting me to be. Also, how disappointed everyone will be when learning of my doubts and lack of excitement about becoming a mother. Regardless of Joe's constant hope and encouragement. Hope and Victoria have been texting in the group chat about coming out when it becomes closer to my due date, hoping to be here for her arrival but not wanting to step on any toes by assuming they can stay with Joe and I. Stella offered for them to stay with her, but they didn't want to be too far away from me either. Finally, they settled on renting a house near Joe and me, only ten minutes away to be exact. They said they'd stay for a week, but something tells me they'll stay longer. Stella stated that she'd probably stay with them a few of the nights, just to spend time and be nearby in case I were to need them.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Joe asks, letting out a sigh.
"Joe, I'm fine. I'll be here, putting away more things, as if she needs more, and maybe watch some Modern Family. That's the furthest I'll go. "
He chuckles, walking over and giving me a kiss. "Okay, I'll be back in a couple of hours. I'm just going to go workout and then I'll be back."
"Yeah, until you and Nick start writing a song or watching a game," I tell him, narrowing my eyes.
He grins. "Not today. You're too close to term, I don't even really feel right about going at all."
"I'll be fine. Go hang out with Nick for a bit."
He smiles, nodding. "Okay, okay. I'm going. I love you."
"I love you too."
One more kiss and he's on his way, jogging down the stairs before I hear the door to the house slam shut.
I laugh lightly at his concern, pulling the basket of clean laundry over to me in the middle of the floor and beginning to fold it and place some on hangers.
After an hour or so, I find myself heading down to the kitchen, grabbing the leftover breakfast burrito Joe had made me this morning and heating it in the microwave before beginning to eat, sipping on orange juice along with it.
"Ow," the word slips from my lips as my hand reaches down to my stomach, my brows furrowing as I look down at my belly. "What the hell was that for?"
I sigh after a moment, eating the rest of the burrito and cleaning my plate and cup, placing them on the drying rack next to the sink. I then make my way back upstairs, ready to fold and put away more clothes, organize the diaper changing table, and then relax and watch Modern Family.
As I arrive closer to the nursery, my phone begins to ring, leading me to somehow make it onto the floor in time to answer the FaceTime call.
"Hey," I sigh, trying to catch my breath.
"Hey," Hope laughs. "How ya feeling?"
"Tired, achy, and ready for her to get the hell out."
Another laugh. "Every mom I've ever known has always said pregnancy sucks but once you're not pregnant anymore, you miss it."
"I don't think I'll ever miss this."
She hums in response. "What are you doing?"
"Folding her clothes and putting them away. Then I have to finish organizing the diaper changing table and then I'm going to sit down on the couch and watch Modern Family until Joe gets home."
"Where's Joe?" she asks.
"He went over to Nick's to work out," I shrug. "He said he won't be long but he's with Nick, so who knows what the two of them will get into."
She laughs again, shrugging. "You're not wrong. Brothers and best friends all rolled into one."
"You've got that right," I nod, beginning to laugh when my breath hitches in my throat my hand flying to my stomach again.
"Are you good?" Hope asks, concern plastered on her features.
I nod, letting out a deep breath, and start to prop my phone up on the floor in front of me so I can keep folding the last of the small pile. "Yeah, I'm good. Anyway, what's going on with you? How's Dean?"
She grins. "He's good. He's working hard, so we're not seeing each other a ton right now but he's doing it so we can move out to Cali to be closer to you, so I can't complain."
"That's good. I still can't believe that he's willing to move all the way to Cali so you can be closer to me."
"Me either, but I'm lucky to have found a guy who is. I was about to give up and try to find love when I got to Cali after Jack and I broke up."
"Well, I'm glad you didn't. Dean seems to be really great for you. I can't wait to get to know him more."
"Honestly, he's really excited to get to know you and Joe. He can't stop talking about how excited he is to start over in a new place."
"Well, from everything you told me, it seems like he deserves a fresh start."
"He does, just like you did."
"And look at me now," I tell her, getting up and putting the clothes away before beginning on the changing table.
"Living in a huge house, married to a performer, and putting together a nursery for the little girl you're about to pop out of your hoo-hah," she says, the both of us laughing afterward.
"I cannot," I shake my head, putting diapers in the basket underneath before holding one up. "Girl, look how small these fucking things are."
"Oh my gosh," she gushes. "They're so fucking tiny."
Bending to grab a diaper that had fallen on the floor, I quickly bring in a breath through my teeth, my eyes squeezing shut.
"Okay, dude, is she like kicking the hell out of you or?"
"Um, I'm not sure. Let me call Dani, I'll call you back."
"Okay," she says.
The phone beeps three times, telling me she hung up. I know she's worried, I could hear it in her voice, see it on her face. But to be fair, I don't know what's going on either. I wait for the cramping to pass before grabbing my phone, blowing out a breath, and tapping Dani's name, making sure it's not a FaceTime call.
"Hello?" she answers, the girls giggling in the back.
"Hey, I umm, I need advice. I think."
"Okay," she says. The giggling starts to sound further away before she speaks up again. "Okay, what's up? You sound kinda worried."
"Well, I don't know if I'm worried but I kinda just don't know what's happening right now."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I've been in her room organizing and stuff and everything's been fine, but I went downstairs to eat something like a little over an hour ago I got this weird cramping and it only lasted a few seconds so I thought it was her but it just happened two more times within the past forty-five minutes and I don't know if I should be worried or not."
I hear the small smile on Dani's face. "It sounds like either Braxton Hicks or even possible early labor."
"Early labor? As in like she could come today?"
"As in she could come today, yes."
"It's too early, I'm not supposed to give birth for another few weeks."
"Okay, take a breath."
"But what about her? Would she be okay if I had her today?"
"You're 37 weeks which means you're technically full term. There's very little risk of anything being wrong with her," Dani tells me calmly. "You said the cramping happened three times in the past hour?"
"A little over an hour," I sigh, running my free hand through my hair.
"Well, if it is labor, it's early labor so you have some time. Where's Joe?"
"At Nick's," I reply.
"Alright. Call him, tell him what I told you. You're having some cramping, it seems as though you're in early labor and he should come home so you guys can be ready in case they start getting more intense and close together."
"Okay," I tell her shakily.
"Take a couple of breaths. It's okay. I'm going to go talk to Kevin and we're gonna hop on a plane. Even if you're not in labor now, this little girl is planning on coming soon. We'll be there as soon as we can."
"Okay," I tell her, hanging up and licking my lips before dialing Joe's number.
"Hey baby, we're almost done," he says, breathing heavily.
"Hey, um, I'm gonna need you to be done now."
"What do you mean? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Um, I'm having some cramping so I called-"
"Wait, what?"
"Listen," I sigh, closing my eyes. "I'm having some cramping so I called Dani to see what it meant, and she said from my explanation it sounds like I may be going into labor."
"Whoa, okay." He says before some clattering around. "Alright, I have my stuff, I'm getting in the car, I'm on my way."
"Okay, Kevin and Dani said they're jumping on a plane."
"Okay," he sighs. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," I answer shakily, walking out of the nursery and into the bedroom where Joe had already packed our bags and placed them in the closet. I wheel them out, sighing.
"Babe don't be running around doing too much right now, I'll do it when I get there. It won't take me long."
"I'm okay to take the bags out of the closet, Joe," I sigh.
He stays quiet, making it clear my tone had been a little snappier than I wanted.
"I'm sorry," I tell him, sitting on the bed and letting out a breath, closing my eyes. "I didn't mean to snap at you."
"You're freaking out," he says. "It's happening, I know. But we've got this. You've got this."
"I don't think I do, Joe."
"That's okay," he says softly. "I know you do. And until you realize it, I have more to give. So, I promise you, my love, we are going to be okay."
"Okay," I respond, my voice barely a whisper.
We stay on the phone for his entire drive home, the three beeps indicating Joe hanging up only after the car door shuts. Only a moment later, Joe walks into the bedroom, finding me still sitting on the bed, recovering from the cramp I had only a few moments before.
"Should we head to the hospital?"
"I don't think they're close enough together to need to," I sigh. "From what I read we have time."
"Okay," he nods. "Well, is there any last-minute adds that you want to add to the bags before I put them in the car? That way when it's time we can just hop in and go?"
I shake my head. "I trust you have everything."
"Okay," he says, kissing my head. "I'm going to put the bags in the car. I'll be right back."
"Wait, I'll come downstairs with you. I guess it's time I sit on the couch and watch Modern Family like I said I was going to."
After a few hours of watching Modern Family as Joe watches me, it's now clear that I am in labor as the mild cramps turn more intense... and more frequent.
Blowing out the breath I didn't realize I was holding, I look over to Joe. "How long in between those two?"
"Like ten minutes," he sighs, licking his lips. "They're getting closer together."
"And more painful," I sigh, leaning my head against the back of the couch.
"Not gonna lie," Joe admits. "It's going faster than I thought it would. I've heard sometimes it takes days.
"Well, to be fair, I think it's going pretty slow. But, I also think it may have started last night and I didn't realize what it was."
He nods. "Well, that makes more sense."
"Did you call your parents?"
He nods again. "Yeah, they're on their way and so is Kev and Dani and the girls. Did you call yours?"
"No, I just thought about it," I sigh, reaching for my phone. "I wanted to wait earlier until I knew for sure but then I forgot when they started getting worse."
Dialing my mother's number, I put the phone to my ear, only to move it away and look at Joe. "Can you make me something to eat? I know I won't be able to eat when I get to the hospital."
He nods, getting up and moving to the kitchen to make me something just as my mother's voice is heard on the other line.
"Hello?"
"Hey mom."
"Hey sweetie," she says. I can hear her smile. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, um, actually I'm calling to let you know that I am in labor, so," I laugh lightly.
She gasps. "You are?! Oh that's so exciting. Me and your dad were just talking about when we thought you were gonna go into labor earlier. We were trying to plan so this works out."
"Do they need us to book them a flight?" Joe asks quietly, peering in at me from the kitchen.
"Do you guys need us to book a flight for you?" I ask.
"No, no. We've got it sweetie, thank you though. Let's see here," she says. A moment of silence before she speaks up again. "Okay, so our flight leaves in an hour and a half so we are going to throw our bags in the car and start to the airport. We will see you soon, honey."
"Okay mom, be careful."
"We will. Oh, and sweetie?"
"Yeah?"
"You've got this."
A smile pulls at the corners of my lips. "Thanks mom."
We hang up, only for me to immediately tap Hope's name.
"Who you calling now?" He asks.
"I forgot I was on the phone with Hope earlier and didn't call her back," I tell him, my eyes wide.
He makes an 'uh-oh' face, handing me a plate of food.
"Took you long enough!" Hope answers.
"I'm sorry, I totally forgot to call you back after my phone call with Dani."
"It's okay," she laughs. "Is everything okay?"
"Well," I laugh nervously. "I'm definitely in labor. So, if you wanted-"
"Holy shit, what!?" She exclaims. "Okay, wait, okay. Babe, get your suitcase and throw things in it. Ads is in labor, we need to head to Cali."
"Do you guys need us to book your flight?" I ask.
"No, we've got it. We put money aside months ago for when you'd call us," she says. "We just gotta throw things in a suitcase, pick up Tori and we'll be on our way to the airport. Do you need me to call Stella?"
"Could you? I wanna eat and I have a feeling we're going to be heading to the hospital soon. The contractions are getting closer together," I say, squeezing my eyes shut as another begins.
"Breathe, baby," Joe says.
I do as I'm told, letting out the breath I was holding before taking another slow one in.
"Okay, I've got you. I'll call Stella and Victoria. I'll tell them I was on the phone with you when the contractions started and that's how I know."
"Okay," I sigh, the pain easing up some, though the ache in my back not budging.
We hang up and I quickly scarf down the food Joe had given me before looking at him. "I think we better head to the hospital."
He nods, taking my plate and putting it into the sink before coming back to help me up. "Let's do this, baby."
***
hello my friendssss
another day another chapter.
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shan:)