Chapter sixteen:
[Sasha's POV]
I groaned as I rolled over in bed for the third time tonight. This incessant need to go to the bathroom every few hours was extremely tiring. It was still dark outside and I didn't bother to look at the clock as I literally rolled myself off the bed to my feet and began trudging towards the toilet.
I was now 35 weeks pregnant and well into my third trimester, however no matter how many times I felt the calling, I never got used to running back and forwards to the bathroom. I was practically wearing down the carpet.
After I relieved myself I saw the numbers on the clock read 4.30am. I sighed and wondered if it was worth going back to bed. Instead I walked down the hallway to the bedroom next door and pushed it open. I was so excited to have it finally completed. Jake had been adamant about buying everything and anything for Annalise and the whole room pretty much consisted of a cot and about a million boxes and bags.
Annalise squirmed inside of me and I rubbed my swollen belly subconsciously. She was growing bigger and now had little room for those big kicks and now would just wriggle around having fun pushing against my bladder.
"Are you done with your acrobatics baby girl?" I spoke to her as I skimmed my fingers over the swell of my stomach. I was answered by her elbow, or knee, rubbing down the front of my tummy and I smiled. "Life's never lonely with you is it sweety?" I chuckled.
I yawned wide and headed back to my cold bed tossing the sheets over me. Today was Saturday and with nothing to fill my day ahead I decided to drive over to Jenna's house for some quality time with her.
***
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" I was greeted by a wide-eyed Jenna as she opened the front door of her house.
"Uh... hello to you too Jen. I'm visiting... I'm not disturbing you am I?" I asked nervously. I never usually called or gave notice when I would visit her on the weekend but this time it seemed like I was a little unwelcomed.
She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "No, come on in"
She turned to walk inside and I followed her shutting the oak door. As I continued down the hallway to her lounge I gasped. There were literally hundreds of pink and white balloons littering the floor and a mess of streamers of the same colours being strung across the walls.
"What's going on?" I asked curiously.
"Well! It was SUPPOSED to be your surprise baby shower seeing as you've been too lazy to throw one yourself but it seems like you got your surprise a little earlier than expected" Jenna explained.
"No way!" I squealed as a huge smile painted its way across my face. "Jenna you are absolutely the BEST friend anyone could have!"
I hugged her tightly which earned me a laugh and a tight embrace back. We walked further into her house to her kitchen and I took a seat on one of her bar stools as she made herself coffee.
"Coffee?" she offered.
"I don't think I can drink coffee remember?" I replied pointing at my belly.
"Oh right!" She laughed, "Water then?" I nodded and we chatted until her coffee was finished.
"Can I help with anything?" I asked. There were a few people around the house decorating and cleaning, because let's face it... who has a spotless house 24/7 when no one is around.
"Uh... well since you crashed your own surprise I guess you can watch the food in case they burn" she nodded towards the kitchen again.
I nodded and set up the food as well as cleaned a bit. It was already eleven and apparently the baby shower started at one-thirty. I was considering going to the bathroom again and wondered if I could just finish baking the pasta before I went when I started to feel something drip between my legs.
"Oh shoot" I mumbled when I began to walk to the toilet. I guess being pregnant and having a wriggling baby against my bladder didn't help with my muscles down there. I did my business and was silently thanking myself for wearing a long maxi dress.
I washed up and walked back out when I thought back to what happened. I couldn't have...? No. Not possible. I was only 35 weeks... I just stood in the hallway thinking hard, contemplating whether or not I should tell Jenna my thoughts. Just at that moment Jenna walked into the hallway holding a bag full of streamers.
"Hey Sasha, you alright? You look like you're thinking a little hard there" she joked.
"I... THINK...my water broke..." I said softly.
Jenna made a confused face before moving in closer, "Sorry I don't think I heard you properly. What did you say?"
I cleared my throat and spoke a little louder, "I said I THINK my water broke"
"What!"
Jenna's face was a mix of shock and excitement but I barely got to glance at her before I felt a strong dripping sensation down my legs. I sprinted as fast as my pregnant body could allow and as I sat on the toilet my mind was screaming 'YES YOUR WATER FREAKING BROKE!'
Jenna began rapping against the door, "Sasha are you okay? Are you sure your water broke?"
"Yep!" I replied dragging out the 'y'.
We walked back to the kitchen and Jenna was a mess! "Okay! You need to sit down and call Jake! He said he'd be at the office before he was supposed to pick you up because he had an important meeting. So you call him and I'll call the hospital! Actually no! You walk around a little while calling him, that's supposed to help quicken the labour!"
Honestly, if I hadn't started to have stronger contractions I'd be laughing at her frenzied state. I'd begun having pretty strong Braxton Hicks when I started my third trimester so I thought that's what these were last night but I guessed wrong.
I walked back and forth while Jake's phone continued to ring. He wouldn't pick up the phone and soon enough I was feeling a mood swing hit me. I'd gotten pretty good at sensing when they were going to change.
"Sasha, I'm taking you to the hospital now. I'll just have someone call everyone to say that you're in labour and the baby shower's cancelled" Jenna called out to me. I nodded but was in no rush. I'd been timing my contractions and I was nowhere near five minutes apart.
I'd probably tried ringing Jake literally thirty times with no answer so I turned to texting him instead.
'Why the FUCK aren't you picking up your phone?! My water broke! Jenna is taking me to the hospital now! Meet me there!'
Okay... so maybe that was a little harsh but that should get him moving pretty quickly.
I was rushed into the car and luckily for us the hospital was only ten minutes away. My stomach tightened with every contraction and I grimaced as I checked my watch. They'd been coming and going at such different times that I wondered how long my labour would end up being! Technically I'm not supposed to go there until they're five minutes apart right?
My phone buzzed in my hand and I sighed in relief when I saw Jake's number flashing.
"Hell-"
"SASHA ARE YOU ALRIGHT! WHERE ARE YOU? I'M ALREADY AT THE HOSPITAL BUT I CAN'T SEE YOU!"
"Geez, calm down you crazy person. I'm fine! I'm still in the car and-" I paused as I clutched at my stomach and moaned as another contraction wracked my body, "we're almost there"
We reached the hospital and Jake was pacing out the front. Once he turned and saw Jenna's car he ran towards us and practically carried me up to the labour ward. I was put into a bed and the whole time I didn't have a contraction. I was checked to see how far along I was into labour and according to the midwife I'd only broken my water and wasn't even dilated.
"Looks, like you'll be here for a while Sasha" she joked as she checked my monitor.
My contractions were still random but were becoming much, much more strong. Each one would spread a wave of pain from my lower back around to my front and my immediate reaction was to stop breathing.
"Sorry, love but the pain will get worse" I was told by a nurse when I asked how long it was between contractions. Not even close to five minutes yet!
Within minutes the waves of pain were non-stop. There was no pause or gap for me to gasp for air or relax my body from its cramped position and it was almost impossible for me to even roll to my side to ease some of the pain. Oh God! Why wasn't it stopping! I began to cry and grit my teeth.
"Oh my God! It cannot possibly get worse than this!!! It's only been fifteen minutes!" I cried.
The midwife made a concerned face, "Hmm, I'll just check and see how dilated you are and maybe we can see why you're in so much pain okay?" She lifted the sheets up and gasped, "Oh! Sasha your baby's head is here! You're going to need to push on the next contraction!"
I groaned in pain as my body heated up and sweat dampened my body. No fucking wonder it hurt so much!
"I'm here Sasha! I'm here. Just breathe... breathe" Jake cooed into my ear while trying not grimace at the iron hold I had on his hand.
"No! YOU breathe! I swear to God Jake if you say 'breathe' one more time I will RIP your voice box out from your fucking throat!" I growled at him.
"And I'd still be here even if you did Sash" he countered.
"The head's out, just one more push!" the midwife called out.
I screamed louder than I'd ever screamed before as I used all my energy in my body to push my daughter out, and if Jenna or Jake cried out in pain from me squeezing their hands then I couldn't hear them.
My body dropped from the arch I'd somehow pushed myself into and I gasped for air like the world was running out of it. My body was tingling and my throat was raw.
The next thing I knew I could hear Jenna crying and laughing while Jake's smell enveloped me as he leaned close to my ear, "She's beautiful Sasha. Thank you! Thank you for making me the happiest father in the world!" I could hear the hitch in his voice as he spoke and knew a tear or two were making their way down his chiselled face.
"Is-is she okay?" I stammered as I fought myself to stay awake.
"Perfect. Absolutely perfect Sasha! She cried as loud as you screamed as soon as she was out" he answered with pride in his voice.
It was seconds before the midwife approached me with a tiny pink bundle. "Would you like to hold your daughter, Sasha?" she asked rhetorically with a large smile.
"Definitely!" I nodded eagerly. After what seemed like way too long the warm blankets were placed into my awaiting arms and, for the first time, I peeked at the most perfect little face. Her face was pink and her eyes were a little swollen. Her tiny nose took quick breaths and exhaled through the most adorable pink lips. Her head was covered by the blankets but from what I could see she had a little tuff of dark, fine hair. She was complete perfection. My eyes were glued to her face and I waited for every breath and every little twitch her face made.
It was hard, but I ripped my eyes from my daughter and looked at Jake, "Would you like to hold her?" I asked, but winced when the words hurt my throat. It literally felt like my throat had been slashed from all my screaming.
It looked like Jake was trying to talk, but couldn't, so he nodded instead. I turned slowly and slid my little bundle of pure perfection into his big, warm arms. When he stood up I swear I lost my breath. Jake holding our daughter in his arms was a beautiful sight. Annalise was so small and innocent and completely fragile while Jake was big, strong and powerful yet it looked 100% natural for him to be carrying her.
"Hi Annalise" he whispered with his head bent low almost touching hers, "I'm your daddy"
The moment he closed his eyes and kissed Annalise's forehead I knew I was a goner. How could I possibly live without this man in me and my daughter's life?
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A/N
Dear readers,
I have joined Inkitt in the hopes of widening my book exposure and sharing my stories with more of the book-addicted on a new platform! I have unpublished my last few chapters on Wattpad after many years and have published them on Inkitt for free. I will add the link to continue reading these last few chapters in the comments. I honestly hope you will continue to support me and my ever lasting wish to publish these books into a real physical book one day. I will also add the link in my bio.
So much love and thanks!
Nix <3