It was time. Camilla was now about to give birth to her and Aubrey's child. It was now 4:10am and she was 10cm dilated.
"Can I get everybody who isn't her husband out please, no disrespect but she's already stressed and the less people the better!" Doctor Clinton said, turning to Aubrey and Camilla's friends and family who were gathered in the room. "Also, I don't know if Camilla wants you all staring at her vagina" she said, gesturing to the door.
"I'll be right outside, ok?" Julianna said, quickly coming over to Camilla and kissing her on head. Sandi came over, kissing both Aubrey and Camilla on the cheek whilst the rest of them sat in the waiting room.
Aubrey was stood right by Camilla's hospital bed as she was getting prepared to start pushing, his palms grew sweaty as he contemplated how everything would play out.
"Camilla, in about 30 seconds im going to ask you to start pushing, ok? I can see his head so I know you only need a few pushes till he's out" Doctor Clinton said, standing in between Camilla's legs that were propped up on the metal footrest.
"Aubrey, I'm scared" Camilla looked at him.
"Don't be scared, I'm here with you the whole entire time. You got this 100%" he smiled at her, holding her hand.
"Alright Camilla, big push!" Doctor Clinton looked at her for a moment.
Camilla's whole face went bright red as she pushed, she held onto Aubrey's sleeve slightly pulling him down with her. Aubrey kept his head next to Camilla's head, not wanting to startle her.
"I can't do it" Camilla cried, throwing her head back.
"Yes you can, come on" Aubrey looked down at her, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Camilla looked from Aubrey to Doctor Clinton, before closing her eyes and pushing harder this time.
"This is great Camilla, a few more pushes" Doctor Clinton looked at her. She looked over to the monitor, watching Camilla's heart rate. "A few more pushes Camilla, you can do this. Breathe in and out"
"Baby, come on. You can do this" Aubrey kissed her forehead again.
Eventually Camilla was given gas and air as an anaesthesia, which served next to no help. Aubrey was doing his best to try and calm her down as she was breaking out in sweats and hyperventilating.
"Why the fuck is this not helping?!" Camilla screamed, throwing the gas and air tube on the floor and pushing harder. Aubrey had to hold in his laughter out of fear that Camilla would hit him.
"Calm down, a couple more pushes" Aubrey stroked her forehead.
"He's crowning Camilla, lets keep going" Doctor Clinton tried to encourage her.
"That's all you guys keep saying! A few more, a couple more! Get him out!" Camilla yelled, giving one final large push and holding onto Aubrey's hand.
The next thing they knew, the sound of the baby's cries filled the room. Camilla let out a sigh of relief and began to cry as the baby was placed on her chest. Aubrey wiped his eyes at the sound of hearing his sons first cry, he kissed Camilla's head.
February 21st - 4:44am - Alijah Alexander Drake Graham
Once Alijah was washed off and dressed, Camilla and Aubrey were able to hold him before he would be put in the NICU
"I'm so in love" Camilla looked down at the baby, trying to stop her tears from falling. Aubrey was sat next to her, he kissed her shoulder as he too stared at Alijah.
"I don't even know what to say" Aubrey spoke, seemingly emotional.
"I don't want them to have to take him" Camilla cried. "I know it's for his benefit, but he should be with us"
"He will be, baby...I know I'm not saying much right now...I'm just in shock" Aubrey said wiping Camilla's tears from her face. "He will be fine, he will"
Bringing the baby onto the NICU was the most difficult thing for Camilla and Aubrey. They thought that despite Alijah being a premature baby, they would still be able to bring him home.
Camilla was scheduled to stay at the hospital for as long as Alijah was there for. Even if they told her she'd have to go home, she wouldn't have gone without a fight.
"This is my fault" Aubrey said, helping Camilla onto the hospital bed.
"What? Why would you say that?" She furrowed her eyebrows at him.
"Sometimes I just feel like since I came back into your life, it's been nothing but turmoil, Camilla. I got shot, you lost your father, now-"
"Don't say that" Camilla glared at him with her now red tinted eyes. "This is nobody's fault, nobody at all. Nothing negative that has happened to us is anybody's fault"
"How are you guys feeling?" Sandi said, walking in alongside Julianna. Aubrey had asked his friends to go back to Frings to oversee everything, Brielle and Alisha had stayed to comfort Camilla until Aubrey felt as though it was their time to be together. "Stupid question, I'm sorry"
Camilla kept quiet, letting Aubrey speak. He couldn't really find the words to express how he was feeling, let alone Camilla.
"Just in shock, but he's a fighter so I know he will be fine" Aubrey cleared his throat, taking Camilla's hand.
"He's beautiful, he will definitely be breaking some hearts" Julianna laughed, making Sandi and Aubrey chuckled.
"He got Camilla's eyes and nose, my mouth. I feel like I even saw the birthmark I have on my arm, on his arm too" Aubrey smiled.
They all turned to see Camilla just staring into the distance. She wasn't saying anything, she was...frozen. Silent and numb.
"Sandi, why don't you take Aubrey home let him shower and eat. I'll stay here with Camilla" Julianna said, her eyes filling with water as she felt the pain her daughter was in.
"I can't leave her" Aubrey looked at Camilla. He felt helpless because usually if Camilla was in any trouble, he could fix it. But, this was one thing he had zero control over.
"It's ok, go" Camilla forced a smile, nodding at him. Aubrey pulled her into a hug as he kissed the top of her head.
"We're gonna get through this, I swear. I'm just gonna shower, I'll be right back" Aubrey replied, kissing her on the lips.
"Don't you worry about anything" Sandi gave Camilla a brief hug. "If you need something, let me know"
-
Aubrey on the other hand was now feeling anger. He wanted somebody to blame for all of this, in there was no reason that he and his wife shouldn't have been able to bring their son home. Things should have been playing out much better than they were before. They were supposed to be experiencing a new chapter in their lives.
"Hello?" He said stepping out the shower just as his phone rang.
"There's an emergency-" the female voice said.
"Gwen?"
"Yeah, it's me" Gwen said, giggling momentarily. "Can you get here, there's an emergency"
"Gwen, I'm really not in the mood for all this right now-"
"No, there's seriously an emergency at the restaurant can you come look. I know you said you won't be in but-"
"Alright, just relax. I'll be there in 15" Aubrey sighed, quickly texting Baka and Chubbs to ask if they knew what was going on.
When he arrived at Frings, it was dimly lit and locked. He kissed his teeth, using his key to open the door and walk through the restaurant to the office. He saw Gwen sat at his desk with her shirt unbuttoned, smirking.
"Gwen, what the fuck?" Aubrey looked at her, surprisingly aroused.
"I just wanted to talk" Gwen said, walking over to Aubrey. Her small frame was overpowered by his but she still took it upon herself to proceed with trying to seduce him.
"What are you trying to achieve Gwen? I thought this shit stopped before the New Year?"
"I know you warned me but, I can't help it" she said, pulling on the strings of his white hood. "You seem stressed"
"I am stressed" Aubrey sighed, taking her hands off of him.
"I can help you" Gwen said, trying to kiss Aubrey, to which he dodged. "Let me help you"
"You can't help me right now" Aubrey looked at her.
"Yes I can" she pushed Aubrey down on the swivel chair and bent down in between his legs.
"Want me to do this for you, boss?" She began rubbing the outside of his sweatpants, before placing her hand inside to take out his member.
His eyes shut tight as she kissed along his length. "Gwen, don't-...fuck-" He groaned out. She went straight in and deep throated him. He could feel himself hitting the back of her throat everytime she moved her head. He grabbed hold of her head and began pushing it down, making her speed up the pace. After a while, he could feel himself starting to throb as he approached his peak.
Fuck. What had he done?
Aubrey sat in his car, saying profanity to himself.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck" he said loudly. He looked at the time realising that he had entered the restaurant right after closing time and now it was nearing midnight. He needed to get back to Camilla and tell her what he'd let happened. It didn't extend further to sex but it was no better.
Gwen - 11:56pm
I won't say anything to anyone.
He quickly deleted her text, locking his phone and making his way home to have a quick shower before going back to see Camilla.