Reed - Baby on the way

The moment Reena falls into my arms and screams, that's when panic sets in and I freeze. She trembles, breathing hard and squeezes my hand with everything she has, and even through all of that I don't move, I can't. All of a sudden I don't know what to do or to where to go, I feel a hand grip my shoulder and I hear Sheldon shouting in my ears, he's frantic but at least he's doing something. Reena's trembling stops and her grip loosens and she looks up at me, her eyes alert with panic and fright. All of a sudden the music stops and I can feel the stares on us, and that's when my brain regains its functioning, and I grip her tighter.

"Reed." She says my name and I can hear the worry laced in her voice, she's scared.

"Sheldon." He's right beside me, even before I can say anything more. "Get your car and meet us around front." he gives me a firm nod and runs off.

Leah kneels down and tries talking to Reena, telling her how it's going to be okay. Reena nods at every word, then she looks at me, "Reed, hurry. Please." She shuts her eyes and the tears start to run down her cheeks and I hug her.

It isn't long before I hear the car pull up and Sheldon rushes in, I bend to take her up and Leah takes off her shoes and holds them in her hands. By the time we reach into the car, the only person who is calm is Leah. She keeps soothing Reena, by talking to her, telling her it's going to be okay. Reena's head is on my lap and her feet are on Leah, she starts to massage them while Reena's breathing starts to quicken.

As Sheldon begins to drive out, I finally open my mouth to say something. "I love you."

Her eyes open and she gives me a small smile and strokes my face. "Me too."

She closes her eyes and groans and the panic sets in again, "What's wrong?"

She doesn't reply immediately until she opens her eyes and looks at me. "I just want her out, this is super uncomfortable."

"Don't you think we should call your parents?" Sheldon says from the front seat and immediately I begin to search for my phone. I find it, hit dial and put it on speaker.

Dad answers, "Don't tell me, Reena is about to have the baby?"

I almost gawk, "How'd you know?"

"Your mom has been going on about it for the last twenty minutes now, and here she is."

"Max." Her voice is frantic.

"Mom, we're fine."

"Let me talk to Reena." She demands.

"She can hear you the phone is on speaker."

"Oh my God Reena, I know you're scared right now but this is the big moment and before you know it, it'll be over. Please just hold on okay. I'll be there before you know it."

"I want it to be over now." Reena starts crying and I hear my mom sniffling.

"It will be honey, just be brave okay. We're on our way."

The call ends and Reena looks at me, "I love your mom."

"She loves you too." She smiles at that and she starts to breathe more relaxed. Then I feel her body go rigid and she screams, hard.

"Oh my God Reed!!!" I find her hand and she squeezes mine. "No no, I can't. I can't do this."

She grinds her teeth and the tears start to come again. "I'm here, I'm here." I kiss her forehead and try to soothe her with encouraging words until the contractions stop.

"Reed, I can't do this." She shakes her head and covers her eyes with her free hand. "I can't."

"Yes, you can. Just do what my mom said, be brave remember you're not alone. I'm here, plus Sheldon and Leah."

"I want my mom." The words come quickly but I can hear the seriousness of them. "Please."

"Okay."

I hit dial and put the phone to my ear, after six rings it goes to voicemail, but I retry but again it goes to voicemail until the sixth time of calling that she answers.

"Ms Waters, hi goodnight. It's Reed, Reed Max... Yes, Reena's boyfriend. Look, I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour but Reena is about to have the baby and... Yes. Yes, she'd like if you were there. Okay, great, thank you."

I hang up the phone. "She says she'll be there."

Reena nods, and for the sake of their relationship, I really do hope she makes it. For the next fifteen minutes we drive in silence, only Reena is making little whimpers from pain and whispers that come from me as I try to soothe her.

She has another contraction and this one takes even longer to leave and by the sound of her screams, it is definitely more painful. By the time we arrive at the hospital, Reena is weak, trembling and even more scared; terrified even.

Sheldon rushes out and comes running back with three nurses and a stretcher.

"Goodnight sir, can you please tell me the name of the patient."

"Reena, Reena Waters, she's pregnant."

"And you are sir?"

"I'm her fiancee, Reed Max."

Leah moves beside me as we watch them put Reena on the stretcher, "And this Sheldon and Leah, close friends of ours."

"Okay good." She says and they start to wheel her inside, we follow.

Everything that happens after that is pretty much a blur, Reena is changed from her prom gown to a hospital gown. It took forever to get her out and that's because she could hardly stand or sit up. She just wanted to be lying down flat on her back and each time we disturbed her trying to get her out of one gown and into another, she did not hide her frustration or annoyance.

After that ordeal, Reena had more contractions and it wasn't until her third that my parents showed up. Mom went straight to Reena, while Dad came on the side of me.

"I'm glad you guys are here."

Dad nods, and Mom gives me a small smile before turning her attention back to Reena whose hand is on hers. Reena smiles then her expression changes as another contraction wreaks havoc through her body.

This continues for the next nine hours, and in between a nurse or doctor will come in to check on her. Reena is miserable and tired, she won't eat or even drink anything no matter how many times I tempt her. My last attempt, she gave me a hard look that told me if I didn't stop she was going to probably hit me over the head.

"Reed. I swear on my life if you don't stop..." Her red eyes were narrowed at me and my mom moved beside me and took the fruit bowl away.

When it landed on 10 a.m., and I still hadn't seen Reena's mom, I begin to fear that she wasn't going to come at all and I sensed that Reena probably realized the same thing. Every time the door opened she'd look up and then her face would deflate and she'd lie back with a dejected look on her face.

I don't bother to bring it up, but I felt relieved when her uncle shows up and then he tells her stories about the times when she was a child and how she would misbehave when her mom left her with him. Her mood lifted and when he finally leaves, everyone's mood is better.

At about minutes to twelve, Reena contractions become worse and a nurse steps in and Reena stiffens. "Oh, it'll be okay. I'm just here to see how much you've dilated and to know if you'll want to have an epidural."

She starts putting on her gloves and instructs Reena to opens her legs. "Now, there's no need to worry okay. It'll just be a minute."

Reena looks at my mom and she gives her a reassuring nod, then Reena turns to the doctor and nods to her. "Good."

It's not even a minute before she instructs Reena that she can relax and starts removing her gloves that she disposes of it in a nearby bin.

"Well, your 6 centimetres dilated at the moment which means I can't give you the epidural just yet."

"Epidural?"

"Yes, you do know what it is?" She asks and Reena nods.

"I'm just wondering if I should." Her attention lands on me and I take a long deep breath.

"It's entirely up to you babe."

She nods, "Okay when I'm at five centimetres I'll decide."

The nurse nods and moves to the door, "I'll make sure to send the doctor to check on you in a few."

She leaves and Reena relaxes a little. "I didn't want to, but I'm gonna have to."

She relaxes her head on the pillow and slowly closes her eyes. Then without any warning, she's back up, screaming. This happens a couple more time before a doctor comes in to check how far she's dilated.

Exactly five.

"Yes, I want the epidural, please."

"Okay Ms Waters."

I watch as he gets his tools in order, opens the back of her gown and insert the needle right in the centre of her back. Reena groans a little after the needle is removed and the doctor tells her to lay on her side for the time being.

For the next hour, I don't leave Reena's side even when mom and dad do. She eventually falls asleep and I watch her, then Sheldon comes in.

"Hey man, I brought you some clothes and stuff."

"Thanks."

He nods as I take them and just stands there. "I spoke to my mom's friend here and she's willing to let you use the shower here and change."

I look at him surprised and a bit grateful, "What, thanks." I turn my attention back to Reena," But I don't want to leave her."

"It won't take five minutes, go. Your parents and I got this."

I take a last look at Reena, take a deep breath before Sheldon and I leave the room. He introduces his nurse friend to me and she takes me to the shower while Sheldon returns to the room.

"Thank you."

She smiles, "You are welcome." She leaves soon after showing me where everything is.

I strip in less than a minute and jump into the shower, there were toiletries in the bag. I finish quickly and make my way out but as I do something stops me and I return back to the running water.

I'm going to be a dad.

The words echo in my brain and even though they scare me, apart from me is happy too. Elated in fact. Reena and I are about to start out family and I'm about have a beautiful baby girl.

"I'm going to be a dad."

As the words come from my mouth, I step from the shower, put on my joggers and a white tee, with my sneakers. I rush back to the room and see that Reena is still sleeping. My parents leave as I come in and I figure they're giving us space.

"Sheldon man, thanks."

"Yea, no biggie."

He finally leaves too, and for almost half an hour I stay there with Reena. A nurse comes in to check her blood pressure and the heartbeat of the baby. Then she wakes up and starts asking for the doctor. She looks to be in discomfort.

I go to get the doctor and by the time we make it back in, the look on Reena's face makes me know something isn't right.

"I don't feel good."

The doctor checks her blood pressure and quickly moves to check on the baby's heartbeat. I can feel that something just isn't right. He then moves to check how far she's dilated and his face, although he tries to hide it, let's me know it isn't something good. When he calls in a nurse and she does some additional checks and reviews, then it's confirmed.

"You're still at five centimetres, your blood pressure has dropped and we're seeing where there's fetal distress."

"Fetal distress?" Reena says and the doctor nods,

"That's when enough oxygen isn't getting to the baby."

She tenses, as my heart clenches. "So what do we do?" I ask.

"A c-section."

Reena face drops for only a second, but it soon hardens with determination. "Okay."

"Okay?" The doctor asks, and she nods.

They leave and that's when my parents come in.

"Okay, what's wrong?"

Dad says and tears start running out down her face. "The baby isn't getting enough oxygen so I'm going to have to do a c-section."

"Oh, Reena." Mom goes to her and gives her a hug.

"Look, I know you wanted to have a natural birth but right now I know you just want to have her here, safe and healthy. You don't have to worry, Reed will be right there with you."

I kiss her on her forehead, "There's nowhere I'd rather be."

She sighs and finally nods, "Okay."

"Okay."

For the next five minutes, my mom tries telling Reena how everything is going to be fine and that she must remain brave. Reena takes it all in, while I and my dad just look at them.

Then the doctor and nurses come, and we move Reena to the operating room.

***

Apologies for taking so long. I'm studying for my finals that are less than a week away, but I couldn't leave you guys hanging without an update. So here it is. As usual, thanks for the support and I hope you enjoy this chapter, we are getting so close to the conclusion of this book. I hope you guys are as happy (and a bit sad) as I am!!!!

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