Chapter 121: Labor Pains

When Hath woke on her birthday, a Sunday late in September, it was with a scream of pain. David was awake in an instant, scrambling to hold her close. “What’s wrong, my love?” he asked.

“Christ, that hurt,” she said, moaning. She cradled her abdomen and marveled at how hard it was. “David, feel this,” she said, pulling his hand over to her belly. It was hard as a rock, and after a few moments, they both felt the muscles under her skin slacken a little.

“Baby,” David said, kissing her gently. “I think you’re about to get the best birthday present ever!”

Hath paled. “You mean someone else is going to push these creatures out of her body for me?”

David chuckled. “No,” he said, that’s gonna be all you, sweetheart.”

“Oh my God,” Hath moaned.

“You’ll be fine,” David said. “You can always go for the drugs if the pain gets to be too much – they’re completely safe, you know.”

“I know,” Hath answered. “I don’t know why, but I feel like I need to do this without the meds. I just think if I can do this, I can do anything.”

“Baby, you already can do anything, but whatever you want. There’s no shame in changing your mind later.” He held Hath in his arms for a little while and stroked their children. “Uh, baby, I think you’re about to have another –”

“OH MY GOD!” Hath screamed as another contraction ripped through her. “Our children are coming.” She tried to concentrate on her breathing, and started panting through the pain. In a couple minutes, the cramping had backed off, and she could breathe normally.

David checked the clock. “That was about a half hour from the last one.” He slid a look at her. “And unless you’re being melodramatic, I’d say that was a pretty powerful surge there.”

Hath laughed, though it tightened her abdominal muscles more than what was comfortable. “Stop, don’t make me laugh; it hurts. No, you ass, I wasn’t playing Drama Queen. That hurt like hell.”

“We should probably call the doctor, or do you want to go to the hospital?”

“On my birthday? No way do I want to spend the day there unless I absolutely have to.” She pouted. “Don’t first babies have a long labor anyway?”

David laughed. “Not always. April’s labors went on forever, but Alejandra’s was only a couple of hours. It depends on the woman.”

Hath snorted. “Listen to you: ‘It depends on the woman.’ Uh, okay there, doctor.”

“Shut up, I’m trying to be helpful here.”

Hath kissed him gently. “And I love you for it.” They lay together, rubbing the twins, feeling them shift and move. Finally, she sighed. “I guess you’d better call the doctor.”

“Yes, dear,” David said, making Hath stick her tongue out at him.

When David reached over to snag the phone from the nightstand, Hath pinched his ass.

“Ow!” he complained. “What the hell was that for?”

“For making fun of the pregnant woman.”

“Sheesh, no sense of humor whatsoever,” he groused with a fake pout, and pressed the speed-dial number for Hath’s doctor. He got the answering service and asked the operator to page the doctor while he waited. Long minutes later, the doctor came on the phone.

“This is Dr. Donovan,” an imperious and serious voice intoned.

“Darcy? It’s David Rashbaum. We think Hath may be in labor, and she wanted to check with you before we went to the hospital.” He smiled at his wife. “It’s her birthday, and she doesn’t want to spend it trussed up in stirrups if she doesn’t have to.” He covered the mouth piece. “Maybe you wouldn’t mind being trussed up in stirrups if we were alone?” he wagged his eyebrows up and down.

Hath swore at David and punched his arm, making him laugh.

“Let’s hold off on the congratulations just yet,” the doctor was saying, “it’s still early. Can she talk?”

“Sure, just a minute.” David put a hand over the mouthpiece as he handed the phone over to Hath. “She wants to talk to you.”

“Of course she does,” Hath answered, taking the phone and replacing David’s covering hand with hers. “I’m the one having the damned babies.”

She rolled her eyes at her husband and spoke to her doctor. “Darcy, the first pain woke me up it was so bad. My belly got hard as a rock, completely immobile, then it gave a giant heave! I’ve never felt anything like it in my life.”

Darcy chuckled. “Take a breath, Hath,” Darcy answered. “Has there been just the one? Any cramping in your back? Any fluid discharge?”

Hath took a deep, steadying breath. “No, there were two, about half an hour apart. My back is sore, but it’s been sore for the last month, so I can’t tell if it’s something new. My water hasn’t broken yet, but the babies are extremely agitated, and Oh!” She broke off as another wave of pain crashed over her. “D, time,” she panted, after the pain had passed.

David looked at the clock. “The same, about half an hour.”

“I just had another contraction,” Hath said, needlessly.

“I gathered,” Darcy said dryly. “I’d feel better getting you on a monitor, so birthday or not, it’s time to get yourself to the hospital. I’ll meet you there in about an hour.” With that, she clicked off.

Hath looked at David, eyes wide with fear. “She said to go to the hospital.”

David nodded, seeing the terror in Hath’s face. “Do you think you can stand?” David asked calmly.

Hath nodded and David helped her up. “Wow,” she said. “That really took me by surprise.”

“The contraction itself? Or that you’re having more than one?” David chuckled as Hath tried to punch his arm.

He walked Hath to the bathroom, then helped her get dressed, and between the shorts and the t-shirt, held her through another contraction. “They’re about 25 minutes apart now,” David said, checking his watch. “If they stop the Darcy will send you home, but I think this is the real deal, sweetheart; they’re getting closer together.”

“David, I’m scared,” Hath said, reaching for him.

“Shh, baby, it’s alright,” David answered, gathering her to him and rubbing her back. “What are you scared of?”

“What if I’m not a good mother?”

“Oh, honey, you’re so good at taking care of us, babies will be a cinch. C’mon, nobody’s bigger babies than we are when we’re on tour, right?”

Hath smiled. “You may just be right about that.” She kissed David deeply, and they started for the door. David got Hath settled into the car, and she pulled out her blackberry to start making calls. She called her parents first, and her father answered.

“Daddy, you ready to be a grandpa?” Hath asked her father.

“Oh, Jen, it’s today?” She heard him call for her mother to pick up the extension.

“We’re on the way to the hospital now, the contractions, ooooh!” She had to stop as another wracked her body. “Are coming hard, but not too fast, but the doctor wants us at the hospital. Today may be the day! Can you call everyone?”

“Of course, dear,” her mother answered. “Have David call us when he can, and I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. I love you. Happy Birthday.”

“Love you too Mom, Daddy, and thanks. OK, I have to call David’s mom now. We’ll talk to you at some point...”

“OK sweetie,” her father said. “Good luck.”

“John!” Hath’s mother scolded as Hath chuckled and hung up.

“Daddy says good luck,” she said, smiling. “One down, one to go.” She dialed her mother-in-law.

“Hello?” Flo answered.

“Mom? It’s Hath. Dave and I are on the way to the hospital; we think your newest grandchildren want to share their birthday with me. Hang on, let me put you on speaker.”

“Hi, Ma,” David said.

“David, where are you?”

“We’re about ten minutes from the hospital. Hath’s contractions are coming strong, but not fast, but her doctor wants her at the hospital, just in case.”

“Yes, they can always send you home if...” Flo was interrupted by a long, low moan.

“David, hurry,” Hath said. “They’re getting stronger.”

“Oh God,” David answered. “That’s only ten minutes since the last one. Ma, we gotta go. Call you as soon as we can, alright?”

“Go, GO! Take care of your wife. Don’t you dare let her deliver my grandbabies in the car!”

“D, drive faster!” Hath yelled as Flo hung up. “My water just broke.”