Having the Baby

CHAPTER 2: Harker

CHAPTER 2: Harker

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“Enough. You win.” Harker still thought they should go to the hospital but arguing with a hugely pregnant woman wasn’t a good idea. He glanced at Alison. “We’re going to your...”

She stared at her belly, a look of surprise on her face.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” His hands tightened on the steering wheel not sure if he should keep driving, stop, or turn around. He had no f*****g idea what to do or what was wrong with her.

“My water just broke.”

“What?” He slammed on the brakes, pulling the car to the side of the road. Water breaking. That meant the baby was coming. “s**t. Fuck.” He stared at the stain on her pants.

“We need to get to the hospital.” She cried out, clutching her stomach. “Oh god, it hurts.” She stared at him, her eyes wide and scared.

“It’ll be fine. I promise.” He waited for the freaking cars to pass and then pulled onto the highway, making his way across the four lanes of traffic. As soon as he was headed in the right direction, he grabbed his phone and hooked it into the dashboard. “Call Dr. Shupal.” The phone rang through the car speakers as he glanced at Alison. Her face was pale. “Breathe, Alison.”

“I am breathing,” she snapped.

“In through your nose and out through your mouth. Like this.” He started breathing like they’d taught them during the Lamaze classes.

“Right.” She inhaled and then gasped, clutching her stomach and folding in on herself. “Oh god, please. It hurts.”

“Shit.” He grabbed her hand. “It’ll be okay. You’re going to be okay.” She’d better be okay. She had to be okay.

“Hello,” said the doctor. Her voice calm and professional.

“Dr. Shupal, this is Harker. Alison’s water broke, and she’s in a lot of pain. A lot.”

Alison moaned again, her hand squeezing his.

“Okay. I’ll meet you at the hospital,” said Dr. Shupal. “Are you on the way?”

“Yes. We’re about fifteen minutes away.”

“Great. I’ll call the hospital. Drive to the emergency doors and someone will meet you.”

“Emergency? Is this an emergency? She’s in pain, but that’s normal. Right?” He broke out in a cold sweat.

“Since her water broke, I need you to go to the emergency door. Stay calm.”

“Calm? How can I stay calm?”

Alison cried out again.

“She’s in pain. This can’t be normal,” he almost shouted.

“Harker, listen to me.” The doctor’s tone was firm. “Panicking isn’t going to help her. Stay calm.”

“You’re right.” He forced the panic aside and focused on driving. One thing at a time.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes.” The doctor hung up.

“Everything is going to be fine,” he said, to comfort her and to convince himself.

“Yeah. This is normal. Right?” Alison stared at him, her hands on her stomach as she breathed in moderated pants.

“Yes. Completely normal.” He prayed he wasn’t lying. “Let’s breathe.” He started doing the steady Lamaze breathing exercises with her. He was f*****g glad he’d forced her to let him go with her to those classes.

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The fifteen minutes it took to get to the hospital seemed to take forever. He was helpless to do anything to ease her pain—pain that he’d caused because he’d wanted a baby. He still wanted their baby but this...this part of it sucked. He pulled up to the emergency entrance, and a man walked out of the hospital, pushing a wheelchair. Harker hurried around to Alison’s door, but the nurse was already helping her out of the car.

“When you come inside, check at the front desk. They’ll tell you where she is.” The male nurse helped Alison to sit in the wheelchair.

“When I come inside?” He grabbed her hand. “I’m going inside now.”

“You have to move your car, sir.” The nurse started pushing the chair and Harker followed. The nurse stopped. “Sir. You can’t leave your car there.”

“I sure as hell can.” He tightened his hold on her hand. “I’m not leaving her. She’s in pain.”

“She's having a baby. That's part of it,” said the nurse.

“Her water broke.”

“I know, sir, but we can’t allow your car to block the emergency entrance.”

“Harker, please.” Alison squeezed his hand. “Move the car. I’ll be fine.”

“They can fu...tow my car for all I care.”

“Please, Harker. Move the car and call my mom. I want her here.” Her face tightened and she gasped before breathing in pants again.

“Okay.” Letting go of her hand was the hardest thing he’d ever done.