Chapter 20We’re Having a Baby

It was silent in the house. The moon was shining brightly through the window into the dark bedroom where the girls were fast asleep. Luna was dreaming that she was feeding a horse a lump of sugar . . . a horse that turned and kicked her squarely in the stomach.

She gasped, suddenly wide awake, and clutched her stomach. It was hard as a rock and it hurt so badly that she felt like she couldn’t breathe.

“Issy!” she hissed through clenched teeth, her voice barely above a whisper. She was doubled over on the bed, trying not to scream, when the pain started to fade. A minute later, it was gone and she stretched back out on the bed in relief. Maybe she could get back to sleep now. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

Just as she was drifting off, her stomach tightened up again and a bolt of pain shot through her. She held her breath, her hands clutching at the sheets. She opened her mouth to call out for Issy, or for her mother, but no sound came out until the pain eased up again.

She rose this time, rolling onto her side so she could sit up and ease herself off the bed. She waddled to Issy’s bed and shook her.

“Issy,” she called, needing to get the words out before the pain overtook her again. “Is!”

Issy’s eyes fluttered open just as a gush of water poured down Luna’s legs.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?” Issy sat up, taking in her sister’s pale, pinched face.

“I’m having contractions. And I think my water just broke.”

Issy’s mouth dropped open.

“Get Mom!”

Issy sprang from her bed and ran from the room. She was back a moment later with their mother. Luna was bent over, clutching her stomach and moaning. Her mom rushed over and rubbed her back, murmuring soft words to her.

“Hang on, minôs. It’ll pass. Just breathe, Luna.”

Luna nodded. Issy looked like she was going to pass out.

“They’re really close together, Mom,” Luna moaned.

She glanced at Issy.

“Grab her bag and call your father. We’re going to the hospital as soon as Luna can walk.”

Issy picked up her phone and dialled.

“Dad? Luna’s having the baby. We’re taking her to the hospital. Okay. Okay. Bye.” She hung up. “He’ll meet us there.”

“Good. Okay, Luna. Can you walk now? We need to get you to the hospital.”

“I don’t want to have my baby in the car!” she cried.

Her mother laughed.

“It’ll be a while yet, I think. But let’s get going just in case.”

She helped Luna down the stairs and into the front seat of the car. Luna reclined it and tried to get comfortable.

“We’ll be there in five minutes, honey. I know a shortcut.”

She sped off, one hand holding tightly onto Luna’s.

***

Luna lay on a hospital bed, her knees pulled up, and cried out in pain as another contraction wracked her body. Sweat plastered her hair to her forehead, and after two hours of labour, she didn’t even care anymore that people were walking in and out of the room and staring under her gown. She panted with exhaustion as the contraction eased again. Her mother fed her ice chips and wiped her forehead with a cold cloth.

“You’re doing great, Luna.” She smiled lovingly at her.

“Why won’t they give me an epidural? I can’t stand this anymore. Please! I have to push!” she begged.

The nurse looked up from the fetal heart monitor.

“You’re too close, Luna. You’re almost fully dilated. It’s too late for an epidural. I’m so sorry. The doctor is coming back to check you out again in a minute and we should be able to start pushing that baby out soon.”

Luna looked at her mother in panic.

“I don’t think I can do this, Mom,” she cried. “I’m scared.”

Her mother wiped her brow again.

“You can, sweetheart. Everything is going to be fine.”

Dr. Preston walked in a moment later and looked under her gown.

“You’re fully dilated, Luna. Everything is going perfectly. We’re going to get ready and you can start pushing.”

She turned to speak to the nurse. The room was a hive of activity as they rushed around. Carrie adjusted her stool and smiled at Luna as she patted her leg.

“I know this is scary but I do this all the time. I promise it’ll be okay.”

Luna grimaced as another contraction hit her.

“Okay, Luna . . . this time I want you to push. Bear down . . . hold your breath if you need to and push as long as you can.”

Luna did as she was told. Her body tensed up as she held onto her mother’s hand and pushed. She cried out, panting as the contraction ebbed.

“That’s great, sweetheart,” her mother said. “I’m so proud of you, Luna. You’re doing great.”

“You are, Luna. That was perfect,” Carrie said. “We have another contraction coming, so get ready to push again.”

Luna moaned as the next contraction washed over her. Grunting with the effort, she held her breath, clenched her teeth, and pushed. A cry escaped her as she put everything she could into pushing.

“I can’t do this,” she cried as soon as she could catch her breath again. “Please don’t make me do this!” she begged her mother.

“I wish I could help you, sweetie. But you’re doing great.”

The doctor was doing something under her gown. She could feel her hands moving between her legs.

“Okay, Luna. Next contraction, we’re going to try to get the head out, okay? So I want you to push extra hard.”

She was exhausted. “I can’t,” she panted.

Carrie smiled up at her.

“Yes, you can. We’re all here to help.”

She felt the contraction coming and sobbed out a big breath.

“Okay, Luna. Push hard.”

She gritted her teeth, dropped her chin to her chest and pushed.

“Perfect! The head is out, Luna. I’m just going to reach in and help with the shoulders now.”

She looked up at her mother again but was so exhausted, she couldn’t even think of any words.

“Okay. One more time. One big push and we’ll have your baby out, Luna. You can do this.”

Her mom was murmuring to her, encouraging her, and Carrie was feeling around and trying to help from the end of the bed. The contraction was completely overwhelming and Luna was so tired. But she took a deep breath and — sitting up as much as she could — dropped her chin again, closed her eyes and cried out with the effort of pushing.

“Keep pushing, Luna!” the doctor called out.

Luna felt the pain thankfully ease up at the same time she heard a cry from the end of the bed. She collapsed back onto the bed as her mother and Carrie called out words of praise that barely registered with her.

“Can I see him?” she whispered.

The nurse took the baby from the doctor and walked to the other side of the room.

“Of course. You can hold him as soon as we get him cleaned up and weighed. You did great, Luna.”

Her mother was crying and stroking her head lovingly.

“I’m so proud of you, Luna.”

The nurse came back a moment later with a tiny blue-wrapped bundle in her arms. Luna struggled to sit up and see her son. Her mother propped the pillows higher as the nurse handed her the most gorgeous baby she had ever seen. He looked up at her with his sky-blue eyes, his ebony lashes blinking against his cheeks. Luna kissed his head.

“Isn’t he beautiful?” she asked no one in particular.

Her mother nodded and reached her hand out, brushing her fingers against the baby’s cheek.

“The most beautiful baby in the world,” Luna whispered. “I love you, little boy.”

She kissed her son’s tiny head and held him as if she never wanted to let him go.