Adrian passes me my overnight bag. “I packed you both some clothes, and I put in some clothes for the baby, too.”
I smile brightly. “Styling baby Stanton already?”
He throws me a wink. “Of course.”
Bridget cuddles me. “Oh, Tash. I love you. Everything will be fine. I am waiting out here just in case you need me,” she whispers into my hair.
I nod and feel a little bit bad that I didn’t want anyone but Joshua with me at the birth. This is such a precious moment, one I only want to share with him.
Cameron wraps his arms around me. “Pain management, chick. There are no medals for bravery.” He kisses me on the cheek and shakes Joshua’s hand.
I nod and fake a smile. “I just want to ring Mum quickly.” I dial Mum’s number.
“Hello, darling,” she answers, and for the first time today I feel teary. I really wanted her here.
“Hi, Mum. My water has broken and I’m being induced.”
“Oh, it’s going to be wonderful. Enjoy it.”
I nod and feel a little better.
“I love you, darling. Good luck and ring me as soon as you can. I will sit by the phone.”
“Ok.” I hesitate as my eyes tear up. “I love you.”
As if sensing my fear, she speaks again. “Tash, you’re going to be ok. Don’t be scared. Go and get your baby.”
I nod with renewed purpose. “Bye, Mum.” I hang up the phone and turn to the others.
“Let’s do this shit,” I state, and turn and walk back to reception with them all cheering me on from behind. I feel like Rocky Fucking Balboa.
We are steered down the corridor by the nurse who eventually opens a door at the end of the hall. Joshua and I walk in sheepishly; this is frigging scary. If these walls could talk, I’m sure they would have some gruesome stories.
She places four towels on the bed. “I’m sure you two would like to shower and make yourself more comfortable before we put you on the drip.”
My eyes find Joshua in his dirty polo get up and I smile.
“Thank you.”
He nods and seems to remember, for the first time, what he is wearing.
She leaves the room and I walk into the bathroom. “Oh, look! A spa bath.”
“You can forget it,” Joshua mumbles from the other room. “We are not getting in that spa bath.”
I smile. He’s so right, I can think of nothing worse than sitting in a bloody bath.
I shower, get into my gown, then into bed. Joshua showers and changes into new clothes and sits next to the bed, too, taking my hand. He’s quiet, too quiet.
The nurse comes in, places the cannula in the back of my hand and puts the medication into the drip. My heartbeat is pumping so damn hard, it will be a miracle if I don’t have a heart attack before the birth even begins. She hooks me back up to the heart rate monitor and we, once again, hear the magic of our baby’s heartbeat.
She eventually leaves, and Joshua blows out a relieved breath as he takes my hand and kisses the back of it.
“Now we wait,” he whispers.
I smile. “Are we sure about the names?” I ask.
His face falls. “Don’t you like them anymore?”
“Yes, it would help if it didn’t know so many people. It’s annoying.” I sigh.
Joshua bites his bottom lip to contain his smile. One of his prerequisites is that he doesn’t know anyone with the same name. Do you know how hard that is? He knows one of everything.