Chapter 95

The weeks pass as I come up on my due date. The only problem is, a week after I’m due, I’m still walking around my apartment stressing over the baby.

I struggled to get through Tris’ birthday last month, but the look on her face when I brought in her kitten was priceless. I don’t know where she came up with the name “Barry,” but the white ball of fluff officially has become a part of the Anderon household.

“I love him, I love him!” She’d literally cried. Bea was as shocked as her little sister.

“Esme?” I hear my mom call from another part of the apartment.

“In here!” I say back. “Nursery!”

She takes a few steps into the room, her hand on her heart as she takes it all in. “It’s so exciting coming in here knowing you’re due any time now.”

“It’d be nicer if I already had her in my arms,” I grumble. “I’m already a week late, Mom.”

“It happens,” Angie assures me, hand on my shoulder. “There’s tons of different tips and tricks to inducing labor.”

One eyebrow goes up on my face. “I doubt those are real.”

“Well, you were a day early—I don’t have any harrowing stories.”

“Thanks, Mon,” I sigh. I lean my head back against the wall I’m next to. “I just want this to be over.”

She chuckles. “It won’t ever be over, Esme. That’s your girl.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Is there anything I can do before I head out? I have some work to get done.”

I shake my head. “No, not unless you can deliver this baby right now.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” She kisses my cheek. “I promise it’ll all be over soon.”

Derek comes home from the office two hours later, Bea, Tris, and Barry in tow. The girls have been bringing fluffy Barry over to get to know Sammy. It’s been something of a challenge to get them comfortable around one another.

But Derek and I are still—eventually—planning to move in together. Though I have no idea when that’ll be happening.

My number one priority is giving birth.

Derek kisses me gently before Bea and Tris come barreling inside.

“How’s our white fluff ball?” I ask the girls after greeting Derek.

“He’s getting so big!” Bea shows me.

“So fluffy,” Tris giggles. “He sleeps in my bed.”

“I’m guessing your dad isn’t a huge fan?” I tease him.

“No, he says Barry sheds a lot.” Bea covers her mouth with a laugh.

“The amount of cat hair on all of our belongings astounds me.”

I wag a finger at him. “Well, you’re the one who said yes to getting her.”

A deep pang goes off in my stomach, causing me to hiss quietly.

“Still nothing?” he seems to empathize with my struggle. The doctor said these could be contractions. However, judging by multiple days thing, I don’t think that Leona is right.

“No,” I groan. “How much longer?”

“We could try some excursive?” Derek tries.

“If I can ever touch my toes again, I will be positively shocked.”

He nods. “Okay. Certain foods have been cited in helping a woman go in labor.”

“I don’t know if I want to force any labor, though,” I admit shyly.

“Esme, can I touch your stomach?” Bea’s voice cuts through our conversation.

I give her a gentle smile. “You excited to meet her, too?”

“I told my teacher about it. She wants me to tell her what you name her.”

“Do you have a name?” Tris asks as Barry jumps from her arms. Probably on his way to find Sammy.

“I do,” I admit. “But it’s a surprise. Once I have the baby, I’ll tell everyone her name.”

“Aww,” Tris groans.

“Don’t worry,” Derek insists, crouching down in a way I can’t do now. “You’ll be a big sister soon enough.”

We’ve been getting the girls used to the idea that they’re going to be sisters to my baby. After all the work to get here, I highly doubt Derek and I will have any future without one another.

“It’s alright, girls,” I assure them. I lower myself onto the couch slowly. “Esme’s just tired. I know you’re excited to meet her.”

Derek motions to where Barry’s run off to. “Why don’t you two go play with the cats for a minute? I want to talk to Esme.”

They don’t hesitate to rush off, and Derek joins me on the couch.

“This is a shitty time to ask, but can you watch them for me for just two hours?”

I perk up. “What’s wrong?”

“A meeting. We had to push it back. I have to go back into the office, but I didn’t want to ask you to run over to daycare and pick them up while you’re struggling.”

“Hey, you know I always understand work and how busy it can get.” I lean over and kiss him, smiling wide with warmth. “Two hours with the girls isn’t bad.”

“I’ll make it up to you with pizza, does that sound good?”

“Pizza is the best bribe there is.”

Derek wraps one arm around me, pulling me to his chest momentarily. “Thank you. Really.”

“They’re no sweat, really.”

“Text me if you need something. Call me if it is urgent. Oh, and everyone misses you at the office.”

“I’ll be back eventually.”

“Even if your new plans in motion?”

I wiggle my finger. “You know I’ll still go back to work while I go back to school.”

No one else knows about this just yet. But with a baby on the way, me going back to school for a different career path isn’t exactly the number one thing people are interested in.

Derek leans down, kisses me again and then pops back up to his feet. “I’ve gotta run. Let me know if anything goes wrong!”

He opens the door. “Nothing ever does!”

Once he’s gone, I let myself sink back against the couch for a minute. I’ll get up and see if the girls want to do something while we wait for Derek.

I let out one long sigh. I guess I should enjoy the quiet while I can. Soon, I’ll be lucky for my place to be so devoid of noise.

I don’t have to go find the girls, because they come find me.

“We cleaned the kitty litter,” Bea tells me excitedly.

“Thank you, girls. I hate that I haven’t been able to take care of Sammy.”

“Cat poop is bad for the baby, right?” Bea questions.

I nod.

“We love the baby!” Tris tells me with a clap of her hands.

“I’m glad you do. But hey, listen, your dad had a meeting he couldn’t miss. He wanted you two to come over and spend time with me and Sammy. Is there anything you wanna do?”

The girls think on it, and I hope it’s going to be watching any Disney movie or playing a board game. A few weeks ago, they wanted to play hide-and-seek. That nearly threw my back out.

“Your dad will bring pizza over after?” I add.

“Can we watch another movie?” Bea’s eyes widen.

I look at the younger sister. “What do you think, Tris? You know what movie you want to watch?”

She taps at her chin, deep in thought. Then, she smiles. “Aristocats!”

I should have guessed. Having Barry and Sammy around them must make this movie their new favorite.

Too bad both white cats in the movie are girls. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Tris named the kitten Marie.

“I’ll find the movie. Bea, you want to make some popcorn?”

Her eyes lighten up. “Yeah!”

“Tris, go get my blankets and pillows and we’ll snuggle up, got it?”

The two split up for their tasks, and I grab the remote.

At least they both still love Disney movies.

After we’ve got our popcorn and blankets and we’re snuggled up together, we start the movie. Barry and Sammy come out of hiding. My grey cat finds his way onto the floor, loafing nearby. Barry sits right next to Tris, much to her delight.

“He really loves you, huh?” I whisper to the now five-year-old.

“He’s so sweet.”

Yeah, the cat being close with a little kid is probably the most rewarding part of Barry.

As we watch the movie, I feel my eyes getting heavy. With the baby, sleep has been difficult. I try not to alert the girls to the exhaustion.

But when I suddenly jerk awake, I can tell something has gone wrong.

The movie is finishing up, and the girls are still grasping every word.

I feel something wet, however, moving from under me.

Oh no. No, no, no, no. Please be wrong, not now, not right this minute.

I quickly do my best to stand up, confusing Bea and Tris. But, to my horror, I’m right.

My water just broke.

“Girls.” My voice is tight, but very serious. They both immediately turn away from the final scene of the movie. “I need your help. The baby is coming right now.”

Their eyes seem surprised.

“Bea, I need you to go in the nursery. There’s a large black bag in there filled with things I need for the hospital. Then, get me any towel from the bathroom.” Then, I turn to the younger daughter. “Tris, can you go feed the cats? We can let Barry stay while we go. That way he can play with Sammy.”

The girls seem confused, so I turn off the movie and let out one long groan of pain. Okay, yeah, she’s coming and she’s not asking for permission. “Please, now.”

The two jump off the couch and move to do the two things. I go to grab my phone and pull up my messages with Derek.

“In labor. Going to hospital with girls.”

Once Bea and Tris have done their tasks, I grab my car keys. “We’ve got to go now.”

They don’t argue or fight. Bea carries my bag, and Tris offers to hold my hand. “You can squeeze it if you’re scared.”

I nod, ushering them out the door.

We move as fast as I can go. “If I make any loud crying noises, I promise it’s okay. It’s just the baby, okay? Totally normal.”

To my dismay, I don’t have booster seats in my car for the girls to get into. Shit.

“Okay, do me a favor and don’t tell your dad this,” I say quickly. “Bea, I need you and Tris to ride in the same seat.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t have your boosters. But we need to go.”

So, that’s how Bea and Tris end up in the backseat, the little Anderson sitting in front of Bea. I put the bag next to them, wishing I didn’t have to do this but knowing there’s no choice.

I call ahead to the hospital to let them know I’m coming and in labor, bringing along my boyfriend’s kids. I don’t have much time to think about much else.

All I’m focusing on is not screaming too loud as my contractions begin to come less than ten minutes apart.

We get into the ER, and there’s a few nurses waiting for me.

“Esme Thorne?” One asks me.

“Yeah, that’s me.” I breathe out, beginning to panic a little. “We’re here.”

“Why don’t I take the girls to our day room? What’s your partner’s name?”

“Derek Anderson. He’s their father.”

The nurse nods. “Let’s get you to the maternity ward.”

“Girls? Be good for the nurses, okay? Next time I see you, you’ll meet your sister.”

“What about Daddy?” I collapse into the wheelchair. “I told him where we are. He’ll be here soon.”

“Miss Thorne, we have to get you upstairs now.”

I reach out for Bea and Tris, kissing each of their foreheads.

I let the nurse take the girls while I look back at my phone, no messages or anything.

So, against my judgement, I call Derek.

“What’s wrong?” Is the first thing he says.

“I’m in labor at the hospital. It’s finally happening.”

He responds immediately. “I’m on my way.”