Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 59671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 298(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 298(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
“I heard that,” Claire calls from our bedroom.
“Stop eavesdropping on our conversations,” I call back.
“Okay.” I open the wardrobe doors; sweet little baby clothes are all hanging up on tiny, cute hangers, and a rush of excitement runs through me.
Tomorrow.
“Okay.” I open a drawer. “What should we pack?” I pull out a singlet, it’s teeny tiny and about thirty centimeters long, I glance back over my shoulder to Patrick. “Does your mother think we are having a snake?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know much, do you?”
He shrugs again.
I grab a pile of snake singlets and put them onto the change table. “Nappies.”
I tap my temple. “Aha, for the nappy bag.” I grab a pile of nappies and put them on the change table.
“Going-out clothes,” Patrick says.
“Hmm.” I look around the wardrobe. “What does a baby class as going-out clothes?”
Patrick shrugs. “I don’t know.”
Fuck’s sake.
I march back into my bedroom to see Claire lying on the bed with her eyes closed, she looks so peaceful but we have shit to do, there is absolutely no time for sleeping. “Claire.” I tap her on the foot. “Claire.”
“What, Tristan?” She sighs as if I am the biggest inconvenience in the world.
This is inconvenient to me too, you know?
“How many outfits should I pack for the baby?”
She opens one eye to look at me. “What do you mean, outfits?”
“Outfits, clothes.” I widen my eyes; how does she not know what that means?
“The baby doesn’t wear outfits, Tris.”
“What do you mean?”
“It will wear onesies.”
“What?” I screw up my face. “All the time?”
“They are comfortable.” She closes her eyes again. “I was just going to throw a bag together tonight, don’t stress about it. If I need anything while we are at the hospital you can just bring it up.”
“Oh.” I stare at her for a moment, I feel so dumb at all of this.
She taps the bed beside her. “Right now I need a hug from my husband.”
I lie down beside her and she takes me into her arms and kisses my forehead. “You’re very cute packing the bags. Thank you.”
I roll my eyes.
Cute.
“You’re going to be the best dad.” She smiles with her eyes closed. “This baby is so lucky.” She runs her fingers through my hair as I mentally go through what else I need to do today.
“Are you having an affair with a snake?” I ask.
“What?” Her eyes open in surprise.
“The singlets you bought are not human, they’re for a baby snake.”
She bursts out laughing. “They are long so you can tuck them in, you idiot.”
“Oh.” I smirk. “That makes more sense.”
“What are you doing?” Patrick calls. “Muffy, no.”
“What’s happening in there?” I yell.
“Muff is sitting in the nappy bag.”
I fly out of bed like a maniac. “If that cat pisses in the nappy bag it is genuinely meeting its maker.”
I change into the robe and put the hairnet on. I put the medical booties on over my shoes and wash my hands.
I’m sick with nerves.
Claire is being prepped for surgery. Because she has had what they call three unsuccessful natural births in the past she is having a scheduled C-section.
“Are you ready, Mr. Miles?” the nurse asks me.
“Yes.”
Thump.
Thump.
Thump goes my heart.
“This way, please.”
I follow the nurse into the operating theater and see Claire all gowned up with a hairnet on. She smiles over at me. “Hey you.”
“Hi.” I feel faint.
A screen is up between her and her stomach, the sound of two heartbeats echoes through the room and my heart twists. A huge light hangs above the operating table.
This is full on.
“You can sit here.” The nurse pulls me up a chair beside the bed and I sit down and take Claire’s hand in mine. “Oh my god, are you okay?” I whisper as I kiss her forehead. “Are you okay?”
She smiles and nods. “It’s fine, babe, calm down. It’s going to be fine.”
Such a Claire thing to say, always worrying about everyone else but herself.
“Hello, Tristan. Let’s deliver your baby, shall we?” the doctor says casually as if he does this every day.
I mean, he probably does but whatever.
“Sounds good.” I keep my eyes focused on Claire and in my peripheral vision I can see the doctor and nurses moving. Claire’s body jiggles around a little and I screw up my face and kiss her temple. “I love you,” I whisper.
Her body moves around some more as if they are moving her and she has no control and I feel like I can’t breathe.
My god.
I cling to Claire’s hand so tightly, please be okay.
Please be okay.
If something were to happen to her….
Her body moves quite violently and she closes her eyes as if in pain.
“Did that hurt?” I stammer.
“No. Just a weird sensation.” She smiles up at me. “I’m okay.”
I nod nervously and my eyes flick over to the doctors, what’s taking so long?