The Outsiders: Paisley Randle

Chapter 9

*Paisley is now 8 1/2 months pregnant. Sodapop was allowed out of the hospital but he still has to have some days off work. Steve still hasn't woken up yet. Dallas hasn't been to the cooler since he got back and he hasn't gotten into any trouble. Darry and Stephany are a couple. Rosalie and Ponyboy keep getting into fights with each other everywhere they go.*

Paisley's POV

I'm laying in my hospital bed reading a book that Ponyboy brought me. I keep getting a sharp pain in my stomach but think nothing of it. The doctor told me that sometimes when the baby kicks in one spot more than others it might cause slight pain. As the day goes by, the pain gets sharper and more painful. I wait for a nurse to come in my room to check on me so I can ask her if she knows what's going on.

"Hi Paisley, how're you feeling this afternoon?" Brittney asks and I smile weakly at her. "Not so good. I keep getting a sharp pain in my stomach and it's only gotten worse as the day went by. I shook it off at first this morning because I just thought it was the baby kicking. Do you know what it could be?" I ask her and she thinks for a minute before smiling. "That sounds like you're having contractions. I think little Bethany is trying to come out a few weeks early." she said and I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

"I'll go get the doctor so she can check you out and see how everything is doing." Brittney said and walked out of the room. I leaned my head back against my hospital bed and placed my hand on my stomach. Glancing over at the clock, I saw that it was almost three in the afternoon. The gang usually comes by around this time one by one. 

"Hey Paisley, Brittney tells me that you might be having contractions. How're you feeling?" Dr. Andrea asks. "I'm honestly in a little bit of pain. Every time a sharp pain shoots through my stomach it gets worse and worse." I explained and she nodded. "Well let's check you out and see if you're dilating yet." she said and I nodded.

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"You are in fact in labor Paisley. You're at six centimeters. You have to get to ten before you can start pushing the baby out." she said and I smiled and nodded. "Thanks Dr. Andrea. Um, have you heard anything about my brother Steve?" I asked and she smiled sympathetically. "He's still not showing any signs of waking up. But the other doctors are trying to hold out on him." she said and I nodded. "Thanks." I said softly and she left the room. 

A few minutes later the gang started piling in one by one. "Hey baby. How ya feelin'?" Johnny asked as he walked over to me. I smiled at all of them. "I'm in labor." I said calmly and Johnny's and Dally's eyes lit up. "Really!?" they asked in unison.  I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm six centimeters along and I have to be at ten before I can start pushing." I said and Johnny took my hand in his and kissed my head. "I love you Paisley." I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder. "I love you too Johnny."

Steve's POV

I can hear what everyone that comes into the room is saying. I can feel it when they take my hand into theirs. Darry and Stephany are together. Dallas is back in town and I wanna beat his ass. Sodapop is out of the hospital but he's not allowed back at work for a few weeks, so Ponyboy has been doing his shift for him before and after school. Rosalie apparently has been skipping school with some soc boy that she's dating now. I know Darry must have his hands full. 

I gotta wake up. I have to. I need to be there for the gang. Most importantly my baby sister. I hear the door open and try to move my hand. It feels like it's almost working. I get distracted when I hear a voice that I didn't expect to hear. Even with Dallas being back in town, he never came here to my room to see me. So when I hear his voice, it shocks me.