The Touched And Untouched {Lumax} COMPLETED

Contractions

Annie was four months old, and Max was eight months pregnant. So naturally she looked a little odd carrying her around. Susan had went back to work, leaving Max as a babysitter. She only agreed because it would be both an experience and a way to distract herself from what was ahead of her.

Max carried Annie to her crib and laid her down. She was freshly fed and changed, and very smiley. "I'm so proud of you, sweet girl." Max loved Annie. She was amazed Annie survived, and every day felt unreal. She couldn't imagine how she'd feel with her own baby. Thankfully Annie had made Max more excited. Not excited about the nasty diapers or the late night feedings, but excited about new life.

Max stayed with Annie until she fell asleep, then sat down in the smokers chair by the living room window to read.

Halfway through her reading she got a call from Lukas and picked up immediately. "Hey!"

"Hey sweetheart, how're you doing?"

"Going a little crazy with only a baby for company...Billy's been gone with the wind again."

"Billy would be crappy company anyway..." Lukas sounded like he had something important to say.

"What do you want?"

"It's Friday..."

"Yeah?" Max spent the weekends at Lukas' house to rest, like she ought to be doing all the time.

"You are still coming over, but...I might not be around."

"Why not?" Max pouted, Lukas could probably hear the pout in her tone.

"My dad wants to go on a little guy's trip this weekend. With the baby coming soon, I guess he's getting emotional. Once the baby is born, I'm going to be a father...and I won't have the time to–"

"You don't need to explain, Lukas." Max scoffed. "You do everything and more for me. Take your little trip, honey. Where are you two going?"

"We're not sure yet, we were thinking of doing a road trip to Illinois."

"Fun, I can't even imagine a road trip while pregnant." Max was nauseous at the thought. "Will your mom be home?"

"Yeah, of course. She'll be home the whole time. She said she would take you to buy a crib and set it up for you in the spare room. Only a month left after all..."

"Sweet...I'm still so fucking scared though. I'm getting the hang of dealing with a newborn but... childbirth is one of those things you can't experience without... experiencing it."

Lukas went quiet.

"Lukas?"

"Do you want me to stay home?"

"What? No, enjoy your trip."

"I know you're healthy and you aren't high risk of a early labor like your mom, but what if it happens when I'm gone?"

"Lukas, I really don't think it'll happen. I mean this baby doesn't even move much. It pushes down on my bladder once in a while, but they are pretty chill. This baby might have to be dragged out."

"Alright...But if you have even the smallest contraction, call me right away."

"I will, I promise."

-

It was late in the evening, Max was rocking Annie back and forth in her arms. Her mom wasn't home yet, so she wasn't going to picked up by Lukas until later.

Max had just gotten Annie back to sleep when she felt the first one. She hissed and managed to get Annie in her crib without dropping her.

Max went to sit down and recover from the pain. A second contraction came awhile after, more mild than the first. She didn't call Lukas. She was told by her doctor that late in pregnancy she might experience contractions without actually being in labor. Considering she wasn't paralyzed in pain, Max managed to talk herself out of panicking. "I'm not in labor." She whispered to herself.

A car pulled into the driveway. Max groaned, knowing it was Billy.

Billy came in blowing smoke and grinning. He sat down on the couch on the opposite end of Max. "You still here?"

"Yes. Don't smoke that in here. I'm eight months pregnant, there's a baby in this house, jackass."

Billy gave her a lidded look and continued to smoke his cigarette." You look fat."

"You look dumb." Max put a hand over her bump protectively. "I'm pregnant, what the fuck do you expect?"

Billy rolled his eyes. Since Max had boldy accused him of dating Steve, he was borderline afraid of her. But wouldn't show it. He was afraid because she knew his biggest secret.

"Where you been?" Max wondered, rubbing her stomach.

"Steve's." Billy said boldly, puffing out more smoke.

Max turned away and tried not to inhale any. "Can you just admit you're dating Steve?"

"Can you admit that you're a slut?"

Max grinned at him, giving him the crazy lidded look he gives her. "Okay, I'm a slut. So are you gay or not?"

"No."

"But–"

"I'm not dating Steve." Billy put out his cigarette on the coffee table. "It's a casual thing. Me, him, Robin."

Max was sure she had whiplash from that statement. "Wait...you're seeing Steve...AND Robin?"

"Yes– no– god dammit, why am I talking to you? I'm hooking up with Steve, Robin is just alright company."

"So...Steve is your boyfriend and Robin is your friend?" Max was stunned."

"I don't like labels..."

"You mean commitment..." Max shook her head. "Whatever, no one gives a fuck if you're gay and think Robin Buckley is cool. Just stop being a stuck up jerk to everyone because you hate yourself."

"Bitch–"

Max yelped and bent over in pain.

"The fuck is wrong with you?"

"Contractions."

"You better not be going into labor now!" Billy looked horrified like she had some sort of disease that was about to spread to him.

"I'm not in labor. Contractions can happen without being in active labor!"

"Well you better not be. I'm not taking you to the hospital."

"No shit..." Max leaned back on the couch and tried to relax. "I'd be calling Lukas and his parents."

"You're sure you aren't in labor...right?"

"If I was in labor, I would be a lot more stressed and in a lot more pain."

-

That night Max was cuddled up tightly against Lukas. Tomorrow morning he would be gone bright and early. So she was making sure to get a bunch of cuddles in before he left.

When morning came, Max woke up late. It was the afternoon but when she walked out into the living room, there was no judgement.

"Good afternoon, sugar. You feeling alright?" Susan was sitting at the coffee table, doing a puzzle.

"Yeah, feeling kind of nauseous and headachy–full body achy, but I'm hungry."

Susan dropped her puzzle piece and stood up. "Here, I'll get you something. What do you want?"

"Mmn..." Max tried to decide on something. "What's the easiest?"

"Well...there's some leftover chicken. I could make you some chicken wraps."

Max licked her lips. "yes please."

"You go back upstairs and lay down. Don't want you getting overwhelmed."

"I know, I'm going." Max was on her way back upstairs when another contraction hit. This time she nearly dropped to her knees. She screamed. Not necessarily because of the pain, but because she was scared.