Acquiesce

Chapter 19

Fifteen days later I went into labour in the night and was admitted into hospital pretty early into the big event because it was a twin birth. I got fidgety and bored since there was nothing to do in hospital and it was a long waiting game. We saw people admitted and discharged again with their new babies while I was very slowly getting closer.

"When's it gonna be my turn?" I complained as I paced, I couldn't stop pacing, moving around.

"When you're dilated enough." Enzo responded matter of factly.

"Is it too late to ask for a cesarean?" I asked jokingly. "Cut me up and get them out already!"

"Probably, what did the midwife say last time?"

"That we just have to be patient." I admitted reluctantly. "Wait for the contractions to get stronger and faster. We've waited nine months, I want our babies in our arms now."

After a few hours of sitting around Enzo went off to the shop for snacks, of course they provided me with meals but he had to fend for himself, plus I kept wanting chocolate and junk.

While he was gone I decided to phone Noel, I didn't feel like they were coming any time soon but Enzo had already told just about everyone we know so I couldn't leave Noel out.

" 'Ello?" He sounded pretty tired, drowsy. It was early morning, probably really early morning for him.

"Hey Noel. Did I wake you up?"

"No, no, Meg did when she got up for work. Don't tell her but I went back to bed when she walked out the door. Anyway, what you ringing for?"

"I've been in labour since last night, we're in hospital but everything is going really slowly for now." I informed him.

"Now? You're having them now? Have your waters broken already?" he questioned as though he'd stolen his words from some medical drama TV show.

"Yes, now but no my waters haven't broken yet, as I say it's going rather slowly..."

"You'll let us know when they're born though..."

"I wouldn't have called now if that wasn't the plan." I told him, getting a little bit irritable.

"D'you want me to...?"

"Just go back to doing whatever you were doing."

"Come on, it's not every day you get told your maybe niece and nephew are on their way."

"Unless you're suddenly a midwife or something there's nothing you can do for me, go write a song or whatever it is you do all day."

"Oi, my songs are serious business, how many chart battles have you fiercely fought?"

"I've not lost any either. I need to go before the payphone cuts me off and my husband thinks I've got lost."

"Fuck their single, we won with the album. See ya, you better fucking..." He didn't get to finish his threat before I'd put the phone down.

More time passed and my contractions slowed to the point that I wasn't having them anymore and the midwives decided it had been a false alarm, the dress rehearsal, apparently.

We were discharged and had the task of phoning everyone again.

"Next time we are telling no one until we actually have them safely delivered in our arms." Enzo decided after disappointing just some of the people he'd told. "Maybe tell our Mums but that's it."

"I'll call everyone else, it was me who was so sure those contractions were the contractions."

He agreed even though it was him who told everyone in the first place, he left me to it which meant I could let Noel know he wasn't going to be a maybe uncle today.