This Love is Ours

Long Haul

'Hey Jenna, I'm home!' I heard Hunter call from downstairs, 'I have a surprise!'

I walked down the stairs to see him waving a CD. 'Hey love, how was the studio?' I kissed his lips softly and went in for a hug. I'm now at forty weeks and huge. My last ultrasound revealed that the baby is turned head-down. When he or she kicks, it feels like someone is kicking my lungs.

'It was good,' he said waving the new CD, 'Wanna listen? Or Watch first?'

'I want to listen first!' I exclaimed, opening my laptop that was residing on the kitchen counter. I loaded the cd and began importing it.

'How was your day,' he asked gently, 'you look beautiful by the way,' he added with a kiss on my temple.

'Good. I made cookies,' I said pointing to the Tupperware on the counter. Without hesitation Hunter dashed over and helped himself to a few. 'I packed my hospital bag, and I did some laundry.' He nodded, clearly enjoying the cookies. My computer bleeped at me, alerting the completed import of the CD. Hunter and I sat at the island and listened through the entire CD, and I flipped through the booklet. The collage looked even more beautiful in person. I read his and the guys' thank yous and read through the words of the six new songs Hunter wrote and included.

He included Wanted, Somebody's Heartbreak, I Want Crazy (ft. Taylor Swift), Better Than This (ft. Jenna Hayes), Invisible (Live at the Grand Ole Opry), Message in a Bottle, and Always as rereleased pieces. The new songs were This Ring, Firecracker, Northern Wind,  Stay, In Your Eyes and Change 'Hunter,' I said quietly as the last song finished, 'This is amazing. I'm totally in love with it.'

'Well,' he said ejecting the CD, 'This is your copy.' He smiled, inserting the DVD, and like he could predict me, he grabbed the Kleenex box and put it beside the computer. The DVD opened up and the menu was a slideshow of the photos from the centerfold collage. I smiled, reading over the menu, 'Making the Greatest Hits', 'Play It Back Tour: Greatest Moments', and 'CMA Fest'. I started from the top, and we watched the video, laughing and reminiscing. I was in a few more shots than I expected, and I didn't know I was being filmed. 'It made for good, authentic footage.' Hunter smiled, standing behind me massaging my shoulders.  When it ended, I ejected the DVD, carefully placing everything back in its place. I opened the centerfold and asked Hunter, fluttering my eyelashes, 'I am your biggest fan, can I have your autograph?' We laughed, 'Well I need a marker,' he noted.

I got up and to my surprise, I felt like a peed myself. I was wearing grey leggings, and in shock, I look at Hunter, 'Umm,' I looked down and back at him, 'My water broke?'

His eyes got wide and he sat me at the table, ran upstairs and rushed back down with my purse and hospital bag in tow. He handed me a pair of my underwear and his pajama bottoms and helped me get changed in the washroom. 'Are you okay?' he asked, breaking the silence.

I nodded, 'Im fine. But my parents aren't supposed to be here until Friday – today is Wednesday.'

'It's okay, I'll call them, and I've got to call mine too.' He said, I could tell he was panicking. 'Do you think we should go to the hospital?' I nodded and Hunter helped me into the car, putting the bags in the back seat.

I dialed my parents as Hunter drove, one less thing he needs to worry about. 'Hi, hi mom. Yeah, I'm calling because my water broke and Hunter and I are headed to the hospital.' My mom said she and my dad would try to be on the next plane in and told me that whatever happens, happens. 'Okay mom, travel safely. I love you too.' I hung up and looked at Hunter's face, his eyes fixated on the road. 'Do you want me to call the guys or your parents?'

He nodded, 'Call my parents first, they may want to fly out sooner.' I did as he asked, and Hunter's mom said just that, they were going to try and get onto the next flight in. I dialed Sam, and told him what was up, he told me to relax, he would let the guys know what's up and he would be at the hospital in the next few hours.

Hunter pulled into the emergency parking, put on the 4-ways and helped me waddle into the emergency department. He seated me next to the triage nurse. 'Hi, uh, my wife Jenna, she's forty weeks pregnant and her water broke about forty minutes ago.' The nurse got me checked in and Hunter went to go properly park the car. He pushed me in a wheelchair, following the nurse to the south wing, third floor.

My doctor was called, and I was changed into one of those papery hospital gowns and made comfortable. Hunter sat beside me, tapping his foot. 'Hayes, you're making me anxious.' I laughed, swatting at his knee.

'Sorry, I am anxious.' He sat back, only for a moment. We fiddled with the TV station, trying to find something worth watching. I had Hunter help me up so I could walk around the room a little. 

A few hours passed, nurses coming in and out to check on my stats, and my doctor came in with an ultrasound technician. Hunter helped me lay down and took a seat next to me. 'Hi Jenna, how are we feeling? Any contractions?

'I'm good, I'm excited. And very faint ones. They feel about ten minutes apart.'

'On a scale of one to ten,' the doctor said as the assistant poured the cold jelly on my stomach.

'A three maybe.' I replied, Hunter holding my hand the whole time.

'Okay, that's good. This could be a long one,' he said nodding to Hunter, 'may want a coffee.' The doctor looked at the ultrasound screen, the heartbeat of the baby filled the silent room. 'You're dilated at about two centimeters,' he scribbled some notes on my chart and the assistant cleaned me up. I was getting comfy again when I heard a knock at the door, 'Come in' Hunter said.

The door opened slowly, and in came Lynette and Leo. 'Mom, Dad!' Hunter said happily, going in to hug his parents. 'We're so glad you made it so quickly.'

'Well we were lucky we caught the flight,' his mom said, and turned to me. 'How are you Jenna?' I smiled and received an awkward hug from herself and Leo.

'I'm okay, the contractions are there but not exciting yet. We've been here since six.' I glanced at the clock on the wall, it read ten thirty. 'The doctor should be coming by in a short while. Hunter, maybe you should go grab some food for yourself?' He nodded, smiled and kissed my head. Hunter's dad went with him and Lynette seated herself the edge of the bed.

'You excited?' she smiled, and I nodded. 'It feels like yesterday I was holding Hunter for the first time. And it's like in a blink of an eye, here he is ready to become a father.'

'He's going to be amazing, I'm so fortunate.' I smiled, a bit misty eyed. We chatted about the CMA fest, and I showed Lynette a few additional pictures from the photo shoot I had saved on my phone.

'These are beautiful Jenna. Say, when are your parents supposed to come?'

'They were going to be here Friday, but like you, they dashed to the airport to grab the next flight out.' My phone buzzed, and my phone lit up with a text from my mom.

'Landed in Nashville. We have a surprise for you'

'See you soon. South Wing 3rd floor, room 312 xox'

I smiled, placing my phone down, 'They just landed, and should be here in an hour or so.'

Hunter returned with food and drinks for everyone, and Jell-O for me. 'I didn't know if you wanted orange, strawberry or whatever flavour the green one is,' he laughed. I opened the orange one first, and thanked him for giving me options.

'My parents just landed,' I said, shifting my uncomfortable body. The doctor came in and checked my status, little change, four centimeters. 'It's gonna be a long night,' I said.

'Try and rest babe, close your eyes,' Hunter said, helping me turn onto my side. 'If you try and nap now, I can wake you when your parents get here.' He kissed my forehead and shuffled outside into the hallway with his parents.