Maybe This Time

Chapter Five: Delivery

The door opened and Nestor walks inside, placing a kiss on Vera's cheek.
"Welcome home." she mumbles absently as she continues to cook dinner.
"How was your day?" he asks, hanging his coat on the rack.
"I actually have some news." she tells him, feeling nervous.
"Yeah? What's up?" he asks. She busies herself in her work, cutting vegetables and putting them in the pan.
"V?" he asks again.
"My agent called and...and they offered me a job." she tells him.
"Oh. Well you...you didn't take it right? I mean we have so much on our plate." he says, leaning against the counter. Vera doesn't say anything, her cheeks heating up when she realizes he might be upset.
"You didn't take it...right?" he asks again.
"I just...I feel like I had to say yes in the moment." she tells him.
"But you didn't. You didn't have to say yes. You could've said I have to talk with my family first-"
"I'm telling you now. We're talking." she says with a shrug when he talks over her.
"Vera, please tell me you're joking-"
"Why are you so against this? You haven't been getting as many jobs and that acting job just fell through. I mean...We need the money." she tells him, setting her spatula aside to turn to him.
"I know we need the money. I'm sure it still won't be enough." he says loudly, becoming upset.
"We are almost out of the savings-" she tells him.
"What? And that's my fault?" he asks.
"It's not."
"I'm the one who is supposed to be taking care of us. I'm the one who is supposed to provide-"
"And you are. Okay? I'm just helping" she tells him, trying to calm him down.
"Do you have any idea what that feels like for me? That I can't do that?" he asks, walking out of the kitchen.
"I do. I get it. I just want to help. That's all I want to do." she tells him, shutting off the stove before following him.
"We can't be thinking about ourselves right now. We have a baby on the way-" she continues, walks up the stairs behind him.
"A baby who needs her mother to take it easy and rest. You can't do that if you're on set all the time." he tells her, stopping at the top of the stairs and turning around to face her.
"You need to tell them no." he tells her.
"I-I...i'm not going to do that. I already said yes-"
"You can't do it all, Vera. You think you can but you can't! The doctor said take it easy and you're not taking it easy!" he shouts.
"And you yelling at me, us fighting, that's really helping the baby, right?" she shouts back.
"I can't do this right now. I'm calling your agent in the morning." he tells her, walking into their bedroom. Vera's breathing picks up when a cramp enters her stomach. She winces but walks the rest of the way up the steps.
"You're not...calling anyone." she yells to him.
"I can handle it." she says.
"The hell you can!" he shouts. A warm liquid runs down Vera's legs and she looks down to see it puddling on the floor around her.
"Nes." she calls out.
"Can you...come here?" she asks.
"What so we can yell some more about it?" he asks, walking out of the room anyways.
"My water broke." she tells him. He looks at her with shock before jumping into action.
"Okay. Okay, i'll get the keys and the bag and-" he says, running into the room.
"Nes." she calls out.
"We should call people. Is there a car seat in the car?" he asks, running through the house.
"Nestor, would you please-"
"Where's the nearest hospital? Do you have your water? We need to call ahead so we aren't waiting-" he continues. She grabs his arm as he walks by her.
"Nestor just take a breath." she tells him.
"I am. I did. I took-"
"I can't have this baby if you're passed out. Alright? I'll call who I need to on the way. The car seat is in the car and the directions to the hospital is already programmed into the gps. All you have to do is get in the car and drive." she tells him.
"You...you really are something, Farmiga." he says, smiling at her. He grabs her hand and helps her downstairs.
"Do you have the overnight bag?" she asks.
"Yup." he tells her, motioning to the bag hanging on his shoulder.
"Okay. I'm gonna....whew...I...hold on." she tells him, bending over slightly and holding her stomach.
"You okay?" he asks, rubbing her back.
"Don't touch me." she says, pushing him away as she tries to breathe.
"Okay. Just...remember the breathing exercises." he tells her. She nods and straightens up, walking the rest of the way to the car. Vera spends the car ride making phone calls in between contractions. She called Freddie and Olivia who told Max and they are all on their way to the hospital. She also called her sister Taissa who told her family, though most of them won't be able to get there until tomorrow since they live so far away.
"Name is Farmiga, we have a birthing plan and her contractions are seven minutes apart." Nestor says quickly as soon as they reach the counter.
"Wheel chair!" the nurse shouts. A man in scrubs walks up to them with a wheel chair just as Vera is having one of her worst contractions.
"Ow. Ow. Ow." Vera says, holding her stomach as the man rolls them down the hallway.
"You're okay. Just breathe. Breathe away the pain." Nestor says.
"Nestor?" Vera asks.
"Yeah babe?" he answers.
"Shut up." she says through gritted teeth.
"Okay." he says. They wheel her into a private room where she is then transferred onto the bed. Her hair is sticking to her sweaty forehead and she had changed into the uncomfortable hospital gown with the help of Nestor.
"We got here as fast as we could." Olivia says, walking into the room with Max who is carrying a balloon that is tied to a teddy bear.
"How far apart are your contractions?" Max asks.
"About three minutes now." Vera tells them.
"Thank you for coming." she says with a smile.
"Oh of course." Olivia says, hugging her.
"You look great, V." Max tells her as he hugs her.
"Thank you." she says kindly. She looks over at Nestor who is silently sitting beside her, holding her hand. Freddie walks in, breathing rapidly.
"Did I miss it? Am I late?" Freddie asks.
"No you didn't miss it." Nestor tells him.
"So I didn't know if you guys ever told us the gender, so I got a gender neutral balloon color. Yellow is always safe." Max explains, setting the teddy bear and balloon aside.
"Shit I forgot the present."
"It's a girl." Nestor tells them.
"And that's alright, Freddie. You weren't obligated to bring one." Vera tells him.
"What're you going to name her?" Olivia asks. Vera looks to Nestor with worry.
"We haven't thought of a name yet." Nestor says casually. Vera straightens up and tries to get out of bed.
"V, what're you-"
"I'm feeling better actually. I think this was a false alarm." she says.
"No. Get back in bed." Nestor says, gently pulling the blankets back over her.
"No because I don't think we are ready for this baby so I am deciding not to have it yet." Vera tells them.
"What're you talking about?" Olivia asks.
"Can you decide when to have a baby?" Freddie asks with confusion.
"No, that's not how it works. Right?" Max asks.
"Right. Vera we are ready and your body is ready." Nestor tells her.
"We don't have a name." she says, her eyes filling with tears.
"We don't need a name right away. We still have time, alright? It's going to be okay." Nestor tells her, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Her grip on his hand tightens as another contraction begins.
"Is it a big one?" Nestor asks, wincing as a sharp pain enters his hand.
"It's a big one." she says through gritted teeth. Her eyes squeeze shut as she moans in pain.
"Babe, I want the drugs." she tells him.
"No you don't. You told me not to give them to you, no matter what. That's what you said." he tells her. She glares at him.
"Give me...the drugs." she whispers angrily.
"Nes you should just give her the drugs." Freddie says, sounding a little scared.
"Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna find a nurse and we are going to get the drugs. Alright?" Nestor asks, standing up. Vera smile and nods.
"Okay. I'm sorry. Thank you." she says, feeling better as her contraction subsides. Nestor leaves and comes back a few minutes later with the doctor.
"You're going to feel a slight pinch and then you're going to feel a lot of tingling. Don't try to walk anywhere on your own, alright?" the doctor tells her. She nods, leaning forward as he inserts the needle into her back.
"Done." he says, cleaning his things and leaving. Vera leans back against the pillows, feeling the warmth spread down her legs.
"Feeling better?" Nestor asks after a few minutes. Vera smiles and nods, looking over at him.
"Sorry for yelling." she says softly.
"It's alright." he says with a chuckle.
"I feel...okay." she tells him. He laughs and nods.
"I'm glad. We are ready for this." he tells her confidently.
"Okay." she says with a smile.
"It would just...it would help if we could brainstorm baby names while we wait." she tells them.
"Okay. What about...Freddie." Freddie says, starting the brainstorm.
"Fredman, it's a girl." Max tells him.
"Don't name her Freddie." Freddie tells them.
"Name her Emma." Olivia says jokingly.
"Let's be serious." Freddie tells her.
"Emma could work." Nestor says, turning to Vera.
"It's too mainstream." Vera says, shaking her head.
"Nina?" Max asks.
"Nina." Vera says, testing it out.
"I knew a Nina once. She was a stripper." Nestor tells them.
"No to Nina." Vera says with a nod.
"What about Grace?" Nestor asks. Vera thinks about it and smiles.
"I...I do like it." Vera says with a nod. The nurse walks in before they can say more.
"How are we doing?" she asks.
"Better." Vera tells her.
"I'm just going to check how far you're dilated." she says, sticking her hand under the blanket. After a moment, she frowns with confusion and pulls her hand out.
"You're at ten centimeters but the baby isn't coming. We need to prepare for a c-section." she tells her.
"N-N-No. I...I have a birth plan. I-"
"Right but-"
"I want to push. I can push." Vera tells her, sitting up.
"The baby's heart rate is falling. We need to do it now. It's going to be okay." the nurse says.
"No please. I...I prepared the birth plan and I can push. I want to push." Vera says, looking to Nestor for help. He just shakes his head sadly, placing his hand on her hand.
"I'll be back with the doctor. And if you three could follow me to the waiting room." she says to Freddie, Olivia, and Max. They stand up and say goodbye to Vera before following the nurse.
"This isn't happening." Vera whispers.
"It's going to be okay, V. I'm right here. Okay? I'm not leaving your side. You can do this." Nestor tells her. The doctor walks back in a few minutes later.
"We are going to wheel you down to the OR and we are going to get your baby out safely. You will not be able to push." he tells Vera.
"C-Can you just check again? I can do it." Vera tells him. He lifts her blanket and checks but the sad look doesn't leave his face.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Farmiga." he tells her as he turns off the brakes on her bed. She sighs and puts a hand over her face to hide her pain from Nestor.
"I'm going to be right there with you." Nestor tells her.
They walk to the room where Vera is given an anesthetic and is draped. Nestor is given scrubs and a surgical mask to put on so he can sit beside Vera during the surgery.
"You're going to be okay." Nestor tells her. Vera laughs as she stares at the ceiling.
"That pig is wearing flippers." she whispers with a smile. He chuckles and looks up at the ceiling at the painting of a pig. The doctors begin her procedure while Nestor is instructed to keep Vera distracted. Not that he needed to do much, the medicine did more than enough.
"I love drugs. We should get some for the house." she says with a giggle.
"Yeah." Nestor says, remember the last time she was doped up like this after she had hit her head during filming. He looks over the drape at the surgeon who is taking out their baby.
"You're doing so great, V." Nestor tells her.
"Yeah." she whispers, staring at the ceiling still.
"Almost there." the doctor tells them. A cry erupts in the room and the doctor holds the baby up for Vera to see.
"There she is." he tells them. Nestor smiles widely at their daughter.
"She's so beautiful." he says with a laugh. The doctor hands the baby to a nurse to get her cleaned.
"Congratulations, daddy." Vera tells Nestor as he kisses her forehead.
"Here she is." the nurse says, handing Nestor the baby.
"Hi, baby girl." Nestor says, showing her to Vera.
"Anita." Vera whispers.
"Anita Grace." she tells him.
"It's beautiful." he tells her. He lowers Anita closer to Vera.
"Say hi to mommy, Annie." he says. Vera's monitors begin to beep as her eyes slowly slip shut.
"Vera?" Nestor asks with worry.
"We need more suction." the doctor says.
"V? Honey wake up." Nestor says.
"We're getting some high blood pressure." the nurse says.
"Is she supposed to be falling asleep?" Nestor asks, standing up. The nurse removes the tubes from Vera's nose and replace it with an oxygen mask.
"Vera?" Nestor asks.
"We have a lot of bleeding there."
"Hey. What's going on?" Nestor asks again, looking around.
"Mr. Carbonell, I think you need to step out now." one of the nurses says, taking the baby from him.
"Vera? Are you okay?" he asks, ignoring the nurse.
"We have everything under control. You need to step out. Follow me." the nurse says. He slowly steps away, his eyes never straying
"Vera? V, are you okay?" Nestor asks.
"Come with me." the nurse says again, leading him out of the OR. The last thing he sees before the doors close is her hand limply hanging off of the table.