The ride to the hospital is rather uneventful, other than the contractions every two minutes.

Very exciting stuff.

The nurse checks us in, hooks me up to an IV, and assesses my progress. Apparently, I’m 5 centimeters dilated and should have the baby within the next few hours.

As I lay in my hospital bed, I try to ignore the overwhelming anxiety sitting in the pit of my stomach. Unfortunately, I’m too prideful to admit why.

“Do you want me to give you an update on my dear brother and his approximate whereabouts?” Breezy asks innocently. She’s sitting in one of the chairs by my bed, her feet propped up as she flips through a parenting magazine. Apparently, the reading selection is scarce.

I glare in her direction, chewing my lower lip before finally deciding to swallow my pride.

“Maybe,” I answer grudgingly, feeling another contraction coming.

After witnessing the contractions for the past couple of hours, Bree’s anxiety has disappeared. Instead, she patiently waits for my contraction to pass before continuing. It kind of makes me want to punch her in the face.

She grins wickedly before closing the magazine and leaning her elbows on the hospital bed.

“He should be here within three hours. My parents are picking him up from the airport and driving him straight here. Can you keep your legs crossed for that long?”

I take a deep breath, grateful the pain has eased, and nod my head slightly. Three more hours. I can make it three more hours.

“What if he doesn’t make it?” I whisper, voicing my greatest fear.

Why the hell did I push him away?

“He’s going to make it, Liv.” Bree squeezes my hand, reassuringly.

I increase the pressure, crushing Bree’s fingers with my own as another contraction hits. Thankfully, my anesthesiologist should be here any minute to give me an epidural.

These women who have babies naturally are crazy. Brave. But crazy.

Bring on the drugs!

We continue to painfully pass the time for another thirty minutes before the doctor officially arrives and gives me the epidural.

I’d like to say I was able to get some rest afterwards, but nurses continue to make the rounds every thirty minutes or so, checking my progress and taking my vital signs.

I’m about ready to pass out from exhaustion when Bree steps out of the room without an explanation, quietly closing the door behind her.

She’s definitely stepped up to the plate the last few weeks, and I’m extremely grateful she’s here with me. I don’t know what I’d do without her.

Who knew that having a baby would bring two people closer together? Ha.

A nurse comes into my room while Bree is away and checks me again.

“Looks like the baby’s ready!” Nurse Cindy says, excitedly. She’s an older, cheerful woman with short, white-blonde hair, and she kind of reminds me of Mrs. Claus. She even has the sparkly eyes and rosy cheeks.

I’d find her enthusiasm endearing if it weren’t for my overwhelming anxiety eating a hole through my stomach.

Where the hell is Bree?

And where the hell is Luke? Three hours, my ass! I mean, butt!

I know, I know. I’m singing a different tune now that I’m in labor. Independence is not all it’s cracked up to be. Apparently, I’m not big and tough like I thought I was.

“I’ll go get Dr. Jolly, and we’ll start pushing.” She smiles kindly and heads out the door, exiting quietly.

I think I’m going to hyperventilate. Not because of the pain, modern medicine is the best thing ever, but because Bree disappeared right when I need her, and I haven’t heard from Luke, either.

I may have left my phone at Bree’s house, but it’s not like he doesn’t have her number! He could’ve asked her to pass along a message or something! Anything!

My breathing turns shallow as I take short little breaths in and out, forgetting everything I’ve learned in my Lamaze classes.

What do they know anyway?

Feeling light-headed, I try to remind myself that I can’t push if I pass out. I start to sit up, trying to focus on taking deep, slow breaths.

There’s a quiet knock on the door and it slowly swings open. I hold my breath, praying for a miracle that Luke made it, when Dr. Jolly’s head comes into view.

Dammit. I mean dang it!

“Hey, Liv! Ready to have this baby?” she asks, a wide smile etched into her cheeks.

I nod hesitantly while cursing Bree in my head.

Nurse Cindy joins immediately after, buzzing around the room like a busy little bee, preparing everything for Little Man to make his debut into the world.

I can’t keep my eyes off the door, anxiously waiting for Bree to come back so I don’t have to go through this alone.

Dr. Jolly gets into position. “Alright, Liv. We’re going to wait for the next contraction, and then you’re going to push nice and long, okay?”

I still haven’t said a word, my eyes bouncing between Nurse Cindy, Dr. Jolly, and the entrance to my room.

My palms are sweaty as I grip my legs, feeling the pressure build.

I squeeze my eyes shut and push my heart out; Nurse Cindy counts to ten slowly, but when she reaches “five”, the door swings open, banging against the wall. My eyes dart over to find a very disheveled Luke in a rumpled white t-shirt that hugs his delicious chest, a black North Face jacket, and well-worn jeans.

He anxiously scans the room before spotting me on the hospital bed. As soon as he confirms he’s in the right spot, he rushes over to my side, gripping my hand tightly, and brushing his lips across my forehead.

“I know you might be mad at me, and I know you wanted to do this alone, but I just can’t let you. Please don’t make me miss this little guy’s birth,” he pleads, his eyes shining with sincerity, his hand resting on my contracting stomach.

I must be in shock because I can’t seem to find my voice. Instead, I catch myself staring at Luke’s scruffy cheeks, wondering if he’s really here, or if I need to pinch myself.

Dr. Jolly assesses the situation, not having met Luke before. She stares at me pointedly, her eyebrows raised, while silently asking if I’m okay with him being in the room or if she needs to get security. I nod slightly, a small smile gracing my lips, finally feeling at peace. Like I might be able to have this baby now.

Dr. Jolly pauses for a moment before grinning cheerfully, “Alrighty, then. Let’s try this again.”