I looked around for my phone, turning over pillows and tossing around clothing. I found it wrapped in my sheets and called Ali first, than our taxi driver, Juan.

Ali arrived almost immediately after I called her, she must have been close by. Moments later my taxi driver was at the door. They both escorted me out of my cabina each of them holding an arm all the way to the car as I breathed steadily.

“Oh my gosh, that was fast!” Ali exclaimed pointing out the obvious.

We were in the back of the cab and the pain was becoming worse and worse. I was squeezing Ali’s arm trying to deal with the sharp pains that came and went.

“Ow! Jesus Rory, I know its painful but lay off!”

“You don’t know how painful this is!” I yelled back at her annoyed she was trying to show empathy when she had clearly never experienced anything like this.

The hospital was further away than the clinic, about 45 minutes further. If there was a lot of traffic it was longer and there was always traffic. Juan sped, weaving around cars, trying his best to make good time. I liked him a lot because he didn’t say anything, he just drove.

The contractions were painful but they didn’t seem to be getting any closer together, which made me think I still had time. This was comforting seeing how I was in the back of a cab, in the middle of nowhere and as much as Juan and Ali were great people I didn’t think they had any experience delivery babies.

We finally reached the hospital, in record time Juan told me, but it had seemed like an eternity. A nurse arrived at the front with a wheelchair and guided me to sit down.

As I sat, a pain shot through my stomach that was almost unbearable.

“Estas bien?” The nurse asked as she saw my face crinkle in distress.

I told her I was in a lot of pain and she answered, telling me it was almost over.

I was taken to a room right away and nurses began poking, prodding and asking a million questions.

I lurched in pain once again. Ali was still beside me, showing more empathy at this point by allowing me to aggressively attack her arm with each contraction.

When the nurses were done I waited with her, tears starting to well in my eyes. “Holy fuck, Ali, don’t ever do this!” I cried.

“Don’t plan to, especially after seeing this.” She laughed, than the doctor appeared in the room. He spoke in Spanish. I could understand most of what he said. His tone was serious as he went over everything in detail. When he finished he looked at me and asked if I understood. I hadn’t, because what I did understand had nothing to do with me being in labor and it did not sound positive.

He asked me if I’d like him to speak in English, I looked at Ali hoping she would be a better translator, but she looked confused as well.

He repeated in broken English. I still didn’t fully understand, but I did understand the words, complications, stay in hospital over night for watch, and we will try our best. With that he politely exited, allowing me to process this new information.

I looked up at Ali, tears streaming down my face.

“It will all be okay Rory, I promise.”

“No!” I still couldn’t accept it. I was terrified. What if I lost the baby? The baby and Justin! I felt light headed, the pains still came and went in my stomach but my emotions were beginning to take over from the pain.

The nurse came back and took me to a separate room where I was hooked up to machines and given IV’s with fluids and pain meds.

Ali stood beside me, still holding my hand. “Don’t worry, Rory, I won’t leave.”

I was beginning to fade off to sleep. I wished Justin were here.

* * *

My first couple of nights in the hospital were foggy. The pain had subsided. I was starting to understand that I had been in pain because the baby was backwards inside me and it was causing pressure in unwanted spots. I felt better knowing it wasn’t anything too serious, however I was still scared.

On the third night the doctors told me I was stable but because of the previous complications I should stay close by. There was a chance they would need to perform an emergency C-section. I checked into a hotel around the block just to be safe. When I was all settled I realized I had left my phone in my cabina through all the chaos.

I remembered the message left on my answering machine. I needed the contact number that had been given to me. I couldn’t stay here without it. I turned to Ali. “Please, I need to know if Justin’s okay. I can’t bring our baby into this world without knowing he’s safe.” She reluctantly agreed to leave me in the hotel and go back to retrieve my phone.