Jay's POV
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"Jay" I hear Matthew scream, my fight or flight kicks in and I fly up the terrace into the kitchen. Heart thudding but I barely notice it, my only thoughts are Taylor. Grasping onto the side I launch myself forward, for him to yell like that, something must have happened. I call for my rational brain to plan and to decide what to do but it comes up blank. My thoughts running wild.
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"Taylor" I shout, she's on the floor, Matthew crouching near her face, Ross the other side his hands on bump. Water on the floor, no blood, I breathe deeply. Assuaging some of my worries I move to her other side up to face Matthew. I check her all over with my eyes, her chest rising and falling. Her finger twitching slightly. Her waters must have broken, I'm clueless. Is fainting part of the start of labour or is this an exceptional case?
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"What happened?" I say to Matthew and he's panicking, his eyes darting from me to her.
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"She just fell, I grabbed her head. Ross grabbed her waist" he says.
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"Thank you" I tell him sincerely and he looks at me shocked. He didn't expect my thanks, he expected me to shout at him. Im not a monster, he just possibly saved her life. Or at least prevented a huge concussion, marble floor is unforgiving.
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"Mon amour" I whisper in her ear.
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"Perhaps she hasn't drunk enough, or she's completely exhausted" I surmise, logic breaking through. Finally. I breathe deeply aware of the others congregating in the kitchen.
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"Olivia" I call out and she appears at my side, tying her hair back. Her face completely changed, professionalism. I always liked her, I like people who can rise to situations. Who can change their mindset under pressure. Kneeling on the floor next to Taylor she performs some basic checks.
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Taylor's mum is beside herself but my dad has it under control. We cannot have commotion, we have a nurse here, a professional. My dad is calm and caring in his tone. He gets through to her.
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"Taylor" Matthew whispers and he's beside himself, a complete mess. He's never been able to regulate his emotions, I'm being harsh they miscarried together, this is traumatising for him.
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"It will be fine mon amour" I whisper to Taylor in her ear.
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"Pulse is good, a little escalated but she did just faint" Olivia explains and I nod to her.
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"Bring down the temperature, I need cool cloths, not cold. We don't want her going into shock" she explains to me. I set to work instantly getting wet towels.
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"Possible dehydration" she says looking at Taylor as I head back over to them with the wet towels. I stroke Taylor's hair back.
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"We need her on a drip really" she says talking to herself.
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"Let's go with cooling her down and then waking her up slowly. Then we can make her drink water, her temperature isn't that elevated" she says with a plan. I like a person who can plan.
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"Talk to her please" Olivia orders me.
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"Taylor" I say softly.
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"I'm here mon amour, you're safe I've got you. I love you. Do you remember the time I first told you that I loved you" I chuckle, it was on the phone, what a jerk I was.
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"It's working" Olivia explains watching Taylor's eyes.
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She moves to sit next to Ross, checking on bump I assume. Ross looks at her absolutely stunned, he may have gone into shock. I glance at him and thank him for cushioning the blow to her back. He nods at me, pushing his hair back. Eyes wide and vacant.
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"Somebody get Ross some water he needs it" I say over my shoulder. We cannot have him passing out too.
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"Waters have broken" Olivia explains.
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"I'm not a midwife" she says flustered, taking a deep breath as she closes her eyes briefly.
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Taylor splutters and my eyes lock onto her, instantly.
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"It was on the phone" Taylor chuckles slightly.
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"You told me you loved me, and I thought you were absolutely nuts" she laughs and I smile down at her.
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"Hi there, I love you" I whisper and she smirks.
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"I love you" she whispers.
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"I'm having the baby" she says and I laugh.
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"I know mon amour" I smile down at her.
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"I fainted" she says opening her eyes and looking at me.
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"Water Matthew" Olivia orders him, he's watching her pinching his nose, wiping his eyes. Thanking God.
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"On it" he says going to grab some water for Taylor.
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"I need to push" she says to Olivia, ignoring me again.
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"Let me just, fuck I haven't properly trained in this Jay" Olivia says and I eye her.
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Taylor makes an indecipherable noise and crunches her head to her chest.
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"I got this" Olivia says to herself.
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"I spent some time on the maternity ward I can do it" she explains.
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"Ross could you get some more towels. Pillows for her head. And" she begins and I'm more grateful to her than I ever could have imagined I would be. I grasp her hand and she smiles up at me, knowing that I am eternally grateful.
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"And a baby towel please, the rest of you might want to give us some space" she says in charge.
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"Of course" Ross says heading off to the bathroom.
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Rachel and Christopher guide my dad out of the room. My mother and Taylor's mother staying put. I couldn't move Matthew even if I tried. I decide it's not worth the argument, as he returns with the glass of water and a straw. He holds the straw to her mouth and she looks up at him briefly.
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"Sorry for scaring the shit out of you" she laughs, and it's typical Taylor to think about others when she is literally in labour.
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"God no Taylor" he says softly. He glances up at Olivia, smiling at her and she returns his expression.
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"Olivia said she would have to be a nurse tonight" he says looking at her and Taylor.
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"She's always right" he looks at her smiling.
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"Taylor I have to say" Olivia begins.
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"You've handled labour like a goddess" she giggles lifting her dress slightly.
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"You've been in labour and not even batted an eyelash" she says smirking.
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She stands and grabs the towels from Ross, he's still in shock. Claire, my mother, grabs him and sits him down on a stool with them.
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"Under her head, towel where baby is coming. Dress off please" Olivia says to me.
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"Cover Taylor with the blanket." She adds and then she heads to the sink to fully wash her hands and arms.
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"Darling" I say to Taylor and Matthew looks away.
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"This isn't the first time I've helped you dress and undress today" I chuckle assisting her. Chucking the dress over to my mother behind my back. And finally placing the blanket over my wife.
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"Kiss me" she whispers and I smile down at her, kissing her softly. Olivia positions herself and assesses the situation.
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"Tell me when you feel like you need to push" she explains. Taylor nods, looking up at me.
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"Wait for me to give the okay" she instructs Taylor.
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"Ready to be a dad?" Taylor whispers and I smile.
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"Always" I say softly holding onto her, my hands around her head.
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"I don't think you will have long to wait" Olivia says looking up briefly.
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"You're around nine centimetres" she adds.
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"You're amazing mama" I look down at her astounded she managed to get here and act like nothing was going on. Like everything was normal. The strongest woman I've ever known. Selfless and brilliant.
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"I need to push" she says breathing deep, just like we practised in the antenatal class.
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"Can you hold just until you are ten centimetres" Olivia instructs her. Taylor nods and breathes deeply.
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"Well done Taylor" Olivia says as the contraction eases.
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"Why did I faint" she asks Olivia.
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"It could be any number of things; have you drunk enough water? Maybe it's over exertion. Taylor women in labour usually stay put, you were fully living your life and taking it in your stride" Olivia explains.
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"We haven't even completed our birth plan" she laughs looking up at me.
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"Our baby has his own plans" I say softly.
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"I really need to push" Taylor exhales slowly.
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"Okay, go time, next contraction. Breathe through your push" Olivia explains.
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"Ross" Olivia says slowly.
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"I want you to, with both Jay and Taylor's consent, call the midwives for after this baby is born" Olivia says.
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"Yes" I say instantly and Olivia looks up at me steadily. She is worried, not about the delivery but about possible complications. She's planning ahead.
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Taylor grasps my hand, and Matthew's in her other and squeezes as she pushes, her head down into her chest.
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"Amazing" Olivia says encouraging her.
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"Contractions will be more frequent now" Olivia explains.
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"Let's make use of all of them. Same again on my count" she explains and I hold onto Taylor for dear life. Glancing at Matthew as he strokes her hair back.
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"Okay on five" Olivia explains.
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She counts down from five and Taylor pushes again. A sound I won't forget for the rest of my days, as she pants through the contraction lying on our kitchen floor. Her head in my lap as I hold onto her encouraging her.
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"Babies coming, okay I know it's hard work but think about your little baby, when he or she is born" Olivia says as Taylor rests her head back down in my lap.
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"Babies crowning" she explains looking up at me.
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"Wanna see your little baby" she says to me and I smile. Birth is beautiful, it's natural. It's nothing short of a miracle. I glance down and see the top of our babies head, such absolute perfection. I tear up wiping my eyes, nothing short of sobbing.
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"Taylor, babies nearly here" I tell her and she grabs onto my hand.
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"Again" Olivia says and we're pushing again.
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"You're doing amazing Taylor" Matthew says.
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Although our mothers are sat behind us so as not to invade Taylor's privacy or get in the way of Olivia's absolute control over the situation. They are both itching to hold a baby, I can just tell. And in the sweetest way, they have been supporting Taylor through labour, something they too have experienced. Birth plan or not, we could not have had a better set up.
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"Make the call Ross" Olivia says optimistically.
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"Taylor you've got this" Olivia says.
Taylor rests her head back down in my lap, I smile down at her.
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"Is the baby okay" Taylor looks up at me, glowing. None of us have mentioned the pain, she's doing this medication free and I can only imagine the pain and agony that she's making look easy.
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"Perfection. And you are the most wonderful mama" I tell her reassuring her.
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"Just one more" Olivia says.
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Taylor pushes again, as Ross is on the phone explaining the situation. I glance up at Matthew briefly. Seeing the care in his eyes and decide to finally set aside our differences.
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"Jesus" Taylor says resting. I hold her in my arms, stroking her forehead. The immense pride I feel for my wife in this moment, the amount of strength she has and her courage.
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"I love you" I tell her.
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"I love you Jay" she says breathless.
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A small, unmistakable sound echoes through the kitchen and there's not a dry eye among any of us as the baby cries. A small whine. My world shifts, immediately, anchoring me to my child and having not even laid eyes on the baby yet I know he or she will make me forever complete. I stroke Taylor crying as she sobs with me. Kissing her face over and over.
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"That's our baby" she sobs and I nod unable to find my voice.
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"Jay, towel" Olivia says, finishing off her job.
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"Time please anybody" Olivia says and Matthew crying, checks his watch.
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"Ten thirty six pm" he says sobbing, he strokes Taylor's hair back and whispers congratulations to her.
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I hear Ross explaining that a midwife is on his or her way. I grab the babies towel and head on over to see my child for the first ever time. He or she is whining and making a lot of noise, but it reassures me that the baby is fine. Alive and healthy. Daddy instinct kicks in and I want to soothe the tears.
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"Five fingers and toes" Olivia says crying wiping the baby.
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Glancing down at a beautiful baby, they say that babies just look like newborns. Not like anything in particular, but my baby, he is purely Taylor through and through.
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"It's a boy" I tell Taylor and she cries.
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"Here wrap him over like this" Olivia says showing me and I smile up at her.
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"I can't ever thank you enough" I say to her and she wipes her eyes with her elbow. I kiss my son on the forehead and then I hand him up to Taylor and rest him on her chest. If there was any moment in my life that was perfect beyond measure it's this one right here.
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