Part 17 (2/2)
”OK, OK,” said Daniel, who was already breathing as fast as Katy.
Daniel took Katy's arm and started to lead her back to the bedroom.
”Don't do that thing again just yet, will you? You know, the wailing thing,” asked Daniel.
”I'll try,” she said, plopping back down on the bed. ”The number is by the bed in the front of that book. You have to ask for the labour ward.”
He picked up the phone and dialled with his back to Katy, hoping that if he ignored her she wouldn't start making horrible noises again.
”Labour ward and be quick,” he barked.
Katy could vaguely hear the gentle ring at the other end as Daniel was put through.
”They're not picking up. What are we going to do? Let's just go down there Katy, please. I can get you there really quick,” said Daniel.
”Labour ward,” said a woman's voice on the end of the phone.
”Christ, you are there are you? Right, I have a woman here screaming blue murder. Tell me what to do.”
”Is she in labour?”
”No, she's in Timbuktu. Of course she's b.l.o.o.d.y well in labour, why else would I be talking to you?”
”Hey now, just calm down. I know it can be very frightening but you need to be calm for your wife now. You getting upset will not help.”
”She is not my wife,” said Daniel angrily.
”I am sorry sir, girlfriend.”
”She is not my girlfriend. I have more sense. Now please tell me what to do.”
”How far apart are her contractions?”
”How should I know? I just got here and she is screaming so hard I can't even hear myself think.”
”About twenty minutes,” interrupted Katy.
”She says twenty minutes. That's close enough right? I'll bring her straight in.”
”Just hang on one second. Ask her if her waters have broken.”
”Some mucussy discharge,” muttered Katy, bracing herself as the next contraction approached.
Daniel leaned over and held the receiver to Katy's mouth.
”I love you Katy but there ain't no way on this planet those words are ever gonna pa.s.s these lips. Say it again.”
He pulled the receiver back as soon as Katy had explained what had been going on in the wet stuff department.
”She gave you the right answer, right? I'll get her in the car p.r.o.nto, shall I?”
”To be honest, home is where she should be at the moment. Where she's most comfortable. She's only in the very early stages of labour and if you bring her in we'll probably send her straight home again. She is definitely in the right place.”
Katy chose that moment to let out her next yowl. Daniel held the phone up to her mouth again so that the full force of her contraction could be heard.
”Does that sound anything like a woman who is in the right place? She sounds like someone who is in as wrong a place as anyone could be. That is just not normal.”
”Sir, I promise you, it is normal and you will help your friend the most by keeping her where she is and nice and calm. Now call us again when the contractions are five minutes apart or when she thinks her waters have broken fully.”
Daniel stared at the phone.
”f.u.c.k you,” he shouted before slamming it down.
He sat on the edge of the bed, shaking slightly.
”I can do this. This is easy. I have achieved great things with my life. I can get through this. Daniel, this is easy,” he said to himself before taking a few deep breaths and turning around to face Katy with a large fixed smile on his face.
”Fancy a c.o.c.ktail?” he offered.
”No, I'm pregnant you idiot, I can't drink.”
”Mind if I have one?”
”Daniel, this is about me, not you. Being my labour partner is about you forgetting what you need and being there for whatever I need.”
”It's just that you usually say I'm more fun when I have had a few. Thought I might cheer you up more if I had a drink.”
”Daniel, you do have to drive me to the hospital later.”
”Good point,” sighed Daniel.
Katy s.h.i.+fted her body.
”Don't move too quickly, it may start you off again.”
”I'm fine; my back was just hurting a bit.”
They both stared at the wall for a while.
”You can talk to me you know. Labour doesn't make you deaf or mute,” said Katy.
”Sorry. I'm just holding my breath waiting for the next contraction thingy.”
”They seem to have gone off a bit.”
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