e been through. “You may now kiss the bride.”
Jordan dips me down in his arms and he presses a kiss against my lips. Our first ever kiss as man and wife, which feels phenomenal. The people around us whoop and cheer, happy for us which makes me chuckle with laughter. It’s finally happened, we’re man and wife, looking forward to the future.
“Ooh.” I suddenly get a tight twinge in my belly. I think I might have been getting these all day long but I thought they were nerves. The time for anxiety is over, so I don’t know why I still feel this way. “Oh no.”
“What is it?” As soon as my hands fly to my belly, Jordan panics. “Is everything okay?”
“I…” I want to say yes to reassure him, but I’m not convinced. “I don’t know.”
“Are you going to be able to make it to the reception? Maybe you’ll feel a little better sitting down?”
We’re having a meal in the other room, so I’m sure I’ll be fine. I nod, but as soon as I take a step to move I feel a popping sensation in my panties and a trickle of wetness flying down my legs.
“Oh no.” I shake my head rapidly. “No, my waters have just broken.”
“But…” Jordan pales. “You aren’t due for two weeks.”
“I know. That might be so.” I grip his arm tight. Probably hurting him. “But my waters have broken. I need to get to the hospital right away.” I glare at him. “We need to go. Now!”
34
Jordan
“Shit, shit, shit!” I feel in a full state of panic as I fly down the highway at a million miles an hour, trying to get Veronica to the hospital before she gives birth in the car. “Oh, come on, why is everyone in the way?”
“Will you calm down?” I can’t believe Veronica is trying to keep my head on. She should be the one losing it really. She’s about to bring an actual human into the world. “The baby isn’t coming right now.”
“I know, but didn’t they say that you can get an infection once your waters break?”
“I knew I shouldn’t have taken you to that antenatal class!” Veronica rolls her eyes and smiles. “It’s going to be fine. Let’s just get to the hospital in one piece and go from there. It’ll be fine, don’t panic about it…”
But her words are soon stripped from her body by the pain of another contraction rolling through her. I don’t know how she’s managed to get through the wedding in one piece with that much agony running through her body, but my new bride is strong. She’s survived much worse than this. She might have called me her hero in her vows, but she’s the real hero. The person who will get me through anything in life. I’m fine, with her.
“I don’t want to ruin my wedding dress,” she huffs through the pain. “It’s just so lovely.”
“Why? You aren’t planning to wear it again, are you?” I can’t resist teasing her. “For wedding number two?”
“Oh yeah, for sure. I’m hoping to be fully pregnant with my next husband too because that’s worked out so well!” She teases me right back. “I can’t believe we’re the only ones not at our wedding reception.”
“I honestly wouldn’t expect anything else from us. We just can’t seem to do anything right.”
Veronica places her hand over mine and smiles at me during a moment where she’s getting a break from the pain and as she does the fact that she’s my wife washes through me. We’ve always been a team, but now it’s official and I can feel that shift. Veronica was right, it is better that we got married before she gave birth. It just feels better somehow. And it’ll be nice for all of us to share the same surname right from the start.
Finally, after what feels like forever, I pull up into the hospital car park as near to the door as I can manage and I guide Veronica out. When the pain rackets through her, she can hardly stand, but I’m there to keep her upright. It’s a good job we’re here now because I have a feeling that we’re just in time. I think once we get through those doors and into a room, it’ll be go time. Two weeks early but wanted desperately. Our baby girl.
“Let’s do this,” I say reassuringly to Veronica. “I love you so much. This is going to be amazing.”
“Argh, just get me inside already! I feel like my whole body is falling apart!”
Okay, so I guess this isn’t the time for big romantic statements. Never mind, we have all the time in the world for that…
***
I collapse into a chair, exhausted, emotional, and utterly overwhelmed. Who would have thought that Veronica giving birth would be so draining for me too? I’m covered in a sheen of sweat, my whole-body aches, and my head thumps. But, we have the most beautiful baby girl in the whole world, so it’s been worth it.
“Oh, look at her.” Veronica, who still manages to look stunning even after she’s just given birth. Her strength simply shines through, she’s proven what a phenomenal woman that she is all over again. I admire her so much. “She’s such a little sweetheart, isn’t she? I just love her so much already. Like, it’s a different kind of love, isn’t it? It’s so deep. It’s like, boundless. I love her more than anything else in the world. She’s everything.”
“Hey! You’re supposed to love me like that on our wedding day,” I shoot back playfully. “But I know what you mean. That girl is just my entire world already. I would do anything for her. She’s not even an hour old and I already know that she’s got me wrapped around her little finger. I love her, she’s incredible.”