Page 64 of Finding Limits

“No hospitals,” she tells me again, maneuvering herself up off the bed and pressing her palm into the arch of her back. “You can call the girls, they can help until the other midwife gets here.” She starts to walk up and down the room, breathing calmly, and I quickly do as she says, calling Savannah and asking her to round the girls up and get here fast.

“They’re on their way, is there anythin’ I can do?”

“Just be here.” She waddles over to me and I slide my hand gently over her huge, round stomach.

“Everythin’s gonna be okay,” I assure her, as nerves and excitement battle it out in my chest. And when Everleigh tenses to endure another contraction, the gush that hits the floor makes me jump back in shock.

“Oh, this is definitely happening.” She winces.

“It sure is.” I keep stroking her back and hope those girls hurry up and get here.

“That's good, Everleigh, it’ll pass real soon.” Maisie seems to know all the right things to say to her every time she gets a contraction. They’re getting closer and closer together and lasting much longer, and I can see Everleigh’s starting to get tired.

Savannah and Leia prepare the bed for the delivery by placing a waterproof sheet over the mattress, and I just stand holding Everleigh’s hand, feeling like a spare part.

“I’m not ready.” Everleigh suddenly starts shaking her head and starts to panic.

“What?” I look down at her on the chair she’s perched on.

“This baby can’t come yet. I’m not ready,” she repeats, and Maisie looks up at me seeming just as confused as I am.

“Darlin’, I don’t think ya get a say in that, this baby’s halfway to comin’ and we’re more than ready for it.”

“No, I need us to be married.” She shakes her head. “I know I said I wanted to wait till after the baby came but I’ve changed my mind. I want us to be married before it comes.”

“Oh, sweetheart, it’s too late for that, now. We can get married straight away, after. Tomorrow, if you want. Let’s just focus on this, right now.” I try and keep her calm.

“Oh, fuck!” She squeezes my hand as another contraction hits her, and I breathe in sync with Maisie to help get her through it.

“I don’t wanna have this baby until we're married, Mitch.” She looks up at me helplessly, and I rack my brain trying to come up with a solution.

It’s 7 am in the mornin’. Where the fuck am I gonna find a minister?

“Okay. I’ll fix it.” I grab hold of Maisie and drag her out the room.

“We need to get Garrett here,” I tell her when we’re in the kitchen out of earshot

“Garrett? He’s gonna be even less useful than me.” She looks at me as if I’m crazy.

“Not for that, you call him and tell him to have one of the boys sit with the triplets. We need him to come here and marry us, right now.”

“Garrett can’t marry you.” She laughs at me.

“Sure he can, he’s the town mayor he can do anythin’ he wants.” I pass her my phone because I have to get back to Everleigh.

“Mitch, being the mayor doesn’t ordain him to marry people.”

“Maybe not, but right now she doesn’t need to know that. We got no midwife, a hospital is outta the question, and the last thing I wanna do is have her stressin’. Call your husband.” I leave her to it and get back to Everleigh.

“Where did you go?” She tries getting into a more comfortable position on the chair we’ve bought in from the kitchen.

“To arrange a weddin’.” I kiss her on her sweaty forehead and help her get settled.

“Well done, you're doin’ great, she’s makin’ progress, right?” I look at Maisie. Wondering what the fuck is taking Garrett so long.

“How am I supposed to know?” she whispers back at me.

“Because you’ve given birth to three babies.” I shake my head back at her.

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