Page 84 of This Love
I did a preliminary bend and almost lost my balance.
Nope. Not worth it.
I tugged the dishtowel from the stove handle and dropped it on top of the water. The cup rested on its side. The floor felt a mile away. “Rosie, fetch.”
Rosie sat, looking up at me in confusion. I hadn’t thrown anything for her to retrieve.
I nudged the cup with my foot. “Fetch, Rosie.”
Rosie finally understood, grasping the cup in her mouth and lifting it.
“Good, Rosie!” What a smart dog. I took the cup to move to the sink and dragged the towel along the floor with my foot to soak up the water.
Then it happened again.
My belly clamped down. “Shit!” I cried out, clutching my stomach. I waddle-stepped over to the table to check the time. Three forty-seven. Fifteen minutes. Real contractions started far apart and got closer. This was kind of quick for just two.
I looked at Rosie, who watched my every move. “I’m not even due yet, Rosie,” I told her. Maybe I should call Isadora over.
I stabbed at the phone to get to my contacts. This contraction was going on longer and felt deeper.
The urge to huff came over me. No, no. None of that. I drew in a slow breath, and let it out. I started a message to my neighbor. Can you come ov?—
My belly heaved, and there was no ignoring this one. My breath sucked in, and a hoo-hoo-hoo sound came out of me. It was happening on its own.
I had to stop it. I focused all my attention on my breath. Come on, Ava, low and slow.
I reached for the phone to finish the message. I shouldn’t be alone, fake labor or not.
But my hand landed on the screen at an awkward angle. The phone slid to the edge of the table and fell.
Something was wrong. I looked at my hand. It wouldn’t do what I told it.
I turned to Rosie, but she was already at my feet, whining, tugging at my pant leg to get out of the chair.
I tried to tell her I needed to finish my message, or maybe she should call Tucker. My brain was saying, “Button two.” But my mouth didn’t work.
I tilted out of the chair. I couldn’t stop my forward motion toward the ground.
My face hit the table on the way down, stunning me for a second.
Rosie moved beneath me, and I landed on her soft body.
She wriggled slowly until I was lying on the floor. Now I wanted to tell her to call 911, but no words would come out.
It didn’t matter. She knew. She tore off down the hall.
She would call. Call someone.
But it would be too late. My vision was going black. It was happening.
A tear escaped my eye, sharp and hard.
Rosie would make sure I got help.
But even so, everything would be lost.
Chapter 33
