Chapter 56: Chapter 56

Evans  and I spent the next month and a half moving and settling into the house. We shop together for the things that we need. My favorite room to decorate was the baby's room. Evans hadn't bought anything for it because he wanted us to do it together.

Before I know it, we are shopping for diapers, wipes, baby bottles, baby clothes...

“Ciara."

I meet Evan's gaze. We are outside the store, loading everything in the car's trunk. It is the second week of February, exactly two weeks before my due date. Yesterday we had a doctor's appointment. She told me I was 1 cm dilated, which is nothing. As she talked about how I have to be at least 4cm dilated and have continuous contractions to be admitted to the hospital, I began to feel anxious...and scared. I've been getting contractions, the ones known as false contractions, and they hurt. I can't begin to imagine how much the real contractions that don't go away feel like.

"Do you feel okay?" Evans asks, suddenly alarmed when I don't say anything.

I nod slowly. "I'm sorry, I'm just getting a little nervous. I saw this every day at the hospital. I've watched the baby come out..." Images begin to flood through my head. I know exactly how my vagina was going to look...how big it was going to expand...

Evans puts his arm around my waist and sits me down on the car seat. I lean my head back, trying to catch my breath. It has been getting harder and harder to breathe. "Take a deep breath," Evans says softly.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I'm not even in labor yet and I'm already freaking out."

Evans reaches out and pulls my hair back. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Just take a deep breath, okay? It's alright."

I nod and he leans in and kisses my forehead, then goes to the back and finishes putting everything in the trunk. I take a deep breath. I thought that knowing and watching labor as a nurse would help me prepare for this, but I was wrong. Nothing could prepare me...if anything, watching labors has only made me even more nervous.

"Feeling better?" Evans asks when he gets behind the wheel.

I nod. "Yes. Thank you."

He reaches for my hand. "I'm here for you," he says, then reaches over and kisses me. I smile after he pulls away. He drives us home and I help him unload the car. We spend the afternoon fixing everything up. We get the baby carrier ready, along with the diaper bag and a separate bag with a change of clothes for me. Afterwards, I sit on the couch and watch as Evans puts everything on the loveseat, close to the door. His phone begins to ring, and he answers it.

He hasn't been going to the club as much for the past week, and when he does, he goes during the day. He has Elena doing most of the work. I told him that it's okay for him to go at night, but he refused. Of course, I was pleased. I wanted him with me. He begins to talk on the phone with Elena as he takes a seat next to me and puts his arm around me. I rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes. He smells so good. My eyes open when I feel the baby kick. My hand goes down to my belly and I smile. Oh, I was going to miss that a lot. At the same time, I need him out of me already.

I don't realize I had fallen asleep until the pain wakes me up. I straighten on the couch, so fast that I almost fall off.

“Ciara!" Colton says, standing up. He kneels in front of me with a frown on his face. "Is everything okay?"

I nod as I try to take a few deep breaths. "Contractions," I whisper as I close my eyes.

"Should I call the doctor?" he asks, already reaching for his phone.

I shake my head. "No, don't worry. They're normal...and they're passing." I open my eyes as I begin to feel them fade. That's how I know they were "false" contractions. The real ones wouldn't fade, they would get stronger.

Evans sighs in relief. "Okay. Would you like me to take you to bed? I didn't want to wake you..."

"No. What time is it?" I say, scanning the living room. I hadn’t realized there wasn't a clock.

"Seven," Evans says, checking his watch.

"I want to go for a walk," I say, standing up.

"Are you sure?" Evans asks, putting an arm around me.

I nod. "Yes. I'll go change." I make my way up the stairs. I can feel Evans watching me, probably just in case I trip or something. I’m glad because my belly is huge, and it’s hard to see my feet. I’m a little tired, but I’ve been walking for months and can’t stop doing it now. I know that if I stop one day, I’ll get too lazy to do it the following day. Walking is good.

Evans is waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, his coat on as he holds mine. I turn around and slip my arms through it, then face him. He puts the scarf around my neck. "It's not that cold," I say, laughing as he throws one end over to my back.

"I'm not taking any chances." He leans in to kiss me, making me giggle. He grabs my hand and we head out of the house. Ever since we moved here, we walk around the neighborhood. We have actually met some of the neighbors. Sometimes some of them are outside, watering the plants, watching the kids play. Today, it is dark, so no one is outside. Some of the windows are illuminated with light, others have the curtains pulled open so you can see inside the house.