A Storm Is Brewing

Time Slows Down

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Guys, please be aware that this chapter is pretty heavy with scenes that anyone that's ever suffered from/dealt with a traumatic birth, a c-section, or really sick children may be impacted by. It's really heavily based off a close family members experience, so it's not some fairytale that sees a miraculous healthy baby being born so early. The next few chapters will have trigger warnings too, but I promise if you stick with me, the other side will be worth it.
For anyone who wishes to skip this chapter, private message me and I can give you a one sentence overview of what happens (once it's released) so you can carry on from the chapters after.
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"Amanda, please. Please, please, please get Leah. Please." I sobbed.
"Listen, Sophie, it's really important that you keep calm for us, okay?"

Easy for you to say, you've been to hundreds of these calls.

"It's really sore."
"I know, darling. I know it is. Leah would be so proud of you." Amanda whispered.
"Mum, I'm through!" Jacob held the phone out for her.

Amanda moved away from me slightly. I suppose she thought I couldn't hear, but I could. She confirmed my worst fears.

"Could I please speak with Leah? It's her mum, and it's urgent."
"Can we take a message to pass on? The girls are currently in heat training."
"This isn't something I want her to hear from someone else. Can I please just speak to her?"
"I'll just need to speak with Sarina."
"Sophie's in early labour - far too early; you need to let me talk to Leah! She's on the other side of the world!"

My attention was taken away from the phone call by the paramedic's voice again.

"Sophie, can you tell us how many weeks you are?"
"24. I'm too early; it's too early. I need Leah."
"Where is Leah? Will she be here soon?" The paramedic asked Jacob.
"Brazil."
"I see." He said quietly.
"Is my baby going to die?"
"You just keep breathing the way I showed you."
"You didn't answer my question."
"I know." He said quietly.

Jacob was now sitting on the other side of me, trying to be the best stand-in Leah that he could be.

"I called Rhys; he's trying to get a flight." He whispered.
"Don't leave me." I whimpered.
"I think Leah would kill me if I did."

The paramedics whispered amongst themselves; Jacob very obviously trying to talk loudly enough for me not to hear them. I was angry at him for covering it up, but on reflection, I guess I understood too.

"Sophie, you want the truth?" The female paramedic spoke softly, rubbing her thumb across my hand.
"Yes. Please."
"Okay, pet. This baby has to be born urgently, okay? We can't let that happen here; we need to be able to try and save its life upon birth, but to do that, we need all the experienced people in the hospital, yeah? So, I know it's really painful, and I know you're really tired, but darling, we have to move as quickly as possible, and we're going to need you to just grit your teeth for us and be as strong as you can be. Can you do that? Can you help us to help this little one?"
"Okay, but I really need Leah." I sobbed.

Jacob held me close, telling me how much Leah loved me and how he knew she'd be here soon.

"I'm here." Leah's voice echoed in my ear as Amanda placed the phone at it.
"Le." I breathed out, tears escaping.
"Soph, I'm literally getting into a car now; they've got a plane, and I'm getting straight on it. I'm so sorry I'm not there. I'm so sorry, Soph."

Hearing the pain in Leah's voice was something that jolted me to realise that in this situation I wasn't the 'unlucky' one because I was going through this pain. Leah would have to spend that entire flight not knowing what she was coming home to, with nothing to look at but the clouds and the occasional star. She was being strong for me, so I had to be strong for her and the baby.