When Constellations Form (Light in the Dark 4)

I change into the gown and then sign their papers. Once all that’s done I finally get ahold of my phone.

I have twenty missed calls from Xander. I call him back and he answers on the first ring.

“Thea?” He breathes a sigh of relief. “Please tell me I didn’t miss it.”

“You didn’t miss it. They haven’t checked me yet so I don’t know how far I am, but hurry. I need you. Where are you?”

I hear him hit his hand against the steering wheel. “I got out of there as fast as I could. Cade ran onto the fucking field and I barely caught sight of security dragging him away. Once I saw him I knew you were in labor. We’re on our way there, sweetheart, but traffic is a bitch. Tell her to stay in there a little longer, okay?”

“I’ll try, but it doesn’t work like that.”

“I love you.”

I sigh happily. “I love you too.”

“We’re going to have a baby, Thea.”

I start to tear up. “I know.”

“I’ll be there. I will,” he vows and hangs up.

A nurse comes in, hooks me up to monitors, and checks me saying I’m six centimeters dilated. “You’re getting close,” she tells me, covering me with the sheet again. “Do you want an epidural?”

I look at Nova. “Do I?” I ask.

She shrugs. “That’s up to you—do you want to go natural or have drugs?”

I laugh. “I don’t know … it’s not so bad right now, so no epidural for now.”

The nurse looks at me like she thinks I’m going to regret that decision, but shrugs and heads out of the room.

“Do you want anything?” Nova asks me.

“Can I have some ice?”

“Sure thing. I’ll be right back.”

She heads out into the hall to get it, and of course as soon as she leaves I get a contraction.

I breathe through it like she told me and that helps, but I’m sweating like a pig.

I lay my head back and close my eyes.

I comfort myself with the fact that soon I’m going to see my little girl, finally, after nine long months.

The door opens and Nova comes in with a plastic cup full of crushed ice. She pulls the chair up beside me and sits down, handing me the cup.

I hold the cup and grab a couple of pieces, popping them into my mouth.

Crunching on the ice helps, because it cools me down and gives me something to do to distract from the pain.

Nova rubs my arm, trying to comfort me, but her eyes are far away.

“Thank you for staying with me. I know this can’t be easy.”

She smiles but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “It’s strange being here like this.”

“Did you have someone with you when you had Greyson?” I ask. I’ve never talked to her all that much about her son she gave up for adoption, I know she has a good relationship with him and his adoptive parents, but that’s only recently. Before then, he was a stranger to her. I can’t imagine going through this whole process and having my baby taken from me.