Untitled - Work in progress

She was fed up with being raped; she was fed up of being beaten. She didn’t deserve it, and she wasn’t going to put up with it anymore. Her stepfather had been doing this far too long and she was not putting up with it any longer. She remembered one evening when she came in from work and her stepfather was drunk waiting for her. He’d jumped on her as soon as she walked through the door, and was pulling her hair and ripping off her clothes. He punched her and made her nose bleed for hours on end. He just pushed and pushed her, and finally he had pushed her too far. He was a prick, and she was not being his sex toy anymore. He could find someone else. Hopefully, someone his own age.1

Her head rolled back as the blood started to trickle down her arm. She felt the release clearing the stress from her mind, and put the blade on the side of the bath. She plunged her wrist into the water and watched as the blood swirled and left patterns in the water. "Get out of the bath now!!" Her stepfather yelled, banging on the door. She sunk under the water just as he barged through the door. "I told you to get out of that bath! Now!" He screamed at her. "Alright, alright, can you pass me the towel?" she replied shakily. He threw the towel at her; she managed to catch it before it fell in the bath. She stood up covering herself with the towel as she did. She grabbed her blade off the side of the bath as she stepped out of it. "There I'm out now, are you happy?" she yelled at her stepfather. He stepped up to her menacingly; she stood her ground for a few minutes and the left the bathroom. She slammed her bedroom door and locked it. Trembling she placed her blade under her pillow and started to get dressed. Sat in front of the mirror, she began to bandage her arm. She looked through her wardrobe and found her favorite long sleeved t-shirt, she put it on and hugged herself, feeling the soft sleeves cover her arms. She did her makeup and her hair, grabbed her bag, opened her bedroom door and ran down the stairs. She could hear her stepfather snoring on the sofa as she flew past the living room. She opened the front door and escaped out of it, slamming it hard behind her. She heard her stepfather roar as she ran down the path. She stopped at the corner shop to catch her breath and decided to buy some cigarettes while she was there. She also bought a bottle of vodka. She walked out of the shop and put the vodka in her bag. She lit a cigarette and began walking, she walked for about an hour and she ended up in a park. She sat down on a bench and opened her bag. She pulled out the vodka and also three packets of pills. She took the full three packets, washing them down with vodka as she continued. She lay down and watched the clouds go by. Then it went black.
A woman was walking her dog when she found Aimee, breathing but with a very weak pulse. She called an ambulance, and they were out within minutes. They took Aimee to hospital where she had her stomach pumped. A few days later, she was transferred to the Mental Health Unit. Aimee was scared about this; she did not want to be locked up in a loony bin. Her mother had been in one, and she remembered visiting her. She’d been scared and didn’t want to end up the same way.2

Chapter One3

"Deep breaths" the psych repeated, "I know this is hard for you sweetie" Aimee sat in the chair breathing heavily. The psych passed her a glass of water. She drained it in seconds. Her whole body was shaking, but she finally began to calm down. Aimee hated having to explain about her past. It was hard for her to admit that the guy that was supposed to look after her after her mother died, was raping and beating her at every available opportunity. "I know it's hard to tell your story Aimee, but we need to know what's going on in your head before we can help you" Aimee nodded "I understand. It's just hard to talk about it that's all." The psych stood up "I think we should wrap it up for the day" Aimee nodded "Yeah, maybe" The psych picked up her notes and walked out. Aimee moved over to the bed and lay down; she was still taking deep breaths. She could see the face of her stepfather. She hated him, so much. Why did her mother ever have to marry him, or even bring him into the family? She closed her eyes tightly, seeing the multitude of colours explode behind her eyelids. Then... black4

Aimee knew she was dreaming, but couldn't wake herself up. She never could, these dreams petrified her, even though she knew they weren’t real. She could feel her stepfather's weight upon her; she could smell him, sweat and tobacco. She felt nauseated. Her whole body tensed up, she couldn't breathe. She felt him kissing her, ripping off her clothes, forcing himself into her. "NO, no, no, no, get the fuck off me!" she screamed flinging herself out of bed. The nurse rushed in to the room to see Aimee trying to rip her IV lead out. She was screaming hysterically and shaking uncontrollably. The nurse grabbed hold of her arms. "Aimee honey, you're ok. Calm down, you're safe here" The nurses were slowly getting used to Aimee's night terrors, but they still shocked people. The doctor came in with a tranquilizer shot. They injected her and lay her back down on her bed. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily. "Poor lass," said the nurse "She's been through so much" the doctor nodded in agreement as they walked away.
Aimee turned over and looked at the clock. 3.23am. She grunted and stared at the ceiling. She still felt drowsy from the shot. She wondered why she had been shot at all. She inhaled deeply. "I guess it was another dream" she mumbled to herself. She heard a cart being pushed along the corridor, the wheels squeaking annoyingly. Aimee got up, pushing her IV walker along with her. She wandered down the corridor and opened the door to the bathroom. She went in and used the toilet. She washed her hands and looked in the mirror. "My god, I look like shit!" she exclaimed. She opened the door and wandered out of it. "What are you doing out of bed sweetheart?" a voice called from behind her. She turned around and her face fell. It was him. "Oh my god, Not you!" she shrieked. The porter stood there shocked. A nurse rocketed down the corridor towards her, and Aimee threw herself into her arms. "I think now would be a good time for you to get back to work" the nurse commented. The porter walked off up the corridor. The nurse hugged Aimee to her. Aimee was sobbing uncontrollably and hugging the nurse as tight as she could. ‘He looked like my stepfather, I thought he’d come for me and was gonna do bad things again’ she sobbed.
After about an hour, Aimee had calmed down enough to sleep. She was breathing heavily and snoring slightly. The nurse checked in her every so often, making sure she was ok.
Aimee woke up at a little after 9am, she had another appointment with her psychiatrist at 10, and she had to be up and ready for it. She felt sick this morning and had to grab a bedpan. It wasn't the first time; she had a habit of throwing up in the mornings. She had an idea of what was wrong with her, but wanted to talk to the shrink first. The doctor knocked on Aimee's door and walked in 'Hey Aimee, how are you doing this morning? ‘He asked, with obvious concern in his voice. 'I think we should take your IV out this morning, you tried to pull it out again last night' he continued. Aimee looked ashamed 'Did I? I'm sorry I don't remember' the doctor removed Aimee's IV; she stretched her arm, out, enjoying the freedom. 'Thanks' she said, smiling at the doctor. He smiled and left. Aimee looked at the clock, it said 9.35 'Shit' she exclaimed. She rushed around trying to find some clothes, she settled on a long sleeved green t-shirt and jeans, with her trademark odd socks. She looked out of the window to see her psych just getting out of her car. Aimee grabbed a bottle of water and a slice of toast from the food trolley; she wasn't taking any chances today. She saw the psych talking to the nurse, and Aimee knew that she would be told about last night's escapades. Aimee was making her bed as the psych came in. 'Hey Aimee, how you feeling today?' she asked. 'Well I had another nightmare last night, so the doc says' Aimee replied as she sat down. 'Yeah, I heard about that from the nurse' the psych commented 'but other than that how are you feeling?' 'Well,' said Aimee taking a deep breath, followed by a swig of water 'there is something I wanted to talk to you about. I think I'm pregnant, but it's my stepfather's baby!'5

Chapter Two
The psych was just taking a mouthful of coffee when Aimee dropped the bombshell. She had to concentrate on not spitting it out. 'Are you sure?' Aimee explained her symptoms and the psych agreed, it did sound like she was pregnant. 'I'll get a nurse and we can do a test to find out.' The psychiatrist left the room hurriedly, and came back with a nurse and a glass test tube. 'We need you to urinate in this test tube for us' Aimee took the test tube and walked to the toilet. She did the deed and walked back to her room. Aimee handed the specimen to the nurse. 'We'll get the result soon.'
Aimee sat back down and breathed a heavy sigh. 'Well at least I'll know now' she commented, not to anyone in particular. 'Is this why you took the pills, Aimee? To kill the baby?' the psych asked. Aimee began to retreat into herself; she began to pick at the cuff of her shirt. 'Might be' she did not want to answer questions regarding a baby she didn't know if she was carrying. 'I'd like to end here, if that's ok? I don't want to do this anymore. I don't really feel up to it' the psych agreed and left. Aimee lay down on the bed and curled up into a ball, and that was how the nurse found her an hour later.
The nurse shook Aimee awake, and she jumped up with a start. 'It's ok sweetie' the nurse reassured her. 'I just wanted to let you know that we've got your test results back, and you are pregnant.' Aimee stared out of the window as the nurse continued. 'We've booked you in for an ultrasound scan. I'm to take you down there now if you're ready?' Aimee nodded and stood up. She followed the nurse into the lift and down into the maternity unit. The nurse spoke to the ultrasound technician, and she ushered Aimee into a side room. 'I have to go back upstairs, can you make your own way back?' Aimee nodded and lay down on the bed. The technician lifted Aimee's shirt and spread gel onto her stomach. 'So when did you last have a period?' Aimee shrugged, 'I'm not sure, maybe four months ago, I don't really remember.' Aimee looked at the screen. She could see a blob, but couldn't really make much more out. 'Here's the head, there's an arm and look there are two legs' Tears welled up in Aimee's eyes, but she angrily blinked them away. 'You look to be around four and a half months pregnant. I take it you are keeping the baby?' Aimee nodded. The technician handed her a scan picture and wiped the gel off her stomach. Aimee smiled at the nurse and thanked her. Aimee opened the door and walked out. Aimee walked the long way back to the mental health unit, and it took her past the hospital entrance. She walked past, and stopped. She stared at the doors, watching people walk in and out. With the picture clasped in her hands, Aimee walked towards the door. She got outside, took a deep breath and turned and walked back into the hospital.
Aimee wandered back to the mental health unit, with the picture still in her hand. She smiled and waved at the nurse to let her know she was back. The nurse gestured to Aimee's room 'You have a visitor' Aimee looked towards her room and began to walk down there. The nurse followed her with her eyes, wondering who the man in Jess’s room was. Aimee hadn't had a visitor since she was admitted, and this man claimed just to be a friend.
Aimee entered the room and stood stock still, of all the people Aimee had been expecting to see, this wasn't the person she'd envisaged. Her stepfather stood in her room, and Aimee was not happy about it at all. She shoved the picture into her pocket. She didn't want him knowing about the baby, not yet anyway. 'How you doing sweetheart?' her father asked kindly. Aimee knew this was just a farce because of where they were, this was normal behaviour in public. 'I'm doing fine, as you can see. So go away and leave me alone' what neither Aimee nor her stepfather knew, was that the nurse was stood outside with a tape recorder. She knew that something was not right, and she was not going to see one of her patients get hurt.
'So you ready to come home and look after your father now?' he asked with malice in his voice. Aimee just laughed. 'I know what you mean by taking care of you, and I think not. Why do you think I'm in here? Do you think I just decided that I'd take the pills just for fun?' Her stepfather's eyes glinted menacingly, and he moved towards her. Aimee moved nearer to the door as she knew when he got riled he's try to take it out on her, so she wanted to be near to the only escape route.
He scared her, and she knew how quickly his manner could change, so she was not going to bring up the subject of her pregnancy. 'I hear you were down in the maternity unit, has daddy not been careful enough?' he asked with a laugh. 'It was a false alarm, everything is fine. They just wanted to check me over, because I commented that I'd not had any periods for a while' Aimee tried to lie her way through it, she was not admitting to him that she was pregnant, he'd make her get rid of the baby, however he could, and Aimee was not doing that. Her stepfather was approaching menacingly and Aimee was waiting for the first of many blows to be rained upon her. Her stepfather walked straight past her and opened the door. The nurse outside had enough of a chance to scuttle away before she was spotted. 'Well I hope you come home soon baby, daddy misses you' He leered at her and turned and walked away. Aimee sank down by the door frame hugging herself and sobbing uncontrollably. The nurse walked down to the room and saw Aimee. 'What can I do to make it better sweetie?' the nurse asked. Aimee was raking at her wrists with her nails and trying to break the skin. 'I need to cut' she cried. The nurse lent down and pressed something into Aimee's hand. She looked at the nurse and smiled through her tears. 'It's more than my job's worth if you tell anyone' Aimee shook her head, after all in her hand Aimee held the only thing that could make her feel better, a shiny new razorblade.
Aimee later sat on her bed looking at the fresh cuts on her arms. Finally her head was clear. She walked over to her bag, and pulled out some sweatbands. She placed them on her wrists so that her cuts were not visible. She did not want anybody to know that she was a cutter. It wasn't so bad in private when nobody knew. Aimee went to find the nurse; she wanted to talk to her about being discharged. Now her stepfather knew where she was, she did not want to stay any longer than she had to. The nurse was sat at the reception, and grinned when she saw Aimee. 'How you feeling sweetie? You need me to patch things up?' Aimee smiled and held up her wrist. 'No thanks, I'm sorted' the nurse shuffled over so that Aimee could sit on the sofa with her. 'I want out' Aimee stated matter of factly. The nurse nodded 'I'll call your psych, see if we can get something sorted out. I take it you don't want to go back home?' Aimee looked horrified. 'I can't go back there, not with the baby' The nurse nodded, ‘we’ll sort you out sweetie, I promise’ the nurse called up the psychiatric nurse and spoke to her. She gave Aimee a number that she’d have to call, and explain everything. Aimee did, and they were out to see her that same day.

Chapter Three6

Two months later, Aimee was sat in flat she called her own. Her psych had been nice enough to sort out a housing scheme for her and they offered her a house almost straight away. She loved this flat, and she’d decorated it herself. It even had a nursery for the baby. She was scared about the baby, questions were buzzing round her head. What if she couldn’t love the baby? What if it was like her stepfather? So many what ifs that Aimee couldn’t answer. Her bump had really started to show in the past two weeks and she had not cut since that day in the hospital. Life seemed to be going great for her. She was sat on her sofa holding her bump, she'd not felt so happy in a long time. She'd also met a guy. Aimee really liked him, and he treated her like a princess. He was coming over to stay tonight and Aimee was starting to get nervous. This was the first guy Aimee had ever stayed with, and she was excited as well. Her phone rang, and she grabbed and answered it in seconds. 'Hey gorgeous,' the sound of James's husky voice filled Aimee with butterflies. 'I'm outside darling, you gonna let me in?' Aimee smiled 'Course I will sweetie' Aimee leapt up and opened he door, and there he was. He smiled and opened his arms to her. She jumped into them and they stood hugging on the doorstep. He kissed Aimee on the cheek and then walked into the flat. Aimee closed the door and followed James into the living room. James handed her a small bag. She smiled and peered into it. She pulled out a little baby grow with 'I love my mummy' written on it. 'Oh honey, it's beautiful' Aimee leant over to kiss him, but suddenly someone was raining blows on the door. 'Open the door bitch, before I shoot the fucking thing down' her stepfather yelled, the fury in his voice obvious. Aimee began to shake. There was a panic button in her bedroom, the question was could she get to it in time?7


Aimee made a mad dash for her bedroom, and pushed the panic button. As she pushed it a gunshot rang out. She knew that when her stepfather laid eyes on James, that they were both dead. She ran back to the living room ' I pushed the panic button, it should be ok.' James looked bewildered. 'Aimee, what's going on? Who is this guy?' 'He's my stepfather and if the police don't get here soon, then we're both dead' Just then, Aimee’s front door swung open and a shot was fired. The bullet embedded itself in the wall, a couple of feet away from Aimee and James; 'Right bitch, where are you?' Aimee's stepfather was screaming. 'Why the fuck did you lie to me?' Aimee closed her eyes, she hadn't explained the circumstances of her pregnancy to James, but it seemed like he was about to find out. 'It's my child Aimee, and you're not giving birth to it!' James looked at Aimee and she could see the hurt in his eyes. 'I'm sorry' she mouthed to him. He held his hand out to her and she grasped it in relief. Her stepfather stormed into the living room and began to fire off shots. Aimee felt a sharp pain just above her stomach, she put her hand to it and blood poured over her fingers. She turned to James, just in time to see him fall; he had a bullet wound to the chest. Aimee fell to her knees feeling drowsy. She saw four swat officers restraining her stepfather and she heard them radio for an ambulance. After that, she heard nothing. 8

Chapter Four
This was strange; it was like Aimee was moving through time, Aimee felt as though she was traveling backwards and forwards. She was remembering things that she had blocked out years before. She saw herself looking for her father's stuff after her parents got a divorce and he moved out. She remembered her stepfather moving in and them getting married. She was seeing things she did not want to remember.
In Aimee's hospital room, her pulse rate began to quicken and the bedside monitor began to beep, alerting the on duty nurse that something was wrong; she rushed to Aimee's bedside to see the girls monitor flat line. 'Not on my watch young lady' she stated. 'I need a crash trolley now!' The trolley was wheeled in by the doctor.
Aimee could see her mother, clothed in white, waiting for her. She was shrouded by light. Aimee wasn't ready to see her mother so she turned away from the light, and it disappeared.
'We have a pulse!' cried the nurse. The doctor stood with her. 'How's the baby's pulse?' he asked 'The baby's pulse is stable' the nurse replied pointing at a fetal monitor that they had set up.9

James was laid in his hospital bed hurt and confused. Why hadn’t Aimee told him that her stepfather was the father of her baby? She’d told him that it was just a one night stand, a mistake that she could not bring herself to terminate. He wanted to make everything better for her; he wanted her to feel special. He couldn’t believe that she’d been through all that, just to be stuck in another hospital bed. He eased himself out of bed, and began walking towards Aimee’s intensive care unit. He needed to see her, when he wasn’t with her, he missed her unrelentlessly. As he got near to Aimee’s room, he began to think awful thoughts; maybe she’d died when he wasn’t there to be with her. He walked into her room and breathed a sigh of relief. She was sleeping. The nurse walked up behind James and explained about her flat line. ‘We nearly lost her you know.’ James was horrified. He now knew that he loved this girl, and he was going to be with her forever, he was not going to lose her now. Not for anything Aimee and the baby were all that mattered to him, he was never going to be with anyone else. He never wanted to be.10


Chapter Five
James was resting his eyes, while sat on the chair next to Aimee’s bed. He was holding her hand in his, when he felt his hand being squeezed. He opened his eyes and sat up, staring straight into Aimee’s green eyes. ‘Hey beautiful, how are you feeling?’ he asked with an ounce of concern in his voice. ‘Not bad, how’s the baby?’ Aimee asked trying to sit up. James pulled her pillows up to make Aimee more comfortable. ‘The baby is fine sweetie, I asked the nurse earlier’ Aimee smiled and put her hand on her bump. As she did so the baby kicked ‘Oh my god!’ she grabbed hold of James’s hand and placed it on her stomach, ‘Feel!’ James felt it too and he smiled. ‘Our little family is coming together’ James stood up, ‘I’ll be back in about half an hour, there’s something I’ve got to do’ As he walked away from the bed he saw the doctor on his rounds, ‘Aimee has woken up’ James said with a grin. ‘I’ll go and see her in a minute, didn’t think you’d leave yet’ James smiled once again, ‘There’s something I’ve got to do, and I’ve got to get something to go with it.’ He walked away and out of the hospital. He knew a great jeweler down the road that did amazing engagement rings. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Aimee, and he thought he might as well ask her now. Meanwhile Aimee was crying. She thought that James had gone, and he wasn’t coming back. Now he knew that her stepfather was the baby’s father, he wouldn’t want to stay around. It was screwed up.
Aimee had only been conscious for about an hour, but already the police were here to take a statement. ‘We would like to know your side of the story about what happened. Why did Frankie shoot you?’ Aimee explained that the baby she was carrying was Frankie’s, and that he had raped and brutalized her for years. ‘Did your mother not do you anything about this?’ Aimee’s eyes welled with tears, as she shook her head. She choked on a sob as she uttered ‘Nothing, she did fuck all’ Aimee hated to admit that her mother knew about the abuse, and done nothing. ‘Aimee, are you ok?’ Aimee nodded as she came out of her dream world. ‘We need you to sign this statement for us, and then we’ll leave you in peace.’ Aimee signed the piece of paper and handed it back to the officer. ‘Thanks, we’ll be in touch’ Aimee watched them leave, and let out a shaky sigh.
Aimee had to have another ultrasound scan, to check on the baby’s progress. ‘Do you want to know the sex of the baby?’ the nurse asked smiling. ‘Is it ok? I’d rather know that first, but yeah I would like to know the sex’ Aimee was looking worried, but the nurse put her at ease. ‘The baby is fine, and it’s a little girl. How pregnant are you?’ Aimee smiled ‘Six and a half months I was told. Why, is it wrong?’ she asked with concern in her voice, ‘Yes, it is wrong, by the look of the baby, you’re about 8 months pregnant, and the baby is starting to drop’ Aimee was shocked, this meant she was going to give birth in less than a month. How was she going to cope? James wouldn’t want anything to do with the baby now, now he knew who’s baby it was. Why would anybody want to know her or the baby? She had decided on a name for her baby and was not prepared to speak it out loud before the baby was born. By the sound of it, it wasn’t going to be long.
James was walking back to the hospital, thinking of Aimee. He was remembering the day they met. It was at the hospital. Aimee was in for a psych checkup, and they had been in the lift together. James could not help but talk to her, and they’d been almost inseparable ever since. He had bought the ring, and he was going to ask her to marry him. He was shaking by the time he got to the hospital, what would he do if she said no? He’d never get over it. But there was only one way to find out he thought as he entered her room. ‘Hey, did you get whatever you needed?’ James nodded and placed the box on her stomach. ‘Marry me?’ Aimee looked at him in shock. ‘Are you serious?’ she asked opening the box. James nodded ‘Oh baby, it’s beautiful. Of course I’ll marry you!’ Aimee smiled and kissed James. ‘Oh by the way, I have something to show you.’ She handed him the scan picture. ‘I’m due in just under a month’ James stood there looking shocked ‘A month?’ Aimee nodded. ‘Indeed, a month’ Aimee laughed at James’ facial expression. James lent over and kissed Aimee full on the mouth. Aimee returned the kiss only to be interrupted by the nurse ‘Not on my ward thanks!’ she laughed. Aimee and James smiled at her. ‘So when do you want to get married then?’ Aimee asked him quizzically. ‘As soon as possible! I want to spend my life with you, the sooner we can do that the better if you ask me’ Aimee wanted to have the baby before she got married; she didn’t want to look huge in her wedding dress.11


Chapter Six
So much was going on in Aimee’s life; she hardly had time to breathe. There were wedding preparations and baby preparations, as well as resting and healing ready for the baby’s imminent birth. James was working almost 24 hours a day, to raise funds, while Aimee was sat in a hospital bed, bored out of her skull. She’d read all the books and magazines in her room, and she wanted to go home. It was hard work doing all the preparations from a hospital bed, and she was getting more and more stressed by it. Not seeing James was making it worse. She hadn’t seen him in a couple of days, and she was pining for him. He’d call her, but she wanted to see him. She was worried that he’d go and not come back, or that her stepfather would get to him. That was Aimee’s worst fear, that somehow her stepfather would get to them and harm them. She dreamed about it, woke up crying – great wracking sobs that shook her whole body. The baby inside her didn’t like these dreams and would kick out until Aimee calmed down. James joked that the baby was going to be like Aimee, but Aimee was just hoping and praying she didn’t end up like Frankie. She wasn’t sure she could cope, looking into her daughters eyes and seeing him. Although; Aimee wasn’t ready to give up on her unborn daughter just yet. They’d both gone through too much just to give up now.
Aimee was staring out of the window when the nurse came in. ‘Aimee the police are here to see you’ Aimee nodded and the nurse ushered them in. ‘Hi Aimee,’ the female officer spoke first, trying to put Aimee at ease. ‘We have a court date for your stepfather’s trial. Its two weeks away. Monday 21st’ she continued. Aimee looked blankly at her. She’d not expected things to happen this quickly. She was petrified of appearing in court, she was scared of seeing Frankie again. Especially if she’d had the baby by then. What if she had to give him access to her little girl? Watch her daughter being taken away by a rapist? Thoughts were buzzing through Aimee’s mind so fast that she didn’t notice the police officer had started talking again. ‘… In court, probably on the second day of the trial. Ok?’ Aimee nodded dumbly, she didn’t want the officers to know that she’d not been listening. ‘We’ll sort out a lawyer for you; he’ll come and see you probably in the next couple of days and go over your statement. We’ll also need to talk to your boyfriend; can you tell us where to find him?’ Aimee nodded and gave them James’ work address. They wandered out of the room and Aimee yawned. She’d discovered it was hard work sleeping in the 9th month of pregnancy, and she was always tired. Aimee had been suffering backache for the past couple of days as well, so the maternity nurses were keeping an eye on her. Suddenly she had a sharp pain in her stomach, which made her double over in agony. She yelled and a nurse came running. Aimee felt wetness between her legs and then water gushed onto the bed. The nurse pulled down the covers. ‘Sweetie, I think your waters have just broken. You’re in labour!’
Two hours later, Aimee was in full labour and she was calling out for James. ‘We’ve called him sweetie, he’s on his way. You’ve just got to be patient.’ Aimee was gritting her teeth and trying to concentrate on her breathing. The pain was excruciating, getting shot was easy compared to this. ‘Will Frankie have to find out?’ she asked, not really wanting the response. ‘Not if you don’t want him to sweetie,’ the nurse responded. Just then the door opened and James rushed in. He ran straight to Aimee and hugged her to him. ‘Hey baby, sorry you had to start without me!’ Aimee laughed ‘It wasn’t planned I can assure you!’ She panted through another contraction. The doctor walked in, he’d been involved in Aimee’s care since she was shot, and he wanted to be the one to help deliver Aimee’s baby. He gave her a quick examination. ‘Well you’re 10 centimetres dilated. I think it’s about time to push’ Suddenly Aimee couldn’t breathe. She knew that this was what she had been dreading and she wasn’t ready. The nurse passed her some gas and air, ‘Breathe some of this; it’ll help with the pain.’ Aimee took a few deep breaths of the stuff. It made her feel light-headed. ‘Right, at your next contraction I want you to push’ Aimee nodded. Seconds later she was gritting her teeth and pushing through her contraction. ‘Come on sweetie, you can do this’ James was offering words of support, and Aimee was grateful for it. ‘I can see the head!’ the doctor announced. ‘Just a couple more pushes, Aimee and it’ll all be over.’ Aimee began to push through another contraction. ‘The head is out. Baby’ll be here before you know it.’
Another contraction was upon her, it hardly gave her time to breathe. She began to push and started to scream out in pain. The doctor told her, just one more push and it was over. She took a deep breath and then pushed with every ounce of strength she had left. Suddenly there was a rush, and things seemed to slow down. A piercing cry sounded out and Aimee smiled. The nurse walked over with Aimee’s daughter in a blanket. She placed the bundle in Aimee’s arms. James let out a cry. ‘Honey, she’s beautiful, just like her mother’ Aimee smiled wearily. She took the first look at her newborn daughter, and was overwhelmed with love for her. ‘Hello Phoenix, I’m your mummy.’ James looked at her. ‘Phoenix?’ he asked. ‘Yeah, you don’t mind do you?’ James shook his head. He kissed her on the nose. ‘I love you. Both of you, to the ends of the earth’ Aimee smiled ‘I love you too, more than you’ll ever know.’12