by Kat
Angela Tyler lumbered down the stairway slowly, stopping on the landing to look out at the wind and snow and ice. She sighed. Although she was pleased today’s shoot had been canceled and they did not have to go to the set, she felt restless and did not want to be stuck in the loft all day.
She went downstairs and sat slowly down on the black leather couch in the lounge. Her husband sat down beside her, handing her a glass of juice.
"Rollie, I want a cup of coffee. And I feel so fat."
"No coffee for you for a couple more weeks and you're not fat."
"Yeah, well I feel like I am," she said, drinking the juice. "I don't know how much more of this I can take. I'm so restless but it's so hard to move around. And your child is restless, too—ow!" He placed a hand on her distended stomach. She took it in hers and moved it to the other side of her belly. His eyes lit up as he felt the baby move inside her.
"This is the most incredible thing I have ever experienced, sweetie." Angie smiled. "Me, too."
"What are we going to do all day today?"
"I don't know. I'm in that nesting mode again. I want to clean the loft."
"You've been cleaning the loft for three days, honey. It's spotless."
"I know...I just can't help it."
"I would take you out, but the weather..."
"Yeah, I know."
The morning passed slowly for the young couple. Angie made muesli for breakfast, then began cleaning out the freezer. Rollie looked at her, her head inside the small icebox and sighed. He wished he could make her sit still but she was so restless lately. The pregnancy had taken a real toll on her active lifestyle and it was driving her crazy. Over the course of the last eight and a half months she had given up almost everything she loved to do, mountain climbing, rollerblading, biking. Lately all she could handle was the occasional walk around the block.
He sat down at his workstation and began to work on sketches for a fight scene that would take place the following week.
Angie walked quietly past the man working intently at his desk. She walked down the four steps leading to the big green front door of the warehouse and pulled it open. A gust of wind blew her hair back. She smiled and stuck her face out into the snow. The cold felt good. She was so hot today.
Rollie looked up when he felt the chill breeze. He put down what he was doing and walked over to her in the doorway. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, just really restless today. And I'm so hot."
He felt her forehead with the palm of his hand.
"You feel a bit warm. Do you feel okay?"
"Yeah, the snow is beautiful, isn't it?"
Rollie shrugged. He had never gotten used to winter in NY.
"The cold air feels good," Angie said.
"The cold air is making me shiver," he said moving back to his workstation.
Angie closed the door after a short time and walked to the couch. Rollie looked up and watched her lay down carefully on her side, a pillow between her legs. Her eyes were closed when he brought over a quilt. He laid it gently over her.
She opened her eyes and smiled. "Thank you, but I'm too hot." She kissed him on the cheek as she took it off.
Rollie was surprised when Angie slept through lunch. It was unlike her before getting pregnant, now it was unheard of. He made a sandwich and sat on the floor across from her watching her sleep. He thought he could watch her sleep forever. Even after everything she had been through, she looked so innocent. He thought about the day they met. The little girl that glared at him, tossed her head and walked away without a word. Now they were married and having a baby. She was without a doubt the best thing that had ever happened to him.
He had been working for a few hours when she finally stirred. He was running out of work anyway, so he put his sketches away and went to her. He brushed the side of her face with this hand.
"Hungry?" Rollie asked.
"A little."
"What would you like? I'll make us dinner."
Angie was getting something to drink from the refrigerator when the first contraction hit. She dropped the container of juice as she grabbed her abdomen in pain. Rollie was by her side in a heartbeat. She looked up at him, her eyes wide.
"Contraction?"
"Yeah."
"False labor? You're not due for two weeks."
She nodded. "Must be."
He guided her to the couch. She was trying to get comfortable when another contraction hit.
"Angie?" he asked, fear in his eyes and voice.
"Rol..."
"Are we having a baby today?"
"I think so."
"We can't get to the hospital in this weather. Should I call for an ambulance?"
She nodded, grasping her stomach and gasping. He was rubbing her arm as he grabbed the phone.
"I don't believe this! I'm on hold!"
She grabbed his arm, her eyes starting to water. "Rol, it hurts," she whispered.
He dialed Midtown South. The phone rang numerous times. He was about to hang up when he heard a familiar voice.
"Captain. It's Rollie Tyler."
Angie grabbed his arm and screamed.
"Tyler?"
Rollie was beginning to panic. "Captain, my wife is in labor and we can't reach 911."
"All emergency services are swamped with the storm."
"I don’t know what to do Captain," Rollie said, the fear in his voice rising. "I've never done this before."
Rollie listened to the captain barking instructions to those around him. He could picture the captain in the precinct, controlled chaos all around him. "How far apart are the contractions?"
Rollie looked at his watch.
"Rollie, it hurts."
"I know, sweetie. You're going to be okay. Captain, they're about six minutes apart."
"Okay, I'll try to locate you an ambulance. But you may be on your own. I'll walk you through it."
Rollie groaned.
"You'll be fine, Tyler. I've done this before."
"Over the phone!?"
"Well, no. But we'll manage. We really don't have a choice. Angie will be in labor for a while most likely. Call me back when her contractions are two minutes apart. I'll be expecting your call."
They disconnected.
Rollie smiled at Angie. "It's going to be fine, sweetheart."
She nodded, sucking in her breath as she felt another contraction.
An hour later she gasped, her eyes wide. Her fingernails were digging into his arm.
"How far apart?" she croaked.
"Still four minutes. He told me to call back when they're two."
"Rollie, it really really hurts."
He wiped her brow with a towel. She was drenched in sweat already. He felt so helpless. There was nothing he could do to relieve the pain she was in. He kept listening for the sound of sirens. But there was nothing.
"Rollie, I want to get up."
"I don't know, Ange..."
"Please. I would feel better."
“Alright.” He helped her up and she began to walk around the loft slowly.
"Ange?"
"I feel better."
"Okay."
She paced around the loft for a well over an hour, only stopping when a contraction hit. She would stop, gasp, bend over holding her abdomen, then stand up and start walking again. Rollie watched nervously from the couch, one eye on the clock. Her contractions were getting closer together and he was trying very hard not to panic.
He finally got up, took her hand and began to walk with her. "Thank you," she said as she grasped his hand. They had been walking for almost an hour when she stopped suddenly.
"Angie?"
"My water just broke," she stated, grasping his arms and sinking to her knees.
"Come to the couch," he urged.
She shook her head and lay down. He brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Here?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Blue, speaker phone, Midtown South."
"Are you okay, Angel?"
Her answer was a slow moan.
"Midtown South. Detective Irvin speaking."
"Captain Vanduren, please. This is Rollie Tyler. He's expecting my call."
Rollie and Angie listened to the noise in the background of the precinct as the young detective called for the captain.
"Breathe, baby," he said, waiting for the captain.
"Vanduren here."
"Captain, it's Rollie. Her water broke."
"Angie, can you hear me? How are you doing?" the captain asked.
"I'm having a baby in the middle of the floor, how do you think I'm doing!?" she yelled.
"You're doing great, Angie. It won't be too much longer. Breathe. Remember what they taught you in class. Don't push. Breathe."
She screamed as she had another contraction.
"You're doing great. Rollie, when you see the baby's head tell her to push. Not until then, okay? I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere."
They listened to Vanduren dealing with the chaotic environment at the precinct.
After almost half an hour, Rollie could see the baby's head. "Captain, I see it's head. Are you ready, Ange? You need to push."
She was up on her elbows, sweat pouring down her face as she pushed with everything she had.
"Tyler, tell me when the head is totally out. When he says it is, Angie, you can relax."
Rollie ached for Angie. She should be in a hospital, not on the floor. She was in so much pain.
"Okay, Captain."
Angie took a deep breath.
"You did this to me." She glared at Rollie.
He peeked up from between her legs. "You helped."
The speaker phone crackled.
"Tyler, don't argue with a woman in labor."
"Yeah."
"Angie, we need to push again. As hard as you can. It's going to hurt even worse this time, but don't stop. Once the baby's shoulders come out, the worst is over."
She did as he said, the sweat and tears mixing on her cheek. Rollie was between her legs, the baby's head in his hands. "That's it love, keep pushing."
The baby slid into his arms.
Angie lay back gasping for air.
"That's it, Captain." A cheer erupted through the speaker phone. It seemed the entire precinct had been witness to the event. Rollie quickly wrapped the baby in warm towels, and cleared it's airways. Another cheer arose as the baby wailed for the first time.
He stood up unsteadily and looked at Angela, tears streaming down his face. "Our son," he whispered, placing the tiny bundle on her abdomen. She gazed at the baby, then looked up at him.
"He's beautiful, Rollie. He looks just like you." Rollie wrapped his arms around his wife and son, and kissed her. "You did it."
"We did it."
He smiled as he heard the captain clear his throat . Angie did not take her eyes off Rollie as she said, "Thank you, Captain."
Rollie turned as he heard the wail of sirens from down the block. "They're here, captain." The captain disconnected from the call, wishing the couple luck and congratulations. Mira and Frank were shouting in the background but in the commotion of the paramedics coming in, he did not understand them.
Angela was loaded onto a stretcher, along with the newborn. Rollie grabbed his coat, not taking his eyes off the woman.
"Lights, Blue," he said following them through the snow to the ambulance.
