Kayleigh awoke at two o’clock in the morning to a sharp pain tearing through her abdomen. Her eyes flew open in realization of what was happening. She tried to get out of bed but the pain was almost incapacitating.
“Nicole!” she cried, tears welling up in her eyes. “Nicole!!” A minute later, both Nicole and James burst into the room.
“What’s wrong?” Nicole asked, rushing to Kayleigh’s side.
“I think I’m going into labor,” Kayleigh answered through gritted teeth. No sooner had the words left her mouth when she felt her water break. “No. I know I’m going into labor. My water just broke.”
James eyes widened.“Oh my god. What do we do?”
“Taking me to the hospital might be a good idea,” Kayleigh retorted.
Twenty minutes later, the three arrived at the hospital and Kayleigh was immediately taken to Labor and Delivery. Nicole went with her while James went to call Nicole’s parents. Ever since they had met Kayleigh, they had treated her as one of their own and the birth of her baby was an occasion that they would want to be present for.
“Hi Kayleigh,” Dr. Sampson greeted with a smile as he walked in the room. Kayleigh forced a smile through her pain. “Well, it looks like we might be a while,” he pointed out. “This baby wants to come out but apparently it wants to take its time doing so.”
“How long?” Nicole asked, pulling Kayleigh’s long blond hair into a ponytail.
Dr. Sampson checked his chart. “I’d say a few hours at least.”
“Hours?” Kayleigh whsipered her eyes wide. “I can’t take this for a few hours more hours.”
“You’ll do fine, Kayleigh,” he laughed. “I’ll be back in a little while to check on you.” Kayleigh watched, helplessly, as he disappeared from the room.
“Kayleigh,” Nicole began. “Is there someone you want me to call? The baby’s father or your parents?”
Kayleigh squeezed her eyes shut, picturing Nick’s face smiling down at her the night their baby was conceived. “No,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
“Are you sure, Leigh?” Nicole questioned, carefully. “Don’t you think they deserve to know?”
Kayleigh shook her head. “No. They can’t know and they’re not going to.” Nicole glanced at her, carefully, wondering what the hell was going through her best friend’s head.
Four Hours Later:
“Any change?” Nicole asked James as he walked into the waiting room. James, Nicole, and Nicole’s parents were taking turns coaching Kayleigh. It was now six thirty in the morning on July 2, 2000 and the baby still hadn’t been delivered.
“Nope,” James answered, shaking his head.
“Poor girl,” Mrs. Sanders commented. “I’ve done this seven times and believe me, it’s no picnic.” She stood up and walked towards Kayleigh’s room. “I guess it’s my turn now.”
“I hope it comes soon,” James said, collapsing in the chair next to Nicole. “I don’t know how much more she can take.”
Six Hours Later:
“I can’t do this anymore,” Kayleigh cried, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I can’t.”
Nicole brushed Kayleigh’s hair off of her sweaty forehead. “Come on, Kayles. Just a few more pushes. You’re almost there.”
Kayleigh closed her eyes, wishing it was Nick’s voice comforting her. Telling her that it would be okay. That it was almost over. “I can’t do it,” she whispered. “Not anymore. I have no strength left.”
“Just two more big pushes, Kayleigh,” Dr. Sampson instructed. “And then it’ll be all over. I promise.”
“Come on, Kayles,” Nicole advised. “Two more. Okay?”
“Okay,” Kayleigh whimpered.
At 12:32 p.m. on Sunday, July 2, 2000, after over ten hours of labor, Elizabeth Nicole Carter was brought into the world, looking every bit like her father.
“She’s beautiful, Kay,” James commented as they all crowded around Kayleigh and the baby.
Kayleigh’s heart broke at how much her daughter looked like her father. “She is, isn’t she?”
“Why Carter?” Nicole asked, quietly.
Kayleigh decided there would be no harm and letting Elizabeth have Nick’s last name. How many Carters existed in this world? Too many to put two and two together. “Because she’ll never know her father,” she explained, tears welling up in her eyes. “She deserves to have some part of him.”