~ After Six Months~
Amelia got out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom. Her legs were shivering and her back was hurting like hell.
She needed to pee but it seemed like a big deal. She sat on the toilet and spread out her hands and held onto the wall that was on her two sides.
She shivered as the urine finally found its way out. She cleaned herself with the tissue and was about to stand up when she felt a sharp pain in her pelvis.
“Arghh!!!!” She cried out so loud, making James jump out of his sleep.
“Amelia!” He yelled and ran into the bathroom. He saw her struggling to stand up from the toilet.
He dashed to her and gave her his hand. “Are you okay?” He asked with great worry. He got so confused and didn’t know what to do next.
“I think. I think the. The babyy…” Amelia shuttered.
“That baby is coming?” He hurriedly pulled her hand and placed it round his neck. He held onto her waist and made her rest on his right side.
“I’ll help you walk. Can you walk?” He asked, and Amelia responded with deep breaths.
They began to head out of the bathroom, even though it was the slowest journey ever. James was very calm with her, making sure she could take every step.
They both began to sweat profusely. Amelia’s legs became weak as the weight of her upper body was becoming unbearable. She stopped walking and tried to adjust to the pain.
She stood upright and threw her head backwards when they got into the room.
“Grab the bag.” She mumbled, looking at the bag in front of the closet.
“Are you sure you can stand on your own?” He inquired.
“Yes, I can. Go ahead.” She responded weakly. James looked at her and reluctantly nodded. He let go of her and ran to where the bag was.
He picked it up and hung it on his shoulder. He hurried back to her and before he held her again, Amelia looked down and her eyes widened.
“The water! The water bag has broken!” She said to James in terror.
“That should happen, right?” James asked fearfully, his heart was beating very fast and his hands were shivering.
“Yes, it should. I just didn’t see it coming.”
“You didn’t see the labor coming? Let’s just go, okay? Hold onto my neck.” He said and she did exactly that.
She happened to have gained more stamina when she waited for a few minutes, so she could walk faster than she did initially.
Getting to the living room, they heard the doorbell ringing. “Who the hell is it now?” James asked out of frustration.
“Are you going to get it?”
“Get it? Am I insane? I am not letting go of you again. Whosoever it is should come back later.”
They ignored the ringing doorbell and kept approaching the door. Getting to the door, James withdrew his hand from Amelia’s waist and turned the door knob.
He opened the door and they both saw Penelope standing in front of the door.
***
Penelope drove into James’ mansion with Elena sitting next to her. She had an angry face on, but Penelope didn’t care.
“You would have to brighten up at the end of the day.” Penelope said.
“Why?? I told you I don’t want to come here with you. If you have issues with them, it’s not my business.”
“This is about your father!! If we don’t talk to Amelia and ask for her forgiveness, your father will go to jail.”
“I know! And I still don’t care. Didn’t he kill her parents? If he didn’t kill them and you two do according to the contract, there would be no need for all these. I wouldn’t have to accept her like my sister.” Elena responded.
Penelope narrowed her gaze and looked at Elena unbelievably. “Really? We are talking about your father! Not anyone else! Can’t you at least pretend that you care?”
“I don’t want to pretend. Bringing me here would give Amelia more reasons to throw father in jail, okay?”
“Enough!! Stay in the car till I get back. I shouldn’t have asked you to come.”
Elena rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone. “You forced me.” She mumbled, burying her head in her phone.
Penelope shook her head in disappointment and headed out of the car. She hurried to the door and pressed on the doorbell.
She pressed it the first time and got no response. She pressed on it the second time, this time longer than she did previously.
The door finally opened and she was shocked to see the state they both were in.
“Oh My… She is going to have the baby now?!” She screamed in both excitement and fear.
“Why are you here?” James asked, trying to help Amelia down the door.
“That can wait. We need to get her to the hospital.”
Amelia kept panting and raised her head to look at Penelope with her weary eyes.
“There’s no we. Go. Away.” She tried to catch her breath as she spoke.
“Stop being stubborn! This isn’t the right time, okay?” Penelope insisted and moved to Amelia’s right side to assist her from there too.
As soon as she lifted her hand from the other side, Amelia felt a slight relief, and she let out a sigh.
“This doesn’t change anything between us.” Amelia mumbled, and Penelope sighed and looked at James.
“I think I should let Hopper know his daughter is in the delivery room.” Penelope pulled out her phone, but James stopped her.
“No, I don’t think that is a good idea. Amelia wouldn’t want to see him now. He can always know later.” James stated.
Penelope gulped and bobbed. “That’s true. Thank you.” She responded and kept her phone in her bag.
James looked to the side and saw Elena sitting on the bench, silently. She looked like she had a lot of things in her mind.
He wanted to ask her what she was thinking, but then he remembered that it was Elena, and not any other person. He ignored her and continued walking.
~ After five hours~
James was still pacing, Penelope’s head was lowered in worry, and Elena’s head rested on the wall with her eyes closed.
All of a sudden, the door to the delivery ward opened. James ran to the door, Penelope and Elena sprang to their feets. Penelope approached the door, but Elena kept her distance.
“How is she, doctor?” James asked anxiously.
The doctor smiled and pulled his gloves off his hands. “Congratulations, Mr. Parker. Your wife gave birth to a bouncing baby girl.”
“Yes!!” James yelled and jumped in excitement.
“Thank you God.” Penelope whispered, raising her head and looking up to the hospital roof. Elena let out a sigh of relief and a faint smile crossed her lips.
“Can I go in to see her?”
“Yes. Of course, you can. You have to put on an isolation gown.”
“Sure. I can do that. Thank you so much, Doctor.” James uttered, shaking his hand before proceeding into the ward. The nurses clothed him with the gown at the door.
“Amelia.” He called softly as he approached her bed. She opened her eyes and when she saw him, she smiled.
“Babe.” She called in almost a whisper.
“Congratulations to us.” He uttered and they both smiled.
“She is so beautiful.” Amelia added, turning her head to look at the cradle where their baby laid.
James hurried to where the cradle was and immediately he saw his beautiful baby’s face, he chuckled happily.
Amelia looked away and her eyes fell on Penelope who stood at the door, getting clothed with the gown too. She looked past her and saw Elena staring at her through the transparent glass on the door.
Their eyes locked and they kept staring for minutes, like they were saying something to each other.
“Come in.” Amelia said to Elena’s uttermost surprise.
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