Alexei, Her Russian Billionaire

That made Maya’s stomach tighten. Then the tightening got worse and pain shot through her body, spreading through her back. Maya felt something go between her legs and wetness soaked the cushion underneath her. She cried out and clutched at her stomach.

“Maya?” Jenny sat up. “What’s wrong?”

The tightening slowly faded, allowing Maya to catch her breath.

“I think my water just broke.” She reached down and placed a hand on the wet cushion. She went cold when she saw the blood on her fingers. “And I’m bleeding.”

That was not good at all.

*****

Maya cried out and clutched at her stomach again. It had been agony the whole way over. Rodrigo had driven as quickly and as smoothly as he could but it didn’t help. The contractions only got worse and Maya was struggling.

The tightening in her belly had got worse in the last fifteen minutes and were closer together. Now they felt like they constantly locked everything in Maya’s stomach, making it feel like she couldn’t breathe properly. But Maya was more concerned about the bleeding. She had learned from her OBGYN that if there was bleeding after twenty-eight weeks there could be a chance that something serious is wrong with the baby and she had to get to hospital as soon as possible.

She was thirty-five weeks. She wasn’t full-term for another two weeks. Would her baby be okay?

Rodrigo pulled up in the emergency bay, allowing Jenny and Maya to climb out. Jenny was virtually holding Maya up as they staggered into the emergency room door. Jenny sat Maya down in a chair and hurried to the desk.

“My friend’s in labor.” She panted to the nurse behind the desk. “She’s thirty-five weeks and she’s bleeding.”

The nurse didn’t stop to ask questions. She signaled for her colleague to fetch a wheelchair and hurried to Maya. Maya nearly toppled off the chair with the next contraction and the nurse caught her, easing her into the wheelchair.

“Come with me, love. We’ll sort you out.”

Maya had no idea where they were going; she was almost passed out with the pain. But soon they were in a room and a midwife was hurrying in.

“Easy there, honey. We’ll get you sorted.” She reached for a pair of gloves in the dispenser against the wall. “What’s your name?”

“Maya Featherstone.” Maya to say through gritted teeth. “This is my friend Jenny.”

She reached out for her friend. Jenny gripped her hand tightly. The midwife came back to the bed.

“Okay, Maya,” She said gently, “I know it’s painful right now but I need to check how dilated you are. You need to lie back and stay still if you can.”

“I’ll try.”

Maya leaned back and shut her eyes as another wave passed over her. She felt the midwife ease her legs open and her voice over the pain.

“Jenny, behind you there’s some gas and air with a mouthpiece. Give that to Maya. That should ease the pain a little.”

Maya felt something go into her mouth and Jenny’s hand moved hers to grip the mouthpiece. Maya had used gas and air before when she had broken her arm as a teenager. She breathed it in and out, keeping her eyes shut to stop the dizziness. The pain subsided a little. Not much but enough to be comfortable.