Queen For A Day

“Vic we need to leave now!” I yelled into the house, pulling on a pair of Vans.
“I’m coming, hang on!” his voice rung out from the bathroom. Ugh, this is what we get for trying to squeeze too much shit into one day. We’d been back for four days now, and were about to head out to Vic’s parents for lunch since we hadn’t yet seen them since we’d been back and Vivian had been very keen to catch up, plus it was the 4th of July. Vic had gone out earlier this morning, talking to Fearless Records and the band manager, trying to get their contract back. He was kinda successful, they didn’t completely decline his attempts, but he still didn’t have a straight answer.
“Ok let’s go,” Vic came to the front door, shoving a Snapback onto his head. We got into the car and pulled out of the driveway, turning left down the road to head to his parents’ house.
“My Mum will be excited to see how pregnant you are.” Vic smiled, glancing down at my stomach.
“Yeah the baby’s done a lot of growing since we saw her.” I rubbed my belly gently. I still couldn’t wait until I could actually hold the baby.
We pulled up at a red light and my phone vibrated in my pocket. “That’s probably your Mum.”
I was right. “She wants to know when we’ll get there.”
“Fifteen minutes,”
The light went green and Vic drove forwards. I wrote the brief text and was about to press send when a huge shock burst through the car, and a deafening crash sounded. I didn’t even have time to scream as the car was pushed sideways, the side of my head hitting the glass window hard. A few long seconds later we came to a complete halt. I felt dizzy and my head was killing me. I felt something wet trickling down my cheek and reached up, feeling a sticky liquid. I brought my hand down and saw it was covered in dark red blood. I turned too looked at Vic, sending shooting pains through my neck, only to see him slumped against the back of his seat and the window, blood starting to come out of a cut on his left cheek. Fuck.
“Vic?!” I screamed reaching my arm out to shake him. He didn’t move. A horrible pain shot through my hips and lower back and I cried out, whether from agony, shock or fear I didn’t know.
Someone appeared at my passenger side door and opened it carefully, making sure not to shatter the cracked window.
“Are you ok!?” the man who opened the door asked frantically. “Oh fuck you’re pregnant. Don’t worry, someone’s calling 911.”
I could barely think straight. Someone hit our car. Vic was unconscious. I was in horrible pain. What the fuck is going on. I started to cry, unsure of what was actually going on.
“Is he ok?” the man crouched down beside me and looked at Vic.
“I-I don’t know!” I choked out, trying not to look at Vic. He couldn’t be dead. There was no way. Another shooting pain came from my hips and I cried out, gripping my stomach.
“An ambulance is on its way, I think I can hear the sirens. It won’t be long now.” He was trying to soothe me but it wasn’t working. How could any of this have happened?
Sure enough an ambulance screeched to a halt near my door and two paramedics jumped out, coming straight to me.
“Hello Love, try not to panic ok?” a young woman stepped in where the man had been.
I nodded through my tears.
“Where are you hurting?” she had been working as she asked, and I noticed my seatbelt was now detached.
“My hips and my head.” I closed my eyes as another pain came.
“Ok, do you think you’re having contractions? How many months pregnant are you?”
No. No, it couldn’t be. I still had a month to go. I couldn’t be going into labour.
“8 months,” I started crying even more, a mixture of blood and tears running down my cheeks.
“Ok Love, I’m going to put this neck brace on you and we’ll get you onto the stretcher, everything will be ok.”
And that’s when it happened. My water broke. I widened my eyes in fear and the paramedic frowned, “We need to get you to the hospital as soon as possible.”
She and another paramedic worked quickly, putting a brace around my neck and helping me onto a stretcher. I could see people working with Vic out of the corner of my eye, they were struggling to get him out of the car. The car that had hit us had hit right behind his seat, crumpling that whole side of the car. I was wheeled into the ambulance and they slammed the doors behind us, turning the sirens on and taking off straight away.
“What about Vic!?” I cried out. We couldn’t leave him behind! I couldn’t do this without him.
“The other ambulance will look after him Love. Can you tell me what your name is?” the same paramedic was fussing around with me, but I didn’t know what she was doing. I couldn’t think straight.
“Cali Hill.” At least I got my name right. I felt another pain and squeezed my eyes shut.
We got to the hospital quickly and I was wheeled straight into emergency, and was greeted by a whole heap of medical staff. There must be something seriously wrong with me if they need this many people. They obviously weren’t telling me something. The doctors and nurses were all speaking to each other in urgent tones, their voices all merging into a big sound to my ears. I was taken into a secluded room where someone started to patch up the wound on my head.
“This will need stitches later.” I made out the nurses voice.
“She’s got another cut here as well,” someone else said.
I felt another contraction and winced, letting out a sob.
“You’ll be fine Cali, you’ve gone into labour very quickly though, and the baby will come soon.” A person explained.
I didn’t want to have the baby without Vic here though. I couldn’t do it without him.
“Where’s Vic?” I sobbed, trying to focus on someone. “My boyfriend needs to be here,”
“He was just brought in,” one of the staff had just come in the door, “He was unconscious but he’s woken now.”
“I need him here.”
“I’m sorry Cali, that baby is coming very soon I think you’re going to have to do this without him here.”
“No,” I started crying harder. I need my Vic.
“I need to check how your labour is going Cali,” a woman doctor came in. I recognised her as the midwife I’d been communicating with the last few months.
She shifted my legs and checked me out. I didn’t even have the thoughts to feel uncomfortable about the invasion of privacy. All I could think about was Vic.
“Cali you’re almost ready to go now, do you want to take an epidural?” my midwife asked gently.
I nodded. The pain was already bad.
Three minutes later I was feeling a little better, Vivian had just shown up and the pain had finally subsided. But I still didn’t have any real news on Vic.
“Are you sure you can’t find anything out?” I asked Vivian. She was trying to be brave for me, but I could tell she was still worried about her son. “his father is with him, they’ll give us an update soon.”
The room was now quiet, other than my occasional groan. The midwife was in one corner getting some blankets sorted and other than her it was just Vivian and me. There were footsteps running down the hall and we turned to see someone appear in the doorway.
“Cali?!” I barely recognised Mariah in her blue outfit. “I heard there was someone called Cali here in labour and I knew it had to be you! Is everything ok?” she came to my bedside and gripped my hand.
I’d forgotten she was an intern here.
“I’m ok, I just want Vic to be with me though.” My voice was weak but I wasn’t crying.
“Don’t worry, we’re here for you.” She smiled at me, then turned to the door.
Another figure appeared and I recognised them immediately.
“Vic!?”
“Oh shit Cali, I’m so sorry, I’m so, so sorry!” my boyfriend hobbled to the side of the bed and Mariah and Vivian stepped aside. He leaned down and kissed me hard on the lips.
“I didn’t think you’d be here,” I started to cry softly.
“I’m here now,” he kissed my forehead.
“Cali, I think this baby’s ready to come now.” My midwife – whos name is Anna – stepped forward. She said a quiet hello to Vic then helped me sit up a little bit.
I noticed Vivian and Mariah shuffle out of the room, and three more staff walk in.
“Ok, when the next contraction comes I want you to push ok?” Anna put a warm blanket over my stomach. Vic’s hand found mine and he kissed the back of it. This was it. 8 months and 6 days after meeting Vic we were about to be parents. I was going to be a mother within ten minutes. This isn’t the way I expected everything to happen.
Then a contraction came, and I pushed with all my might. I gripped Vic’s hand until it was white and cried out, the pain coming through even though I’d taken the epidural. Time seemed to go forever. I was tried and sweaty and crying when I finally heard the sound I’d been dreaming of for 8 months. A cry. The baby’s cry echoed in the room and Vic choked out a sob.
“Congratulations, it’s a boy!” Anna exclaimed. “Do you want to cut the cord?”
Vic smiled through his tears and stepped forward, letting go of my hand. Anna wrapped the baby in a warm blanket and handed him to Vic.
“We’re parent’s Cali. We have a baby boy!” He could barely take his eyes off of his son and I suddenly felt extremely tired. But I wanted to hold him. I stretched out my arms and Vic placed the tiny person on my chest.
“Hey baby,” I cried, peering at his tiny face. He had a little bit of dark hair on the back of his head but I couldn’t see what colour his eyes were, he hadn’t opened them.
“We’re going to need to take the baby Cali, we need to run some tests.” One of the extra staff came over and took my son from me, putting him in a little crib and wheeling him straight out of the room. I watched with tears in my eyes. I hope he was going to be ok.
“Cali, we need to make sure you’re ok as well, there could be injuries we don’t know about from the crash still.” A man walked up.
I nodded tiredly. I could fall asleep so easily.
“Also, Victor, you weren’t supposed to leave your room were you?”
I looked up at him and Vic shook his head slowly, “No, they won’t be happy when I go back.”
He did that for me? Wow I love him.
“Well you need to go back now.”
He gave me a pained look, obviously not wanting to leave my side.
“Go Vic, I need to know you’re perfectly fine as well.” I gave a weak smile and closed my eyes.
“I love you Cali.”
“I love you too.” I sighed and felt him leave the room. We were parents. We had a son. I was a mother. I could hardly believe it.

I was moved to a different room later that evening, I was going to stay in the hospital for two nights for observation. Apparently everything was fine with me, I just had a few cuts on my head that got stitches. Vic also was ok, he had a few cuts and a cracked rib but that was the extent of his injuries. I was told that the man who was driving the other car was pretty beaten up though, he had been drunk and run a red light.
I hadn’t seen the baby since they took him. I was told he was ok, but they just wanted to keep a close eye on him for the night because he was premature.
It was incredibly lonely lying in my room that night. I had the TV on but I didn’t feel like watching it. Vivian and Victor had been with me when I came into the room, but they went back to Vic a little while earlier. My Mum had called, but wasn’t able to show up that day. I was so lonely.
The clock had just struck 6:15 when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” It was probably just another nurse.
“Hey Mamma.” A blonde head peaked into the dark room.
“Fay!” I was so happy to see her. She ran to me and hugged me.
“I’ve just been to see the baby, he’s so precious Cali.” She sat down on the chair beside me.
What?! How come he was allowed visitors but I had barely seen him yet?!
“Here, I took a photo.” Fay handed me her phone. She must’ve known I hadn’t seen him.
He was lying in someone’s arms and staring straight at whoever was holding him through big brown eyes.
“He has Vic’s eyes!” I cried, tears pressing against my eyes. They were the exact same chocolate brown as his Daddy’s eyes that I loved so much.
“And his complexion,” Fay laughed, “He’s definitely Mexican.”
He was so beautiful. And he was mine. Vic and I made him.
“Why won’t they let me see him?” I asked softly.
Fay frowned lightly and took her phone back, casting a glance to the door, “I don’t know, I’m sure you will soon.”
I nodded with a sigh. I just wanted to hold him.
There was another knock on the door and Fay smirked, “we have a surprise for you Carl.”
We?
Fay stood up and opened the door to reveal Mike standing there, obscuring my view of something behind him.
“Hey Cali! Congrats on the baby.” Mike grinned and walked in, “We’ve been speaking to some staff and managed to bring you something.”
And then Jaime and Tony came in, wheeling a hospital bed. My eyes filled with tears, the happiness overtaking me.
“You’re all so amazing!”
Vic grinned at me from the bed, but didn’t say anything as Jaime and Tony pushed it right up against mine. I noticed a bundle of blankets in Vic’s arms and suddenly realised what it was. Or who it was.
“You brought him to me!” I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands.
“Here,” Vic handed me the baby carefully, joy all over his face
I cradled him gently in my arms and let the tears fall down my cheeks. The love I had for this child already was incredible.
“Are you sure there’s not another one in there?” Jaime poked at the baby bump I still had and we all laughed.
“I’ll have it for a little while Hime, this guy may be small but he needed a lot of room.” I kissed the baby and he stared at me. I was mesmerised by his gorgeous eyes.
“He looks so much like you Vic.” I smiled.
“Nah, the baby’s way cuter.” Mike snorted. “What’s his name?”
Good question. I glanced at Vic and he looked at me with a blank expression.
“I think we were going to figure that out this month, but since he’s early we’ve barely spoken about names.” Vic replied. We probably should figure that out soon.

A nurse came in after a little while, explaining that visiting hours were over and that everyone who wasn’t meant to be here had to leave. The guys and Fay said goodbye and left me and my little family to ourselves.
“I have been thinking about names,” I admitted to Vic suddenly, still holding the baby in my arms.
“Oh, what have you got then?”
“Well, I have so many more girl names than boy names, so I had kinda hoped it was a girl in that sense.” I stroked the baby’s hair gently. “But ever since I was a kid I loved the name Levi.” I trailed off, leaving Vic the opportunity to speak up.
He looked down at the baby in my arms and smiled, “I love it. And maybe we should name his middle name after your Dad?”
“So, Levi William Fuentes?” I smiled, it sounded good. It was sweet of Vic to suggest that, my Dad would be so happy.
“You’re ok with him being a Fuentes?” Vic seemed surprised.
“Of course,” I paused, hesitating before I spoke again, “Who knows, maybe I’ll be a Fuentes one day too?” I winked at him, hoping it wouldn’t make the conversation awkward.
“I hope you will be.” Vic replied, flashing his white teeth in a big smile. Phew.
There was a knock on the door and a nurse walked in pushing a little crib. My heart sunk a little. She was going to take him.
“How are you both feeling?” She asked politely, stopping the crib at the side of my bed.
“We’re good, a little sore but we’ll pull through,” Vic told her with a yawn.
“Great, well I’m sorry but I’m going to have to take your baby with me now, we need to keep him in another room to keep a close eye on him.” She gave an apologetic smile and I sighed. I wanted to keep him with me. “How has he been for you?”
“He hasn’t cried once.” I said. He was going to be a quiet baby, I could already tell.
“That’s good, we gave him a formula feed before he came to you so he’ll be hungry again soon. We can continue feeing him that until he’s out of observation, then we’ll get you to feed him ok? Keeping things natural is better.” The nurse took Levi from my arms and placed him in the crib. Oh man, I was nervous about feeding him. I nodded in reply.
“Well you two sleep well, just press the call button if you need someone.” She wheeled the baby away and closed the door behind her.
“So they’re letting you stay in with me tonight?”
“Yep, Mike and Fay pulled a few strings and convinced the staff to allow it.”
“We have good friends,” I reached out and linked my fingers through Vic’s hand. We were parents. Levi William Fuentes was the most perfect baby and I couldn’t wait to take him home.

Notes

Was that too rushed??
i really do love excitement though hehe

So the baby is here now! and one chapter to go..

Beth xx