It had been a week and three days, since our huge fallout. My anger had dissipated, leaving me hurt and disappointed. He had so many chances to come clean to me but chose to keep it a secret. What kind of relationship thrives on secrets?

In this time frame, Nicholas showed up once at the apartment and Whitney threw a bowl of water at him, to get him away. She was furious that day when I told her everything that happened and still probably was till now.

These past few days had been hard for me. I'd spent them, moping around the house, missing Nicholas, chastising myself for missing him and then repeating the cycle. It wasn't just me who missed his presence. The baby wasn't as active as he normally was when Nicholas was around.

That aside, my body had been preparing me for labour in these few days as well, my Braxton hicks contractions were getting more frequent.

Today was Nicholas's birthday and they were having a party for him. I was supposed to be there because I was amongst the masterminds of the party. Two weeks ago, I was ecstatic to help plan this party, alongside Rosa but as things turned out, I couldn't be there. I couldn't even bring myself to wish him a happy birthday.

While I sat on my couch, having a pity party, I was informed that Camille was at the party, over the moon. Evelyn and Lucia were my informants and middlemen between Nick and me. According to my Intel, she was really playing the 'shoulder to lean on part very nicely, and she had been glued to his side the entire day.

I lifted myself off the couch and waddled over to my room. Instead of moping all day, I was going to take a walk. After all, I needed some form of exercise to build up stamina in time for labour. I changed into a straight A-line gown and slipped on a jacket and a coat. I grabbed a small purse and filled it with my phone, house keys, my wallet, some tissue and other items.

As stepped out into the street, I tugged the collar of my coat over my neck, stuffed my hands into my pocket and began my walk on the curbside. The hairs on my neck prickled and all of sudden, it felt like I was being watched. I slowed down my steps and turned around. Other than a lady who almost bumped into me as I stopped, no one looked suspicious. I was probably imagining it.

I spent twenty minutes walking around before returning to the apartment. I tapped on the elevator button and waited for the door to open. The landlord finally decided to fix the elevator and it had been fully functioning since the beginning of the year. I was too tired to climb the flight of stairs back to my apartment as I had two false contractions hit me in the last twenty minutes. I just wanted to get into my apartment, put up my feet, rest my aching back and binge on 'The big bang theory'.

The elevator doors opened and I pressed my floor button as I stepped in. I moved over to the side of the elevator and leaned against the wall. The elevator started moving upwards as it would normally but then there was a sudden violent shake. I held onto the railings on the wall as the elevator jerked to a stop.

What was that?

With one hand wrapped protectively over my bump, I moved toward the elevator buttons and pressed my floor number. Nothing. I pressed the emergency button. Nothing as well. My heart rate picked up as I repeatedly tapped almost every button there was. What's happening?

"God, why did I even enter this thing?" I muttered to myself. I pulled out my phone from my bag and dialled the landlord. There was no cell service. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" I banged hard on the elevator doors. "Help! Can anyone hear me?"

This is pointless. I stepped back from the door and glanced around the elevator. With every passing second, it began to morph into a cold metal cell box and I began to breathe faster. Calm down, calm down. I walked back to the buttons and tapped the emergency button over and over again.

I felt a wetness on my thigh and I looked down as water trickled down my legs. "Oh no. No, no, no. Oh God, please no" I chanted out loud as I watched water pool under my feet.

My water couldn't have broken at the worst possible moment. The baby wasn't supposed to come for another three weeks. Why is this happening, right now? Suddenly, it dawned on me. I wasn't having Braxton hick's contractions all this while but the real thing. How didn't I realize this, until now?

I pulled out my phone from my bag, again. The cell service was still out. I tapped on the Emergency calls and dialled 911. I'm not about to have this baby in an elevator.

"Hello, 911 operator. What's your emergency?" A woman's voice came in.

I drew in laboured breaths as another contraction hit me. "Eugh... I'm stuck in an elevator . . . and my water just broke"

"Okay, what's your address?" she replied and called it out to her.

"And the phone number you're calling from?" she asked and I answered.

"Okay. How old are you?"

"Twenty-five, Argh" I bit my lip and fisted my hands as I tried to breathe through the contractions.

"Is this your first baby?"

I nodded, then realized she couldn't see me. "Yeah"

"Is the baby full term?"

I swallowed. "I'm due in three weeks"

"Okay, how far apart are the contractions?"

I rolled my eyes to the ceiling and tried to calculate the time span between each one. "Uhm... I'll say ten minutes apart and holding for about two minutes"

"Okay, just breathe through each one. We'll be sending an ambulance to you shortly"

I nodded. "Okay"

I gently slid down to the floor. My legs were trembling and I couldn't hold up any longer. I sat on the floor with my head leaned against the wall, praying that they get to me in time. God, please don't let anything go wrong. The only thing that kept me from losing my mind was the fact that the elevator lights were still on and I wasn't submerged in total darkness.

"Just keep breathing and remain calm, okay" the lady's voice echoed in the elevator. My phone was on the floor beside me

I nodded. "Okay," Breathe in through the nose. And out with the mouth.

The contractions were coming closer together and fast. Soon, I'll have to start pushing.

"The contractions are two minutes apart now" I called out, pulling in deep breaths.

No response.

I glanced at my phone and picked it up. The screen was black. I clicked on it but the screen remained black. The phone was dead. No, no, no. This cannot be happening right now. Panting heavily, I crawled to the door of the elevator and hit it violently whilst shouting for help. I didn't want to have my child in an elevator.

After five minutes, I stopped and sat back down on the floor. I needed to conserve as much energy as I could. I needed to see how far dilated I was. I reached into my purse for a hand sanitiser then realized I didn't have one on me. I shrugged off my coat and wiped my hands with the sleeves. I took a deep breath and slowly reach down underneath me. My heart quickened when I realized that I was already crowning and I could feel his hair with my fingers. I let out a small sob as I leaned my head against the wall. This was happening way too fast.

It was now or never. I took off my jacket and placed it beneath me then pushed as hard as I could when I felt the next contraction hit me.

I had been pushing for fifteen minutes and yet nothing. My muscles were limp and tired. My eyes were droopy and I was slowly losing consciousness to sleep. I can't... I need to stay awake... I fought to keep my eyes open and gathered the strength to push on the next contraction. The push was weak. I was weak.

I think I fell asleep for a few minutes a voice called out to me and urged me to keep going. I opened my eyes and looked around the elevator but there was no one around me. I looked glanced at the top of the elevator. Was help here? Had they come?

"Hello?' I called out with as much strength as I could muster. "Can anyone hear me?"

The silence was suffocating.

Then, I realized that I wasn't alone entirely. God was with me and he wouldn't let anything happen to me. I had been calling on him all this while and I failed to see that he was here with me. Hope filled my spirit and I felt light like my burdens had been lifted off me. I mustered all the strength I had left in me and pushed with everything I had as the next contraction hit me. I felt a huge pressure escape me and a loud wail filled the elevator. Oh my God. Joyous tears streamed down my face as I lifted him up to my eyes.

"Oh God, thank you," I sobbed, breathing heavily. "I love you so much, God"

He was so tiny and covered in vernix. I ran my eyes over his body, from his little mop of hair to his ten fingers and ten toes. I couldn't explain the warm feeling that spread through my chest. He was beautiful, so precious. I wasn't bothered that he was screaming my ears off, I was just glad he was here and healthy.

After making sure his airway was clear, I placed him against my chest and wrapped the coat over us. His eyes were tightly shut and he was screaming at the top of his lungs. A good sign that his lungs were clear of fluid. I ran a finger over his head and tried to soothe him.

I should feed him. It was best to feed him in the first hour after birth to improve his suckling reflex and also initiate my milk supply. I balanced him on my left side and unzipped my gown. Recently, I started wearing a nursing bra and I was glad I did. I unclasp the bra and held up my exposed nipple to his mouth. He opened his mouth slightly and made it easy for me to position my nipple properly in his mouth.

I chuckled as he began to suckle immediately. After a while, I hooked on the bra and cuddled him against my chest. His eyes were still shut and his breathing was even. The exhaustion returned with a stronger wave. How long would it take for the ambulance to get here?

"Hello?" A voice came in from above. "Can you hear me?"

Relief flooded through my chest. "Yes!"

"My name is Mark and I'm an EMT, are you okay?"

"Yes, the baby is here . . . And he's okay," I swallowed and pulled in a shallow breath. It was getting tiring to talk and muscles felt like Jell-O. "We need to get to a hospital . . . I feel weak"

"Just hang in there. We're doing everything we can to get to you, okay?" Mark said

"Okay," I whispered, panting weakly.

I could hear some metal clanking sounds above me and I tried to keep my eyes open. It got harder with every passing second. Muffled voices and clanking metals were the last things I heard before I passed out from exhaustion.

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Crowning - when the baby's head remains visible without slipping back in

Vernix - A waxy or cheese-like white substance found coating the skin of newborn babies

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