166. IRL

                                    

                                          
"What are you doing?" Paul asked with a chuckle as he walked into the baby's room. Cece was lying on the floor with her eyes closed.

                          
"I was moving things around again, but then I got tired," she said sleepily. Paul lay down on the floor beside her. 
                          
"What did you move this time?"
                          
She looked at him sheepishly. "I was trying to colour-coordinate the clothes," she said as Paul began to laugh. "I know it won't matter, but it looks nice!"
                          
"I'm sure it does, baby," he said, kissing her cheek.
                          
She grinned and looked down at her impossibly large bump.
                          
"6 days," she said. "I'm 6 days over. What if he never comes out?"
                          
"He'll be here before we know it," Paul promised her. "Crying through the night and keeping us up."
 "Yeah," Cece said with a laugh, before she felt a twinge in her side. "Ow," she said.
                          
"What's wrong?" Paul asked, immediately springing into action.
                          
"Calm down, I'm fine," she said. "Trust me, I think I'd know if I was in labour."
                          
She stood up with difficulty and cradled her bump. They had the hospital bag packed and were both ready to go at a moment's notice.
                          
"Do you think we can do this?" she asked him, looking around the room.
                          
"Do what?" he asked.
                          
"Be parents," she clarified. "I mean, I know we're ready. But are we really ready?"
                          
Paul stood up and wrapped his wife in a hug.
                          
"We can do this," he said. "Our son is going to be the luckiest kid in the entire world, because he'll have you as a mom."
                          
"And you as a dad," she smiled emotionally and they kissed.
                          
"Ow!" she said, clutching her bump.
                          
"Are you okay?" Paul asked.
                          
"Fine," she said through her teeth. "Oh shit," she exclaimed as she felt water running down her legs.
                          
"Your water just broke?" Paul asked in disbelief.
                          
"Yeah," she confirmed. "Oh my God, this is it. This is it!"
                          
"Come on, let's go to the hospital," Paul said, taking her hand. 
                          
It was finally time. They were about to have a baby!