"CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT" • CHENFORD IMAGINES

"𝙻𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢."

"Tim...."

Lucy's voice was panicked as seconds ticked by, brake lights shining as far as their eyes could see. The worst thing about LA had always been the traffic, which was always worsened by the slightest bit of rain.

"We're out of time," Lucy screamed, reaching her hand between her legs. "I can feel his head, Tim."

Anxiety surged in Tim's chest. They weren't going to make it in time. They were gridlocked in the middle of the freeway. There was no way he could even pull off to the median, much less get off at an exit and book it to the hospital. His wife was about to give birth, and he was going to be the one delivering the baby.

The day started just like any normal day. It was a gloomy, rainy day, a rarity in Los Angeles. Tim and Lucy Bradford were spending their final few days at home, baby free. After being married just a little over a year, they decided they were ready to expand their family. Within their first month of trying, two pink lines appeared on the at home test.

Tim was proud of that one. Lucy argued that she could have just been extremely fertile, but it was no good. Tim's ego had already doubled, if not tripled. That was last June. Now March of the following year, Lucy had entered her final days of pregnancy. She had gotten lucky, only having morning sickness in her first trimester. Other than that, pregnancy had been a breeze for Lucy. Tim had made it easy, waiting on her hand and foot and doting on her every chance he got.

"I can't get over how tiny these onesies are," Lucy sighed happily, adding another freshly washed onesie to her growing pile. "Just look at it, Tim!"

Lucy held out the blue striped onesie to her husband. There was a dinosaur on the butt – it was the first one they bought. Lucy was in her full nesting phase, cleaning every surface and washing every article of clothing. The day they found out they would be having a son, Tim took Lucy to the baby store and told her to get whatever she liked. His credit card hurt, but the smile on her face made the cost worth every penny.

"And in just a few days," Tim joined Lucy on the floor of the baby nursery, his knees cracking as he bent them. "He'll be all wrapped up in them."

"You're getting old," Lucy laughed at the sound of Tim's knees. She loved teasing Tim about his age, but it was one of the reasons why she loved him.

"I might be old," Tim reached out and placed his palm on the underside of Lucy's swollen belly. "But that didn't stop me from knocking you up on the first try."

Tim leaned in to kiss Lucy, but a sharp intake of breath from her caused him to pause. She had started having Braxton hicks a couple weeks ago, but that sound was one he hadn't heard before. She leaned back and grabbed at her stomach, gritting her teeth.

"What happened?" Tim got closer to Lucy, moving his hand over top of hers. His heart surged in his chest.

"I don't know," Lucy breathed out, gritting her teeth. "It felt different, I don't know... maybe it was just another Braxton hicks."

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Tim sat up on his knees, hating seeing his wife in pain. "I'll go get the bags."

"I think I'm okay," Lucy sat back up, still holding her belly. "We've already been to the hospital three times for a false alarm."

Tim smiled at the memory of rushing Lucy to the hospital at 3am last week, thinking her water had broken in the middle of the night. It turns out she had just peed herself, but the doctor reassured them he sees it daily. Still, it didn't make Lucy feel any less embarrassed.

"It's your call," Tim finally said, knowing he couldn't force his wife to do anything. "But you know the doctor said it's better to be safe than sorry, especially this close to your due date."