reckless 【 the outsiders 】

twenty-five

Twelve hours ago, Leigh felt the first contraction and exactly twenty-eight minutes later she felt another. She remembered being told the stages of labor and specifically remembered the doctor telling her not to come in until the contractions are more regular and closer together.

After those hours went by, she could feel the difference in the contractions. They were stronger and lasting longer. They were only slightly uncomfortable at first but when they got stronger, the first thing she said was "Holy shit, that hurts." Followed by "Winston, get out of the shower, it's starting" in the most calm voice, so calm that it made Winston a little nervous.

"You'd think you were talkin' about a T.V. show, how chill you sound," he says from the bathroom, drying his hair and wrapping the towel around him.

"Short sessions with eleven-minute commercials, may as well be a T.V. show." She steps away from the door and, as he walks out, holds onto his bare and still damp arms.

"Can you let go of me while I get dressed?"

"Why?" she whines, "I don't wanna let go."

"Give me a sec, alright? Please?"

She sighed and sat on the bed, watching while he looked for clothes. "Take your time, I'm only havin' a kid, no big deal."

"I'm comin', okay?" In a couple of minutes, they were out. She was still holding onto Dally's arms, following behind him like a child. When she felt another contraction, she squeezed his upper arm, nails pinching his skin and he cursed quietly.

"Sorry, sorry, it hurts, okay?" she says through clenched teeth, "Okay it's over."

"You could crush a baseball with that grip."

"Quit talkin' about me and open my door."

They got to the hospital in fifteen minutes and the doctor told her she'd still be waiting a little while. Every hour, she got more irritable and anxious and, surprisingly, Dallas was the more optimistic of the two but the doctor told him he had to at least act as so not to stress Leigh out anymore.

It was eight at night and she was now fifteen total hours in. She wished she had some cards or a movie, or some music even. It was nerve-wracking and boring, a combination that didn't sit well with the blonde.

Soon, they were officially in stage three and they were all ready. Leigh was constantly reminded to do the breathing exercises because she kept forgetting and she felt almost ready to pass out by the fourth time they told her to push. She was feeling more and more stressed and the pain was only getting worse, they said that was part of why she needed the breathing exercises. She couldn't focus on that. Dally would hold one of her hands and kiss her sweaty forehead every time she needed to relax and take a breath and ignored the death grip she had.

After another forty-five minutes of pushing, she was done. They heard no soft cries, but as the doctors cleaned her off and wrapped her up, they heard little noises. Being almost ready to pass out didn't stop Leigh from holding her and she was so excited and exhausted that tears silently ran down her cheeks.

"Holy shit," Dallas whispered, looking into the kid's big brown eyes. He had no idea something that small and innocent could invoke such an emotional reaction.

"Watch your mouth, geez."

"Alright, sorry."

"Here, hold her." Leigh passed Corie off and smiled as Dallas bonded with her, smiled at her, even laughed.

"She's definitely got a lot of you in her, she ain't cried yet at all."

"Yeah, and you cry all the time so--"