Molly took a tissue from the box on the bedside table and wiped away Hannah’s tears. “There’s no need to suffer when they can give you some relief. First babies can take a while to arrive. Let them make you comfortable.”

“I’m afraid of the baby being so early.”

“I have a feeling he or she will be just fine, sweetheart. Look how determined your little one is to be born right now.”

“I’m scared. I was so ready to do this until it actually happened, and now I’m panicking, which has Nolan all freaked out.”

“Focus on breathing the way you were taught in the classes. It helps.”

“How in the world did you do this eight times and twice with twins?”

Molly laughed. “I have no idea.”

“You were certifiably insane.”

“Probably.”

“Is everyone out there waiting?”

Molly wiped away more tears from Hannah’s face. “What do you think? Even Max and Caden are here.”

Before she could reply, another contraction started. Hannah held on tight to her mom’s hand while trying to remember to breathe through the pain. When it finally passed, she was sobbing from the agony.

Nolan came in with the doctor in tow.

“I want the epidural,” Hannah said. “Please.”

“Let’s take a look and see how you’re doing,” the young female doctor said with chirpiness that annoyed Hannah.

With Nolan on one side of her bed and her mom on the other, Hannah gritted her teeth for the invasive exam that seemed to take forever to complete.

“You’re doing great, Hannah. You’re almost there.”

She moaned. “I don’t know if I can do it without something to take the edge off.”

“Then let’s get you some relief.” The doctor left the room to see to the epidural.

“I feel like a wimp,” Hannah said.

“Stop,” Molly said. “There’s nothing wrong with taking something for the pain so you have the strength to push when the time comes.”

Nolan handed her a cup of ice chips and wiped the sweat from her forehead with a cool cloth that felt heavenly against her fevered skin.

She’d waited a long time to become a mother, and she wanted to focus on the joy of her child arriving rather than agonizing pain and the debilitating fear of the baby arriving too early. It took about thirty minutes to organize the epidural other than the needle to the back, the procedure was no big deal. But the relief… The relief was almost immediate. Hannah could finally breathe again after hours in agony.

“Better?” Nolan asked when they had the room to themselves once again.

“A thousand times better.”

“Thank God. I couldn’t bear to see you in so much pain.”

“I tried to go all natural, but—”