“I’m serious, Riggs. This isn’t a false alarm.” She doubles over again and cries out.
Cree gently rubs her lower back. “Man, she ain’t messing. She’s burning up,” he says.
“After last night’s performance, I don’t fucking believe her,” snaps Riggs. “Call the doctor, he can come here.”
Anna gets on all fours and rocks back and forth, making funny groaning and panting noises while we all watch warily.
“Riggs, get her to the hospital. I’ll still be here when you get back. Maybe you can come up with a more inventive way to kill me,” I mutter.
“It’s too late,” hisses Anna. “I’m not going anywhere—this baby is coming.” She pants through another pain. “Cree, get Eva and Frankie now. And a towel. Or blanket or something.”
“Great performance, darlin’, but we’re a little busy right now,” says Riggs.
“Shut the fuck up, you moron!” she snaps. “You said you were gonna try and make shit up to me and here I am on my fuckin’ knees in the basement of death.” She cries out again. “I’m gonna have a baby in this cesspit,” she wails. Anna lifts her skirt slightly and pulls her knickers down, slipping them from her ankles.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” snaps Riggs. “What the hell, Anna?”
“You want me to give birth in my underwear? Have you ever done sex ed?”
“Chains is sitting right here,” he growls.
“I’m happy to leave at any time,” I butt in. “Just cut these ropes.”
“You’re not going anywhere. Anna, get up. I’ll take you to the hospital,” says Riggs.
“Didn’t you hear me? I can’t go anywhere. This baby is coming! I bet she’ll be a stubborn ass like her damn father,” she pants. “Born in a prison. Christ, what will I tell her when she’s older? I’m literally bringing life into the world and you’re taking it out. Oh god!” She begins to sob just as the cavalry arrive.
“I told you that it was labour,” says Frankie. “You had that funny look on your face all day,” she adds.
“Not helpful, Frankie, but thanks,” hisses Anna. “I need to push now.”
“Noooooo, no pushing,” says Riggs in panic. “Not in here.”
Anna begins to push. I’ve never seen anything so brutal in my life, and as she begins to pant again, I let out a breath I didn’t realise I was holding. She grips my knee when the next contraction comes and squeezes. I wince, trying not to be a pussy, but fuck, her nails are long. Riggs hates the fact she’s holding onto me and tries to take her hand, but she bats him away. “Get off me,” she growls and he takes a step back. Fuck, she sounds like a possessed daemon, and I wanna step back too.
Frankie crouches behind Anna and lifts her skirt slightly. “Oh my god, Anna, I think the head is crowning.” Riggs moves to look, but Anna grabs hold of him and pulls him down so their faces meet.
“Don’t you dare look down there,” she yells. Her arms go round his neck and she pushes again, screaming.
“Well done. She’s coming,” praises Frankie.
“Where’s Leia? She knows what she’s doing,” pants Anna, looking around.
“She went to bed. She’s upset,” says Frankie. “I haven’t seen her all evening. I’ll get her as soon as we’re done here. You’re in safe hands, Anna. I’ve had two of these.”
“Anyway, she’ll be scared shitless if you get her in here now. Four months and she’s gotta do this,” says Eva with a smile. She glances at me, then Riggs, and cringes. “Sorry.”
Anna pushes again and Frankie shouts words of encouragement. I watch in amazement as Frankie lifts a small, wet baby into the air and Eva wraps it in a towel. She then passes the baby to Anna so that she can hold it against her chest. “Well done,” they chime together. Riggs stares down at the baby, bewildered.
“You have a daughter,” adds Frankie proudly. Cries from the baby fill the room and Anna begins to cry tears of joy.
“A daughter,” repeats Riggs quietly.
“Are you cutting the cord?” asks Frankie. Riggs nods, then follows her instructions.
Once that’s done, Anna passes the baby to him. “Time to get the placenta out,” says Frankie and the process of moaning begins again.
Chapter Seventeen
Leia
I watch warily from my bed as Ryan sets a small table down in the room. He repeats yesterday’s process and lays down a cloth and two plates followed by cutlery. “You really must eat breakfast,” he says.
“I’m not hungry,” I mutter.
He ignores me and fills two glasses with orange juice. My mouth waters. “If at any point I think the baby is in danger, it’s my duty as a doctor to save it.”
I sigh heavily and take a seat on the stool opposite him. He places a slice of toast and jam on my plate. “There’s also eggs and bacon after this,” he says.
“Ryan!” Someone yells his name from somewhere in the house and Ryan’s face twitches in annoyance. “Ryan!”
“I’ll be right back,” he mutters, leaving the room.
I stare at the open door. This is good news. There’s someone else here in this house. Someone who could help me. I want to cry in relief, but Ryan soon returns. I pick at the toast in silence. He places eggs and bacon down next and I want to vomit. I haven’t eaten for at least twenty-four hours and my stomach is protesting at the sudden barrage of food.
“Will you raise the baby alone?” I whisper. My plan is to make him think I’m coming around to his crazy idea. He stares at me for a moment and then nods. “What about your pregnant girlfriend?”
“How do you know about her?” he snaps.
“You told me, remember?” I say gently, adding a smile. “What was her name again?”
Ryan’s expression fills with pain. “Sara,” he whispers. He seems lost in thought for a moment, so I remain quiet. “I miss her,” he mutters.
“I know you do. How far along was she?”
“Four months,” he says.
“And she left?” I ask.
His eyes shoot to mine and his face hardens. “Eat your breakfast.”
I nod and pick at the eggs. “Who shouted for you just then? Was it Sara?”
“My mother,” he hisses, stabbing the eggs on his plate. “Always shouting for me,” he mutters.
“Does she need looking after? I can help you with that.”
He sighs. “She’s bed bound. Depends on me.”
“I can help look after her. I’m a good nurse,” I say.
“You have enough to do, growing my baby.”
A frustrated cry escapes me. “My baby,” I say coldly.
Ryan smiles and stands. “Let me show you something.” He pulls out a key and unfastens my chain from the wall. He wraps it tight in his hand and tugs me towards the door. I follow eagerly. If I can get an idea of the layout of the house, it will make it easier when I get a chance to run.
We go downstairs and I realise I’m on the third floor. The second floor has three doors along the passage. He takes me to the first and pulls me inside.