[justpush]

Aiden nodded and breathed under stress. He massaged his stomach. “Andrew... I’m scared.”

[Whoknows]

“I’m sure you’ll be fine, you are giving birth at the hospital right? So you’ll be surrounded by different medicines and professionals who know what they’re doing”. Andrew kissed Aiden on the forehead, “and then you’ll get to meet your baby”.

[justpush]

“Don’t leave me alone... I don’t think I can do it on my own”, he said, feeling tears coming into his eyes. “Andrew...”

[Whoknows]

“I won’t leave you”, Andrew said, “I keep telling you and I’ll tell you again, I love you and the baby so I won’t leave you”.

[justpush]

Aiden rested his head on his partner’s shoulder. He felt safe with him. “Andrew... Are we going to the hospital?”

[Whoknows]

“I think we should when your contractions get further together, right? Like your midwife said”, Andrew suggested.

[justpush]

Aiden agreed. He grabbed his arm and breathed slowly and leaned against Andrew. Both counted the time between contraction

[Whoknows]

“That was like 15 seconds and they are 20 minutes apart”, Andrew said, “I’ll go and out your bag near the door so we are ready”.

[justpush]

Aiden nodded and began to massage his back. He took a deep breath. He waited for Andrew to put his bag in the car.

[Whoknows]

Andrew walked back inside and sighed, “I should cook dinner, we are going to be here a while.”

[justpush]

“I don’t feel like eating... Well, please”, he said, sighing just as loudly and falling down on the bed.

[Whoknows]

“Oh”, Andrew said, “you should try to though, you will be hungry later on”, he tried convincing him.

[justpush]

Aiden was busy like a child and contradicted Andrew: “I’m not going to eat.You won’t change my mind”, he said stubbornly

[Whoknows]

Andrew chuckled, “alright but I’m going to”, and with that, he left the room. He made his way downstairs and begun to make himself toast.

[justpush]

Aiden fell on the bed and breathed in slowly as he tried to calm his fast heart. He was desperate to hold his baby, but he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to do it.

[Whoknows]

Andrew sat on the coach, eating his toast, whilst deep in thought, ‘how am I going to handle seeing Aiden in so much pain?’ After he finished his toast, he brushed away the thoughts and decided just to support him in anyway he can.

[justpush]

Aiden lay crying on his hip. He massaged his back, stroked quietly. He felt pain everywhere. It was torment. “Andrew... I don’t think I can...”

[Whoknows]

As Andrew made his way back upstairs, he heard Aiden faintly calling out for him, “what’s wrong baby?” He asked, worried. As he walked back into the room, he saw Aiden trying to massage his own back and so he knelt on the ground and took over.

[justpush]

“Please don’t leave me for a moment...” he said supplicantly, and sighed softly, as he felt the muscles relax a little under Andrews' touch. He breathed slowly and touched his stomach

[Whoknows]

“How are you feeling?” Andrew asked, rubbing Aiden’s back still, momentarily pausing to rub his stomach before returning to his back. “We should start timing your contractions, right?”