Miscalculation


William Darcy arrived at their Highgate house at noon on that warm Friday in July. He was working only part time this week as Elizabeth had had two false alarms and he wanted to be at home if anything happened.

"Daddy!" The twins came running to greet him.

"Hello monsters." He kissed them.

"Hi, dad." Andrew came after, followed closely by Patton, their White Bull Terrier.

"Hello son." William kissed him too. "Where's mum?"

"In bed, in bed!" The twins jumped and yelled.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Darcy." The housekeeper came after the children.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Hill." He was looking a little anxious after the twins' disclosure. "Is Mrs. Darcy unwell?"

"She is fine, sir. She was a little tired so she preferred to rest and ..."

William didn't wait to hear what the woman had to say and rushed to the bedroom after disengaging the twins from his legs. He opened the door slowly and peered inside.

"Liz?"

"Hello, love." She was laying on her side, with a pillow supporting her belly and a very sleepy face.

"Are you all right?" He asked gently as he sat by her side and stroked her back while loosening his tie.

"Mmmmmh." She purred. "I had some trouble in sleeping last night."

"I know." William smiled.

"You didn't sleep either, did you?" She rolled onto her back and gestured him to help her up. "I'm sorry, dear, I just can't find a comfortable way to lay down."

William stood and helped her to her feet. She was very big indeed. "This one is taking his time to come out."

Elizabeth sighed as she leaned her head on his chest. "I don't know what is worse, carrying him everywhere or nursing every three hours."

"My poor darling." He held her against him and stroked her back.

"And the monsters?"

"In the living room."

"Let's go." She sighed.

---

William changed into sport clothes and assisted his wife in sitting on the couch, arranging some cushions to support her back and a stool for her feet so she could watch TV comfortably. The children were miraculously playing around by themselves without mischief or noise so they were able to actually enjoy the show they were watching.

By tea time Elizabeth became fidgety and she couldn't seem to find a comfortable position. As an uncharacteristic sighing began, William shot her some inquiring looks trying to discern if the time had come, but she only shook her head and shifted a little in her spot. He was really concerned about her incapability to rest or relax in the past two weeks. He took her hand in his and entwined her fingers before taking it to his lips.

"Is everything OK?" He asked very softly.

"So it seems." At that moment she tightened her hold on his hand and held her breath.

"Time to go?" He mouthed.

She nodded and gestured with her head not to inform the children. The last thing they needed now was three excited infants jumping around or crying, so William went to call Mrs. Hill and asked her to take the children to the playroom. As the complaining began, William calmly explained that Mum and Dad had to go out, while Elizabeth went to the bathroom.

"Hi Georgiana." William called his sister on the phone. He had previously agreed with her that she would come and entertain the children when the time arrived.

"Hello Will." She smiled. "How's Elizabeth?"

"Hopefully on the way to loose some weight." His relationship with his sister was very close now. Since her marriage to Christian Bennet and the birth of her daughter Portia, both couples saw each other frequently.

"Ok. Don't worry. I'll pick up the children in an hour and take them to the playground and to dine out. "

"That will keep them entertained. You are a treasure. Please call Dad and Meg, will you?"

"Sure. Call us when you have news. Wish Elizabeth good luck."

"Thank you. Bye."

---

"Will you take your relaxing shower?" He smiled and tried to sound reassuring.

"I don't think so." Elizabeth's expression betrayed tension and a hint of fear. "I told Dr. Jergens that we are on our way."

William felt a cold ran down his spine and rushed to pick up the bags. She had never sounded concerned or anxious before, not even with the twins. Elizabeth's previous labors had been very fast and easy and the doctor told him that the third one could be even faster. As they had moved to a bigger house (actually a small mansion) in Highgate after Andrew's birth, distances had became a little longer than usual and not wanting to risk delays because of the traffic on that Friday afternoon, they took their leave immediately.

"Hold on, my love." Elizabeth was digging her fingers in his leg as he entered the fast drive.

"Hurry up, Will." She blew the air out.

"I'll try." He swallowed.

"Oh no." She said worried. "The water broke. Sorry dear, I've ruined the seat."

"It doesn't matter. Just stay relaxed." He made a turn.

"I will not make it, William." Elizabeth was panicking.

"Yes, you will." He kept his eyes on the road. "It started only three hours ago."

"No, five."

"What?"

"I didn't tell you earlier because I thought it was another false alarm." She began to lean back the seat so she could be more comfortable.

"Goodness, Elizabeth, why didn't..." He shut his mouth. It would be stupid to argue with her at this point and she would only get even more nervous. "All right, just breath deeply and don't push, OK? We are 15 minutes away from the hospital."

She nodded and swallowed. Then she clutched his leg again. "William, help me!" She arched her back and put the legs up over the glove compartment.

"Jesus Christ, Elizabeth!" William maneuvered the car between the traffic and parked where he could on the freeway. He could see she was having the baby at any moment.

"He is coming, Will. There are some towels in my bag, just in case and ..."

"Sir, you can't park here." A police patrol stopped behind them and the officer came closer. "This is a fast drive and ... Holy Mary!"

"I'm sorry officer." William went around the car and opened Elizabeth's door. "But I need your help."

"Sir, I don't know much abou..." He stopped when William handed him his already dialed cell phone.

"It doesn't matter." He was beside her during the birth of the twins, not watching, just holding her hand as his reaction to the sight of blood wasn't always the best one, but at least he had an idea of what to do. "Just inform the doctor where we are and that we won't make it to the hospital. My name is William Darcy."

"Yes, sir, I'll take care of the traffic."

"Will!" Elizabeth called him.

"I'm here." He pushed back her seat even further and smoothed her hair as he sat facing her in the space between the seat and the door.

His eyes met hers and he read determination and inevitability. There was no way of stopping what was now happening. He gave her a reassuring smile and pulled down her sweat pants, preparing himself for what was about to come.

"Sir, the doctor wants to talk to you." The officer gave him the phone and continued to direct the traffic to avoid collisions.

"Doctor Jergens." William sounded serious.

"Will, Elizabeth knows what to do, so stay calm and help her." The doctor wanted to transmit William serenity and confidence. "I'm on my way with an ambulance. Just support her and take care of the baby if he comes out before we arrive. Everything will be fine. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"All right." He closed the phone and turned his attention to his wife.

As the doctor said, she knew exactly what she was doing. She told him to prepare the sweat pants to catch the baby when it was born and keep the towels clean for later. After a couple of very intense pains, she began to push. He could see her using all her strength to deliver her son and it was then when William gathered the courage he needed to proceed. He saw a new pain building, he ordered her to push and she obeyed. As an uncontrollable force governed her, Elizabeth bent over and the head popped out in the first hard push. She paused to rest and waited for the next one. After seconds that seemed hours, William saw her take a very deep breath and as the most powerful groan escaped her, he pulled out the head and she dropped his son in his hands.

Elizabeth fell back and relaxed in that absolute calmness that follows childbirth. And William was perplexed. He held the baby in his hands, moving and taking his first breath, unable to utter a word as he witnessed the miracle of life begin.

The baby was crying, William was trying not to, Elizabeth was coming back to reality and the sirens of the ambulance were heard in the distance. The father wiped the son's face and dried him with the sweatpants the best he could before enveloping him with one of the clean towels. He didn't know what to do. He stared at the infant, still united to his mother by the umbilical cord until he felt Elizabeth's soft hand touching his arm.

Her smiled disarmed him. In a silent and serene command, her eyes asked him to give her the crying baby. As if by magic, the tiny bundle calmed as soon as he rested on his mother's chest, nuzzling and seeking her warmth as he breathed her scent for the first time.

Elizabeth was in a daze of happiness and love. All she knew was that her William was there, with her, taking care of her and her son, covering them with a big towel, hands trembling and nose sniffing, as he tried to overcome this marvelously shocking experience he just lived by her side. He wanted to vomit, faint, laugh and cry. He was chuckling when his eyes met hers and crying when he smoothed her hair.

"You are an extraordinary woman, Elizabeth." He adjusted the towel around her.

"You are an extraordinary man, William."

He looked at her as she held his son close to her heart. They were just the three of them as the world of cars and people around them seemed so far away that they didn't exist.

"Here we are, William." Doctor Jergens appeared by his side.

William looked up, in a daze. "Yes?"

The doctor put his hand on his shoulder, encouraging him to stand up. " Come Will, we'll take care of them."

William nodded. He glanced one more time towards his wife and son and bestowed her the most tender of smiles. Elizabeth smiled back and with a silent nod, told him to go and leave the professionals to do their job. Unknown people patted him, the police officer shook his hand and he looked around for the first time as his body and soul slowly returned to reality.

He did it. He brought his son into this world.

The doctor was giving Elizabeth some instructions as the paramedics came closer to the car with the stretcher. She expulsed the placenta, the umbilical cord was cut and she was ready to be moved and taken to the hospital. One more time, William took his son in his arms as she was removed from the car and walked beside her all the way to the ambulance.

"I love you, my savage." He kissed her forehead before she was carried inside the vehicle.

"I love you, my Englishman." She smiled.

Once she was safely inside, he handed the baby to the paramedic and returned to his car to follow his family to the hospital, still trying to believe what had just happened.

 

Back to Paper Jam's page

Return to Belén's page
Return to Austen Interlude
e-mail Belén