Third Person POV

Immediately Lilly and Lemuel got to the hospital, Lemuel called the attention of the nurses. Lilly was wheeled in from the car to the V.I.P room where her delivery would take place.

Without wasting time, Dr. James came into the room to see them, accompanied with two nurses, a midwife, anaesthetists, paediatrician and a gynaecologist. He introduced the team to Lilly and Lemuel.

He sensitised Lilly and Lemuel who were already nervous on what they should expect. Lilly looked priceless, she was sweating but not profusely, the fear in her eyes couldn't be ignored. Lemuel was just trying to be strong for Lilly.

The midwife helped Lilly change into her hospital gown after she had showered, it was part of the process. Then the anaesthetist, Dr. Mary administered epidurals to Lilly in her sitting position. A drip was also attached to her arm in order to maintain her blood pressure.

When Lilly started having contractions again, this time more regular, Dr James asked her to take a walk for about ten to fifteen minutes around the ward. She took the walk, screaming each time the contraction came. She was accompanied by her team and Lemuel.

Right in the waiting room, she saw Charlie, Nancy and Tessa as she passed by. Their smile brought relief to her.

"Take it easy Lilly, you'll get through this." Nancy inhaled sharply.

Tessa chuckled, standing to her feet. "I should have been on this team."

That made Lilly give a laugh. "Yeah right... Fuck!" She screamed in pain, holding her knees, her head bent.

She turned to Dr. James when the pains subsided giving him a scary glare. He didn't flinch a bit. "I thought the epidural was supposed to numb the pain?"

The midwife smiled, a heartwarming one. "Even if, we don't have control over some things." She shrugged. "It's just nature."The male who wheeled the drip stand added. Lilly recalled him to be Nonso.

As they were about to move, to continue the walk, Charlie stepped in the way. Then he kissed Lilly's forehead for quite some time. Nancy had to tap him stylishly when it was becoming uncomfortable because they had audience and not just that, Lilly herself was overwhelmed.

He slowly pulled. Then he reached for her right hand lifted it to his lips and gave it a quick kiss before placing her hand on her tummy.

"You can do this Mma." He called her pet name and all Lilly could just do was to nod, because the contractions came through again but not enough to make her shout. She just let out a groan.

She and her delivery team continued to move around, Lilly not minding that she screamed every time she had to. For all she cared, she was having her Princess whom she had awaited for so long. The world could roll for all she cared.

People always stole sneaky, constant glances as they passed by. The nurses were in several clusters doing nothing gossiping, the families of other patients were the ones stealing glances at the woman who was about to go into labour, that was just screaming around.

Lilly had no control, the contractions had control over her.

After she and her delivery team had toured the seventh floor where they were for about fifteen times, Dr James decided that she needed to go back to the room when he checked his wristwatch.

As they passed by, Lilly eye shifted to corner of the large room where her friends were. She noticed that the number of people had increased and it was Lemuel's family. They were all in the waiting room, seated in different positions which showed that their minds were not settled. They were too engrossed in their thoughts to notice them, but Lilly called their attention.

"Hello."She stopped and her team halted, waving her hands like a person who was shy.

Deep down, she was disappointed that no member of her family was represented here.

Before she could think of what next to say, she felt another body pressing into hers. It was his mom.

When she pulled away, she took Lilly's hands, placed them on together and covered them with her own hands.

"We are here for you." She assured Lilly, squeezing her hands. "You just keep pushing and you are going to carry your beautiful baby soon."

She had to smile. "Thanks." She released Lilly's hands and Lemuel's dad pulled her into a fatherly hug, patting her hair and back at the same time. He made sure not to put his weight on her, and gave her some space because of her belly.

"Don't worry, when this baby comes out we'll have a real hug."She joked, grinning.

He chuckled and released her to give Lemuel a squeeze on the shoulder. Lemuel's mom also gave him a short hug.

Then they continued to move, their room was just opposite the waiting room. Next thing was Lilly screamed loud. The contractions came faster, this time more painful and lasting longer.

"She's going into active labour." Doctor James informed the team and they all nodded, this was the moment they had all been waiting for.

Everything was already in place for the delivery.

"Remember everything you read in that manual." Doctor James asked Lilly who was struggling in pain and still breathing heavily, from that episode.

Being too tired to talk, she nodded remembering the manual that had explained everything she needed to know about delivery, from early labour, to active labour to delivery of placenta. She also remembered how long it was going to take.

Before she could exhale, the pains came again. This time, she held until Lemuel rightly for support.

Surprisingly, a clear pink discharge escaped her cervix to flow down her legs.

The doctor in charge smiled and other's on the team seemed surprised.

"You are one unique woman. Your mucus plug should have broken three days ago. Thank God its here, it means labour is here."

The nurses helped her squat and hold unto a chair. Lemuel had to stand behind her, for support too. After a while, she had to sit on a birthing ball, then she went from sitting on it, to sitting behind it.

She just kept changing positions and the contractions kept coming, more constantly.

Then she had to squat again, Lemuel sitting on the chair, she placed her hands on his leg and just held her shoulders, giving her a soft massage like the doctors instructed.

She switched again, this time placing one leg up on the chair and alternating for the other leg.

After this, she was advised to stand for a while, Lemuel was also standing behind her.

She continued to change positions, and her doctor continued to look at his watch. Of course, they worked with time.

The contractions continued, switching of positions continued.

From kneeling on the floor, with her placed flat on the floor to kneeling on the bed and leaning forward for support. Then she changed to lateral recumbent, semi- recumbent and then lithotomy.

From time to time, she would go to pee and then also relax in the toilet. The midwife had to constantly pat her back and give her soft massages whenever she went to toilet or if they felt she needed it.

When she left the convinience for what was the tenth time, she continued to walk around, squat and even sit in a tailor position or such that her front leans on the chair.

Doctor James checked his watch again and they decided it was time for Lilly to lay down. The nurses helped him slip on his surgical gives after he had washed his hand.

Lilly lay on the bed, which was pushed up to give her support. Then slowly, Dr James inserted two fingers into her vagina for effacement. Lilly had read all the processes involved.

When he confirmed that she was fully dilated to ten cm, the gynaecologist and pediatrician also had to redo a check on the baby's position. They kept touching Lilly's tommy to be sure that the baby was in anterior occipito position. Of course, they had done all this during the previous appointment.

They nodded their head for confirmation and then Dr James announced the time and also added that Lilly was going into delivery.

She lay on her side, one of her legs lifted on a small stool, supported by the midwife and Lemuel holding her hand tightly at the other side.

Lilly started to scream and yell curse words at Lemuel at the same time because the pains were more severe.

When she complained that the position was quite uncomfortable, she was asked to lay on the bed which was raised, with her legs spread open and covered in cloth.

"Push when I ask you to push only okay?" The doctor in charge asked.

Lilly nodded slowly, her whole body engulfed in pain.

"Push, with all the strength you've got."

Lilly braced herself, gritted her teeth, squeezed Lemuel tightly who jolted from surprise, groaned and let out a loud scream. She kept groaning and pushing.

"Stop."

Then she took deep breath and the midwife continued to massage her back.

"Push." He instructed.

Lilly pushed with all the strength that she got, wailing and screaming in pains.

The process of pushing and stopping continued and then she was getting tired. She took constant sips of water at her short breaks.

Then she gulped down almost half a bottle of water and felt like her energy had been refilled.

"Push." Dr James instructed and she gave it her best, groaning from the core of her being. She wailed and screamed and gashed.

She was about to stop when he urged her to continue. "Don't stop, I see the head."

In hearing that, Lilly gasped and gathered all the strength in her to push. Her baby was coming.

"Now push slowly. The head is almost out."

Lilly pushed slowly and steadily, practicing breathing patterns for relaxation at the same time.

"Push!" He exclaimed and Lilly closed her eyes, the pain overwhelming her and reminding her there was still work to do.

She kept pushing until he asked her to stop.

Doctor James support the baby with his hands once the head was out, he kept holding him in place as Lilly kept pushing out hard. Then when he saw that the neck was also out he asked Lilly to stop pushing. She took a break and then a sip of juice, practicing her breathing pattern to ensure adequate flow of oxygen.

"Now you are going to push out the arms, it's a little more difficult but don't stop till I ask. Lemuel I need to hold her tight." Lilly swallowed and Lemuel who was sweating profusely nodded stiffly. One would think he was the one in labour.

"You ready?"

Lilly nodded, feeling energised a little.

"Go." That was all it took for her to push with the whole of her might and strength. She was asked to stop and just when she thought it was all over she was reminded that it was just a break.

She kept pushing and stopping at the doctors command.

Then she sighed heavily amidst the contractions and pains. Looking to Lemuel, a tear dropped and she shook her head slowly.

"I'm really sorry. I thought I'd bring out daughter to the world but I can't do this anymore. I'm tired, all my energy is gone."

Lemuel was confused and then all members of the team looked expectantly at him.

He knew what he had to do immediately. So he took her hands and brought it up to his lips. Then he kissed her sweaty forehead before whispering.

"She's almost here and all she needs is her mom. Remember I'm right here. Baby, just one more push, one more endurance and determination and our baby is here. You can do this."

Then he kissed her lips softly and held unto her hands even tighther than he gripped before.

Lilly got her shit together, then she sat up, looked by her side at Lemuel and smiled.

"I'm ready. I'm ready to hold you baby!" She screamed the last part.

The team members laughed, Dr James nodded proudly at her.

"I want you to brace yourself. I need just one last, long strong push and we are done here. Can you do that?"

She smiled. "Yes I can."

With all the strength in her body, with all her might and with all that she was made of, Lilly screamed.

She screamed so hard and long and loud, that she even scratched Lemuel with her nails in the process.

With her last might and a groan, she screamed harder again this time, keeping her eyes shut.

"Come on baby." She whispered to her child, deep down, she knew her baby was listening.

And the next thing she heard was the cry of her baby.

She gasped, opening her eyes in shock. Her hand escaped Lemuel's grip immediately and Lemuel who hadn't realised that he was bruised jumped up for joy, punching the wall.

That was when he saw the bruise.

Dr. James handed Lilly her baby which was covered in blood.

"It's a girl." He announced. "Congratulations." He added, other members also congratulated them.

Lilly took her baby in her hands, smiling as she held her bundle of joy.

Her baby was so tiny, so delicate and so adorable. Lilly noticed that her hands were squeezed together and her eyes were still closed. She kept smiling and her baby kept crying, then she placed her head on her and placed her baby tightly on her chest.
Lilly read that it was a way of blending.

Lemuel wrapped his arms over his wife and daughter and then whispered.

"Told you it was going to be a girl." Then he kissed her cheek, kissed their baby whom Lilly handed to him.

"Welcome Princess. You did it my Queen."

Heat rose up to Lilly's cheek and she smiled, proud of herself. She was a mother to this delicate, adorable being having the man she loves support her all through the journey. What more blessings could she ask for?

Then Lemuel sat on the chair, still holding the baby and kissing Lilly's hair.