In My Arms

“If I have to move this crib one more time…I’m going to have very strong words to say to you, Liz.”

Elizabeth giggled, trailing her hands over her large stomach. “Dude, you’re Captain America. This is a small wooden crib.”

“And you are an indecisive woman.”

“Liz, lovely, I told you to sit down.” Gemma took her by the arm and pulled her to a plush rocking chair, forcing her to sit down and put her legs up on the ottoman. “My brother isn’t here to take care of you and he texts me practically every fifteen minutes to make sure that I do. So, sit. Relax.”

“I’m pregnant, I’m not made of rice paper.”

“Harry would feel better if you sit down and make Cap here to all the work.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Where do you guys think the crib will look good?”

“It looks fine wherever you put it.” Chris pushed it against the wall. “It looks especially fine here, because that’s where it is.”

“But the dresser is over there.”

“She’s not going to come home and immediately demand you change her clothes.” Gemma paused. “Though, this is Harry’s child. I could be wrong.”

Elizabeth giggled and then sucked in a deep breath, running her hand over her low abdomen. “I think tuna fish was a bad idea.”

“Are you okay?” Gemma dropped to her knees beside her and studied her face, gently taking her hand in hers and patting it. “You look tired.”

“I’m as big as a house, of course I’m tired.”

“Actually, I think you still look gorgeous.” Chris sat down on the other side of her. “Only your feet and legs are swollen. Don’t look at me like that, you know it’s true.”

“I just feel like I’ve got really bad stomach cramps, that’s all. Chris, close your ears.” She turned to Gemma. “It feels like period cramps.”

“Maybe you should call the doctor.”

“Gem, I’m not due for another four weeks.” She exhaled shakily. “It’s probably just really painful Braxton Hicks.”

“Harry wouldn’t—“

“Harry is on the other side of the country right now. Harry doesn’t need to know.”

Gemma and Chris watched her, studying her every movement; almost seemingly counting the beats between each breath she was taking. Elizabeth looked away, training her eyes on her engagement ring. This was ridiculous. It was just some cramps. So, maybe she’d described them poorly to Gems. Maybe they weren’t period cramps, maybe they were really bad intestinal disorder bad. And they were consistent. But, this was ridiculous—she still had four weeks to go. An entire month. Besides, she’d been at the doctor’s less than a week ago. They didn’t say anything was abnormal. She was progressing fine, just a little swelling in her feet and ankles. No big deal.

She took a deep breath. The cramps weren’t just consistent. They were every five minutes apart. “Maybe…um…maybe we should just call the doctor and see what they say.” Elizabeth swallowed hard and looked at Chris for reassurance. “It really hurts.”

Gemma jumped to her feet and headed to the door. “I’ll get your phone.”

“Gems,” Elizabeth stopped talking, slightly overcome by the cramps in her stomach, “don’t say anything to Harry.”

####

The blinding lights of the arena actually made it quite difficult to see anyone’s face, so Harry often wondered why girls made the effort of making signs. He couldn’t actually see anything. But, even so, he loved singing to them; loved the scream of the crowds. This was what he’d always dreamed of: performing. Living his dream.

He skipped backstage for a quick wardrobe change, peeling his sweaty white shirt over his shoulders and tossing it into a basket. Things felt right: Zayn was gone, yeah, but as a four-some they sounded great. Now, if he could only get his voice to accept some of those bullshit high notes.

“Harry.” His assistant handed him a cellphone. “You need to take this.”

He felt like his heart stopped. Everyone who mattered knew he was in the middle of a show. If he was getting a call, it wasn’t good. “This is Harry.”

“It’s Gemma. Liz is in labor and I don’t care what you’re doing, but you need to stop right now and get your ass on a plane. She’s having the baby.”

“What?” The words sounded foreign to him. “Is this a joke, Gems, because it isn’t funny. She still has a month to go.”

“Thank you for pointing out the obvious, Harry. But, now, we’re on our way to the hospital right now. Her contractions are five minutes apart and her water broke. Her water broke. Do you understand what that means, Harry? Do I have to text you a diagram?”

He heard a scuffle in the background and then he heard her voice. “Hi Hazza.”

“Are you really having the baby?” His voice cracked. “Baby, what’s going on?”

“Yeaaaaah, I think I’m having the baby. My water broke.”

“What? Fuck, Lizzie, how is this happening? You still have four weeks until your due date. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Hazza. Chris is driving me to the hospital. Gemma’s worse off than I am. I started having contractions and then my water broke. I called the doctor and they are going to meet me at the emergency room—“

“The emergency room?”

“Hazza.” She burst into tears. “Hazza, I’m scared.”

“It’s okay, baby girl, I’m on my way. I’ll be there as fast as I can.” He yanked a shirt off the hanger. “I’m on my way right now.”

“Harry, wait, I’m sorry. You’re in the middle of a show—“

“Baby, you’re what’s important to me. Not the show. I’m going to see you in just a few hours. I’ll be there, love, I’ll be there. I swear to you.” His voice cracked again and he sucked in a deep breath. “I love you, Lizzie.”

“I love you Hazza.”

He shoved the cell phone back in his assistant’s hands. “I need on a plane. Right now, right this second. She’s having the baby.” He felt a wave of panic wash over him and, for a moment, he felt like he needed to sit down.

Liam caught him by the arm. “Harry. It’s going to be okay.”

“I need to be there for her…she’s a month early, she can’t have the baby.”

His assistant gently touched his arm and helped Liam guide him to a couch. “Harry, she’s going to be okay. She has Gemma and Chris with her. They’re taking her to the hospital and she’s going to be fine.”

“But…” he felt his eyes bite with tears; he didn’t even care. He let them flow freely down his cheeks. “The baby is too early. She still has a month to go.”

“Once she’s at the hospital, the doctors will take care of her. It’s okay. She’s far enough along that it’s going to be fine.” His assistant patted his arm and punched numbers into the phone. “I’ll get a flight and a car set for you. Just give me five minutes.”

Liam crouched down beside him and patted his shoulder. “It’s okay, man. She’s in good hands.”

“She’s scared. And I’m here, when I should be with her.”

“She’s strong. And you will.”

Harry closed his eyes, forcing himself to breath in and out. This wasn’t happening. She wasn’t supposed to have the baby for four more weeks. What if something happened to the baby? What if something happened to Lizzie? Of all the fears he’d hidden deep within his subconscious, having the baby early was not one of them. He wasn’t ready for this. And, worse yet, he could lose the love of his life. His life was about to drastically change.

And he was scared to death.

Notes