Two weeks later, Melody was nervously lying down on a gurney. Her hands were tightly gripping the blanket that was placed over her body. Heather, who was always there to support and reassure her, stood next to her and listened carefully as Daphne, the nurse on duty, gave important instructions about prepartum and postpartum care.
Her fingers gently caressed the soft fabric of the maternity top, a thoughtful gesture from one of the caring nurses at Harmony Haven. As she smoothed out the gentle wrinkles over her growing abdomen, a wave of gratitude washed over her, mingled with a hint of nervousness.
As she thought about what Daphne had said, her mind went back to what had happened just a few minutes earlier to put her in that situation.
Ironically enough, she found herself in the midst of labor halfway down the stairs, caught off guard and alone. Gripping tightly onto the banister, she felt her body tense as a contraction rippled fiercely across her abdomen.