Chapter 23

December 1990 - Neverland Ranch

Michael's POV

"You okay?" I wondered as Maeve held in for the fifth time, holding her stomach with one hand and the counter with the other.

She took a few deep breaths before standing up straight again.

"Yeah..."

We were currently preparing Dinner, her mother is joining us today since it's Christmas eve and although I do not celebrate Christmas, I appreciate that Maeve always puts in so much effort.

Well, this year she had a little more help than usual considering she's about to explode any minute erm... about to give birth any day now.

For dinner we decided on a simple roast with mashed potatoes this year since Maeve insisted in cooking herself. This time I didn't want her to overdo herself, that's why I chose to assist.

As I got my attention back to the vegetables I was cutting, I heard her groan again.

"Ok, maybe not" Maeve sounded stressed as she held on to the counter while again taking deep breaths, her face screamed out in pain but there was absolutely no sound leaving her lips.

She's been having contractions every once in a while for the past week but they were always light and stopped after some time.

"Do you want to take a bath?" I suggested, remembering the words of her midwife, a bath should reduce the pain.

"Yes, good idea..." Maeve started waddling to the door. I watched her leave before hearing her voice growling from the hallway. She was having contractions again.

The knife glided out of my hand as I rushed over to her side. "I think it's better if I join you..."

*****

With a bath sponge I drenched Maeve's bump that was too big to be under the water.

Her back rested on my chest, her head laid back at my shoulder, while I tried to wash her body as good as I was able to from my position.

"I want this baby out, I don't think I can go another week" Maeve complained. She was due in exact 7 days and has been complaining for a while now. I don't blame her, her stomach looks huge and the number of times she has to use the toilet per day is absolutely insane.

"You know, we could always try sex... you know, maybe it'll help" I tried to sound as seducing as possible.

A way of inducing labor is having sex but due to Maeve's large belly it gets a little more tricky for us to find a position we're both comfortable in.

My hand slowly traveled down her body, I let it glide over her stomach. "I love you" my deep voice whispered, I know it drives her crazy.

By now my hand reach in between her thighs, she immediately spread her legs, laying one of her legs on the rim of the bath tube, guaranteeing me full access.

"I love you too" she moaned the words as my fingers started lightly circling her clitoris.

Her body was pressed against mine while she enjoyed me working on her. "How about we're going to continue this in-"

"Mr. Jackson" we were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Your guest is here!"

"For fucks sake" I groaned before I yelled back. "Offer her a drink, we'll be out in a second."

Maeve tried hard holding back her laughter as she carefully started getting out of the tub with me following behind her.

"We're finishing this later" I told her before smacking her bare ass.

*****

Maeve was softly swaying her hips, she does that a lot whenever she started to have light contractions. We were currently standing in the kitchen, Maeve's mother just helped doing the dishes.

"Maeve told me about your plans for next year. You are working on new music?" Carmen asked me.

"Yes, well, I'm always working on new music but now we've decided to put out another album next year."

"Have you already recorded some of your new songs?"

"A few, yes, but I'm not sure if they fit on the album. I always have this kind of idea I want to go with for an album and of course the songs have to fit into-"

While I was telling Maeve's mother everything about the process of this new album so far I took a quick glance over at my wife, who looked down, her face pale like she's just seen a ghost.

"Maeve, what's wrong?" I worried, her head shot in my direction.

"I... um... " she stuttered, her eyes darting back down at the floor before meeting mine again. "I either just pissed myself or... my water broke." My eyes widened as well as her mother's.

"No... I definitely did not piss myself" Maeve said before taking a few steps back.

On the floor there was some clear liquid, not much, her clothes absorbed most of it.

"We're having a baby!" it took me a second to realize what was happening. "I'll call the midwife" I told her as soon as I realized the seriousness of this situation.

*****

It's been hours since Maeve's water broke, she has been pacing back and forth this whole time since she couldn't stay still.

Every time she was having a contraction, she'd stop and lean on the table or anything in her reach. While doing so, I put my hands on her lower back, putting some pressure there since the midwife told me, this could reduce some of the pain but at some point Maeve refused every touch.

During all of this, I felt completely helpless watching Maeve handle the pain all by herself but there wasn't really anything I could do besides giving her water in between the contractions, so that she stays hydrated.

Anyway, I was so proud of how well Maeve was dealing with all of this. I would've given up hours ago but she was still going strong.

This time, Maeve wanted to have a home birth and since I'm 'not the one that has to push a watermelon sized baby out of a hole that's just as big as a lemon' I don't get a say in this, her words, not mine. I would've felt safer in a hospital but this is not about me, however, the midwife reassured me that at the slightest sign of a complication we'd leave for the hospital immediately.

Exhausted and breathless, she plopped down on the couch that was covered in plastic foil and a blanket, just in case.

"Michael, it's not going to take much longer" the midwife told me before turning back to Maeve "Maeve, do you feel the urge to push?"

"I cannot control it, it just happens" my wife explained as her head fell back but I was quick to scoot in behind her on the couch as it hit my chest. She rested her feet on the edge of the couch, knees spread wide apart.

"Aaaaaah" she groaned in pain and I could feel her entire body tense.

"That's good and now breath. You're doing great." The midwife spoke softly. Maeve's head rested for a few seconds on me, sweat dripping down her head, her hair was completely drenched but I couldn't care less at this very moment.

Just as quick, I felt her body tense again as another wave of contraction hit her. I felt her hand grabbing mine, squashing it with hers as she pushed with all the strength she had newly found in her body.

Although it seemed strange but in this very moment I felt nothing but admiration for this woman. It made me realize how strong she truly was as I watched her in awe bringing a new life into this world.

After another few pushes the midwife held our baby in her hands and quickly wiping the face before she placed it on Maeve's chest.

"Congratulations, it's a girl!" The midwife spoke, my wife's arms immediately wrapped around the baby while still trying to catch her breath.

"Michael" she looked at me while whispering my name with happy tears in her eyes. All the fear they held these past months was completely washed away.

My hands wrapped around them both as I placed a long loving kiss on Maeve's head.

"You are amazing, Maeve, I love you" I then softly stroke the baby's cheek. Her eyes opened slowly, she looked at me for a brief second before closing them again.

"My little princess Charlotte."