August 10th-

Jessica was taking it super easy. She was all  ready for the baby.Now it was just a waiting game. She had nine days until her due date. They had no idea if the baby would be born early or late. Jessica was nervous and excited at the same time. She was ready for the pregnancy to be over as well. She had been feeling her worst this week. She was absolutely miserable. Everything had hurt. She felt everyone little movement, and her body no longer felt like her own.

Her family was always calling her and checking up to make sure she was okay. They were afraid she'd go into labor and no one would be there for her. The last thing they wanted to do was make her go through any of this alone. But Jessica was fine. She didn't feel any pain, yet.

She spent the last few days at the house, relaxing. She spent a lot of time by the lake writing. It was her way to escape and just calm down.

All of her friends from New York had sent their best wishes knowing that she'd be having the baby soon. She missed some of them, but she was glad she got away from New York when she did.

One day Jessica George and Dorthy came over. George brought a few of his friends so they could go swim in the lake. Jessica and Dorthy stayed inside and had some cold lemonades.

"Do you have your hospital bag packed?" Dorthy asks

Jessica nods

"All the baby monitors are set up?"

Jessica nods again

"Did you go out and buy your adult diapers?" Dorthy asks

Jessica groans "Mom, I have everything!" She snaps

Dorthy holds up her hands and chuckles "I know... I'm just making sure!"

Jessica sighs and rubs her belly. "She's moving like crazy. More than usual. Does that mean she's ready?" Jessica asks nervously

"It could mean a lot of things. It's hard to say. Have you had any pains?"

"No, nothing too intense. Just Braxton Hicks."

"Hmm, I wonder if she'll be an early bird?"

Jessica shrugs her shoulders and takes a sip of her lemonade. "I don't know... I'm just ready for this pregnancy thing to be over." Jessica says

"Don't worry, it will come up quick. From the sound of it you don't seem to be feeling too well?"

Jessica shakes her head. "Not at all. I haven't slept in days."

Dorthy walks over to Jessica and cradles her. "This is only the beginning, hun."

Then, George and his friends come running in. They were soaking wet. Jessica had been cleaning a lot, so when she saw the puddles of lake water she began to panic.

"All of you, out! Now! Get out!" Jessica says shooing them away.

George was so embarrassed. "Jessica, calm down. We came to get some towels."

"Don't tell me to calm down. You're making a mess. Go run around and dry off!"

"Mom!" George whines

"You heard her. This is her house, not mine." Dorthy chuckles

Jessica crosses her arms and waits for all of them to leave.

"Fine!" George says

When they leave Jessica rolls her eyes and pulls out the mop. "I've cleaned this floor lord knows how many times. Teenage boys coming and making it nasty isn't my thing!"

Dorthy laughs at Jessica's frustration. "Honey, you're nesting. I've never seen you be so neat and tidy."

"That's not true. I'm always neat." She bluffs

"Whatever you say" Dorthy says with a grin.

//-//

4 days until Jessica's due date-

"I'm sorry Jessica, but you haven't dilated yet." The doctor says

Jessica throws her head back and groans.

"You're kidding me!" She says

"I'm sorry..."

Jessica begins to cry. "I can't do this anymore. I hurt everywhere. She is suppose to be here in four days. If I haven't even started dialing yet what does that mean?" She cries even harder and the doctor tries to calm her down.

"Jessica, not all baby's come on their due dates.  They really are just estimates. She may be a few days late, but that's perfectly fine. Maybe you will meet her in two days, your never know. You just have to hang in there."

"What happens if she's late?" She says with teary eyes

"If she is not here by the twenty fifth then we will induce you. But until then I suggest doing some things to induce labor. Walking, swimming, I even heard they make these teas. But save that all for after the due date, okay?"

Jessica nods then blows her nose. "I'm sorry. I'm just so miserable."

"I understand. This is the toughest part for mothers, the end."

//-//

"So, any progress?" Sarah says sitting up from her chair. She had taken Jessica to her appointment today.

Jessica begins to cry again. "Nothing! Not an inch, nothing!" She says covering her face.

Sarah gives her a hug. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't say you're sorry!"

"Okay, I won't..." Sarah says softly

"I just need to go home and swim and walk and drink tea."

"But Jessica, it isn't even your due date..."

"Well it's coming! I want her here on my due date." Jessica says with determination.

//-//

August 19th-

Jessica spent the last four days doing everything she could so she'd go into labor on her due date. But still, she didn't have a single contraction. Not even Braxton Hicks. Jessica had gotten to the point where she was so miserable that she'd do anything to have the baby. Jessica just had to wait. She hated waiting.

Everyone was still checking in on her. Dorthy stayed over at Jessica's because Jessica felt more comfortable with somewhere there Incase anything happened. Dorthy felt more comfortable too.

"She's never going to come out!" Jessica says as her mother cleans up from dinner. Jessica went the whole day waiting for a sign that she was in labor, unfortunately nothing changed.

All of her family was over for dinner. They all knew that she was upset these last few days and hoped to take her mind off things and make her happy. But it was impossible to distract her.

"Quinn was a week late. They won't let you go over forty-two weeks. Maybe baby girl just needs to bake some more." Ann says

"Lillian was an early bird." Jane says

Jessica gives Jane a death stare then turns away.

"Of course I want her safe and inside me. I love feeling her kicks. But now, it's gotten to the point where I'm swollen to the max, I'm so uncomfortable and in pain. I can't take it."

"You just need to relax." Dorthy says

"I can't!"

"Yes you can. The less tense you are, the easier it is for the baby to want to come out."

"Don't you love mama? If you do, do me a favor and make your way out!" Jessica says to her stomach

She gets a few soft kicks and that's all.

"After that birthing class, why would you want to go through birth. You're all crazy!" George says

"We are not." Ann snaps

"Birth is a beautiful thing, George." Dorthy adds

"No it's not!" George and Jessica say in sync

Ann, Jane and Dorthy shake their heads and laugh.

"Just give her some more time, Jessie. No need to rush." Dorthy kisses her cheek and gives her desert.

Jessica sighs and leans back in her chair.

//-//

That night Jessica once again wasn't able to sleep. She tossed and turned while the baby kept kicking.

"Listen little diva. Mommy wants to meet you. And I know you want to meet me. But the only way to do that is to come out. So please, come out! Today was suppose to me your birthday!"

The kicks stop and Jessica sighs.

She lays on her side and gazes at a picture of her and Danny. She wished he was here. He always knew the right things to say. He never failed to make Jessica feel better. She tried to imagine what he'd say to her now.

"We have a stubborn one, Danny. I think she got that from me." Jessica says to the picture

"... I wish you were here. I think about you everyday. I think about what things would have been." Jessica was beginning to make herself even more upset. She remembered what her mother told her about being tense. She tried to take Danny out of her mind and just close her eyes.

Tomorrow was another day... maybe tomorrow she'd meet her baby.

//-//