*8 and 1/2 months pregnant*

The uneventful months passed. The nursery was done and ready for Jessica's baby girl. Jessica was a few weeks away from her due date and had become miserable as time marched on. Her body ached, sleepless nights because the baby would kick and move throughout the night and many trips to the bathroom would keep her from getting any sleep.

One of many sleepless nights Jessica finally found a way for the baby to be active during the day and be still at night. That discovery was music. Especially, Stevie Nicks. Jessica had been a fan since Fleetwood Mac and had always admired her. Her lyrics had a way to help Jessica get through whatever she was going through. Jessica would put on Stevie's slower and mellower songs and it would calm the baby. She even thought about naming her baby girl after Stevie.
She would play a playlist of these songs through out the night.
She was able to get more sleep and at that she was relieved.

It was a Saturday night, and Jessica was laying on the sofa, gently stroking her big belly; the baby actually being still. She was watching tv before but now it was mostly background noise. She had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for a while now but nothing too intense.
She also noticed that her belly was much lower now which meant that the baby was getting ready make her way into the world.

Jessica snapped out of her reverie when she heard the front door open. She looked up and smiled at Kathy.
"So, how did it go?" Jessica asked with a grin reaching for Kathy's hand for help to sit up.
"It went well, we talked, we had dinner and danced. I had a lot of fun." Kathy replied pulling Jessica up into a sitting position.
"Are you going to me what else happened?" Jessica said.
"I don't know what else there is to tell you." Kathy answered blushing and not meeting Jessica's eyes.
"Oh please! You had sex with him!"
Kathy laughed and said, "Well, yes I did. And oh sweet Jesus it was mind blowing!"
Jessica laughed, "That was y'alls third date!"
"Hey! I'm a human, I have needs. What can I say!?"
"Are you going to see him again? Do you feel he is the one?" Jessica questioned.
"I wouldn't say he is the one but yeah I will see him again and see where this relationship goes."

They spent a few more minutes discussing Kathy's date with a local farmer named Robert. He was handsome, muscular and Kathy had said he looked "hot" when he wore his cowboy hat and blue jean pants.

"OW!!!" Jessica exclaimed as she doubled over with her hands over her belly.
"Jessica, are okay?"
"God! That hurt! I think...that was a contraction!"
"Should we go to the hospital?"
Jessica breathed in and out and it was over; for now. "No, that was just the first one. My doctor said when my contractions become ten minutes apart to head on over. It's just a waiting game now. I'm okay now."
Kathy breathed a sigh, "What should we do to pass the time?"
"Just go on with our night as usual."
"Why don't I paint your nails and toe nails? That way when you have your legs up in the stir ups, your toes will look flawless!"
Jessica laughed, "Thank you Kathy! Red please!"
"You got it!"
Kathy got the nail polish and began to paint Jessica's nails. Jessica was quiet for a few moments. For some reason, after feeling that first contraction, she began to feel scared.
Tears fell down her cheeks and she quietly sobbed.
Kathy heard sniffling and looked up at Jessica.
"Jess?"
"Kathy...I'm...scared."
"Jess, why are you scared?" Kathy stopped what she was doing and sat next to Jessica on sofa. She wrapped her arm around her shoulder to comfort Jessica.
"Kathy, can you...please be in the delivery room with me?" Jessica said. "I don't want to go through it alone without someone there with me. And who better than my sister."
Kathy smiled at Jessica with happy tears in her eyes. "Of course Jess, I will be there with you! Awe Jess! Thanks for asking me."
They both hugged and Kathy went back to finish painting Jessica's nails. Jessica didn't have another contraction the rest of the night.

October 15, 1998
The next morning Jessica woke up to a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. She shut her eyes and breathed in and out like she learned in Lamaze class.
When it passed, Jessica looked at the time.
9:00am.
She got up, used the bathroom, brushed her teeth, put her robe on and headed to the kitchen; smelling food on her way.
"Morning Jess."
"Morning Kathy." Jessica said looking miserable. "I loved being pregnant before the eighth month....Now, I just want her out so I can hold her in my arms!" She cried.
Kathy walks over to Jessica and gives her hug. "She'll be here soon. Come on, let's sit down and eat some breakfast then we can try to get your mind off of being miserable. We can talk about baby names, which you should choose one soon."
"Okay Kathy." Jessica said smiling a little.
Kathy serves them both some pancakes, eggs and hashbrowns, and orange juice.
"Thank you so much Kathy."
"You're welcome Jess. It's no problem."
"Not just for the food. Thank you for being here with me. Thank you for moving here with me and just...experiencing this with me. I don't feel so alone." Jessica said becoming more emotional by the end.
"Jessica, you don't have to thank me. I'm happy to be here for you. We've been through a lot together since we met on set years ago. We've become sisters! You're my sister Jess."
Both had tears streaming down their face and got up from their seat and hugged.

After a few moments, they break a part, wiped their eyes and Kathy says "Okay let's eat!"
Laughing Jessica makes her back to her seat when she feels another sharp pain shoot through abdomen. She doubles over and puts one hand on the kitchen table and the other on her belly.
"Jess?"
"Give...me...a moment." Jessica says breathing through the pain. "Oh god. That was worse than the one I had earlier."
"Earlier?" Kathy asks.
"Yeah, when I woke up, I felt a contraction. What time is it?"
Kathy looks at the clock. "It's, 9:30."
"That's 30 minutes from the first. Now I just have to time them." Jessica sits back down.

They finished breakfast and right on the 30 minute mark, Jessica had another contraction.

Hours later, Jessica's contractions were now 10 minutes apart. She finally called her doctor and he said to wait another hour and to go for a walk to try to get her water to break.

7:00 pm
Kathy walked with Jessica around the ranch stopping as Jessica breathed through the contractions.
"This isn't working! Let's go back, I need to lie down." Jessica sobbed.
They turned to head back to the house.
Just as they got to the front porch, Jessica grabbed Kathy's arm and looked down.
"Oh god! Finally!" Jessica said as they both looked down. "I'm gonna go get dressed so we can go to the hospital."
"Alright Jess. Oh my goodness! Your baby girl is almost here."
Jessica smiled and went inside the house.
After her water broke, things started to go much faster.

As soon as they got to the hospital, her contractions were now 5 minutes apart.
Jessica got checked in and was quickly given a room.
The doctor came in and checked on her progress.
"Everything is going great. You are at 8 centimeters. You're almost there Jessica. I want to say maybe two to three hours till you meet your baby."
Jessica smiled weakly. "I can't wait."
The doctor left leaving Jessica and Kathy alone.
Jessica closed her eyes and said. "I'm so tired Kathy. Why did I even try to do this? Can't we just go home?"
"Awe Jess, I know you are tired. But just think, you are almost there. Before you know it, you will have your baby girl in your arms. You can do this Jess!"
"Thank you Kathy. I really needed to hear that."

Three hours later and Jessica began to push; Kathy by her side holding her hand.

After 20 minutes of pushing the doctor said, "Okay Jessica, I need one more big push from you and your baby will be here."
Jessica breathed in and out readying herself for that final push.
She breathed in and pushed.
As soon as she felt her baby leaving her body she laid her head back on her pillow and cried tears of happiness as she heard her baby's cries.
"Here you are mommy, here's your baby girl." The doctor said placing the baby on Jessica's chest.
Her arms wrapped around her crying baby and spoke softly to her. "Hi baby girl, nice to finally meet you. I'm your mommy."
The baby quieted down as soon as she heard Jessica's voice. "Mommy loves you my dear sweet Stephanie."
They both stared into each other's eyes and in that moment, nothing else mattered to Jessica anymore. Looking into her baby girl's face, gently stroking her cheek, all of Jessica's fears, worries and uncertainties melted away.
All that mattered now was her baby girl.