“Here.” Dad pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and used it to dab her eyes. “I brought a few of these, just in case. I remember how your Mum was.” The pair shared a knowing look.
“Your father is right. Let’s get this wedding on the road.”
Too overwhelmed to react, Amelia let her parents walk her down the aisle, one on either side of her. Every step brought her closer to Daniel. Closer to the future. Closer to forever.
Almost there.
Then blinding pain struck. Her knees buckled; Mom and Dad held her under the arms, keeping her from the floor.
“What’s the matter?” Daniel was there too, his strong arms around her and concern in his eyes. “Amelia?”
She couldn’t speak through the pain radiating from her stomach, right around to her back. Her pelvis ached. It felt like a hundred pound weight was bearing down on her, and her lady parts were about to turn inside out.
“You’re in labour, Amelia,” Mom said. “We need to get you to a hospital, right away.”
“No! We…” She sucked in a deep breath and pushed it out slowly, just like the midwife instructed her to “…need to…” Another breath “…get marr–ah…”
Daniel stepped in. “Amelia wants us to be married before the baby is born.” He turned to the Deacon. “Can we skip the non-essentials?”
Amelia squeezed her parents’ hands. Contractions. She was having contractions. Early.
“All right.” Deacon Mullane saw to the small crowd rising from their seats.
“Amelia,” Mom said, smoothing a hand over the tightening muscles of Amelia’s abdomen. “You need to get to a hospital.”
She shook her head. “Not…yet.” She breathed through the pain of the tail end of her contraction. “My waters…haven’t broken…and…contractions aren’t…close enough…” Another deep breath in, and out “…so I have…” Amelia sucked a lungful of air in through her nose and held it, then pushed it out through her mouth “…a little time.”
“We’ll get the important part over quickly,” Deacon Mullane told her, assuaging her fears. To someone over his shoulder, he added, “Ring doctor Sheenan and have him bring everything necessary for a birth.”
“I’ll do it!” a called out.
“Okay, everyone! Back in your seats! Let’s get these two married so they can have their baby!”
Amelia’s parents helped her to the altar, to Daniel. He looked at her with so much devotion she swore she felt it, filling up her heart and her soul. Making her stronger. She was stronger because of Daniel. The love they shared was passion and fortitude.
Words went by in a blur.
Pain came and went.
Daniel faced her the entire time. When he pledged himself to her for eternity, his voice broke, and she struggled to keep a firm hold on her emotions. When her turn came she could barely get the words out. She never thought she’d understand the meaning of the word love. Never thought she’d know a man like Daniel Byrne.
“By the power vested in me by the Church of Ireland, I now pronounce you man and wife. Give her a kiss, Danny boy!”
The small community of Malin Head cheered him on, but Daniel paid them no attention. He looked at Amelia like he’d die if he didn’t kiss her. And then his lips were on hers, his hands in her hair, his tongue thrusting with hers. Amelia felt no pain while he kissed her. She felt only Daniel. Only him.
Daniel paced the length of corridor continuously, surprised the treads of his shoes hadn’t worn down the rug. Doctor Sheenan shut the door in his face, allowing only Amelia’s Ma, Gail, and Gabby in the room, along with his nurse. He should be in there with her. Should be holding her hand and wiping her brow, giving her words of encouragement.
“It’ll be all right,” Brian Quinlivan – Amelia’s Da – said, sliding his palms over his trousers. The man was as nervous as Daniel and horrible at hiding it.
Seconds after he broke the kiss binding them as man and wife for eternity Amelia’s waters broke. Then she began bleeding. The nearest hospital was too far away. A helicopter was on its way – arranged by Gabby. But damn if time didn’t go by slower than a feckin’ snail on hot pavement.
She had to be okay. He couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not ever.
His hands shook with every step and he shoved them in his trouser pockets to try and still them. Stomach roiled, bringing a foul taste into his mouth. Sitting, standing, waiting. Daniel never did well with waiting. In prison, he woke before the guards came to do their rounds, and pushed his body. Doing exercises in his brand new suit didn’t sound like a good idea though.