The Unexpected Arrival

Avan helped Ashley back to bed and gently propped her legs up with pillows, trying to make her as comfortable as possible. Ashley lay back, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety as Avan pulled the covers up to her waist. "I'm going to call the doctor's hotline and get some advice," Avan said, quickly getting out of bed and grabbing his phone from the nightstand. Ashley nodded, watching as Avan dialed the number and waited for someone to pick up. As they waited, Ashley couldn't help but think about the possibility of the baby arriving prematurely. She had heard of babies being born at 34 weeks and doing okay, but she knew that it was still a risk. She glanced over at Avan, who was listening intently to the person on the other end of the line. "What's going on?" Ashley asked, trying to keep her voice low. "It's the nurse from the on-call service," Avan replied, his eyes locked on hers. "I'm explaining the situation to her." The nurse's voice came through the phone, calm and professional, as Avan relayed the events of the past 20 minutes. Ashley listened as Avan described the pressure, the gush of liquid, and the blood. "Okay, sir, I think we need to get your wife to the hospital," the nurse said. "At 34 weeks, we consider this a preterm labor. I want you to get her to the hospital as soon as possible." Avan nodded, even though the nurse couldn't see him. "Okay, got it. What's the best way to get there? Should we take her in a car or call an ambulance?" "Unless you're close to the hospital, I would recommend calling an ambulance," the nurse replied. "We can have them take your wife in and get her evaluated right away." Avan nodded, making a mental note to call the ambulance service. As he ended the call, he turned to Ashley and gave her a reassuring smile. "Help is on the way," he said, pulling her into a gentle hug. "We're going to get through this, okay?" Ashley nodded, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. She knew that Avan was going to take care of her and the baby, and that they would face whatever came next together. As they waited for the ambulance to arrive, Avan stayed by Ashley's side, holding her hand and talking softly to her. Ashley closed her eyes, feeling the pressure and contractions grow stronger, but with Avan by her side, she felt a sense of peace that everything would be okay. The sound of sirens outside their window signaled the arrival of the ambulance, and Avan quickly got out of bed to meet the paramedics. Ashley smiled weakly, knowing that their journey was about to take a dramatic turn.