The Unexpected Awakening

A few nights later, at 4 am, Ashley slowly opened her eyes, feeling a subtle pressure building in her lower abdomen. She lay still for a moment, trying to assess what it was, and Alex was sleeping peacefully beside her. The pressure grew slightly, and Ashley's body tensed as she threw off the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. At first, she thought it was just a strong urge to pee, a common occurrence in the third trimester. She got out of bed and padded softly to the bathroom, trying not to wake Alex. As she entered the bathroom, she positioned herself over the toilet, but as she began to relieve herself, she realized it wasn't just a pee. The sensation was different, more of a release, and she felt a gush of liquid. Ashley's heart started racing as she quickly grabbed a towel and held it against herself. She wasn't sure what was happening, but she knew it wasn't normal. She tried to remain calm and think clearly, wondering if this could be a sign of the baby's arrival. She had heard of women going into labor suddenly, but she wasn't due for another few weeks. As she stood there, frozen in uncertainty, Ashley heard a faint stirring from the bedroom. "Mommy?" Alex's sleepy voice called out. Ashley quickly responded, trying to reassure him that everything was okay. "I'm fine, sweetie, just go back to sleep," she said softly, trying to keep her voice calm. She waited until she heard Alex settle back into bed before she tried to process what was happening. She had been feeling pressure and contractions for a while now, but they had been sporadic and manageable. Ashley took a few deep breaths, trying to think clearly. She wasn't sure if this was the real deal or just a false alarm. She knew that at 34 weeks, the baby was still premature, and she wasn't ready for it to arrive just yet. But as she looked down and saw the towel in her hand, stained with a mixture of liquid and blood, she knew that something was happening. She slowly got up from the bathroom and made her way back to the bedroom, trying not to make too much noise. As she approached the bed, she saw Avan's sleeping form, and she gently shook him awake. "Avan, wake up," she whispered urgently. Avan groggily opened his eyes, and Ashley could see the confusion and concern etched on his face. "What is it?" he asked, sitting up in bed. Ashley took a deep breath, trying to summarize what had just happened. "I think...I think the baby might be coming," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Avan's expression changed from confusion to alarm as he quickly threw off the covers and got out of bed. "Let's get you back to bed and figure out what's going on," he said, helping Ashley back to bed. As they settled in, Ashley couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions - excitement, fear, and uncertainty. She knew that their lives were about to change in a big way, and she wasn't sure if they were ready.