Team Cria

## Meta

**Timing:** 27 December 2021

**Setting:** the 1st house, Nanny's house, Sydney Nativity Center

## Text

Charlie's insides shift.

"Jackson!" she calls. "Baby's coming!"

""You have a phone?""

Charlie stands--"It's a little far," she admits.

Skipping down the stairs.

Jackson leaps gracefully into the kitchen, offers a cordless, kisses her hair--"My goddess almighty."--presents the Infant Note 2.0.

Charlie huffs a laugh, squeezes his hands.

Jackson squeezes back, pecks her cheek. "I'll begin the launch procedure." Skips off.

"Thank you!"

""You're welcome! Oh, Booklet! Wanna go to  Nanny's?""

""Yay!""

Charlie smiles, flips to the 'contacts' page, punches in the number.

""Sydney Nativity Center, Tracy speaking. How may I help you?""

"My husband and I have a standing appointment to have our baby."

""Congratulations! Your name, please?""

"Charlie Darling."

Typing.

""Here you are! Welcome back, Mrs Darling.""

"Thank you."

""I see your insurance information is all filled out, excellent."" More typing. ""Alright, you're Team Cria, in room 312.""

Charlie flips to the map tab. "Check in at the front desk, first elevator on the left, third floor, straight down the first right?"

""Holy smokes, you're organized."" Laughs. ""A nurse--lets see..." Keyboard sounds. "Nurse Ying was assigned to your team last time... and they're available! Nurse Ying'll escort you to your room, but it sounds like you have everything under control. When should we expect you?""

"About an hour? We're dropping our firstborn off with my mother-in-law, but her house is on the way."

""Excellent. We'll have everything ready for your arrival.""

"Great, thank you."

""See you soon, Mrs Darling!""

"Thanks, you, too." Hangs up, marks down the room, opens the note to 'Records', and jots down the time. Puts down the pen gently, thinks about getting to her feet.

Yea, nay, that's not happening.

Jackson pokes his head into the kitchen, duffle strap across his chest. "I have alerted Admiral Nanny."

Charlie smiles weakly. "And Team Cria has clearance to land."

"Cria?"

"Baby alpaca."

Jackson's eyes go huge and he hops on the spot.

Charlie chuckles.

Jackson tears off.

Charlie rubs her stomach, gets a jab for her troubles.

Jackson skids back into the kitchen, plushie held aloft: "I have Drama Llama!" Stuffs into the bag. "I also have your toothbrush and toothpaste and an arm with which to help you to the washroom."

"You're a godsend," sighs Charlie, giving him as much of her weight as she can.

"You /did call for me."

[They get to the washroom; Jackson retrieves a pair of PJ bottoms from the bag, helps Charlie from whatever pants she's currently wearing.

"I'll throw this in the car," he says, excusing himself.

Charlie uses the washroom, brushes her teeth, manages her pants on her own (keep in mind she can't see her own feet at this point, let alone the fastening/drawstring of her trousers).

Jackson returns sans duffle.

"I feel like a slob," pouts Charlie, picking at her PJs.

"It's a lot quicker to pull those off in an emergency than your mat jeans."

Charlie concedes.

Jackson helps her into her shoes and to the door.]

Charlie pats his hand as they step onto the porch. "This is good."

They sink to the step.

"Is everything okay?" asks Jackson.

"I think it's a very good idea to get to the center," says Charlie.

"Lemme know when you're ready."

"I'm ready now, I just wish the rest of me--" Charlie winces.

"Contraction?"

"Not sure what that was."

"Good?"

"I don't like it."

Jackson squeezes her hand. "I'm gonna go throw Book in the car."

"Roger, Captain."

[Jackson throws Book in the car, helps Charlie in.

On the way, Charlie has him pull over and she throws up. Book is concerned.

They drop off Book, head to the delivery room.] >no words<

.

“Welcome back, you two,” greets Nurse Ying.

Charlie smiles weakly.

“Thanks,” says Jackson, helping her into the wheel chair.

"A wristband for you--" Nurse Ying clips a lavender, cartoon baby alpaca-print bracelet around Charlie's wrist.

Charlie nods.

"--and for you--" Nurse Ying gives a somewhat thinner, strip of soft plastic to Jackson.

"Thank you." He pulls it snug.

“Shall we?”

Charlie swallows, nods.

“Should I…?” Jackson gestures vaguely at the front desk.

Nurse Ying starts down the hall. “Once we get you settled, I’ll have you declare a proof of check-in, [but] you two’ve already taken care of everything else.”

“Awesome.”

“Now, what seems to be happening?”

“‘s different.”

“Different how?”

“She threw up twice on the way here,” offers Jackson.

“Lotta pain.”

Jackson squeaks.

“I’ll get you started on painkillers right away.” Ying swipes their keycard—

A matching baby alpaca materializes on the screen.

Ying nods to Jackson.

He gets the door, holds it open.

“Would you like any help changing?”

“Bathroom,” Charlie croaks.

Ying gets them there likity-split—

Charlie throws up.

Ying checks their phone. “You had quite a high pain tolerance last time, so I’m gonna skip the mild stuff and send down a specialist.”

“Sure.”

“Mr Jones?”

Jackson meeps. >Jackson is worried/distressed/not calm because Charlie's in mysterious pain and quite a lot of it and he doesn't know how to help<

“I’m sending down a specialist for Mrs Darling.”

He meeps again.

Ying pulls up the check-in screen. “If you would look neutral for a moment—“

He does his best.

The app declares them checked in. “They’ll be with you in just a moment.

Jackson nods, flutters into the washroom.

Ying pushes the wheelchair from the room, jogs down the hall to the station and—"Lila, youre here, great.”

“Where to?”

“312, Team Cria. She’s throwing up.”

Lila opens the chart. “That’s not good.”

“Exactly.”

Lila starts prepping doses.

“Thank you!” Ying heads off.

Lila tucks the needles away in their kit, finds room 312; the duffle on the easy chair, and the retching from the washroom. “May I come in?”

“Yep.”

Mrs Darling leans against the toilet in loose pants and a nightgown, Mr Jones sits behind her, pretending to read.

"Better or worse than when it started?"

"Way worse."

"Mmhmm." Lila opens the kit. "What I would like to give you will do wonders, but the effect on your mental--"

"Will it--" Mrs Darling retches. "Sterile?"

"G-- It will not make you sterile."

"Sounds good."

"Arm, please." Lila tears open a swab.

Charlie drags her other arm onto the toilet seat.

Lila cleans a promising spot, pokes in the needle. "When it starts to work, make yourself comfy in bed and we'll do an ultrasound to see what's up."

"Great."

"Thank you," says Mr Jones.

[Lila leaves, pages Ying who returns in a little bit. Charlie's in bed, Jackson in the easy chair. Ying asks Charlie to crack open a book 'cause there'll be a lot of poking, prodding, and jargon, and there's really no point in her being bored. The nurses and tech poke about, do the ultrasound, and Charlie reads for a bit before tossing her ereader aside, grumbling about "the words keep playing hopscotch."

"This isnt pre-eclampsia, is it? People die of that. Sybil died of that."

Ying swallows a laugh, manages, "Mr Jones, that was the 1900s. People don't die of eclampsia in first world countries anymore."

"Oh. Okay."]