A full week had finally passed since Rachel became pregnant, and now it was time for the baby to come.
The signs had been building all day.
Her stomach had grown so large it felt tight and heavy, stretching the fabric of her clothes.
Every small movement made her pause and breathe.
Rachel sat on the edge of the bed, one hand supporting her lower back while the other rested on her swollen stomach.
"This is really ridiculous," she muttered under her breath.
She rubbed her stomach slowly, still not used to how big it had become.
"To think it got this big in just a week…" She let out a short, uneasy laugh, then stopped as another wave of discomfort passed through her.
Garion stood beside her, watching closely. His arms were tense at his sides, like he didn't know where to place them.
"Are you okay?" he asked quickly. "Do you need anything? Water? A pillow?"
