Jolene lay back on the bed, trying to get comfortable. The dull ache in her back hadn’t gone away—but it hadn’t gotten worse either. Outside, she could hear Ricky’s voice. Low. Steady. “Easy… hey, easy…” Keola answered with a restless shuffle. Another sharp sound. Jolene closed her eyes for a moment, then reached for her phone.
She typed slowly, searching through page after page. Back discomfort. Pressure. Unease. Most of what she read said the same thing. Normal. Common during pregnancy. Nothing to worry about. Jolene exhaled, letting some of the tension slip away.
“See…” she murmured to herself. “It’s nothing.” Another sound from outside. Louder this time. She paused, listening as Ricky tried again to calm Keola down. Jolene set her phone aside and turned onto her side, trying to ignore it.
Trying to rest. By the time the front door opened again, the sky had already begun to darken. “Hey,” a familiar voice called softly. Ricky’s sister had arrived.