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"It's the baby..." she whispered in fear. "I think the baby's coming..."

"No, no, no," the naked panic and fear in his eyes did nothing to alleviate Amaya's own terror. "He can't be coming now. He's nearly a month early! Are you sure?"

"I've been cramping all day but I thought it was due to stress," Amaya moaned after the pain had subsided. "But now I think I'm having contractions."

"Okay, it's okay," he soothed, automatically gathering her trembling body into a hug. "We'll be fine. We have to get you to the hospital."

Amaya had argued, begged, cajoled, attempted to reason but Aiden had refused point blank to defer his position as her coach to Lisa. In the end, Lisa had simply declined to go in to hospital with her, saying that it was best for Amaya to have her original coaching partner with her. Shocked and hurt by what she felt was an unforgivable betrayal, Theresa had refused to look, or even talk, to her cousin while Sandro shepherded her out to his car. Lisa had seemed to be chee