The emphasis made it through the haze of sleep, though it still took a second for him to figure out what he was supposed to do with this information. "Oh," he said stupidly. They had talked about this, about what it would be like and what the plan was, but that didn't mean they were ready. In fact, most of the plan they'd discussed was actually just him getting out of the way. Katia was going to come and stay with them for a bit when the baby was inbound, so that she could help Zelda while Alfred went to fetch the midwife. Katia also had more experience than either of them, so she would know when it was actually time to fetch the midwife, and with what urgency. Alfred didn't have the faintest idea, and he wasn't supposed to. This whole process was mysterious by design to anyone not involved in it. Katia was supposed to be here to handle everything, and Alfred was supposed to be pacing the front porch and just waiting until it was over.

Katia wasn't here, though, because this was far too early.

"The midwife said a few more weeks," he said helplessly. "Is something wrong? Or is this — it?"

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