Page 44 of Better Than Baby
The holesin our carefully constructed plan to spend a few days in Georgetown around the due date revealed themselves on our mad dash to the hospital. The biggest, of course, was that we didn’t have a contingency. We’d incorrectly assumed we’d have more time to come up with one.
We simply hadn’t counted on the baby making an early appearance. Xander’s surprise adoption had diverted our attention and honestly, I could have felt guilty about missing signs that Lena needed us. But geez, it was impossible to get everything right. Life happened, and sometimes you had to scramble to catch up.
Like now.
I came to a screeching halt outside the ER entrance, pausing long enough to help Aaron and Lena out before searching for a parking space. Of course, by the time I returned to the lobby, they’d been ushered to the maternity ward…which, for the record, was on the other fucking side of the building on the seventh fucking floor.
“You’re in the right place, honey. Don’t fret,” the kind-faced elderly receptionist soothed. “Just take the elevator at the end of the corridor and…”
I didn’t wait for further instructions. I ran down the hall, punched the button on the panel, and paced till the elevator doors opened, ignoring the curious side-eye aimed my way. I’d stare at me too. I was a messy bundle of nerves, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there were twenty phone calls I should have made and something huge I’d forgotten to do. But the most important thing was getting to Aaron and Lena.
The second the doors opened onto the seventh floor, I was running again.
“Can I help you, sir?” The nurse behind the tall desk glanced up from her computer with a vague smile.
“My husband and our baby…our Lena is—I mean, her water…it was everywhere. Broken and and?—”
“Shh. Calm yourself, Daddy. Give me your last name, and I’ll point you in the right direction.”
“Sullivan. I mean, Mendez-Sullivan. I’m married to Aaron. He’s this tall…” I held my hand around my shoulder and adjusted it to his approximate height. “And he’s got dark hair and he’s with Lena. She’s pregnant with our baby and she’s, um…dark hair too and um…”
“Mendez-Sullivan. Gotcha.” Her fingers flew across her keyboard. “Hang tight for one minute and Myra will show you to the room.”
I paced some more, my hands trembling as I tried to think who to call or text. Our parents, Jay and Peter, Curt and Jack. Paul and Seth had offered to let us stay at their house in Georgetown while they were in London, and I should let them know that wouldn’t be necessary. Or maybe it was. We couldn’t leave and—no, what about Murphy? Fuck, I had to call Jess and Todd, ask them to take care of Murph for us and?—
“This way, Mr. Mendez-Sullivan.”
I snapped out of my internal spiral and followed the petite nurse along yet another corridor to a small, windowless room.Aaron spotted me first. He greeted me with a hug and drew me to the hospital bed where Lena was sitting, her hands cradling her belly protectively.
“This is a temporary room,” Aaron explained. “They’ve taken her vitals, but that’s it so far. She hasn’t had any contractions, so they may end up inducing. We’ll know more once she’s examined.”
“Okay, good. How are you doing?” I asked Lena, moving toward the bed.
“Great. Honestly, much better,” she reported. “Did you call my mom, Aar?”
“Yes. And I texted our parents and friends and?—”
“Murphy,” I interrupted. “We have to?—”
“Todd and Jess will take good care of him, and I know we’ve done everything we can for Xander. Let’s focus on Lena and the baby now.” Aaron stretched his hand atop Lena’s belly and met my gaze. I must have looked like shit, ’cause he squeezed a little tighter and smiled. “We’ve got this, Matty.”
I nodded and hoped like hell that was true.
Once Lena was settled into a room, the following few hours were mostly quiet.
Lena’s mom, Kathy, arrived to keep vigil with us. She was a peculiar woman with an intense stare who spoke fervently about how a woman was the true temple and the sanctity of the soul who’d chosen the body that her daughter would release into the world. It was…a lot, as Aaron would say.
Thankfully, she likedSeinfeldandParks and Recreruns too, so we bonded over slapstick hijinks and clever repartee, and took turns taking Lena on meandering walks through the maternity ward.
By midnight, Lena was only five centimeters dilated. At three a.m., she was at six. We snoozed off and on in uncomfortable chairs flanking the bed. We were woken up by the nursechecking vitals at six a.m. Everything was great, and she was at seven centimeters now. She’d had regular contractions, but nothing she couldn’t handle.
“That’s good news,” Kathy chirped, jangling the bangles on her wrist as she pushed her impossibly red locks aside. “The child will be born on February first, an Aquarius…a water bearer with the element of air. You’ll have an independent soul with an innovative spirit. How lovely is that?”
Oh, boy.
I rubbed my eyes. “I’m guessing we have a few hours to go. I’ll make a coffee and pastry run for us. If something happens, call me.”
Aaron smiled wanly. “Thank you. And…call your mom. She’s been texting.”