Labor isn't something taken lightly. It's raw, grueling, and at times dangerous. For Emylee, it was everything she thought, but unorganized, and that was something she didn't like at all.
Dave, Randy, and the rest of their friends arrived with Trish, Paul, and Amanda out in the waiting room.
"Why are you two still here?"
"Don't worry about us, be a man for once and go take care of your children", Amanda snapped.
"Whatever you two are up to, don't", Dave warned.
Going into the room, Emylee was breathing slowly, and the pains were there, but she wasn't a screamer. She grunted, and dealt with it, it was her personality. He caressed her head, as she breathed in and out.
"Something is wrong, I can feel it", she said.
"You're doing great, everything will be fine".
"No, something is wrong".
As everyone waited, people arrived, and someone decided to inform her parents. Dave's were on the way, but her parents weren't happy with the situation at all. It only made the way they thought of her working situation worse.
"Where's my baby?", her mother asked.
"In the labor/delivery area", Vince said.
"This. This is your entire fault. She shouldn't be knocked up, she shouldn't be working, or having a family without a husband. You created this…lifestyle for her to think it's ok to accept less", Maria stressed.
"Let me explain something to you idiots one last time. Emylee doesn't want you here, nor wants the bullshit that comes with it. Unless you want those nice security guards to escort you out, and for Emylee and I to get a restraining order, I suggest you deal with her being an adult, and let her live her life. Understand?"
"She wouldn't do that to family", Frank scoffed.
"I'm a billionaire, try me".
They sat down quietly to themselves, and waited like everyone else. It was an hour later, when they saw her bed being wheeled out quickly, and Dave was right by her side.
She opened her eyes. Her stomach wasn't a round ball anymore, she the reality she saw wasn't exactly how it should be. She was somewhere else. Looking around, she didn't recognize it at first, but then it dawned on her. She was home, Las Vegas, in a park north of the strip. It was her park, the one her father and her shared together once a week. In front of her, he was sitting here looking at her, as if she was a little girl all over again.
"Daddy"
"Emylee, you're so beautiful. I'm so proud of you".
"What's going on?"
"Sit, we need to talk."
"The babies are in trouble, and Emylee's heart stopped. They have to do a emergency c-section" Dave said trying to hold it together, "she said something was wrong…."
The worry spread like the plague, and Dave sat with his head in his hands. It dawned on him, this is what she meant, it didn't matter about the belts or careers. It was about her and Dave. Now she'd never know what he wanted to truly do.
"Dad, I miss you."
"So does he, if you don't go back."
"Who?"
"David. Emylee, so what he screwed up. Repair it. Tread lightly if you need to, but try, try to get it back. Show him who you are now."
"I can't."
"Can't is not in our vocabulary Em."
"I know."
"You can, you love him. Show him what he is missing out on with you. He'll be there with the kids, but you and he got lost, find your way back."
"Can I stay?"
"No, you have to go back, you're a mommy now. I'll always love you, and I miss you too. Remember, I'm always around, but now they need you Em."
She got up to walk away, with tears. He caught her one last time, for a hug, and kiss to her forehead.
"Remember what I said."
Nodding, she walked the direction she came from. Looking back one last time, she blew a kiss.
"Bye, daddy."
"Bye Em."
One last shock to her chest, and the monitors came on in full force, and they continued to prep her for the surgery.
"Let the father know, she's back, but the emergency surgery is a go."
Everyone sat, taking in the news, waiting, and hoping everything was ok. Rosita, Amanda's nanny for Adrianna, brought her to the hospital.
"Thanks, go get some sleep", Amanda told Rosie, as she called her.
Anna saw Dave pacing, and was tense. She ran over to her dad, and he hugged her, wirily grinning.
"Daddy, what's wrong, and where's Emylee?"
"She's having the babies, honey."
"Ok, well, we'll wait together."
He sat with her, and she snuggled against his chest. It calmed him some, but he needed to know what was going on behind the doors.
Hours passed, and finally the doctor came out. The group stood, and met the doctor half way.
"She's fine, and the babies are perfectly fine. The chords were entangled around the babies, and it was stressing all three of them in different ways. We fixed that, and everyone is great, just really tired. You can see her now, just be quiet. The babies are in the nursery if you want to see them".
Paul and Amanda listened from afar. They weren't exactly on the friends list. They were just tolerated.
"I don't think it would be right if I went to talk to her, but you and she shared something, and she's your co-worker, go, I'll be looking at the babies".
"You sure?"
"Yeah, go head, you know where to find me."
She made her way to see the babies. She remembered how she felt when she had Adrianna. She was so happy, tired, and nervous all at the same time. To be responsible for someone else was crazy. Then she saw her, and all of it left. So from the time she shared time with Dave, it was a safe place, to look at the babies.
He made his way to her room, and he thought that was so honorable of her. Maybe it was for the best.