Chapter Two

Jed and Abbey arrived at the hospital an hour later than originally planned. They ran through triage and stopped abruptly at the reception desk.
"Marianne!" Abbey shouted, trying to get attention of the woman behind the desk.
"Abbey"
"Where's my daughter"
"Oh…" Marianne checked her computer. "Room 76." "Thank you"
"Good luck!" Marianne called as Jed and Abbey scurried away.
"Thank you"

"I blame you, Mallory," Liz said, as her latest contraction faded.
"What? Me!" "Yes"
"Why"
"Because you're the only one here"
"Well, that's not fair. I should be getting props for being here, not insults!" Mallory argued. "Tough"
Mallory frowned and slumped back in her chair beside Elizabeth's bed. "Have you called Amy yet?" Liz questioned, sitting up.
"Yeah. She's coming"
"She's coming? From New Hampshire"
Mallory shook her head.
"From Providence!" "Oh, right. I keep forgetting she's in college now. It's so weird," Liz said.
"Yeah, well, she said she'd be here as soon as school lets out for winter break. Thursday, I think"
"How's she getting here?
"Train, probably," Mallory replied. "She doesn't haveto go back until the middle of January." "Where's she staying"
"Dad said she could stay with us, since you'll have a house full"
"Uh oh," Liz said, after a sharp intake of breath. "Here comes another one"

"Where the hell is room 73?" Jed asked, as he and Abbey power walked through the hallways.
"We're looking for room 76, Jed. Maybe this is why we're lost"
"Yeah, but you work here. You're supposed to be smart"
"Here it is!" Abbey exclaimed as she flung the door wide open.
"Mom! Thank God!" Elizabeth shouted when they entered her hospital room.
Abbey and Jed rushed to Liz's bedside, each of them grabbing one of her hands.
"How're you doing, honey?" Abbey asked, sympathetically.
"I want to kill myself, how are YOU doing"
"I see your sarcasm is still intact"
"I prefer sardonic wit"
Abbey rolled her eyes and smiled.
"When was your last contraction"
"About a minute ago," Liz replied.
"How far apart are they?" Liz looked at Mallory.
"Oh, um..they're about four minutes apart still," Mallory said.
"Ok. You're doing great, sweetie"
"I'm doing great? I want to DIE"
"Hush, no you don't. That's the pain talking"
"I'm pretty sure it's me"
Jed closed his eyes, thoroughly astonished by the sight before him. His teenage daughter, in labor. His little girl, having a baby of her own. He couldn't stand watching her in anguish. In the three times he had watched his wife go through labor, he had felt the same way. Watching the women he loved and valued more than his own life suffer through pain of such intensity was unbearable for him. But Liz was too young. There was no way she could have been prepared for this. She was still so naïve and inexperienced. And now she was being thrust into adulthood at a rapid pace.
"Oh, my baby," he whispered under his breath.
Abbey looked over at him.
"Jed"
"Hmm, what?" He replied, snapping back into the reality of the situation.
"Are you all right"
"Why are you asking if he's all right? I've got a kid throwing a tantrum inside of me!" Liz exclaimed. Jed sighed. No. She was not his little girl anymore.