Chapter Ten

The car came to a screeching halt when the Bartlets returned to the hospital. The car was still running when Jed jumped out of the car and ran over to the passenger side. He opened the door and helped his wife out. Abbey kept one arm cradling her stomach and the other around Jed's waist and he held her up as they walked. Liz leaned up from the backseat and twisted the keys in the ignition, shutting the car off. She threw the keys into her purse, then unhooked Annie's car seat, grabbed the handle, and walked briskly in after her parents.
"I don't think I'll ever get out of this place," Liz whispered to herself.
Once inside the hospital, many of Abbey's colleagues gathered around her in a frenzy.
"I'll go get you a wheel chair!" One of the nurses exclaimed.
"I'll get Dr. Sussin"
"I'll tell Roger you're in labor so he can get Jeff to cover your shifts"
"Thank you," Abbey whispered, in response to all of them. "Are you all right?" Jed asked, still holding her up.
She nodded quickly, swallowing hard.
"You're sure"
"Yeah. Fine." Abbey paused, and glanced around her. "Where's Liz"
"I'm here, Mom"
"Honey, would you please call Grandma?" "Oh. Sure. Dad, I need a quarter for the pay phone," Liz answered.
"Go to the nurses' stations and ask Marianne to use the phone"
"I think I should really use the payphone. I don't want to bother Marianne"
"You just want my money," Jed replied.
"Dad! How could you accuse me of such a thing"
"I don't have time to look through my wallet for goddamn quarter, Liz. Your mother is in labor here"
Jed pulled his wallet out of his pocket and tossed it to her.
"Just take the whole thing"
Liz grinned, devilishly.
"Yes"
"Go!" "Going!" Liz said, scurrying down the halls with Annie in tow.
Marianne returned with a wheel chair and she and Jed helped Abbey into it.
"Your water already broke"
"Yeah. Is Tom coming"
"He's on his way, Abbey," Marianne replied. "In the meantime, let's get you to a room and get you changed"
Marianne stood behind the wheelchair and pushed it through the hallways. Jed walked alongside Abbey, holding her hand tightly.
"You're sure you're all right"
"Jed!" Abbey snapped. "It's not like this is the first time I've done this. The first time we've done this"
"I'm sorry. It's been seven years. I guess I just…forget how"
"You forget how? YOU forget HOW? You don't even have to DO anything, Jackass"
Jed sighed.
"And so it begins"

Liz placed Annie's carrier down at her feet and slowly, carefully rocked it back and forth with her right foot. She picked up the pay phone, dropped in a quarter, and dialed her home phone number. Zoey Bartlet picked up the phone, obviously out of breath.
"Hello"
"Zoey, it's Liz"
"Lizzzzzzzz! Where are you? You're supposed to be HERE"
"We were on our way home, but now we're back at the hospital"
"Why?" Zoey asked.
"Put Grandma on please"
"Why"
"Zoey, put Grandma on"
"Why are you at the hopistal"
"Hospital"
"Why"
"Put Grandma on"
"Fine"
Liz glanced down and saw that Annie was starting to fuss.
"Shh, it's okay, honey. It's okay"
"Elizabeth"
"Grandma!" Liz exclaimed.
"Liz, where are you"
"At the hospital. Grandma, Annie's fussing. What do I do"
"Is that what you called to ask me?" Catherine questioned.
"No! I mean…no, but yes. What do I do"
"Where is she"
"In her thing," Liz answered.
"Could you be a little more vague please"
"The thing that she's in"
"You did it! That IS more vague"
"Grandma"
"Pick her up and just hold her. She may be hungry"
"Right. Babies get hungry. Hungry. Must remember that"
"Liz. Is there something else you wanted to tell me?" Catherine said. "For instance, why you're still at the hospital instead of here helping me with these two little monsters that you call your sisters"
"Oh, yeah. Mom's in labor"
"What"
"Her water broke in the car on the way home, so we came back," Liz explained.
"How far apart are here contractions"
"I don't know"
"How many centimeters is she dilated"
"I don't know"
"Is she screaming obscenities at your father yet?" Catherine asked.
"Not exactly"
"Okay, then we've got plenty of time"
"Yeah"
"I'm bringing the girls. We'll be there soon"