-1Chapter Nine

"No, no, no. This is not happening, not now!" Lauren pleaded as she doubled over and clutched her stomach. "It's too soon." Her due date wasn't for another two weeks or so. She let a few frustrated tears escape, feeling both physically and emotionally unprepared to give birth. Michael was gone and she had no idea where he was, a horrible storm was raging outside, the power was still out, and worst of all, she was alone.

"Ooooooh" Lauren moaned in pain as she tried to breathe her way through a painful contraction. Okay, Lauren thought to herself. So she wasn't completely alone, at least she wouldn't be for much longer. This baby was coming and soon, that much was clear. Lauren's main concern now was getting to the hospital, so she reached for the phone to dial 911 but when she pressed the 'power' button, there was no dial tone.

"Damnit!" Lauren yelled in frustration as she threw the useless phone across the room. "The storm must have cut out the phone lines." She said as she carefully lowered herself back down onto the couch and reached for her purse which she then began to rummage through in search of her cell phone. "Ah ha!" Lauren declared triumphantly when she finally found it. She quickly turned it on and dialed 911.

"Nine one one. What is your emergency?" Said the monotone voice on the other end of the line. Lauren sighed in relief.

"I've gone into pre-mature labor and I need an ambulance sent to..." Lauren heard the line go dead. She brought the phone away from her ear and looked at the screen. Low Battery. Lauren let out a bitter, humorless laugh. "Great. This is just perfect...owww!" She hissed through clenched teeth as she was hit with another contraction. They were only about five minutes apart and getting stronger. This baby was determined to come out and greet the world and he was doing it on his terms.

"Well aren't we the stubborn one." Lauren cooed down at her tummy after the pain had passed. "Just like your daddy." Lauren smiled wistfully. Having run out of options, Lauren grabbed her keys and purse and gingerly eased herself off of the couch. She really wasn't in any condition to drive, but it was either that or give birth on the living room floor. The hospital was only about ten minutes away, Lauren reasoned. She could make it. Just then she heard the front door open and a familiar voice bellowed from the hallway.

"Hey, guys! The door was unlocked, so I'm comin' in!" Never in her life had Lauren been more relieved to see someone.

"Phyllis! Thank God you're here." Lauren said in relief as the other redhead waddled her equally pregnant self into the dimly lit living room.

"Wow, I'm not used to getting that kind of reception." Phyllis joked. She and Lauren had grown a lot closer over the last few months and Phyllis found it comforting to be around Lauren and Michael, they were the only two people in town who hadn't turned their backs on her. She only hoped that one day she would be able to repay them for all of their support.

"I need you to drive me to the hospital." Lauren announced.

"Why? Are you okay?" Phyllis asked, instantly concerned.

"I'm in labor." As if on cue, Lauren was hit with another powerful contraction. Phyllis immediately rushed to her side.

"Oh my God! But it's so early!" She rubbed Lauren's back, trying to alleviate some of the pain. "Where's Michael?" Phyllis asked when it appeared that her pain was subsiding.

"Out." Lauren explained as she tried to control her breathing. "We had a huge fight and I don't know where he is."

"Okay, well we'll worry about him later." Phyllis said as she began to guide Lauren towards the door. "We've gotta get you to the hospital."

"You're okay to drive?" Lauren asked.

"More okay then you are obviously!" Phyllis teased, causing Lauren to laugh which quickly turned into a grimace as she was hit by another contraction. They were coming quicker.

"Breathe, just breathe." Phyllis soothed. "Okay, we'd better hurry." And with that they headed out the door.

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"Look what the cat dragged in," Kevin ribbed as he watched his older brother sulk into the coffeehouse. "What, did Lauren kick you out?" Michael took a seat on one of the stools, folded his arms and laid his head down on the bar.

"No," he mumbled. "I stormed out."

"Why?" Kevin asked, confused. "I thought Lauren was the one mad at you?"

"She was. Well she probably still is, but now I have my own reason for being a little disillusioned with my wife." Michael explained as he lifted his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Oh come on. Whatever she did or said, it can't be that bad." Kevin reasoned.

"She got rid of Gloria." Michael declared.

"What?! How?"

"She paid her to leave town and never come back." Michael explained.

"And she agreed?" Kevin asked incredulously. He couldn't believe that his mother would just up and leave without saying a word.

"That surprises you?" Michael said snidely. "Gloria would do just about anything if the price was right."

"Well why are you so upset with Lauren then? It doesn't sound like you've had a change of heart where our mother is concerned." Kevin asked as he bent down to get more candles.

"Because she did it without telling me and now she could be charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive." Michael said in frustration. He couldn't even contemplate the possibility of seeing the love of his life, the mother of his child, thrown in jail because of him. And it was his fault, Michael acknowledged. Because if it wasn't for all of his lying and covering up for Gloria, Lauren never would have felt the need to do something this drastic.

"I can't believe she would do something like this, it's so unlike her." Kevin shook his head in disbelief, placing candles on the counter to help light the darkened coffee house.

"No, it's not" Michael said with pride in his voice. "Family is the most important thing to Lauren and she would do anything to protect that." Michael shook his head in frustration. "I kept telling myself that that's what I was doing by covering for Gloria, that I was protecting my family." Michael laughed bitterly. "Ruining it is more like it. I should have gotten Gloria out of our lives months ago."

"So is that why this is bothering you so much? Because Lauren did what you couldn't?" Kevin asked knowingly.

"Maybe." Michael admitted. "All I know for sure is that I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure no one ever finds out about what Lauren did. I owe her that much." Just then Michael's cell phone started ringing in his pocket. He took it out and looked at the caller ID, he didn't recognize the number. "Maybe this is Gloria now?" So much for breaking all contact with us, Michael thought cynically.

"Baldwin." Michael said sharply into the phone, expecting to hear his mother's voice on the other end of the line.

"Where the hell are you, Michael?!"

"Phyllis?" She was the last person he was expecting to hear from this evening. "I thought you were out of town visiting Daniel and Lily at college?"

"I came back early," Phyllis explained "But never mind that now, you need to get over here to the hospital right away."

"Are you okay? Is there something wrong with the baby?" Michael asked, concerned.

"This is about your baby, not mine" Michael felt his heart drop. "Lauren's gone into labor, she was just admitted to the hospital." Phyllis explained.

"I'm on my way." Michael snapped his phone shut and started heading out the door when Kevin called out after him.

"Michael! What's wrong? Is it the baby?" Michael stopped in his tracks and turned back to face his little brother, his face drained of color.

"It's Lauren," Michael explained, his voice strained with emotion. "The baby's early." And without saying anything more, Michael turned around and rushed out the door.