Chapter 14

Dean

If there was ever a time to break speed limits and haul ass through the country, now was the time to do it. There was no way in hell I wanted to witness my sister-in-law in full delivery without an epidural. Grace, I knew, could handle it, and I was sure that Serra could as well, but would she be pleasant? Not even a little bit.

I glanced down at my phone, seeing that I was still about four miles away from Lindsey's apartment in downtown Lawrence. A text alert showed up at the top of the screen from Grace. It read, "6 centimeters. You've got maybe ten minutes before we cross the point of no return." I laughed to myself and shook my head. I didn't know if I would make it.

Two minutes later, I was pulling up in front of Lindsey's apartment and she was waiting out front, ready to jump in. I slowed down long enough to let her close the door and tore off down the street again, peeling rubber through the intersection. "Hi, Dean," she greeted. "How close is it going to be?"

I handed her the phone and showed her the text that Grace just sent me. "It's gonna be close," I said, shrugging. "They've got your cart set up and she's sterilized, so all you'll have to do is wash and poke."

Lindsey laughed. "Sounds good," she said. "How are Everett and Glory?"

I whipped Baby onto the highway and pushed her to the limits. "They're awesome," I said, checking for traffic. "Rhett eats like it's going out of style and Glory has some major attitude already." I chanced a look at our newest friend, "Lib is loving being a big sister."

"I'll bet. I loved taking care of my little brother," she said, still holding my phone. It vibrated in her hand and she glanced down. "You want me to check it?"

I nodded, still pushing the Impala to her limits. "Yeah, go ahead."

"It's from Grace," she said, sliding the unlock key, "She says, 'This isn't going well.'"

Chuckling to myself, I shook my head. "I wouldn't imagine that it would be."

I almost missed the off-ramp, driving as fast as I was and whipped left to head back to the hospital. Lindsey opened the door and ran through the parking lot as I parked.

…

When I walked through the hall, Sam was running a hand through his too-long hair and rubbing his face. "What's up?" I asked, standing in front of the coffee machine they had at the end of the hall.

"She's seven centimeters," he said quietly. "The contractions are too close together. We missed the window."

"Oh shit," I said, pulling a Styrofoam cup from the stack and sticking it under the nozzle. "How'd she take that news?"

Sam only looked at me, deadpan. "Why do you think I'm out here?" he responded. "I'm the one that 'did it to her'," he continued, using his fingers as air quotes. He nodded towards Serra's delivery room. "Grace is in there right now. They're in it deep."

I walked towards the closed door of the room with my cup of black coffee and listened. Sure enough, Grace's voice was stern and Serra's was elevated, panic squeezing through her tight voice. "You can get a local and just deal with it, Serra! You were tortured in hell. This is something natural."

"I don't really give a flying fuck," Serra was yelling through a contraction. "You knew I wanted the epidural! Why did you make me wait to go to the hospital?"

"Don't you dare blame this on me," Grace was saying, defending herself. "I told you at the house that you're the one in the profession! That it was your choice!" There was silence from Serra; maybe a contraction gripped her to hard for her to argue back. Grace was counting then, telling Serra to concentrate and breathe. "Fifteen seconds. Breathe, Sere. Ten….five…breathe."

I backed away from the door and turned to my little brother. "You need to get your ass in there. You did this. Man up."

Sam was shaking his head, panic in those puppy dog eyes. "I don't know what to do," he was saying, his hands in his pockets as he took a step back. "I'm not a father."

"You're about to be," I said, taking a step towards him. My voice dropped an octave, being so firm with him. "Drop a pair and get it together." Tears came to Sam's eyes and I realized the problem: I didn't end up like Dad and Sammy figured it had to happen to one of us. "Look, man," I said, stepping closer, but softening considerably. "I've seen you with Lib. With Rhett and Glory," he was shaking his head, trying not to look me in the face. "You are a good guy, and a great uncle." I took a sip of my coffee, smiling. "We went from thinking that we wouldn't have anyone to take on the family name to four kids between the two of us in three years, Sammy."

He smiled lightly and nodded. "Yeah, if Dad could see us now," he said quietly.

"He'd be proud," I said, taking another step towards my brother. "Mom, too. She's gotta be flipping out with four grandkids." Sammy smiled again, his dimples finally showing. "You're gonna be a great dad. You'll figure it out." I patted him on the back reassuringly. "And if you don't, Serra will steer you in the right direction."

I pushed him gently towards the door and he glanced back at me, nodding, and walked through the door. "Where the fuck have you been?" I could hear Serra's voice come through the door as Sam headed towards his wife. I chuckled to myself, so happy to finally be in the waiting room, sipping coffee, instead of in Sammy's position. Grace came hurrying out of the room, glancing around for me and laughing as she approached.

"She's high, she's low…" Grace shook her head. "Not handling the pain well. I can't wait 'til he is out of her." She eyed my coffee and I handed it to her, smiling at the gorgeous creature in front of me. She took it gratefully, taking a long sip. She handed it back to me and kissed me on the cheek. Staring up at me, "Should I go back in?"

I shook my head, "Nah, make Sammy own it for a bit. Sit with me," I said, turning towards the chairs in the waiting room. "It's nice not having to deal with delivery for a change."

"Tell me about it," she said, following me over to the seats against the wall. As she sat, she leaned against me, sighing. "We're done, right?"

"Having kids?" I asked, eyebrows up. "I thought so."

She nodded, moving my arm around her as she lay down on my lap. Staring up at me from my legs, she smiled. "I guess we'll figure out how to stop later, then, huh?"

I combed my fingers through her long, blonde hair and made a face. "Are we not done?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I think we are. I just don't want to make any decisions right now, with Serra and Sam's being born. It makes me want another one."

I laughed, looking up towards the door of Serra's room. "Oh, man. We're gonna up with a baseball team, huh?"

Reaching up and pretending to slap my face, she laughed. "Oh shut up. I'm gonna be an auntie tonight."