25. I Should Have Suspected…
I Should Have Suspected…
“ I don’t understand.” My mother said as I handed her the key. “You rented a place for me to stay? I thought I was staying with you to help out.”
“No, Mom, we didn’t rent it. We bought it.”
“You’re moving? This seems like an inopportune time, Rayne. Shouldn’t you have waited until after the baby’s born?”
Oh, my Gosh. I mentally counted to ten.
Maybe I was saying it wrong.
“We bought you a house, Mom. It’s yours. To live in.”
She just stared at me. “You… You bought me a house?”
“Yes! ”
Hale cleared his throat. “Rayne wanted to do something special for you, Penny, since you’ve done so much for her. We also liked the idea of having you close by so you could see your grandchildren more often.
“You… But… I don’t…” She blinked rapidly and looked up at the large, ornate door. “You bought me a house?”
“Yes, Mom.” I opened the door and waved her inside. “Go in and check it out.”
“But…I have a house.”
I rolled my eyes and nudged her over the threshold. “This one’s nicer. And you can sell the other house and live off the money. You can retire.”
“Oh, would you look at those moldings?” She crossed the foyer and peeked at the furnished living room. She gaped at the dressed dining room, her hand rushing to her mouth. “This is all mine?”
“All yours.”
She laughed as if she couldn’t believe it. “I never imagined anything like it. Will you look at the size of that kitchen!”
“And she’s off.” Hale chuckled.
We followed her throughout the house as she oohed and ahhed at every little fixture and detail. By the time she toured the entire property, she was flabbergasted.
I plopped into an overstuffed chair in the living room, and she sat on the edge of the couch. “Who’s furniture is this?”
“It’s yours, Mom. It’s all yours.”
“Oh, Mylanta.” She reached for the tissue box. “I don’t know what to say. I’m touched and overwhelmed and…well, shocked!” She laughed through tears and blew her nose. “I can’t believe I own a house like this.”
She thought we were the ones who gave her something, but her joy at owning such a property was the greatest gift of all. I could never articulate how much I loved her for putting me first all those years. She never once complained of loneliness or bitched that the man who fathered me had also broken her heart and let her down. She just handled everything stoically, like any good mom would.
“I love you, Mom. I’m glad you like it.”
“Oh, sweetie, I love you too. Both of you. And I don’t like it—I love it!” She pulled Hale into a hug then bent to hug me because I was stuck in the chair. “Thank you.”
When we drove home, I smiled at Hale. “Thank you for letting me do that for her. ”
“You don’t have to thank me, Rayne. I’m glad Penny’s going to be close by. I was happy to help you do it for her.”
“Our lives are so different now.”
“In a good way, I hope.”
“In a great way. My mother never dreamed of owning a home like that. And me—ha—I never even dreamed of owning a decent car. But it’s not just the money. Look at me. I’m a mom and I’m about to have a baby.”
He took my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing my fingers. “You changed my life for the better, too.”
After that, mom stopped by on a daily basis. She raved about how much she loved her house and bragged to anyone who would listen about how her daughter and son-in-law spoiled her. She put in her notice at work, and we arranged to have a moving company pack up all of her things so they could be shipped from Oregon.
Remington had once told me that Hale wouldn’t put down roots. He warned me that his son would eventually become so successful he’d move overseas or to a more metropolitan area like New York.
He was wrong .
Hale loved the idea of home. He loved marriage and family and all the things his father could never fully appreciate. Remington had multiple houses, as did Hale, but Remington could never claim the level of contentment Hale found through family. He once told me, wherever Elara and I were, that was home.
I was in no rush to return to work and unsure if I’d ever go back to working for Remington. I wanted to take my time and enjoy my children. Not every mother had the option to stay home, so I never lost sight of how lucky I was to choose.
Willow flew in three days before my due date. The doctor said I was progressing right on schedule and things looked good. That made me hopeful that this was going to be a smooth birth.
I had a few random contractions but no real signs of labor yet. Things were actually pretty peaceful. So much so, that I wasn’t stress eating or having any sort of anxiety whatsoever.
Willow definitely helped as she filled the house with tranquil music and diffused aromatherapy to release any negative tension. My stress levels were lower than ever before, and I started to think Hale was right. I was a fucking goddess.
My husband had one last trip out of town, then he was homebound for the next two months. I was relieved to start this next chapter of our lives, so I planned on making a nice dinner to kick things off when he returned home that evening.
But first, Marta’s Chiles En Nogada. “Hello, lover,” I said as I opened the Tupperware and breathed in the fiery poblano peppers and ground picadillo. I was just about to take my first bite when the doorbell rang.
“Damn it.” I hoisted myself out of the chair and waddled to the door, disappointed and a little surprised to see Xander on the other side. “Oh, it’s you,” I greeted. “Hale’s not here.”
“Rayne.” Why did my name always bother me when he said it? “You’re looking…uncomfortable. Hale told me to meet him here. He’s on his way.”
“Come on in.” Buttressing a hand at my back, I waddled back to the kitchen, leaving Xander in the foyer.
“He has some papers he wanted me to sign before he goes on baby leave. Which, by the looks of things, should have already started. Are you overdue?”
I sat down and glared at him over my stuffed pepper. “You’re very funny.”
“I try.” He sat across from me, always making himself right at home. “What is that?”
“It’s mine.” On second thought, I slid the spicy dish closer to him. “Did you want to try?”
He leaned forward and sniffed. “I’m set.”
Great. So he was just going to sit there and watch me eat. Awesome…
“How’s Tyler?”
I chewed slowly, narrowing my eyes. “Why do you care?”
He shrugged. “Just being polite.”
“How courteous of you. Tyler’s great. He’s dating this fabulous architect he met in Malibu last month.” That was a lie. Tyler was stuck in boring Oregon, reading a book a day and doing the same old stuff he usually did, but I wasn’t about to tell Xander that. “The new guy’s a real hottie.”
“Good for him.”
“It’s great for him. He’s not a man-child like the first guy he slept with, and he doesn’t play games. Rumor on the street is, he’s so hung he could make a Clydesdale blush. Also good, because I heard the first guy also had a micro-penis.”
“I know for a fact that’s not true.”
I shrugged and scraped up the last bite of peppers and sauce. “I can only go by what I hear.” I wiggled my pinkie. “Hung like a light switch.”
He narrowed his eyes and inhaled slowly. “Any idea how far away Hale is?”
I hoisted myself out of my chair and carried my plate to the sink. My stomach tightened and I grunted. “I haven’t talked to him.”
“Maybe I’ll come back later.”
As I turned, a strange sensation pulled low in my abdomen. I was just about to tell him I thought that was a great idea when a rush of fluid spilled down my legs. I looked at the floor then up at Xander in shock. The plate I’d been holding shattered on the floor.
“Oh, fuck. Is that what I think it is?”
“Um…” I looked again at the puddle by my feet, my mind blanking on what I was supposed to do.
“Rayne?” Xander was in front of me. “Call Hale.” He shoved his phone in my hand. “Where’s your broom?”
“Um… “ There was glass everywhere. “Th e broom’s…” I pointed toward the pantry. “Where’s my phone?”
“I don’t know. Just use mine. It’s already ringing.”
I brought it to my ear as I started to hyperventilate.
“Xander, I just landed.”
“Hale?”
“ Rayne?”
Panic welled-up inside of me. Hale was my always in charge, always punctual, and always logical person, and he wasn’t here! “Honey, my water broke.”
“Shit! Where are you?”
“Standing in the kitchen. Xander’s here. Willow went for a walk with Andrew and Elara. I don’t know what to do.”
“Okay, listen to me, baby. You’re going to get into Xander’s car and let him drive you to the hospital.”
“No, I don’t want to do that.”
“What do you mean, no? Baby, your water broke.”
“The books say sometimes that can happen days before the birth.”
“That may be true, but I still think you should get checked out. You were having contractions this morning. Have you had any more?”
“No…” I lied.
“Rayne, are you lying?”
“Maybe…”
“Baby, please just get in the car with Xander and let him drive you to the hospital. Either that or call my dad or your mom and have them take you. I can meet you there.”
“I’ll call Remington.”
“Okay, but you need to leave in the next ten minutes, Rayne. Promise me.”
“All right. I promise.” As soon as I hung up the phone another contraction hit, this one long and painful enough to make me grip the counter.
“Rayne? What can I do?”
“Son of a mother-fucker!” I blew out a breath and met Xander’s wide-eyed stare. Something told me there wasn’t time to call Remington. “I need you to drive me to the hospital.”
“No, no, no, no. I’m not trained for this. There has to be someone else.”
“God, you truly suck.” I held out the phone to him. “Do you have Remington’s number in here?”
“Yes, but I doubt he’ll take my call. ”
“Just dial!” I blew out a hard breath as another contraction cinched my insides.
He handed me the phone and I brought it to my sweaty ear. It rang twice then went to voicemail.
“Damn it. I need my phone so I can call my mom.”
“You don’t know your mom’s phone number?”
“No, I don’t know my mom’s phone number! It’s the twenty-first century. Who remembers phone numbers anymore?”
“But your mom’s number’s probably something?—”
“Shut the fuck up and call my phone so I can find it!”
“God, you’re scary.” He took the phone and paused. “Do you know your phone number?”
“Yes, I know my phone number,” I snapped, rattling off the number to him as I panted through the pain. “Why are the contractions coming so fast?”
“I don’t know but I’m really praying it’s just gas.”
“Shh, it’s ringing.” I held up a hand, silencing him. “Hush!”
“I’m not saying anything.”
“I said shush .”
“God, you’re terrifying.”
I sent him a scathing glare as my ears tracked the ringing. “Where the hell is it?” I waddled into the living room, flinging cushions off the couch until the call went to voice mail. I dialed again.
“Look, why don’t we just get into my car and take you to Hale?”
“I’m not going to the hospital with you!”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t like you!”
“Well, I’m not a huge fan of yours right now either, but you have goop and people coming out of you, so I really think we should find a doctor.”
“I need my spiritual doula.”
“Your what?”
“My —Woahaaaaaaaaoweee—oooh, fucking butt-fucking fuck! What?” Okay, that one really hurt.
“Jesus Christ. How did I get here?”
I swallowed, almost positive I was going to vomit from the pain. “I need water.”
“Are you allowed to drink during labor?”
“Just get me some fucking water!”
“Okay, okay!” He rushed to the fridge, slipping and sliding across the floor until he caught the counter and glared at me. “You’re so lucky I didn’t fall in that shit.”
“That shit is the miracle of life, you insensitive prick!”
He shoved a bottle of water into my hands. “We’re going to the car.”
My face pinched as tears rushed to my eyes. “I don’t want to go without Hale.”
“Rayne, Hale’s going to meet us there. I’m going to get you to him as fast as humanly possible. Believe me! But you have to get into the car. The sooner you get into the car, the sooner we get to Hale.”
“Okay.” I sniffled and leaned into him as he helped me to the door. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He led me out the front door to a tiny black Lamborghini. “Not to be a dick, but could you try not to leak anything on my seats.”
“Oh, my God, you’re such an asshole.”
“I’m sorry! But I just had the upholstery redone.”
Stifling a sob, my chin quivered as a low hum whistled out of me. Where was Hale? Where was Willow? I wanted my Mom. This was not my birthing plan. And this prick of a man was not going to make me cry .
“No, no, no, no!” He held up his hands like I was a fragile vase about to fall. “Never mind. Fuck the seats. Get in. Everything’s fine. Don’t cry.”
Shaken and terrified, I lowered onto the seat as my insides twisted like a vise. How the hell I was ever getting out of such a low car?
Xander’s phone rang the moment I buckled the seat belt. I looked up at him with desperate hope in my eyes. “Is that Hale?”
“Yes. Here.” He shoved the phone into my hands and raced around to the driver’s side.
I brought the phone to my ear. “Hale?”
“Baby, are you okay? You sound upset.”
The driver’s door slammed. “Wait! I have a bag.”
Xander looked at me like I was asking him to leap out of an airplane. Then slouched and sighed. “Where?”
“It’s under the table in the foyer.” He rushed back into the house. “Hale?”
“I’m here, baby. I’m driving as fast as I can to get to you.”
“I don’t want to do this without you.”
“You won’t. I’m on my way. Tell me what’s happening.”
“Xander’s getting the bag. ”
“Okay, good. And what about you? Any more contractions?”
Oh, there were contractions. As I tried to answer, one tore through me, and I gasped. “Hale,” I said, my voice laden with fear.
“Shit.” He heard my worry and sensed I was in pain. “Remember everything we learned, Rayne. Deep, calming breaths.”
I inhaled and blew out a jagged breath. Small whimpers were all I could manage to let him know I was still there as my stomach tightened again.
“I’m about ten minutes from the hospital,” he said. “I called your mom, and she’s going to meet us there.”
“What about Andrew and Willow? I can’t find my phone and I didn’t leave a note.”
“They know what’s going on. I spoke to Andrew. Willow is walking back from the park and she’s going to be right behind you. Andrew’s got Elara covered. You just have to worry about you and the baby.”
My lips formed a small O as I panted out rapid breaths. “What about your dad?”
“My mom’s calling him. And I texted Barrett and Seraphina.”
He did all of that, and I barely made it twenty feet from the door. “I hate that you’re not here.”
“I know, baby. I hate it, too. But I’ll be with you when you get to the hospital.”
“Here comes Xander. Hale, I need you.”
“You have me. I’m coming as fast as I can.”
The car door opened and Xander flung my bag behind the seat. “Okay, found the bag.” The car roared to life.
“I love you, Hale.”
“I love you, Rayne. I’ll see you soon.”
I ended the call and held my stomach as Xander flew out of the driveway. It would be amazing if I didn’t puke on this trip. Swallowing back the urge, I said, “Hale called everyone.”
“Great, where are we going?”
“Lower Keys Medical Center.”
He plugged the name into his GPS as we sped toward to the bridge. “That’s twenty-two minutes away.”
I sucked in a breath and fisted my hands as another contraction cinched tight. “Then drive faster!”
His wide, dark eyes bounced between the road, my face, and my stomach. We only made it one block before we stopped at a traffic light, trapped in midday traffic.
Sweat trickled down my cheek as I panted like Zuul in Ghostbusters.
“You doing okay?”
I bared my teeth because that somehow eased the pain ripping through my abdomen. “Just peachy.”
“Does it hurt?”
Was he dropped as a child? “Yes, it fucking hurts! Why else would I be breathing like I’m in an aerobics class?”
The light turned green and he raced ahead of traffic, mumbling, “It’s amazing you got pregnant at all.”
My scowl snapped from the road to him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re not very nice.”
He had balls! “I happen to be a lovely person. Hale thinks I’m a goddess!”
“I’m sure.”
I scoffed. “You just don’t know a unicorn when you see one.”
“It’s not a unicorn when there are two horns.”
I growled at him because it was hard to breathe and talk. “How about you just drive and don’t talk anymore.”
“Fine by me.”
The silence only lasted a few minutes. I moaned and cursed, “Fuuuuuuck.” The contractions were getting sharper and closer. We still had a ways to go to get to Hale.
“Shit. Should I pull over?”
“No! Just keep going!” I could not have my baby on the front seat of some asshole’s Lamborghini.
“This is probably because you ate that spicy burrito thing. What were you thinking?”
It was just like a man to put all the blame on a woman. “This is because Hale’s put a giant baby— owwwwwwwwdrivedrivedrive!”
He whipped around the corner and I scooted low. There was no comfortable position and his driving was making me motion sick. Pressure built at my hips as a web of fire burned from my back to my uterus.
“Should we call someone?”
“Ahhhhfuckfuckfuckaduck! Why the fuck does this have to be so painful?” When the contractions got so intense that my screams silenced, I knew something was truly wrong.
“Call Hale. Tell him we’re not going to make it.”
“The fuck we aren’t.” Xander pressed the gas pedal to the floor, but there was no driving through the midday traffic.
“Xander, call my husband right fucking now!” I shrieked.
He navigated the controls on his dashboard, and the car veered into oncoming traffic.
“Watch out!”
“Stop yelling at me!” He exited the GPS and fumbled with Bluetooth.
“Hello?”
“Hale. The baby. It’s coming.”
“Shit. Okay, Rayne, listen to me. I want you to use Xander’s phone and ping me your location. I’ll come to you.” The contractions were taking all of my focus and I didn’t see his actual phone.
“Rayne, baby, give the phone to Xander.”
“You’re on Bluetooth.”
“Hale!” Xander shrieked. “Man, your wife is about to give birth in my car! I did not sign up for this.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. This could not be happening. I did not manifest giving birth on the shoulder of the fucking road.
Xander quickly told Hale where we were. I moaned and turned, trying to find any position that made this more bearable. I needed to get out of this car!
When I realized he was talking to the good people taking calls at Emergency 9-11, I wondered how I missed my husband saying goodbye. That was when I knew this wasn’t about Hale anymore. This was about survival—mine and the baby’s.
“I don’t want to die.”
“You’re not going to die! Everyone is going to be fine! I have a woman in labor!” he shouted. Any attempt at maintaining his cool facade was now long gone.
“Tell them to bring drugs!”
He sped into the parking lot of a strip mall as the operator recorded his responses. “Sir, are there any immediate complications or signs of distress?”
“She’s breathing really hard and she doesn’t look good.”
“Fuck you,” I hissed between breaths.
The operator realized I was right there. “Ma’am, have you had any prior complications?”
“No.”
“Sir, are you pulled over at a safe location and out of harm’s way?”
“Yes. We’re at a strip mall.” As Xander described landmarks, I reclined my seat and propped my feet up on the dashboard.
“What are you doing? Why are you lying like that?”
“Why isn’t Hale here yet?”
“Sir, do you have any blankets or towels? If the contractions are that close, now’s the time to prepare the environment as best you can.”
“Where’s the freaking ambulance?”