Chapter 52
MAC
“I can’t believe you had a tree fall on your house,” Georgia said, looking around Lindy’s kitchen. While there was fresh paint and new appliances, the room still seemed to be a throw back to when her parents were still alive and this was their house.
Lindy and Dex spent most of their time in Denver since he played for that city’s professional hockey team, but during breaks and off-season, they stayed here.
Lindy was in one of the kitchen chairs, rubbing her big belly. Dex refused to let her get up. “I know,” she said, looking around as if she could still see the tree. “It’s crazy, isn’t it? Mac, you were here.”
Georgia turned to me, wide eyed. “You saw it? The tree really came through the roof and all the way down and into the kitchen?”
I nodded. “We got here before Lindy, actually. A branch came in through that window, too. It went right through the stove.”
Georgia looked around as if trying to picture it.
“Yeah, I was at the grocery store–”
“With me,” Dex added, handing me a beer.
Lindy winced and Dex didn’t miss it.
“Another one?” he asked her, setting his hand beside hers on top of her belly.
“You’re in labor?” Georgia asked, setting her glass of wine down on the table and looked as if she needed to do something. She’d barely had a sip.
We’d only arrived a few minutes earlier. A lasagna was in the oven and there was a charcuterie board to nibble on. Lindy had put Georgia’s flowers in a vase in the center before Dex forced her into the chair.
Lindy waved her hand. “For about three days now, I’ve had contractions. The OB says it’s normal and–”
“Three days?” GG asked.
Dex ran a hand over his neck, clearly nervous. He might be a pro on the ice, but this baby thing was something new–and scary–for him. “Crazy, right? We were at the hospital that morning and they smiled at us and sent us back. I guess they’re used to crazy first-time parents.”
“Are you missing games?” I asked him. Spring was toward the end of the pro hockey season. Playoffs were about to begin.
He shrugged, leaned down and kissed the top of Lindy’s head. “Fortunately, we were playing at home in Denver the night before and I flew up for a quick visit. Now? I’m not leaving until this baby’s born.”
“I wanted to have it here,” Lindy explained. “Bridget’s here. My friends. This is where we’ll ultimately raise him or her. Being in this place is important.”
“You still don’t know what it is?” I asked.
Lindy stood, Dex taking her elbow to help her. She walked to the stove and grabbed an oven mitt, turning to glance back. “Nope. I’m so excited to–”
Her eyes widened and she bent over and groaned.
“What? What is it?” Dex said.
I went on alert.
“Okay, now that was a contraction.” She winced and her face looked like someone just stabbed her in the back. And front. Maybe kicked her crotch, too. “And it’s still going. And going. Holy shit.”
Georgia looked to me. I looked to her.
I took the oven mitt from Lindy and turned off the oven. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”
“C’mon, sugar,” Dex said. He was grinning and nudging her along. “I got you, let’s go have that baby!”
He started to steer her toward the front door and Lindy dropped into a squat and made a sound like a pissed off bear mixed with a blood curdling scream. Her face went red from the strain and she blew out a hard breath.
“Holy shit,” Dex said. The smile was gone and he looked like an entire front line of a pro hockey team was barreling down on him.
“That’s another one,” Lindy said.
“What? No. They’re little, tiny things that made the nurses laugh,” Dex said.
She groaned again. “THIS IS NOT THAT! Oh, shit. I either peed myself or my water just broke.”