Chapter 9
Drew
My wife is due any day now and I’m…
Not with her.
I got a huge endorsement deal I flat-out couldn’t refuse and I’m in the middle of a giant warehouse in downtown Los Angeles, sweating my balls off as endless photos are taken of me wearing fall athletic gear.
Considering it’s the middle of June and near record-breaking highs are predicted today, I’m fucked.
And grumpy.
Fable encouraged me to go because she’s good at that, the supportive wife thing.
Plus, I think she wanted me out of the house for a day or two.
If anyone’s grumpy, it’s Fable. Oh, and don’t forget moody.
Her belly is swollen with child, her back aches, and she can barely move around, she waddles so bad.
The baby shifted low, so low Fable appears she’s in danger of delivering at any minute, but the doctor checked her not even two days ago and said she’s not dilated yet.
So we wait. I grow impatient. I started reading that What to Expect When You’re Expecting book just to know what’s going on, and that was the final straw for my wife. She took the book straight out of my hands and told me to go mow the lawn or something, find a hobby.
Stop worrying about my pregnant wife.
When the call came for the deal with one of the leading shoe and athletic-wear brands in all the world, I leapt at it, then retreated when they said they wanted to see me as soon as possible. But Fable wouldn’t let me turn them down.
“What, you’ll be gone one day and then fly home that night.
I won’t have the baby in that short amount of time.
” She ran her hand over her huge belly as I sat there trying to come up with all sorts of arguments.
I knew, though, that I wasn’t going to win.
“I’m starting to think I’m never going to have this baby.
She’s taken up residence in here forever. ”
Sometimes I think she wishes that because the idea of childbirth scares the crap out of her. Other times, I know she’s ready to get this over with when she moans, “Get her out.”
I’m standing in front of a white backdrop, the camera flashing in my eyes again and again as the photographer snaps away, when one of the assistants runs up and whispers something in the photographer’s ear.
He pauses, standing straight. “Well, tell him, then.”
The assistant approaches me hesitantly, her demeanor shy and a little worried. “You had a call, Mr. Callahan, on your cell phone. I saw that it kept ringing with the same number and I finally answered it for you.”
Oh holy fuck. I’m the worst husband ever. I left my phone on the counter by the mirror where they did my hair and freaking makeup earlier. Yes, I’m this close to losing my man card and no way can I ever admit this to anyone, especially Owen. I’d lose respect points for sure.
“Who was it?” My heart starts to pound and I try to ignore it.
It’s probably nothing important. Most likely it’s Owen griping to me about Fable or Fable griping to me about Owen.
They’ve been getting in lots of arguments lately only because her patience level is zero and Owen is completely freaked out by the creature who was once his sister.
“Your wife. Well, it really wasn’t your wife. More like a message from her.” The assistant’s narrow face is solemn and I swear to fucking God, my heart goes from a full gallop to a dead stop in a matter of seconds.
“What’s wrong?” The words rush out of me and I rub the back of my neck, digging my nails into my skin as ice-cold shock washes over me. At the same time, it’s so damn hot in here. The sun is glaring down from the giant windows above us, making my head sweat.
Right now, though, I’m sweating for a purely different reason.
“Well, um, this is sort of weird for me to tell you since I don’t even know you, and I wanted the person on the phone to tell you this since he claimed he’s your brother-in-law, but…”
“Just spit it out,” I say, cutting her off.
“Right.” She nods multiple times, her head doing this weird little bobbing thing. “Your wife is in labor.”
Relief floods me at hearing the words. I’ve been on edge for months.
Fable pregnant is a scary thing in itself, but it’s ten times worse when I’m not with her.
She’s been by my side throughout most of her pregnancy, especially these last couple of months since the season ended.
I’ve left for a few business things, including another endorsement deal I got and a team meeting we all were required to attend.
She’s stayed mostly at home with Owen, who’s around quite a bit.
He just finished his freshman year last week.
He plans on taking a summer trip to Hawaii with his friends since he never went on a grad trip after his senior year of high school, but he’s not leaving until Fable has the baby.
He’s sticking around for that because he’s a good brother.
And Fable would strangle him if he missed the birth of his niece.
“How long ago did the call come in?” I ask as I glance up at the clock on the opposite wall. I’ve been here for hours and now I’m more than eager to get home to my wife. I can’t miss her having this baby. She’d be devastated.
“A few minutes ago.” The assistant holds out her phone toward me. “Your brother-in-law asked that you call him back.”
Shit. I bet Owen is panicking right now. I know I would be if I were him. Fable wasn’t supposed to go into labor yet and she’s probably totally freaking him out. He’s still a teenager and the last thing he wants to deal with is his laboring sister, I’m sure.
Grabbing the phone, I dial Owen’s cell number, not surprised when he answers after the first ring. “Thank God you got the message.”
“Nice to hear your voice, too. Now let me talk to your sister,” I tell him.
“Dude.” Owen pauses for a moment and I can tell he’s walking. Exiting a room or something—I’m not sure, I can only imagine. “She’s been in labor for hours. I only just now convinced her to come to the hospital.”
“Wait a minute, hours?” I left the house only a few hours ago myself. What the hell? “Is she all right? Is she in pain?”
“She’s in labor. Of course she’s in fucking pain.” Owen blows out a harsh breath. “This shit is scary, man. You need to get back here quick. I think she’s going to have the baby soon. She’s screaming and yelling and cursing like you would never believe. I can’t handle it.”
“Well, get over yourself because you’re going to have to handle it until I get there.” I make a gesture at the photographer. “Hold on, Owen.” I place my hand over the phone. “I’m out of here. My wife is having a baby.”
Everyone starts clapping and whistling, and I go to the changing area to grab my bag. The assistant runs after me, calling my name and asking for the clothes I’m modeling, and I tell her I’ll pay for them as I exit the building.
“Sorry, dude, I had to get my stuff—I’ll be on the quickest flight home I can.” Fable’s at our Santa Clara house and so is Owen, awaiting the birth. “Are you at the hospital?”
“Hell yeah, we are. She wanted to stay at home until I finally convinced her I was going to freak if she gave birth on the carpet,” Owen mutters.
I can hear him telling her that, too. “Is her doctor there?”
“I guess so; I don’t know. She wouldn’t let me call you for the longest time.
She said she didn’t want to disturb your photo session, which I thought sounded totally lame, but she told me you’re making a shit ton of money so I guess I shouldn’t give you any grief.
But yeah. She said this photo shoot was like the most important thing ever right now. ”
My girl, my wife, the mother of my about-to-be-born child, drives me absolutely frickin’ nuts sometimes. The most important thing is her and the baby. “How long has she been in labor?”
“You’re gonna kill me,” Owen says.
“Tell me, Owen.”
“Since this morning.” He pauses. “Before you even left, she said.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“I wouldn’t lie about something like this. You know it.”
Jesus. “And when did you get her to the hospital?”
“A couple of hours ago. About an hour or so after you left.”
She’s been laboring all morning. We were told at the birthing class that first babies tended to take a long time to get here. “Let me talk to her.”
“She’s gonna be pissed that I called you.”
“Does she expect to keep me in the dark about all of this? What’s the matter with her?
” I shake my head as I head outside, thankful when I see the hired car that brought me here is still waiting by the curb.
The driver slides out and comes around, opening the door for me before I get a chance to do it for myself.
I climb into the backseat, the phone still clutched to my ear.
“Did she want to have the baby on her own without me there? Give me a break. Tell her I called you. Now get her on the phone.” I’m clutching the phone tight, gazing through the window and watching the giant industrial buildings pass by but not really seeing them.
I don’t care about anything but Fable and the baby and that they’re all right.
Nothing else matters, nothing’s important.
All I can focus on is Fable and the fact that she’s about to have our baby.
And she wasn’t going to tell me? Really?
“Hello?” I hear her breathless voice and my knees wobble, thankful I’m already sitting down. I feel like a dumbass but I don’t care.
“Fable.” I blow out a harsh exhale and close my eyes. “Tell me everything’s fine.”
“Everything’s fine.” Her voice drops. “I’m in labor.”
“I know that, baby,” I say wryly. “And why didn’t you call me when this started?”
“It started before you left but I didn’t want to ruin your day. Plus, at first I thought it was bad indigestion. I don’t know. This photo shoot was important today. You said so yourself. I didn’t want to disturb you.” She pauses. “Did Owen call you?”