Chapter 28 Red Carpet Rollout #2
But the minute the second half of the game started, Pen stood up and made an uh-oh face. “So, I've actually been in labor since breakfast, and my water just broke. Don't sit on that couch, anybody.”
The suite went silent except for the roar of the crowd below.
“I'm sorry, what?” Kelsey shrieked.
Dr. Patel was already moving, switching from casual friend to doctor in an instant. “How far apart are the contractions?”
“About two minutes.”
“Wow. Okay. Someone please call for the stadium EMTs and tell them we're having a baby.”
Penelope grabbed the arm of the couch as another contraction hit.
“And someone needs to get Everett,” Dr. Patel said calmly, though she was already pulling medical supplies from her bag. Why did she bring medical supplies to a football game? Thank god she did. “This baby is coming now.”
“I'm on it.” Isak was already running for the door.
“Stadium security is never going to—“.
“They will for a Kingman,” Bridger said. “Go, Isak, go.”
What followed was the most chaotic fifteen minutes of my life.
Dr. Patel transformed the suite into a makeshift delivery room, ordering Flynn and Gryff to hold up tablecloths for privacy, getting extra linens from the catering staff, and turning the comfy couch seating area into a makeshift delivery room.
Kelsey was on the phone with stadium security, trying to explain that they needed to escort a player from the field up to the club level suites, and trying to get the EMTs up here too.
Willa was timing contractions. Bridger stayed next to Penny, holding her hand and coaching her through her next contraction in a low calm voice like the veteran he was.
He had to be so freaking excited he was about to meet his very first grandchild.
And I was trying not to panic because, holy shit, we were having a baby at the Big Bowl.
“I can see Isak on the field,” Jules called from the window. “He's got security with him.”
We could actually see it happening on the jumbotron. Isak running across the field to the Mustangs sideline, grabbing Everett, who looked confused, then shocked, then started sprinting for the tunnel.
He burst through the suite door only a few minutes later, still in full gear, his cleats clicking on the floor, breathing hard.
“Pen, honey, I'm here. Focus on your breathing. What do I do? Has anyone boiled water?”
“About time,” she gasped. “Your son wanted to see his daddy play in the bowl game.”
“Everett,” Dr. Patel said firmly, “I need you to hold your wife's hand and let me work.”
The next few minutes were a blur. The crowd noise from the stadium faded into background as Penelope brought their son into the world right there in the luxury suite, with the entire Kingman family waiting in the wings.
The baby's first cry cut through everything, strong and loud and perfect.
“You did it,” Everett sobbed, still in his football pads, holding his tiny son. “You amazing, incredible, insane woman, you did it. There you are, my boy. I’ve got you.”
“We did it,” Penelope corrected, tears streaming down her face. “In a stadium. During the Big Bowl.”
“This is why I don't usually do house calls,” Dr. Patel said, but she was smiling.
“We should get you to the hospital,” Everett said, not taking his eyes off his son.
As they prepared to leave for the hospital, the third quarter was in full swing. Somehow, word had gotten to the announcers. I glanced over at Jules who had her phone in her hand and a mischievous grin on her face.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the PA system boomed, “we've just received word that Mustangs tight end Everett Kingman has become a father. His son was born right here in the stadium only moments ago.”
The crowd went absolutely insane.
Then the jumbotron lit up with “Welcome to the world, Bo Bridger Kingman!”
“Did they really just announce our baby to eighty thousand people?” Penelope asked with a wide-eyed look.
“Oh,” Bridger choked out, fresh tears streaming down his face. “You used my… you named him…”
“Of course we did,” Penelope called out weakly from the gurney where the medics were preparing to transport her. “Who else would we name him after? The man who raised the best men I know.”
Bridger couldn't speak, just stood there with tears running down his face, moving to kiss both Penelope's forehead and the baby's tiny head. “That's... that's the greatest honor of my life. Welcome to the family, Bo.”
Dr. Patel wouldn't let the rest of us go with them to the hospital. She said the new mom and baby, and probably dad, were going to need some checkups and some fluids. But we could come later for visiting hours.
The Mustangs must have been inspired by the baby luck because they came out in the second half like men possessed. Chris threw four touchdown passes. Declan had an interception. Hayes ran for two more touchdowns. Even without Everett, they dominated.
When Chris threw the winning touchdown to Hayes with thirty seconds left, the entire suite erupted, those of us still there anyway. Everett and Penelope were already at the hospital with Dr. Patel.
“This family,” Artie said, shaking her head but grinning. “You can't even watch a football game without someone having a baby.”
“Just wait until it's our turn,” Gryff said, then froze. “I mean, not that we're—“
“I know what you mean,” I said, kissing his cheek. “And when it's our turn, we're definitely having the baby in an actual hospital.”
“Deal.”
As we watched the Mustangs celebrate below, Chris pointing to the suite and mouthing “For Everett,” I thought about how impossibly chaotic and perfect this life was.
The premiere, the game, the baby—it was all too much and exactly right at the same time.
“Next year,” Jules said, appearing at my elbow, “can we maybe have a normal Big Bowl? Just watch the game, eat some nachos, no one gives birth?”
“Where's the fun in that?” Trixie asked.
“Besides,” Tempest added, “This is the Kingmans. Normal isn't really our thing.”
She was right. Normal wasn't our thing.
And I wouldn't have it any other way.