Chapter 31
My wife... oh, it’s fucking amazing to be able to call Lily my wife. She is currently sitting in my lap panting and trying to breathe through her contractions, and she still looks just as beautiful as when I saw her standing there tall and proud next to my Commander. Lily quite literally stole my breath when I clocked her standing at the end of the aisle. The sun shone behind her, lighting up her whole being, she really is an angel...
As Betty skillfully maneuvers the Beast through the hectic streets of Manhattan, Lily is caught between bouts of laughter and the intensifying contractions. The city, always alive with honking horns and the near-constant buzz of activity, is just another element to this critical, yet unexpectedly humorous journey to LHH.
“Betty, you sure you weren’t a rally car driver in a past liffffe?” Lily jokes through gritted teeth, gripping my legs as we take another sharp corner, dodging a taxi that abruptly cut in front of us.
“Cupcake, in this freakin’ traffic, every New Yorker becomes a damn rally driver,” Betty retorts with a sassy wink in the rearview mirror, her confidence unwavering as she zips around another slow-moving vehicle. “Just hold on tight; I’m getting you to LHH faster than you can say ‘epidural’!”
Despite the pain, my wife can’t help but chuckle at Betty’s bravado and the absurdity of her speeding through Manhattan like a scene out of a spy movie. Each laugh, mixed with a wince, seems to help Lily manage the pain, even in this intense moment.
I hold her firmly in my arms, and smile with relief at each burst of laughter from Lily. It eases my worry to see her spirits kept high by Betty’s antics and the adrenaline fueled ride, underscoring the deep bonds they share that make this nerve wracking ride bearable and more memorable, this is definitely going to be a brilliant story to tell our grandkids one day.
As the city darkens and lights blur past, I hold onto Lily for dear life, my heart is pounding not just from the breakneck speed at which Betty continues navigating the Beast, but from the rush of adrenalin flooding my system.
With her precision and handling of a seasoned pro, her focus is solid as she dodges taxis and buses under the darkening night sky.
“Son, where can I get me one of these?” Betty hollers and grins wickedly into the rearview mirror, “I’ll never get rid of my ol’ girl but I need to get me one of these.”
“You get us there safely Betty, and this one is yours,” I chuckle out.
“Hooyah!” Betty booms.
“Alright, Lily, just keep breathing like that. You’re doing fantastic,” Doc encourages from the front passenger seat, his voice is calm and reassuring amongst the chaos.
“Cupcake, we’re almost there, just hang on,” Betty assures, glancing briefly in the rearview mirror once again, her tone both calm and commanding.
Lily breathes deeply, her face etched with both pain and determination. Doc, ever the steadying presence in our team, is monitoring her condition, offering words of comfort and checking his watch periodically.
“You’ve got this Lily, you’re doing great. We’re nearly there,” Doc says, his voice a soothing contrast to the sirens and honks outside.
I take hold of Lily’s right hand in my own, squeezing it gently. My mind racing with concern for my angel and our unborn twins, the love of my life is being so brave and strong yet she is so vulnerable. I lean my head to hers, whispering, “I’m here, my love. You’re doing incredibly. I’m so proud of you, Angel.”
Lily manages a small smile amidst her pain and the chaos, her grip tightening on my hand. “I can’t wait to meeeet themmm,” she groans back, a mix of joy and apprehension in her eyes.
“Ow, ow, ow, Doc, how far? I’m feeling immensssee pppressure, owww, shhiiiitttt.”
Doc looks to me and shakes his head and calls the hospital, “This is, Dr. Cade Bryant, I need a delivery suite ready and theatre on standby. Elizabeth Harrington, well Lily Saunders on your system 10.31.2001. Is in active twin labor, twenty-two years old, thirty five weeks pregnant, and was fifty percent effaced three days ago. Page Dr. Sarah Langley to meet us at the Emergency drop off zone, with a gurney.”
“If at all you feel you need to push, I need you to breathe through it and resist bearing down, I know that it is a hard ask and you can curse me all you want. But I’d prefer a twin pregnancy to be delivered at the hospital and not on the back seat of the Beast.” Doc implores.
I’m sitting here feeling fucking useless, holding onto Lily for grim death, wishing I could take her pain away when a gush of warm fluid soaks my lap.
“Doc, we have a problem,” I snap.
“Ohhhhhh, no, no, no, Doccccc!” Lily lets out on a long deep groan.
“Warm, sweet smelling liquid,” I grind out.
“Cupcake, now you listen to Betty Mae, you hear! I haven’t got cops on my ass for no God damn reason, you snap those long legs of yours shut, you hear me baby girl!”
It’s only then that I register the red and blue lights, “Well this will be fun,” I chuckle.
“I heeeaarr yoouu. Ohhh, Aaaalexanderrrr, the bugs are commminnngggg.” Lily’s pained voice echoes through the vehicle.
Just as the hospital finally comes into view, relief washes through me, mingled with a surge of anticipation.
“Alexander, Doc, you get my cupcake out and I’ll deal with this asshole behind us.”
Betty takes the corner like she’s on rails and slides to a stop directly in front of the Emergency entry doors. I squeeze myself out with Lily in my arms, not easy when we’re both dressed to the nines, and there stands some cocky fucking rookie cop with his gun drawn, I turn my back to him slightly to shield Lily.
“You’d wanna put your fucking weapon away, Son,” Betty bellows.
“Stop you’re under are–”
Hearing his shaky voice, I turn back to watch the show as Lily groans out low and long, I know that it’ll be Betty who takes this punk ass cop down and not Doc.
“If you don’t lower your weapon officer, I am going to take it from you and shove it clean up your fucking ass. Do. You. Hear. Me!” Betty has flipped her switch and I go to step toward the entry to get Lily inside and he swings his firearm at me, and in 3... 2... 1...!
Betty kicks him in the balls then pushes his hands up into the air grabbing his weapon and brings his face down onto her knee, the pussy cop screams like a bitch and falls to the ground.
“I asked you nicely, then I warned you, boy. And did you heed my warning, no!”
Betty removes the cops clip from his gun and sheds his bullets all over the pavement.
“You are all under arrest,” He screams.
“Kid, you see that woman my son is holding in his arms, that’s my daughter in God damn labor and about to give birth to twins in a fucking hospital parking lot, because of your delaying nonsense, I don’t fucking think so, not on my watch! These men are United States, Navy SEAL - Alpha 1. And trust me, you think what I’ve done to you is bad, you won’t want these boys on your ass. Now radio your Captain, NOW!”
Lily manages a giggle, “I llovve hheerrr!”
“I love you too, Cupcake. You good for a minute while I take out the trash?”
“Yeah, I-I ddon’t want t-to, Owwwww, you assssshhollllee radio NOWWWW.”
The officer pulls his radio off his belt clip and hands it to Betty with wide eyes, it’s fucking funny as all get out, now we have an epic story to tell.
:I need the police captain; I have one of his officers on the ground disarmed and I need to make a complaint.
Betty states calmly but assertively.
:Yes, Ma’am.
:Captain Briggs, speaking.
:Sir, I have an insolent young officer, what’s your name rookie.
Betty leans in to check his nameplate and shakes her head with an amused look on her face.
:Doyle, I have Officer Doyle here on the ground, who drew his weapon on innocent people without cause or warning. Yes, I was speeding but my grandbabies are literally coming out of my cupcakes v-jay, jay as we speak. This young officer needs to learn not to pull a piece on people as his first response, and for the love of all that’s fucking holly, get him some God damn training!
:Who am I speaking with?
Captain Briggs voice assertively clips out.
:I am Betty Mae Rogers; my employers like to call me Deadloch. My daughter’s Husband is SEAL Chief, Alpha 1, her Doctor who was traveling with us is Alpha 7, would you like me to continue, Sir?
Betty bites out.
:Alpha team?
Cap queries and I give Officer Doyle a wolfish grin, because all the cops in every precinct know who we are.
:Yes!
Betty growls over the fucking twenty questions, Lily giggles and I chuckle because it is too funny.
:Harrington?
Cap says sounding amused. I signal Betty to hold down the button on the mic and yell.
:Yeah Cap, we good?
:We’re good, Alpha 1. Congratulations on your marriage today, look after Elizabeth, and the precinct sends you well wishes for your babies coming into the world, may they arrive safely.
:Thanks, Cap, will do.
I reply proudly.
:Who’s the feisty woman you got with you, Harrington? Cap asks as an afterthought.
Betty steps in and answers this time and I can’t wait to hear what she says.
:Me well... if I told you, I’d have to kill you. That is not a threat, Captain, it is the truth. I think you have all the information you require. I’m going to hand Officer Doyle back his weapon who will quickly pick up his bullets of the damn pavement and get his ass to you. Now, I’m going go watch my daughter give birth to my grandbabies, sorry about the disruption but nothing was gonna stop me getting my cupcake to hospital, have a good evening.
Betty states not waiting for a reply.
The look on Doyle’s face is fucking priceless, this poor kids either going to have his ass reamed or be sent packing, I’ll have a word to Cap later because he was only doing his job, but to pull a fucking weapon for no reason shows he’s scared and needs more training.
“Now, you, young whipper snapper, stand the fuck up,” Doyle does as instructed, “you ever pull a gun on a citizen again without probable cause, I will find you, you get me. Now run along and get your ass into training before you kill someone.”
The officer is open mouthed and stunned in his silence but nods his head.
“Owwwwww, shhiiitttt, oooowwww, mmmoovvvveee.” Lily screams.
“Let’s go, Chief.” Doc and I stride into the hospital just as Dr. Langley is meets us with a team pushing a gurney.