25. Lucas #3
“He just won the gold medal, Dad. I’m not leaving.”
“You’re about to become an uncle!”
“Are we calling an ambulance? Did someone already call one?” Erika’s mom asked.
“Just let it be, Dad. It’s the Olympics. It’s not like I’m gonna pop him out in twenty minutes.”
“Exactly,” Austin continued, trailing behind them. “I’ll meet up with Orion and Cam after the ceremony and we can head to the hospital together.”
“I’ll make sure that he gets there, Mr. Fox,” I said, stepping towards them.
Erika cried out again and stumbled, though Isaak and Remy were there for her. In any case, it was enough to convince Erika’s dad to stop arguing with Austin.
“Sounds good, Lucas. Let’s go. Austin, we’ll see you there.”
“Love you, brother,” Erika said.
“Love you, Erika. You’re gonna be a great mom.”
“Not before you get there,” she yelled, over her shoulder.
“Did someone call the paramedics?”
Apparently, the paramedics were here.
“I did,” Cassandra answered.
I hadn’t realized she was even here, but it didn’t surprise me that she was the one to do that. She was always the fastest to respond in a crisis or well prepared for the worst-case scenarios.
“Yes, my daughter’s in labor.”
I watched the group part to give the paramedics room, while Remy re-secured the door behind them. My phone vibrated.
Cam: Is Erika in labor?
Shit.
“Cam’s asking if Erika’s in labor.”
“Good luck with that!” Shane replied with a laugh.
“What do I tell him?”
Remy held the door open for the exiting Van der Berg and Fox baby caravan. I assumed the one guy I didn’t recognize that left with the Foxes was from the same company as Remy, but I didn’t have time to ask because my phone was ringing.
“Hey, babe, congrats on the bronze medal!” I tried to sound chipper.
“You didn’t answer my text. What happened?”
“Yes, okay? Erika’s in labor.”
I watched and heard him tell O.
“Are you talking to Cam?” Austin asked, stepping over the chairs to reach my row.
“You’re not missing the medal ceremony, Cam, and Austin stayed to watch.”
“Austin stayed? Is he there with you?” Cam asked.
“Yeah.”
“Give him your phone.”
I did and decided not to remind them that they both had their own phones.
“They’ve already left. I’m watching you get the medal," Austin said.
I had to agree, and hoped Austin could convince O to stay.
“No one’s ever missed an Olympic medal ceremony.”
I wasn’t sure if that was true, but Austin made it sound good.
“It’s your first individual gold medal. You’re not missing it. You’d really leave and take that moment away from your family? From me?”
Oh shit, the guilt card. Snap. I waited with fingers crossed to see if Austin’s tactic paid off. After all, it would only be about twenty minutes before we left. Surely, Erika wouldn’t give birth that quickly. I wasn’t an expert, but I thought it usually took hours.
“Thank you,” Austin said, pausing to listen. “I won’t regret it. It was my decision. I don’t need to see my sister’s dilated…vagina.”
I could hear O’s laughter.
“Trust me. She has Isaak and our parents. She’ll be fine.”
Another pause.
“Yes, Remy’s here, I’m fine. Now get off your phone. You just won a gold medal, it looks weird!”
I sat down, feeling relieved, only to notice that Heather and Cecilia were staring at us. “They’re staying?” they both asked in unison.
I nodded and Austin said, “Yeah, they’re staying.”
“I would’ve whooped his ass if he left before the ceremony,” Cecilia said. “No offense to your family, Austin.”
“None taken, ma’am. I would’ve been right there with you.”
I tried to not think of Austin spanking O, but the power of suggestion was too much.
It was also a bit taboo, since they were pretty private about their sex life.
I couldn’t help it. Whenever I saw a gay couple, I always wondered if they switched, or if they were strict with their roles.
They just weren’t quite as open as the rest of our friends, which was fine.
Curiosity killed the cat. Curiosity killed the cat.
“I still can’t believe Orion won the gold.” Austin brought me back to reality.
“He’s put in the work,” I said, questioningly.
“Oh, I know that. I just meant with everything that’s happened this week.”
“True, but O’s always been pretty even-keeled.”
“Are we talking about the same person? Because you should’ve heard the obscenities coming out of his mouth when he got to the hospital the other night. He was ready to go to the police station, drag Dennis Jenkins out into the street, and beat the shit out of him.”
“Okay, that I can see,” I admitted. “But on the podium, he’s never let anything get to him, and I know after London, he knew he could do better and vowed to do so.”
“He’s been driven the last couple years. We both have.”
“I know you’ll do great,” I said, patting him on the back. “You’re right there. Aren’t you top five in the world for your weight class?”
“Yeah, but-”
“No buts. You made it. You’re an Olympian, and no one can take that away from you.”
The Olympic theme song started and the arena quieted as the three medalists walked out from underneath the stands.