Retta tried to hide her panic at seeing the puddle underneath her friend’s feet. Instead, she approached and helped her straighten. “Okay, let’s go have this baby.”
“My hospital bag is in the coat closet,” Kym said as she pushed her braids over her shoulder and attempted to catch her breath.
“I’ll grab it when we pass by,” Retta said, as she gently walked her friend forward. Unfortunately, at this pace, the baby would be teething by the time they arrived at the hospital. “Honey, I need you to move a little quicker.”
“I”—Kym breathed hard and doubled over—“can’t.”
“I can help,” Duncan said, stepping forward.
Both women looked up. Retta had forgotten he was there, but he was holding Kym’s beige hospital bag and looked like he could move a mountain if he really wanted to. An unexpected calmness settled over her.
“Who the hell are you?” Kym asked, sweat coming down her face.
“This is Duncan.”
“Oh. You guys back together? For real?” Kym asked as she reached for him.
He immediately drew closer and scooped her into his arms. They both ignored the question but briefly shared a glance. That was yet to be determined. But now wasn’t the time to think about all of that.
Once Kym was seated in the backseat, she said, “So, Duncan, I wish we were meeting when I’m not in pain and dilating, but it’s good to put a face to a name.”
Retta tensed. She didn’t need her friend revealing too much about her feelings for Duncan before she had the chance to do it.
Kym temporarily abandoned the topic when another contraction hit.
“Remember the breathing,” Retta said, twisting to look at her and perform the quick, sharp breaths with her.
After the cramps subsided, her friend said, “You know, I told Retta that I thought the whole fake relationship thing was ridiculous, not to mention attending her ex’s wedding. But everything worked—”
Kym groaned and Retta wanted to join her. She hadn’t told Duncan anything about Chris. He probably thought her even more pathetic for attending the wedding. But when she braved a glance at him, he didn’t look remotely shocked at the information.
“You know,” she said.
Duncan looked at her. “Know what?”
“That Chris is my ex.”
“Yeah, I found out at the engagement party.”
Shaking her head, she said, “Why didn’t you say anything?”
He shrugged. “We had an agreement for me to attend a wedding. It didn’t matter whose it was.”
“Oh, fuck,” Kym said before she let out an extended groan that turned into a scream.
“We’re almost there,” Duncan said as he turned onto the street the hospital was on.
When they finally arrived at the emergency room, Len was already there, and medical professionals took over.
Len and Retta surrounded Kym as she pushed and yelled.
“I can see the head,” a nurse said after some time.
Retta wiped her friend’s brow. “You’re so close.”
Kym tightened her already death grip on Retta’s hand, but dammit, at this point, if her friend wanted to throw her against the wall, she would let her.
Thankfully, none of that was necessary because a baby was born minutes later, wailing and healthy.
