"Grace," I snapped.
Her face, even through its clammy pallor, seemed to light up for a moment. "Grace," she said in wonder. "What are the odds?" she muttered under her breath.
"Of a saving angel named Grace?" I asked her. "Pretty high for you today." I shook my head again. "Hand me your phone."
"Who are you calling?"
"Someone who's going to save your cryptic ass," I snapped.
She meekly handed the cell over and I dialed my most pain in the ass sister, Patience. Her name was an oxymoron.
"What?" she snapped as soon as she picked up.
It was at this time Marissa began to moan like a cow in a field who just spotted a predator.
"Grace?" my sister asked, her voice a little less snappish this time.
"Umm. You aren't going to believe this." I rattled off what happened.
There was a long pause over the line. "Get her to the hospital. Now."
"I can't. She won't go."
"Why the hell not? Just from being on the phone I can tell her contractions are less than a minute apart! If her water hasn't broken, the baby is in danger. Hell, what am I even talking about? The fact that she won't go to the hospital is putting her baby in danger!"
"What's your address?" I asked Marissa.
She rattled off a street name and number. I repeated it to my sister. "I'm so sorry, Patience. We need you."
"You owe me for this. Big time." But she didn't refuse to come. The line clicked off just as Marissa hoarsely told me to turn.
A few minutes later we pulled into the driveway of a house I'd never seen before. I turned off the car, got out, and rushed over to Marissa's side. I gently took her purse and helped her out. I dug through her purse for the keys and opened the door, reaching over to help her through.
"Where's the bedroom?"
She shook her head. "It's upstairs. Go to the couch."
"You're going to ruin it."
She let out a burst of laughter. "I'm sure there are more important things to worry about right now."
"True." I helped her lie down and elevated her feet using a couple more pillows. I had no idea what else to do. "Ice chips?" I asked her.
She shook her head. "Is your sister a nurse?"
I nodded. "One of the best in the city."
"Is she discreet?"
I snorted. "She's like a t-rex fossil. Inert."
Marissa smiled. "I bet she's nice."
"She's a holy terror. You think I'm bad? My sister is Godzilla on roller skates."
"You aren't bad."
"You just met me."
