Beck is riding shotgun while on the phone with Dr. Kravitz. “The contractions are eight minutes apart, Doc. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“What did she say?” I manage, finally able to breathe for a moment.
Dax is driving like a crazed maniac through Ember Ridge. Lucky for us, it’s Saturday afternoon, and the streets aren’t as busy. Carlos is right in front of us in his squad car, siren blaring and lights flashing, like all hell is about to break looseupon the good people of this town. Chloe’s in the car with him.
“Dr. Kravitz is just about there,” Beck assures me, giving me a worried look. “She’ll arrive before us, for sure. Just breathe, baby, breathe.”
Everything is strange and scary, every contraction, every bead of sweat, every sensation. I’ve been told first-time mothers experience a plethora of emotions as they go through labor, but dammit, I’m hanging on by a thread here. The only comfort I have is that Dax, Leo, and Beck are right here with me, ready to go scorched-earth on anyone or anything that gets in our way of a safe and timely delivery.
We pushed it to the limit with the wedding plans and took a risk in getting married three weeks before I was due, knowing twins often come early.
I look down at my ruined wedding dress and groan as another contraction hits.
We were just about to say our vows in front of the pastor when my water broke. It’s been nothing short of a whirlwind since the entire hall heard the swoosh and my scream as I experienced my first contraction.
“I can’t believe they decided they wanted to enter the world right in the middle of our wedding,” I mumble.
“Take it as a sign of good luck,” Leo chuckles softly, then gently removes my pearly tiara and the long veil attached to it. “You’re not going to need these in the delivery room, my love, but you can wear them again after we get the little munchkins out.” He tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “I love you so much, Olivia.”
“I love you too,” I whisper, blinking back tears.
“The service started out beautifully,” Dax says just before a sharp turn to the left. It jostles everybody in the SUV, and for a moment, I lose sight of Leo as he slips under my dress—layer upon layer of fine satin and organza with gorgeous embroidery patterns of pearl and gold thread.
“You paid a fortune for this dress, and I didn’t even get to say, ‘I do,’” I moan as another wave of contractions work their way through my core.
“You still look incredible, even now,” Beck tries to comfort me with a soft smile. “You’ll wear it again, honey. We’ll have it cleaned and refitted. It’ll be great, I promise.”
Leo pops back out from under the sea of white, blinking a few times to regain his focus before giving me his hand again. I hear him grunt as I take it and squeeze. “Chloe and Carlos are just ahead, you can see them, right?”
“Yeah, I can. OH SWEET JESUS MARY AND FUCKING JOSEPH!” I scream.
This one cuts through me like a red-hot blade, as if I’m about to spill all of my entrails out. Leo supports my grip like the superman that he is, while Beck breathes in and out with me.
“Just like we learned in Lamaze class,” he says.
“We’re almost there, honey,” Dax reassures me.
He sneaks a quick peek at me in the rearview mirror, then immediately switches his focus back on the road, determined to get us all safely to the hospital. Up ahead, I see Carlos’s squad car racing, the lights flashing.
It brings more tears to my eyes, knowing that I’ve got such incredible friends to support me through what is arguably one of life’s major events.
“I see them,” I say in between breaths.
The breathing helps, so I keep doing it as I ride the wave of contractions and pulverize the bones in Leo’s hand. I give him an apologetic look.
“I’m hurting you, aren’t I? I’m so sorry,” I tell him.
“It’s okay, baby, I switched hands,” he chuckles and shows me his right hand.
I can see the hospital ER, its doors open, nurses waiting for us with a mobile gurney. Carlos hits the brakes so hard, I can hear them skidding across the asphalt as puffs of smoke burst from the back wheels.
Chloe jumps out of Carlos’s car first.
“Okay, we’re here,” Dax announces.
“I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” I say as Beck and Leo gently help me out of the car.
“You think so?” Dax chuckles as he joins us on the sidewalk.
