Chapter 2

Even with the bed rest and the other precautions, she goes into labor almost a month early. I came into her room with breakfast and found her grimacing in pain. I dropped the damn tray and she made me clean the rug before she let me touch her. So I knew whatever kind of pain she was in, she could bear it. I'm an evil shit, so I take my time cleaning. While I'm in the kitchen getting a rag, though, I stop and call her doctor and Amanda.

By the time I finish with 'breakfast', she's smiling. "They're not that bad." She says mildly, "I've done worse to you."

"You say that now." I can't help chuckling at her, "Let's see what you say in a few hours." I don't let her argue about going to the hospital. Just pick her up and put her in the car. I even laugh when she struggles to get out but her stomach just makes getting in and out of the car hell for her.

"You're a little shit." She spits finally.

"You have our whole lives to pay me back for this, but the last seven months are the only time that I will ever see you fat, awkward, sweaty, hair wrecked, no makeup, no dignity..."

" ... asshole..."

"Your language has been atrocious." We're at a light, so I steal a kiss, "And even when you've been an utter bitch, I've never loved you more."

"It'll never happen again."

"That's why I took pictures."

She gasps and punches me in the arm. I almost swerve as I laugh and she doubles over as another contraction hits. "When did you take pictures, you shit?" she forces out from clinched teeth.

"Mostly while you were asleep." She can't be too bad off, I reason, she's still pissed at me.

"Oh! You asshole!" she hits me again when she gets her breath back. "I hate you, Alex McElroy."

"Yeah? 'Cause I love you Amelia Wilson." I try to keep this spirit up the whole trip but it's almost an hour to her preferred hospital and while the contractions don't seem to get closer, she does seem to get worse - more tired, more pain, less lucid.

I get her checked in and up to a room. They throw me out while they undress her and do the initial exam so I go in the hall and call Peter and Mom so they can call everybody else. When I come back in, the nurse is about to stick Ame with a needle. I grab her wrist and twist slightly, "What is that?" The woman nearly shrieks. I hold her until the doctor and a dozen others come running in. It's almost a minute before I realize that Ame is trying to get my attention. "Yes, Ma'am?"

"If you're going to be stupid all day, you can wait in the car."

It takes a minute for the adrenaline to level off some, "Yes, Ma'am." I let the nurse go. She rubs her wrist like that actually hurt.

"Go wait outside til I call you. I'm fine. Did you bring my suitcase?" I shake my head; I didn't actually care about getting anything but her. "Then go home and get it."

"No, Ma'am."

"What?" The doctor tries to interrupt us but she waves him off. "What?"

"I'll leave the room Ame, but I'm not leaving the building til you do. I'll get some one to get your bag. You want anything else?"

She winces as another contraction starts, "No." she pants for a second then looks at me, "Just wait outside."

I go outside and call Peter again.

"I'm on my way, dude. How you holdin' up?"

I open my mouth but nothing comes out.

"Alex?" I still can't reply. "Alex." It's command form; I haven't heard it in years but I still know it, "Go get yourself some breakfast. I'll meet you at the front desk in" he pauses, "thirty minutes. You cool?"

Breakfast. Thirty minutes. "Yeah." My voice finally works, "Yeah, I'm cool."

He hangs up.

My parents get there before Peter does and I take them up to her room. She greets them graciously and throws me out again. Peter finally arrives about the same time Amanda and Foster do. They go up stairs; Peter stays with me. He doesn't ask much. Most of the day goes by and by dinnertime, most of the McElroy clan is loitering in the lobby but no babies have made an appearance. I'm going stir crazy.