Chapter 11

Carla left after an early breakfast Wednesday morning. I had to leave earlier than usual so that I could take Sharon home to change for work. Her house was just down the street from the office and she normally walked to work, but this morning she rode with me.

I took Dexter with me on the first two service calls. Carl Jr. had convinced Bernice's brother-in-law to be his helper with delivery and Dexter was now working with me full time. Sharon still had his father's old service truck and I sent Dex out with his first solo that afternoon.

It's a good thing that I did because at 1:30 Mika called to say that she was on the way to the hospital with Melissa. Her water had broken and my grandniece was on the way.

I let Sharon know and headed over to Alamance Regional Medical Center to be with Melissa. ARMC is not the best place around to get well, but they should be able to handle birthing a baby.

Melissa was in the prep room with Mika, and I was able to talk to them for a few minutes. Mika was excited, she had missed her own grandchildren being born and was looking forward to Melissa's child as much as anyone was. Melissa reassured me that she was okay and that I should just go on back to work and relax. There was no chance that I was going to do that, but of course, I told her that I would.

When Jennifer showed up a little later, I excused myself and went out to the waiting room. I was going to have to get her and the new baby something. For some reason I had not done it before this, but I was not going to the gift shop in the hospital, the prices were too high and Wal-Mart was only a few minutes away.

When I got back with the flowers, card, and stuffed animals, Mary and Leimomi were there with their own presents. They said that the rest would be by soon, and that Mandy was with her now. A few minutes later Mandy came out and said that Melissa and Mika had gone into the delivery room and that the baby should be here soon.

Soon is a matter of opinion. Two hours later, I was still sitting in that little room with my fourth cup of coffee, trying to keep from falling asleep. Sharon, Amy, and Carla were there with Carmelita, and for the first time I was meeting Amy's son Joshua. He was a short stocky boy with dark hair and acne. When he was introduced to me, he was in the middle of complaining about being in the hospital when he would rather be at home playing a game on his Playstation. Amy was explaining to him that after what he did in the kitchen the other day he was not going to be home alone for a while.

"Aw mom, I was just trying to get something to eat while you were out sleeping with this old fart over here."

I don't think that he realized what happened as I lifted him up onto his tiptoes by the collar of his shirt with one hand while I had hold of the flab at his waist with the other. "You will treat your mother with respect young man, it does not matter what your opinion is, you WILL treat her with respect (as I said this I was pinching the flab I had in my hand as emphasis with every other word). She has spent years seeing to your needs and she asks for very little in return. Understand this if you understand nothing else, I will burn your backside with a two-by-four if I hear of you talking to her again the way you just did. Now you will apologize to her and go sit over in the corner out of the way, and be quiet."

I had not raised my voice during the entire explosion, and when I turned him loose, the look he gave me was fear tinged with hate; but he did as he was told. He stepped over to Amy and said that he was sorry, and then went over to the corner to sulk. Further conversation was interrupted by the phone near the door ringing. Sharon answered and listened for a moment.

"It's a 6 lb 8 ounce girl. Melissa named her Jessica Marie. She wants to see you Walter. Leave the stuff here until they get her into a regular room, just go in and talk to her now."

I rang at the entry door and told the voice who I was going to see. The door buzzed and I entered a short hallway that ended at the nurse's station. The attractive brunette behind the counter pointed me toward a curtained area to her right. I stepped through and there was my little princess, lying on a hospital bed with a little chocolate baby on her chest.