by Livia Grant
“Hi,” Jen said. “Oh my, there’s nothing wrong is there? She hasn’t had the baby or gone into labor?”
“No, to all of the above, sort of. No baby yet.”
“You better come in,” Jen said with a smile.
“Here’s the thing,” Crystal said, perching on the edge of Jen’s couch. “I wanted to ask you...”
Jen was just sitting there waiting to hear what she had to say.
“Jen, I’m sorry,” Crystal said.
“What for?” Jen asked, her face masked with confusion.
“I don’t know really, for making you feel so weird about things that you don’t feel you can come around.”
“You didn’t make me feel weird, Crystal. I guess if anything, I was embarrassed about what we did. Brock made me see that I, we, had stomped all over your business and your privacy, so it’s me that should apologize to you. I’m sorry for all that we did.”
“Why don’t you come around, because I’m there?”
“No! Nothing like that. You took time off to be with your family. None of us wanted to intrude.”
“I see. What if I was to tell you that I have one very impatient, pain in the ass girlfriend that needs a spanking and can’t have one, that is bored and lonely and in the need of some friends?”
“Really?”
“Really. It’s not just Carol. We miss you guys and I’m really worried about her. She needs a distraction.”
“I have the perfect thing!” Jen said, the beaming smile she hadn’t seen for a while plastered across her face. “A baby shower.”
“That would be great! I don’t know what we’re having though so I can’t tell anyone what color to buy.”
“That’s fine. It doesn’t matter about colors. It matters about games and food and all the fun stuff.”
“So long as the games involve Carol laying down. She’s on bed rest.”
“That’s no problem at all. Will it be a surprise?”
“It will.”
* * * * *
Carol paced up and down, stretching and trying to relieve the stupid back ache that wouldn’t leave her alone. Crystal thought she was doing her a favor by making her stay in bed but she was making it worse. It couldn’t be good for a person to lay down so much. When she saw their car on the driveway, she hurried to get back in bed.
“Did you get out of bed again?” Crystal asked as she possibly saw Carol bounce onto the bed.
“I went to the bathroom, that’s all.” This was slowly driving Carol crazy. She was so bored that getting up and scrubbing the kitchen floor was starting to sound appealing. Doing laundry would be a thrill.
“Okay then but no more.”
“I won’t, I promise. Where’s Bri?”
“In her room doing something,” Crystal said.
“Doing what?” Crystal had a weird look on her face like she was hiding something.
“I don’t know. Making a surprise for the baby I think.”
“Aww, that’s cute.”
“She is cute. She so wants a baby brother. She says she’s absolutely a hundred percent sure it’s a boy.”
“Well she’s at least half right,” Carol said. She watched as Crystal turned on the TV.
“I thought we might watch a dvd,” Crystal said, answering the unasked question.
“Which one?”
“Glee,” Crystal said with a grin.
“But you hate Glee.”
“That’s how much I love you. I’ll even let you have the sound up.”
“Shouldn’t we ask Bri if she wants to come and watch it with us?”
“I think Bri is happy doing what she’s doing. I already asked her.”
“Okay.” Carol shrugged.
* * * * *
“It was so nice of Zach to mind all the kids so we could do this,” Sienna said. “It is so hard to keep them all quiet at the best of times but when it’s for a surprise.”
“I know,” Erin said. “The girls so wanted to come, until they found out all the kids were coming to our house.
Jen giggled. “I bet Zach has his hands full.”
“He can handle it. I’m just glad that he’s a teacher and wasn’t at work like all the other guys.”
“The twins didn’t want to come, they were only too pleased to go to your house.”
“What time is everyone getting here?” Sienna asked.
“In about an hour and a half,” Jen said.
* * * * *
“Keep still,” Crystal said, running her hand up and down Carol’s arm. “Try and relax and watch the show.”
“I am trying,” Carol said.
Crystal frowned as Carol’s face was very pink. “Do you feel okay?” she asked, pressing the back of her hand against her forehead.
“I’m just going a little stir crazy from being stuck in bed.”
“Well lay still and if you’re a good girl, I’ll take you outside later and you can lay on a lounger.”
“That’d be nice,” Carol said, snuggling into the crook of Crystal’s arm.
“Do these kids, and I say that loosely, I’m sure some of them are like thirty. Do any of them actually talk? They seem to sing everything.”
“It’s a musical,” Carol said, yawning.
“I never really understood musicals.” Crystal turned to look at Carol and realized she’d dozed off. Even in her sleep she seemed uncomfortable. Maybe they should look at a new mattress or something. Suddenly, Carol’s eyes sprang open.
“I’m going to be sick.”
Crystal leaped up and ran over to Carol’s side of the bed where she was just stumbling to her feet. “You okay? Do you want me to carry you?”
“No,” Carol said, shoving past Crystal and staggering into their bathroom. “Um, Crystal?”
“What is it, honey?”
“Ahhhh,” Carol yelled.
“What is it, honey, are you okay?”
“No, I have pain.”
Crystal was there in a second, just as Carol threw up.
“Did it feel like a contraction?”
“How would I know? It felt like a pain. I’ve never had a contraction before.”
“Did it feel like a wave that kind of started slow and built up?”
“I don’t know. It was probably nothing.”
Crystal racked her brain for what Carol had eaten that day. There was nothing that could have been suspect. “If you think you’re in labor, then I think we should make our way to the hospital.”
“I’m not in labor.”
“But-”
“Crystal please. I think I’m getting the flu, that’s all. I’m all achy and sore.”
“Okay,” Crystal said. This was great timing. Outside there was a party in the making.
“Crys, I’d like to go outside now and lay down. Maybe the fresh air will help.”
“That’s fine. You stay there and I’ll get your slippers.” Crystal hurried into the bedroom and grabbed her phone. The surprise will have to be whoever is here now. She was going to send Jen a message but Carol was in the doorway. “Couldn’t you find them? They’re under the bed on my side.”
“Of course they are,” Crystal said, shaking her head. “Come on.” She slipped the slippers on to her girl’s swollen feet, grateful that she’d taken off the nightshirt and replaced it with some giant loose pants and a t shirt.
* * * * *
Jen looked around at the decorations. She was happy with what they’d been able to achieve in such a short space of time. All they were waiting on was food. They had some, but everyone that had been invited had said they’d bring a platter. “I think we’re about done. I said I’d message Crystal when everyone was here and hidden.”
“I love this watermelon baby carriage,” Erin said. “You’re so clever.”
“It’s easy,” Sienna said. They looked up when Crystal and Carol came through the french doors.
“Surprise,” Crystal said.
“What are you three doing here?” Carol a
sked, grinning at the sight of her friends. “Are we having a party?”
“We’re having a baby shower you goose,” Crystal said. “It was all Jen’s idea.”
Jen leaned over and pecked Carol on the cheek. “Crystal came to see me. She said you needed some cheering up.”
“I did.”
“You don’t look cheered up babe, you’re a little green.”
“I’m fine. I just think I’m coming down with something. My back and legs are sore and I just threw up.”
“Oh,” Jen said, looking at Erin and Sienna.
“What oh?” Crystal asked.
“It’s probably nothing but those could be signs of labor,” Jen said, noticing her friend screw up her face. “Do you have a contraction right now?”
“I knew it. I knew this could be something,” Crystal said, running a hand threw her hair.
“It’s not a contraction,” Carol whined. “It’s just a back ache. I need to sit down. She waddled over to the lounger and tried to lower herself into it but as she did, there was a giant whoosh of water.
“Fuck,” Crystal said, pacing up and down.
“I thought swearing was against the rules,” Carol said, wincing again.
“Sometimes there is no other word.”
“Ahh!” Carol yelled. “That really hurt!”
“Okay. Don’t anybody panic,” Crystal said. “I’m going to go and get the car out of the garage.”
“I don’t want to go to the hospital,” Carol said. “But, I’d really appreciate it if you got a towel or something and cleaned up my chair.”
“This isn’t a joke, Carol. You and the baby could be at risk.”
“Get the midwife then. She can take my blood pressure and do all the checks and if she says I have to go to the hospital, then I’ll go willingly.”
“A compromise. I guess I can do a compromise.” Crystal ran inside and got a pile of towels. She cleaned up the seat and then put some clean towels on the seat.
Crystal paced up and down, trying to think. “It seems that Rose, the midwife, is delivering another baby in Boulder. She said she shouldn’t be more than an hour and with a first baby you could be hours yet. I would really rather we went to the hospital.”
“No fucking hospital!” Carol yelled, drawing her legs up with the pain.
“Dr Marcus?” Jen whispered.
“Away for the weekend,” Crystal whispered back.
“Brent?” Sienna suggested.
“I don’t want Brent to deliver my baby,” Carol said. “I’ll wait.”
“I think we better move this show inside,” she said.
“Good idea,” Crystal said. “But if Rose isn’t here in an hour, we’re going to the hospital.”
“I think we should prepare though, just in case,” Erin said.
“Oh God, how do we prepare?” Crystal asked. “Boil water? Why do they boil water anyway? You never see anyone using it.”
“I think it’s to sterilize the scissors and-”
“No one is using scissors on me!” Carol growled
“Let’s get inside and start timing the contractions,” Jen said.
“Good idea,” Crystal said, marching inside.
“Didn’t you forget something?” Sienna called. “Like your pregnant woman.”
“Oh Christ, I’m sorry, baby,” Crystal said running back and trying to scoop Carol out of the lounger.
“Don’t,” Carol said. “It hurts. I’ll walk. Oh God, I’m leaking.”
“I’ll fix it,” Sienna said, running behind her with a towel. “Do you have a paddling pool?”
“Are you insane?” Crystal said. “Don’t put anymore crazy ideas in her head.”
“Just a thought. Water births are all the rage now.”
“I don’t think we’re going to have time to make a birthing fashion statement, hon,” Jen said.
“What do you mean, no time?” Crystal said. “Rose said there’d be plenty of time.”
“And usually they would but if I’m not mistaken, Carol has had three contractions on the way into the bedroom.”
“That’s quick isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s quick.”
“Oh geez,” Crystal said, fluffing the pillows to within an inch of their lives. “Lay down here, honey.”
“Might be better if she laid more towards the end of the bed,” Jen said.
“Do you have a bean bag or anything?”
“Um, Bri has one.”
“It has Barbie dolls all over it,” Carol whined, “I hate Barbie dolls. I hate that pink.”
“We have towels, Carol. I’ll cover the pink with a towel.”
Carol was propped on the bean bag and Crystal was holding a stop watch. “Tell me when it starts.”
“It’s already started,” Carol grunted.
“Right.” Crystal pressed the button.
“You have to start it from the beginning,” Jen said.
She turned it off again. “You have to tell me when it’s starting,” she said gently.
“I’m trying!”
“It’s okay,” Crystal said, rubbing her girlfriends back uselessly. “Just try-”
“Ahh. It’s trying to get out! I can feel it!” Carol said.
“Well keep it in, baby! You said you’d wait!”
“Tell your son or daughter that!”
“Everybody calm down,” Jen said. “Now someone is going to have to look.”
“I don’t know. I think we should wait, or go to the hospital,” Crystal said.
“Ahhh! It’s too late!”
“I’m calling an ambulance.”
“Oh shit!” Carol’s face went white. “Oh shit, it’s there. It’s right there.”
“Get her pants off or I will,” Jen said.
Crystal yanked the pants and panties off in one quick go. “Oh my-”
The three women ran to the bottom of the bed and peered at the little circle of hair that just became visible. “So much hair,” Sienna said.
“Well you try shaving when you’re this size!” Carol yelled.
“I meant on the baby’s head,” Sienna said. “I’m not judging your downstairs business.”
“Really?” Jen laughed. “Downstairs business?”
“What do you want me to say, the C word? There’s a baby down there.”
“Shut up!” Erin said. “Crystal, I think you should go and wash your hands. You’re going to have to catch a little baby in a minute.”
“Pant, honey,” Jen said as Crystal ran to the bathroom.
They all panted in time with Carol, even Crystal from the bathroom. “I’m coming.”
She knelt at the bottom of the bed. “I think you can push now,” she said.
With a long low growl, Carol pushed as hard as she could. “Get it out!” she yelled.
“Take a breather and then when you feel you can, push again.”
* * * * *
Carol was exhausted. She must have pushed at least a million times and still the baby wouldn’t budge. “I want to go to the hospital,” she cried. “I want an epidural.”
“Hon, it’s too late for that. Take a big breath and give us one more push.”
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
“No, I can’t.”
“If you want the pain to stop, then you have to push.”
As the pain started to build, Carol pushed as hard as she could. Then she panicked. She’d never felt anything like that burn, she tried to clap her legs together to stop it but they were grabbed and held by her friends.
“Push!” Crystal yelled.
She did and this time there was relief as a new little life slid from her body, squealing indignantly from the light that was burning his eyes.
“We have a son!” Crystal said, her eyes filling with tears. “He’s a big one I think too.”
“Oh good,” Carol cried. “He might be tall.” She took the little bundle that Crystal placed gently on her chest.
“He
’s just beautiful,” Crystal said. “You were wonderful.”
“Next time I want drugs.”
“Next time?” Crystal’s mouth gaped. “Let’s just give this little boy a name first okay?”
“I’m not ready to do that yet. Let’s talk about it with Bri.”
“You know what?” Jen said. “We should go.”
“What about the party?”
“We cancelled the party. We’ll do it when you’re on your feet again,” Erin said.
“Yeah, we’ll be back,” Sienna said. “We’ll go after Bri is delivered.”
“You don’t have to go yet,” Crystal said.
“No, this is family time,” Jen said.
“Yes it is,” Crystal said, “but you three are family.”
The End
Constance Masters
I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother and an author. I guess my love of writing began when I was in school. It was the subject I loved most.
I didn’t write while my oldest children were small because I was busy raising them. Also, there was in Internet then… there weren’t many computers at all and those that -were there were not much more than glorified typewriters. The Internet and high-tech computers make life so much easier and although I still have a couple of children at home, I have much more time to write.
Visit her website here:
http://www.constancemasters.com
Visit her blog here:
http://creativelyconstance.blogspot.com
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By
Livia Grant
©2014 by Blushing Books® and Livia Grant
