The Distance Between Dreams
Page 19
Miranda answers before I have a chance to.
“Yes, honey. I’ll be fine. This is just part of the process.”
She gives me a roll of her eyes.
I pull into the turn for the hospital and park at the emergency entrance. I’ll come back and move the SUV once pop-any-minute-Miranda is in a doctor’s care.
I thought these crazy give-birth-any-minute type situations were just T.V. and movie drama. What do I know? I pull Luke from the back seat and carry him on my hip. He’s a bit big, but I can manage. Miranda’s already at the doors, and they whoosh open for her.
“We need a wheelchair here!” I yell as I walk towards the admitting desk. “She’s got contractions, water broke, what forty-five minutes ago?”
Miranda nods her agreement. The admitting nurse stays studying her paperwork, not even glancing my way.
“How far apart are the contractions?” she asks.
“Six and half minutes,” Miranda answers.
This spurs some action on the admitting nurse’s side. She speaks into a radio mike clipped to her shirt. Fires another round of questions at Miranda, who answers them succinctly and still calm.
A wheel chair is brought for her, and she whisked up to general delivery.
I follow behind with Luke still in my arms.
Watch as she is placed in room, hooked up to monitors, and signs paperwork.
“Where’s your husband, Miranda? Shouldn’t he be here?”
“OH!” she hisses out on a breath. I watch the contraction monitor needle bounce up and sustain for several moments.
“Yes, ROB IS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. BUT HE”S AT A CONFERENCE IN MIAMI.”
I pull my phone from my back pocket and dial Broussard.
I am the least qualified person to be with Miranda in a time like this.
He doesn’t answer.
I text. Take Luke into the hallway when they do the down there check.
When the nurse comes back out, she says to me,
“Mrs. Broomfield is in active labor, and will be delivering soon. You’ll need to take her son here and wait in the waiting room. I’ll have the doctor come get you when the baby’s delivered and you can see her.”
Luke tugs on my hand.
“Ryan, can I say bye to my mom before we have to go?”
I look at the nurse. She smiles at him.
“Of course. She’d like that.”
I lead Luke back to Miranda’s bedside. Her hair is plastered to her forehead, and a nurse is beside her fiddling with her I.V.
Luke climbs onto the bed beside her and gives her a hug. She holds him for a minute.
The motherly picture crumbles a piece of my stone heart.
“Ryan. I’m sorry I didn’t really even ask.”
“It’s ok,” I tell her.
“Rob’s on his way here, he’s should be here in about three hours. He’s just texted me that he’s got a flight.”
“Sure, no problem, we’ll just be down the hall in the waiting room.”
She nods and gives one last kiss to Luke’s forehead.
He waves to her from the doorway.
Broussard
Labor and delivery. Never thought I’d be here again. Ryan and Luke are napping together on the little couch in front of the T.V. in the waiting room. It’s sweet. I don’t wake them up just yet, instead I check in at the nurses station. Get Miranda’s room number. I’m just going to pop in and let her know I’ve got Luke for the weekend and that everything’s all right. The sight of her holding her newborn daughter gives me pause. Tugs at my heart. Miranda looked hopeful when she turned to the door, but her smile drops just a bit when she sees it is me.
“Oh. Eric. I thought you might be Rob.”
“He’ll be here soon?” I ask her.
She nods and says, “Yes, any minute actually. My mom too.”
I cross over to get a better look at the new baby. Pink blankets swaddled tight around a wrinkly tiny face.
“She’s cute, Miranda. Good job.”
Miranda smiles and says, “Thanks Eric.”
“I’ve got our own kiddo to take care of, so I’ll leave you to it.”
“Make sure you give Ryan a big hug for me, Eric. I just commandeered her help. She did good. Don’t let that go.”
As I come back out I take a moment to savor the picture Ryan and Luke make on the waiting room couch -Ryan’s wild tousled locks and Luke’s small form tucked into her side. I notice that curiously, Ryan is wearing flip-flops two-sizes too big, and my fleece pullover. Satisfaction and caveman like happiness roll through my heart.
I gently shake them awake.
“You two hungry?” I ask.
“Are we leaving dad? Do I get to stay at your place?”
“Yea buddy.” I answer him.
Ryan is standing, but looks confused. I grab her hand in my own while Luke runs over to the elevator and pushes the button.
“Can we go through the drive-through, Dad? Please?” he says.
“Oh I don’t know.” I say even though that had been exactly my plan.
He jumps up and down in the elevator. Supercharged-after-nap Luke.
I sling my arm around Ryan’s shoulder as walk to the exit. Ryan doesn’t get supercharged after naps, I can tell she’s still groggy.
“So, how about some salty French fries and a cheeseburger?” I ask her.
She runs a hand down her face and looks at me.
A smile tips up her lips.
“Sounds good.”
As the hospital doors whoosh open for us, I instinctively look for Luke’s hand before we enter the parking lot. But the little imp is already on Ryan’s right side, holding her hand as we step away from the curb.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Two years ago Sherry had an epiphany. Life is what you make it and she was ready to make it HERS. So, she grabbed the bull by the horns and quit her job at a tech startup to pursue personal passions and adventure dreams. She successfully taught herself graphic design. She hiked 558 miles through southern California on the Pacific Crest Trail. And she wrote this book. She'll keep cougeously jumping full force into life regardless of the success or failure of her dreams, with her husband of ten years and morkie, Petey, by her side.