Vince's Place

by Sandra R Neeley

  Brandi went out of the door, Natalie headed back down the hallway toward Vince, and Kaid followed Brandi to the Suburban.

  “That is one special lady Vince has there,” Goldy said.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  The tires squealed on the pavement, and Valerie hung on for dear life as Delilah cackled maniacally as she took the last turn into the parking lot of the emergency entrance of the hospital.

  “I’d like to have the babies while I’m still alive, Delilah,” Valerie shouted when Delilah swerved to the right to avoid a car trying to exit the same parking lot.

  “You will be alive. Stop complaining!” Delilah said nonchalantly as she came to a screeching halt — literally — right outside the emergency room doors. “We are here!” Delilah announced happily.

  “Open the door, Valerie. Get us out before she decides to drive us around again,” Avaleigh begged.

  “Amen to that,” Valerie mumbled, fumbling with the door handle and swinging the door wide so she could get out.

  By the time Valerie and Avaleigh were both standing on the sidewalk outside the emergency entrance, Delilah was joining them and using her key fob to lock her Camaro. Grinning when the double beep of the horn confirmed it was locked and secure.

  “Don’t you want to park it?” Avaleigh asked, taking Valerie’s arm and pulling her gently to lean on her while they started walking.

  “It is parked,” Delilah answered.

  “In a parking spot?” Avaleigh asked.

  “No. She is fine where she is,” Delilah said stubbornly.

  “It’s blocking the main entrance. What if an ambulance needs to get to the doors?”

  “There is room to get around my car.”

  “Kaid’s going to agree with us,” Valerie said.

  “Then Kaid can move her,” Delilah said, walking ahead of them into the emergency entrance.

  Delilah stopped walking and raised her arms to address everyone working there. “I am back! And I have brought my sister this time. She is having babies! Now — right now!”

  Avaleigh helped Valerie around Delilah. On seeing the pain on Valerie’s face, and her obvious need to lean on her friend, both nurses on duty got up and rushed over to Valerie.

  “Babies?” one asked.

  “Yes, twins and they’re coming now. I think one is crowning,” Valerie answered.

  One of the nurses ran for a wheel chair, and almost momentarily they had Valerie seated and were wheeling her toward the double doors at the end of the hall.

  “I need them,” Valerie said, waving over her head at Delilah and Avaleigh, who were trailing her. “My husband is not back from out of town — I need them.”

  As they went through the doors, one nurse stood aside and turned to them, “Ladies, if you would,” she said. Indicating they should follow Valerie and the other nurse.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Kaid pulled up outside Vince’s Place and Brandi got out. “You sure you okay? Need to go get checked out yourself?” he asked Brandi.

  “I’m fine. Just bruised and exhausted,” she answered, speaking to him through the window he’d rolled down.

  “You sure, Brandi. You went through a hell of a lot. Maybe you shouldn’t be alone,” Kaid pressed.

  Brandi shook her head. “I’m good. He can’t hurt me anymore. I’m going to lock myself in my apartment, after I get one of Vince’s guns from his, then take a long hot bath and pass out. If I wake up in time, I’ll go downstairs and see if the girls need any help tonight — do my best to help with the bar until Vince is back on his feet.”

  “He’ll appreciate that, I’m sure,” Kaid answered.

  Brandi smiled shakily at Kaid. “Tell Valerie I’m sorry, I’m just not up to being at the hospital.”

  “I will. And I’m sure she knows that. Just take care of you, and do me a favor?”

  “Sure,” she answered, a puzzled look on her face. What could Kaid possibly want from her?

  “Give me your number. I’m going to check on you later, and after I do, I need you to check in with me from time to time to be sure you’re okay. I really don’t like you being here alone.”

  “Thank you, Kaid. I will.” Brandi gave Kaid her number, and he saved it in his phone. He waited until she was up the stairs at the back of the bar before he drove off.

  Chapter 25

  Valerie perched on the edge of the hospital bed while the nurse knelt before her and slipped socks on her feet. “Thank you,” Valerie said, before she clenched her hands and started her breaths again.

  The nurse stood and took Valerie’s hand. “Okay, let’s get you laid back, the doctor is on his way.”

  Valerie nodded and got herself situated on the bed with Avaleigh on one side, the nurse on the other, and Delilah covering her with the lightweight blanket as soon as she was comfortable.

  “I’ve locked all your personal things in that locker over there,” the nurse indicated the locker behind herself. “Your purse and your clothes are in there.”

  Valerie nodded.

  “Who will hold the key?” the nurse asked.

  “I will,” Delilah said.

  The nurse handed it over, then strapped the monitor onto Valerie’s belly, and the heart monitor onto her finger. “The anesthesiologist is already on premise with another mom-to-be. He’ll be here shortly. Just make yourself as comfortable as you can and call us with anything you need. We’re monitoring you from the nurses’ station and will be in regularly until it’s your time.”

  “She’s ready to have them now!” Avaleigh objected.

  Valerie held out a hand and patted Avaleigh's arm. “It’s okay. I’m trying to hold out for Maverik anyway.”

  “And she’s got three more centimeters to go before she’s fully dilated,” the nurse added.

  The nurse smiled at the women then left the room to go check on other patients. The door opened almost immediately.

  “Did you forget something? Or have you decided that it’s her time?” Delilah quipped, her arms folded across her chest and a condescending glare in place.

  “Nope, just getting here. How’s our patient this evening?” a very young, handsome man answered as he offered them a bright smile while he pushed a cart into the room.

  “I’m hurting like hell!” Valerie said as she inhaled sharply and gritted her teeth.

  “Fortunately, I can take care of that,” he answered.

  “How?” Delilah asked, doubting him fully.

  “I’m the anesthesiologist assigned to Mrs. McCullen. We’re going to start her epidural, and there will be no more pain.”

  “Are you sure you are capable?” Delilah asked, dropping her hands to her sides and squaring her shoulders.

  To his credit, he only laughed. “Yes. I promise. I may look young, but I’m not quite that young.”

  “Let the man do his job, Delilah,” Avaleigh rushed out.

  “Fine. But I will be watching you,” Delilah informed him.

  The anesthesiologist approached Valerie and took her pulse. Checked the read out on all the monitors beeping away and smiled down at her. “It’s going to be fine. Your babies are doing well. Your heart rate is good, too. Let’s turn on your side, your back to me, and get this pain to go away!” he said jovially.

  “You’re waaaay too happy about now,” Avaleigh warned him.

  “I am! Happy mamas, happy families, brand new babies! What’s not to be happy about?” he said as he opened the back of Valerie’s hospital gown and examined her spine. He made a few marks with a Sharpie, then capped it and returned it to his pocket. “Just relax and in no time at all, you’ll have to be reminded you’re having contractions. I have to warn you though, the epidural sometimes slows down labor. So, though you’ll no longer feel pain, it could prolong the labor and eventual birth.”

  “Awesome! Perfect! Just what I need. Trying to wait on my husband to get here, so go ahead, stick me!” Valerie said.

  The anesthesiologist opened all his supplies, and laid them
all out on the sterile paper sheeting covering the top of the rolling table he’d brought with him. He opened an orange liquid and swabbed Valerie’s back with it. “This is going to be cold,” he warned before he slathered it on.

  “Now, if you could put an arm behind Mrs. McCullen’s neck, and another behind her knees, hold her steady while I insert the line, we’ll get it done in just a few seconds.”

  Avaleigh looked at the doctor. “Why do I need to hold her?”

  “Because as I run this line alongside her spine, her natural instinct is to bend backwards and away from the sensation.”

  “I’ll do it, I am stronger,” Delilah announced.

  “Good!” Avaleigh said. “I’m not cut out for this. I really don’t want to see you do this.”

  “I do! And tell me what you are doing and why you are doing it. I find I need to know,” Delilah flashed her megawatt smile at him — the one that made Kaid forget all about whatever she’d done to drive him nuts.

  The anesthesiologist smiled at Delilah and for a split second forgot what he was doing.

  “Can you not fold me quite so tightly?” Valerie griped at Delilah in a muffled voice.

  “You cannot move, you will hurt your back!” Delilah answered.

  “Well, I can’t breathe, does that matter?” Valerie answered.

  “Just hold her steady,” he said to Delilah. “Mrs. McCullen, you’ll feel a pinch, then an unusual sensation as I get the line in place.”

  He’d been right. Valerie let out a quick snarl, and tried to straighten her body to arch her back, but Delilah had no problem pressing down on her and keeping her from moving.

  “There we go,” he said, taping the line into place where it went into Valerie’s back. He reached up and turned on the drip and checked Valerie’s vitals again.

  Delilah came around the bed to inspect the epidural line and the medicine drip the anesthesiologist had started.

  “So this will stop her pains?” she asked.

  “Yes, it will.”

  “And how do you know where to place the line?” Delilah asked.

  The anesthesiologist launched into great detail about how to place the line and how to cleanse the area and any other detail he could think of while he helped get Valerie turned back over and comfortably reclining on her pillows.

  Avaleigh covered her with her blanket again, then watched the monitor for her next contraction, so they could see if it really stopped the pain, while Delilah walked with the anesthesiologist out of the room listening intently as he explained all that he did.

  “She’s really interested in what he’s saying, isn’t she?” Valerie asked, tucking herself in more snuggly.

  “Yeah, she is. Lord help everybody if she decides she wants to enter the medical field,” Avaleigh said, chuckling.

  “I can see it now. Somebody comes in with a fractured leg, crying and in pain. Delilah enters their room, realizes it’s only a fracture, they’re not missing any limbs. ‘Stop crying! Why are you crying? Are you weak or just dramatic? Pain medication? Why do you want pain medication? I have endured much worse without pain medication. Stop whimpering! You are driving my Dragon insane!”

  “Oh, my gosh! Yes! That would be her!” Avaleigh agreed. “She may be good at it though. She’s got a good heart.”

  “She does. She just has no patience for weakness.”

  Avaleigh’s eyes drifted to the monitor. “How do you feel?” Avaleigh asked excitedly.

  Valerie shrugged. “Just waiting for the next contraction.”

  “You’re having it now,” Avaleigh said grinning.

  “I am?” Valerie asked, turning her head to watch the monitor. “Whoa! This stuff is great!”

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Maverik pressed the red button on the steering wheel to disconnect the call. He’d dialed Valerie’s number a dozen times in the last hour, and all he ever got was voice mail and a beep to leave a message. “Damn beep! The hell is she?” he wondered aloud. “Vince, I’ll call Vince.”

  Maverik pressed the talk button on the blue tooth controls on the steering wheel again, and rolled his eyes as the damned slow-ass computer gave him too many freaking choices and spoke slowly as though he was a damn idiot and took too freaking long to wait for him to answer ‘1’ so it would dial the right number. Finally, the car’s computer dialed the right number. But, the call went straight to voice mail.

  Maverik’s eyes narrowed. His forehead wrinkled. He couldn’t find Valerie. Couldn’t find Vince. “Aw, hell naw! The babies!” Maverik shouted. He pressed on the accelerator and pushed the talk button again. He waited for the computer to ask who he wanted to call and he yelled Kaid’s name.

  The phone rang about eighteen times, but no one answered it. “Fuck!” Maverik shouted. He gripped the steering wheel. “Hold on, baby. I’m coming!” he said aloud, kicking it up another ten miles an hour. “I’m coming!” he said again.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Kaid turned into the hospital’s driveway and followed it around to the emergency exit. He shook his head as he approached and saw Delilah’s Camaro parked directly in the middle of everything right at the doors to the emergency room. “She thinks she’s the damn queen of everything,” Kaid said.

  “Well, basically, she’s right,” Bane answered.

  “Well, yeah, but the humans don’t know that. I’m gonna have to come back out and move her car once we get in there and make sure everything is taken care of.”

  They all got out and hurried into the emergency entrance, not wanting to miss Valerie’s and Maverik’s babies coming into the world. Daniel and Kaid hurried ahead, but Bane walked slowly, holding Janie’s hand and also Everly’s. Everly was so small that she already waddled a bit while she walked because of her baby belly. And no one knew yet that Janie was pregnant again, but she wasn’t steady on her feet because she’d been so sick. He’d tried to get Janie to stay home, but she’d insisted that she be there. They were a family, it’s what family did for one another.

  They walked up behind Kaid as he was asking where Valerie was. “She’s been moved to labor, sir. You can go to the labor and delivery waiting room. Just follow the signs and it’ll take you right there.”

  “Thank you,” Kaid answered and turned to see if everyone was there. “You alright?” he asked Janie, seeing that she was relying heavily on Bane.

  “I’m just really tired. Haven’t gotten much rest lately,” she answered, blushing and looking away.

  “Bane! Let the woman sleep. All that wild sex is gonna end up with ya’ll here again,” Kaid teased.

  Bane’s eyes shot to Kaid’s, and Janie looked at Bane with a surprised expression on her face. “What? What is it? I was only teasing,” he said.

  “It’s fine, really, it’s okay,” Bane said.

  “Everly, you good?” Kaid said, holding out his arm for Everly to take.

  She let go of Bane’s hand and gratefully took Kaid’s arm. “You’re going to have to move a little slower if you’re going to walk with me,” Everly said.

  “Done. We’ll go as slow as you like. Come on, ya’ll, we got some babies to meet,” Kaid said, walking much more slowly down the hallway, heading to the last labor and delivery waiting room they’d waited for him and Delilah in.

  Soon as they all made it to the right waiting area, Daniel approached the nurses’ station there. “Looking for Valerie McCullen,” he said.

  “Yes, sir! Are you her husband, she’s been waiting, hoping you’d make it in time.”

  “Uh, no. No, I’m her brother-in-law. Her husband is on the way.”

  “Oh, I hope he makes it.”

  “Me, too,” Daniel answered. “Could you tell me what room she’s in?”

  “She’s in room 13. Right up the hall and on the left,” the nurse answered.

  “Thank you,” Daniel answered, and walked over to tell everyone where Valerie was. They’d chosen their seats and were ready to wait for as long at it took.

  “She’s in room 13,
” Daniel told them.

  “Alright,” Kaid said, getting Everly situated. “I’m gonna let them know we’re here, and see if we can take turns to go in and see her.”

  “The nurse also wanted to know if I’m her husband. Said Valerie’s been waiting for him, hoping he makes it in time,” Daniel said.

  Kaid’s head shot up. “We didn’t call Maverik!”

  “Nope. We did not. And I’m not going to be the one to call him now,” Daniel informed him.

  “Crap!” Kaid said, patting his pockets. “I left my phone in the car. I’ll be right back. I’ll call him!” Kaid called over his shoulder, as he started jogging down the hallway.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Kaid ran out to the Suburban and unlocked it. He leaned in and grabbed his phone, slammed the door and swiped his phone screen to turn it on. “Damn!” he cursed. There was a missed call from Maverik on it. Kaid pressed the button to call him back and started walking toward the hospital.

  Maverik had his tunes cranked up and was head banging to Megadeath as he raced down the highway toward home. When Kaid’s call came in, it cut off the music and rang shrilly throughout the car, startling Maverik. He looked at the blue tooth screen on the radio panel and saw Kaid’s name on the incoming call advice. Maverik pressed the green button to accept the call. “Where the hell ya’ll been? Where’s my woman?” Maverik demanded, his irritation clear.

  “Mav! Hey man! The drive going smoothly, Maia get all situated?” Kaid asked.

  Maverik waited a beat before answering, his eyebrows skewing down over his eyes. “Stop trying to distract me. Where is everybody?”

  “We’re at the hospital. But don’t worry,” Kaid rushed to assure him. “Everything is fine. Valerie’s in labor, and we’re just on watch in the same waiting room ya’ll were in for me and Delilah. It’s all good!” Kaid said a little too jovially.

  “How long ya’ll been there?” Maverik asked.

  “Oh, a couple hours.”

  “Hours? Hours?! And nobody thought to call me?!” Maverik asked, his voice rising.

  “What could you do, Maverik? You’re already on your way. It’s not like you can blink your eyes and be here. And honestly, with Vince getting hurt and all, we’re just all out of whack here. But Valerie’s fine, I promise.”