Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“No.”
“Sir, are you pulled over at a safe location and out of harm’s way?”
“Yes. We’re at a strip mall.” As Xander described landmarks, I reclined my seat and propped my feet up on the dashboard.
“What are you doing? Why are you lying like that?”
“Why isn’t Hale here yet?”
“Sir, do you have any blankets or towels? If the contractions are that close, now’s the time to prepare the environment as best you can.”
“Where’s the freaking ambulance?”
“The ambulance is on its way, sir. Try to stay calm.”
“This woman doesn’t even like me!”
I started to cry. It was true. I hated him. I hated this car. I hated how my ass felt like it was going to explode at any second. And I hated that this abso-freaking-lutely wasn’t a bad dream. Loud sobs poured out of me as I threw my head back in pain.
“I think it’s getting worse.”
“This is your chance to win her over,” the operator said with encouraging calm neither of us felt. “Help her get as comfortable as possible. Use any clean blankets you have on hand to prepare the area. You’ll need something to support the baby when it comes.”
“I can’t have my baby in a Lamborghini at a strip mall!”
“Ma’am, try to stay calm and keep breathing. Sir, keep her head supported, and her body reclined.”
“I’m in a car!” Xander panicked. “Where the hell am I supposed to find blankets?”
“I want my doctor,” I cried.
My door opened, and Xander looked down at me, the horror on his face mimicking mine. “Well, you’ve only got me right now. Fuck!” He shrugged out of his jacket. “This is a nine-hundred-dollar jacket.”
“Could you be any more pretentious? I’m in labor, you prick.”
“I’m just making sure you note my sacrifice.”
“Oh, my God.” I dropped my head back and unbuckled the seatbelt.
“Her head’s elevated, and she’s lying back,” he told the operator as he shoved the jacket under me as if it were a fitted sheet. “Do you think you can aim toward the door?”
“I think if you stuff that jacket any further under my ass, I’m going to hurt you.”
“I’m just trying to protect the upholstery.”
“I don’t give a fuck about your fucking upholstery! Ahhhhhowyowyowyow!”
“Sir? Sir, are you there?”
“I’m here!”
“Sir, do either of you have a string or shoelace?”
We both frowned. “For what?” Xander asked.
“To tie off the umbilical cord.”
Xander’s face paled and he pressed a fist to his mouth, his skin now a sallow shade of green. “I’m wearing loafers.”
“I’m wearing flip-flops.”
“We’re so fucked.” He looked at the dashboard. “How far is that ambulance?”
“Help is on the way, but we want to be ready in case the baby comes first. Ma’am are you hanging in there?”
“I’m…trying.” Pressure pushed and I wanted to run outside of my body but there was no getting away from it. I kicked my leg, nearly kicking Xander in the face. “Sorry!” I squirmed, but no matter what position I tried, there was no relief.
“Have you been timing the contractions?”
“No.” I was doing everything wrong. “But they’re close. I don’t know how close.” Hale would know. He’d done so well at all of our birthing classes. He was supposed to be here, holding my hand and encouraging me and ordering drugs to make the pain go away.
“Would you say they’re less than five minutes apart?”
“Yes,” both Xander and I answered at once.
“Then we need to check if the baby's head is visible.”
Everything stilled.
“Sir, are you there?”
Xander held my stare, his expression one of absolute horror. “I’m here.”
“Can you check if the baby’s head is visible?”
Mother Earth, swallow me now. The only person allowed to see my unmanicured nine-month pregnant hoo-ha was my husband and my doctor. “Absolutely not.”
Xander nodded in agreement and told the 9-11 operator, “I’d rather wait for the professionals.”
“Ma’am are you having the urge to push?”
“No,” I lied, then admitted, “Mostly because I don’t want to.”
Tyler would be proud if I ruined Xander’s car. But even that wasn’t enough to make me push.
“Ma’am, for your safety and the baby’s, I need you to get into position and let him take a look to see if the head is visible.”
I closed my eyes and whimpered. I should have expected catastrophic level calamities. Things had been too good, too easy. I was happy. I knew better. I should have anticipated my worst nightmare coming to life.
A hand squeezed mine and I opened my eyes. Xander was there, fear clear on his face, but something had changed. Was that compassion in his stare?
“It’s okay,” he assured. “We can do this.”
With a shaky breath, I nodded and turned my body so my legs hung out the door. “You make one snide comment, and I swear I’ll kick you right in the nose.” I lifted to pull down my underwear. They only made it to my thighs before I was bowing backward in pain.