Page 114 of Demo
Clyde and I go back to decorating the tree as he asks me about work, my mom and sister, and if there’s anything I need done around the apartment. It feels good talking to him. I’m just finishing up telling him about how Kennedy chewed through the leg of the couch when Emily calls from the kitchen.
“Uh, guys!” she says.
“Yeah,” we answer in unison, Clyde is adjusting a ball ornament on the side of the tree as I turn toward Emily’s voice and see her appear in the doorway.
She’s just standing there, arms up, bent at the elbows, a mug in one hand, and she’s looking down at herself, then up at us. Then back down at herself, and back up at us.
It takes a minute, but then I see her pants are wet. “Oh, shit,” I say as I rush over. “Did you spill hot tea on yourself? Did you get burned?”
“Um, no,” Clyde says from behind me. “That’s not it, Lizzie.”
I look back at him, then back at Emily, and I whisper. “Did you pee? I hear that happens sometimes when you’re carrying a watermelon on top of your bladder.”
“Uh, nope, not that,” Clyde says, now standing next to us.
I look at Clyde, who is looking at Emily, who is looking down at herself. Then I bounce my stare back and forth between the two of them before it hits me. “Oh!” I gasp. “OH SHIT!”
“Yeah,” Emily says with a nervous laugh.
“OK. OK. Let’s just stay calm,” I say, although I seem to be the only one not calm. “Um, so I assume we should get to the hospital?”
“Yeah, we should definitely make our way there,” Emily says. “But we’ve got time. Let me get washed up. I think I have a change of clothes here.”
“You sure?” I ask, having no idea how this works.
“Yes, I’m not having any contractions, yet. Just give me a few minutes. Think you can drive me to the hospital?”
“Of course,” I say. “I’ll start warming up the car now. You coming with us?” I turn to Clyde as Emily waddles down the hallway.
“I think I’ll sit this one out,” he says solemnly.
“You sure? If you get there before Bram does, you could be the first to hold the baby. He’d never let you live that one down,” I try to joke.
Clyde smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. Then he swallows. “I can’t go back there. To the hospital,” he says.
I didn’t even think about that. He must not have been back to that hospital since Monica died?
“Alright,” Emily shouts as she makes her way back toward us in dry pants. “Let’s get this party started.”
Clyde helps us out to the car and waves to us as we back out of the driveway. I press the button to activate the Bluetooth and say, “Call Bram.” After three rings he picks up.
“Lizzie?” I hear the question in his voice. “What’s up? Everything OK?”
“Oh yeah, I’m just here with Emily—”
“Hi, honey,” she says.
“Babe, what’s going—oh, shit! Is it time?” It’s as if he’s got telepathy, and he just knows.
“Yeah, it’s time.” She’s rubbing her belly next to me in the car.
“OK. OK.” I hear rustling and then a loud “woohoo!” and we all laugh. “OK, baby, I’m on my way!”
“Bram, listen, we’ve got time. My water just broke. I’m not having any contractions, yet, so just calm down. Meet me at the hospital, but don’t speed, OK?”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry about me.”
“OK, I’ll see you in a bit.”
