Page 52 of That Baby (That Boy 3)
"I don't want them to leave. I just don't want her decorating."
"Please come home."
"While we're at it. Let's talk about you, Phillip."
"Me? What'd I do?"
"I haven't wanted to say anything, but since I'm getting it all off my chest, I might as well. Your worst-case scenarios, the college funds, the baby proofing, the planning. You're so far into the future, it's crazy. Are you doing all that out of love or fear?"
"Seeing Lori and Danny's relationship deteriorate so quickly has me nervous."
"We're not going to be like them, Phillip. So what if we don't change the baby's diaper perfectly or if we don't have money saved for college yet? The baby won't know the difference. We'll learn and grow with it. Remember what you told me about my engagement ring? How love is all that matters. I wasn't lying when I said you were going to be an amazing father. You're fun, and smart, and you have strong arms. Those are the things I remember most about my dad--that and I always knew he loved me. And if something ever happens to me, I know that you'll raise our kids to be strong, confident, and caring."
"Don't even say that. Nothing is going to happen to you."
"You've read all the worst-case scenarios, Phillip, and I lived my own worst-case scenario when my parents died. Things can and do happen. It's important for me to know if something ever does happen that you'll always remember love is the most important thing. Just love."
"I've always known that," he says. "I guess I just lost sight of it. But I learned it again today. From you."
"How so?"
"The crib and the rocking chair came. The nursery looks beautiful and calming just like you wanted it to. But it's more than that. The room feels like you're being wrapped in a hug because you chose every single little detail for it out of love. So I get it. Love is all that matters. And I love you desperately."
"I love you too, Phillip. Does it really look good? Did you put everything where it's supposed to go?"
"It looks perfect. And my mom and I were able to get the stickers off the wall without ruining the paint."
"Ohmigawd! Really? I'm dying to see it. I'm leaving the spa now. I'll be right home."
"I can't wait, Princess. I love you."
"Any chance you can get rid of the chickens, the table, and the bad artwork too?"
"Already done," he chuckles as we end the call.
I rush to my car and head for home.
I can't wait to see the nursery.
I've obsessed over every single detail that went into the room all the way down to selecting over a hundred coordinating fabrics and ribbons for the mobile.
I hope it looks the way I envisioned it.
"Crap," I say, hitting the brakes as the left turn arrow changes to red.
I sit patiently and wait for the cars to cross in the other direction.
When the green arrow lights up, I make my turn.
I'm just out into the intersection when I see a car coming toward me. My brain quickly processes our impending crash. I hit the gas hard, hoping to avoid the unavoidable.
The collision is loud and violent.
Brakes screaming.
Metal bending and twisting.
Tires screeching.
Glass breaking.
A motor hissing.
Airbags exploding toward me.
The smell of smoke.
It seems like the noise lasts forever.
But, then, there's an eerie silence.
I slowly open my eyes and assess myself, wondering if I'm injured, but feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency to get out of the car. I remember the salesman telling me that there is a smokey smell when an airbag goes off, but my brain is overriding that knowledge and urging me to get out of the car.
I try to undo my seatbelt, but it won't budge.
I grab the tool Phillip bought me, cut my seatbelt, pop the airbag, and escape from the car.
I'm stumbling, dazed, my mind trying to comprehend it all.
There are metal pieces tossed across the street.
Teeny squares of broken glass.
The sweet smell of radiator fluid.
A car's hood buried into my passenger side, it's motor steaming.
Its driver motionless.
I'm a little woozy and feel off balance as I stagger away from the vehicle.
A big arm slides around my waist. "Jadyn!" Marcus says. "Are you okay?"
"What are you doing here?" I ask him.
"I was heading home. Saw the crash." He grabs my arm. "Jadyn, look at me. Try to focus."
I try to do as he asks, but my brain is on sensory overload.
"Your pupils are huge," he assesses, grabbing my face and holding it still. "Were you wearing your seatbelt? Did you hit your head? Does anything hurt?"
"Uh, I'm not really sure," I reply, still looking at the wreckage of the other car and wondering if this is what it was like when my parents crashed. "The other driver isn't moving."
"I'm going to check on him. Are you okay?"
"I forgot you studied to be an EMT," I say, wiping the sweat from my face. "And, yes, I think I'm okay."
"What about the baby? Have you felt it kick?"
"Oh my god! No!" I'm suddenly panicked.
Marcus puts his hands on my shoulders. "Take a deep breath, Jadyn. I'm going to check on the driver. Yell if you need me."
He runs over to the other vehicle.
There's a lot of commotion now.
A siren in the distance.
People trying to help the other driver.
Yelling.
Lots of yelling.
People on cell phones taking photos.
Others gawking as they slowly drive by.
In the midst of the mayhem, the baby kicks me in the ribs, which makes me start crying in relief.
More sirens.
Police cars.
Fire trucks.
Ambulances.
Lots of questions.
Questions I don't know the answers to.
How fast were you going?
Did you see him coming?
Then pain ripping through me.
"Ahhhh!!" I yell out, clutching my abdomen as a sharp, piercing pain brings me to my knees.
Marcus runs over. "What's wrong?"
"I just had this horrible pain. Could I be in labor?"
"An event like this could most definitely trigger labor," he tells me.
I suddenly feel wet.
My first thought is that I've had some kind of peeing incident, but then I realize what it is. "Um, Marcus. I think my water just broke."
"Let's get you over to the ambulance."
He speaks to the paramedics at a rapid pace. "Female caucasian. Twenty-three years old." He turns to me. "How far along are you?"
"Um, thirty-six weeks."
He continues. "She's thirty-six weeks pregnant. Water just broke and experiencing severe pain. Let's get her to the hospital."
The paramedic hooks me up to a blood pressure machine.
"Your blood pressure is a little lower than I would expect after an accident. But you're doing great. Just keep breathing through the contractions. On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain?"
"Ten, maybe eleven. Can't you stop it? Give me a shot or something? I can't have the baby now. It's too soon."
"Once your water breaks, you need to deliver within twenty-four hours, so get ready. You're going to have a baby today."
"Did the wreck hurt the baby and that caused me to go into labor?" I'm trying not to panic.
"It's not unusual for emotional or physical trauma to cause a woman to go into labor. Everything will be fine," he says reassuringly.
"Marcus, will you call Phillip and have him meet us at the hospital?"
"Of course I will. It's a little sooner than anticipated, but are you excited?" Phillip must answer because Marcus stops talking to me and goes, "Hey, Phillip. Um, I'm with Jadyn. She was in a car accident." Pause. "Yes, calm down. She's okay, but he
r water broke and she's gone into labor."
Another contraction rips through me and I cry out in pain again.
"Yes," Marcus says to Phillip. "The labor pains are strong and pretty close together. The paramedics are checking her vitals and then we'll be headed to the hospital. You'll probably get there before we will, so just meet us in Emergency."
"Is he freaking out?" I ask Marcus as the paramedic checks my oxygen levels.
"Every father freaks out a little when his wife goes into labor."
"Would you?"
"I'd like to say that with my training, probably not as much, but I'm sure I will."
"At our class, we were told that giving birth is the most natural thing in the world. This doesn't feel natural. It hurts."
"Is it just the contractions that hurt?" the paramedic asks. "Or do you hurt anywhere else?"
I point to a spot on my lower right side, near where my leg attaches. "This is where the sharp pain is. I'm having contractions too, but they hurt all the way across my stomach like really hellacious cramps."
"You were hit hard from the side. Does your back hurt? Your shoulder? Your neck?"
I shrug my shoulders then move my neck in a circular motion. "Shoulder and neck seem stiff, but not painful."
He puts his hand across my ribcage. "How about here?"
"A little."
He makes a note of it as another piercing pain rips through me.
Phillip
My mom and I are disassembling my old crib when I get a call from Marcus.
I listen in disbelief then run to the garage door, grabbing my wallet off the kitchen counter.
"Phillip, what's wrong?" Mom asks, following me to my car.
