Page 117 of To Have and To Hold
Brantley looked around, searching for his mother. When he caught her eye, he waved her over. She came quickly, as did Cindy.
“Are Wes and Jules still here?”
“I just saw them a few minutes ago,” Iris replied.
“Could one of you get them?
“I will,” Cindy offered and hurried off to get Baz’s parents.
A moment later, Wes and Jules joined the party.
“I think she’s in labor,” Brantley told them.
“She’s not in labor,” JJ declared, referring to herself in third person as she glared at him. “Don’t you dare jinx me.”
“At least she’s in good spirits,” Cindy teased. “I’ll call an ambulance.”
“No.” JJ shook her head adamantly. “No ambulance. Baz can drive me.”
People began to separate, leaving a path as Baz appeared.
“I think she’s—”
JJ slapped her hand over Brantley’s mouth so he couldn’t finish the sentence.
“I probably need to go to the hospital,” she whispered to Baz. “But I’m not in labor.”
“You can keep sayin’ it,” Brantley said as he stood tall. “But that doesn’t make it true.”
“Sure it does,” she argued.
“We’ll follow you,” Brantley told Baz.
“No!” she squealed. “This is your wedding, Brantley Walker. I do not get to ruin that for you.”
Brantley huffed a laugh. “Honey, you couldn’t ruin it if you flopped on the floor right now and expelled both those babies. Not after you made it the absolute perfect day.”
“Quite the image there, Walker,” Z called from behind him.
“I try.” He chuckled, still smiling at JJ. “I’m serious, JJ. What you did …. This has been the perfect day.”
That seemed to shut her up, and her expression softened. “Really?”
“Really. Now, go. Get your butt to the hospital and let the doctors decide whether you’re in labor or not.”
“I’m not,” she insisted.
“We’ll go with them,” Wes said. “And I’ll call you as soon as we know anything.”
Brantley didn’t agree that he should stay back, but he figured arguing would be pointless. The party was still underway, and though at least half the guests had departed after the ceremony, everyone else had come here to celebrate into the night.
Thankfully, they’d done everything JJ had on her task list. They’d already cut the cake, completed the first dance and the subsequent mother/son dances, the toasts had been made, and the liquor was flowing freely. There was nothing left to do but enjoy the next hour or so and send everyone on their way.
“Tell me you won’t leave,” JJ said. “Not on my account.”
“We won’t. But I do expect a phone call. And if you’re in labor, all bets are off.”
“I’m not,” she repeated.
