Page 53 of Play With Me

“There,” I said softly. “All clean.”

He smiled—not big, not teasing. Something quieter and just for me.

“Thanks,” he said, settling his back against his seat.

The streetlight buzzed overhead. Somewhere behind us, the hospital doors slid open and shut, the sound floating across the parking lot.

Will tapped his knuckles once against the steering wheel and turned toward me, smiling easy in the yellow light. “You ready to be an Auntie?”

I nodded and climbed out of the van before the tightness in my throat could catch up with me. The door thudded closed, and I started toward the entrance, the night air cool against my face.

I’d only taken a few steps when I felt him draw level beside me, and without even thinking about it, I reached out and slipped my hand into his as the hospital’s automatic doors welcomed us.

He didn’t react—not really. No pause, no surprise. His fingers just curled around mine, steady and sure, like it made sense. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.

We walked the rest of the way like that, finally letting go when we stepped out of the elevator on the Labor & Delivery floor, my hand tingling.

26

Waiting

Boston, MA

Will

I heard them before I saw them—Marisol speaking in rapid, strained Spanish. She sounded pissed, but not in pain. That settled my nerves. The doctor was in the room, so we waited in the hallway.

Lou looked up at me then. “You ever done this before?”

“Attended a birth?” I laughed. “Three actually.”

“Three? Who are you?”

“I was young, but I was there when each of my sisters was born. And then I was out in 29 Palms and stopped for a pregnant woman on the San Bernardino highway. She was trying to make it to the hospital all the way in Palm Springs and hadn’t even called 911.”

“Holy shit!” Lou said, eyes wide. “Have you delivered a baby, Will Hawkins?” She was clutching my forearm.

“I wish I could say I was very manly and level-headed through it all, but I know for a fact the 911 operators saved my call to laugh about later because I was so hysterical,” I chuckled at the memory. It was the coolest thing that had ever happened to me, which is strange to say because I’m sure it was pretty traumatic for her.

The doctor pushed through the door behind Lou, and I put out my arm to move her. Christian caught sight of us and popped his head out.

“I’ll get you coffee, what else?” I asked him. His face was relieved.

“That’s it, thanks, brother,” he said. Then to Louisa, “Marisol’s been asking for you.”

As I headed down the hall in search of coffee, I heard Louisa say, “Did you know Will delivered a baby on the side of the road?”

And Christian laughed. “Ay, the 911 recording was the funniest shit I ever heard.”

I texted the guys to let them know that Marisol and Christian were set up in L&D and that I’d keep them updated. Then I called my mom.

“How early is she?” I heard Eilidh ask right after Mom answered.

“She’s 36 weeks tomorrow, but I don’t have any info from the doctors to say whether they’re worried or not.”

“Ye doin’ okay, love?” Mom asked quietly.

“Yep,” I said. “Just kind of hit me that this is real, you know? Christian is going to walk out of here a father. I’m trying to be useful, but I’m not much help.”