Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
"We need to get you to the hospital," Thomas said, appearing by Sophia's side, taking Avery's place.
"I'll call Dr. Palmer," Paulie said, moving faster than Avery had ever seen him move.
"The contractions are coming fast. We must hurry," Sophia said, looking straight at Thomas, already walking toward the front door. The living room filled as their guests crowded in to offer their support and advice. Everyone rushed about, but no one could actually do anything to help. For the first time since Sophia's water broke, Avery looked around for Kane. He was nowhere to be found.
"Mother, where's Kane?" Avery asked, sure she could hear the panic in his voice. This wasn't the time for disappearing; they needed to get to the hospital.
"The answering service is getting the doctor to the hospital," Paulie bellowed from the kitchen door. Avery fished around inside his pockets for his keys. By this point, everyone from the party was in full panic mode. Chaos ensued, if nothing more than in Avery's head, and he needed Kane. They needed to follow Sophia to the hospital.
"I've got the car out front, ready to go," Kane shouted, busting through the front door. "I packed a second hospital bag, just in case you needed it! I'm glad I did," Kane stated matter-of-factly, calmly moving to Sophia's other side, and carefully, but quickly escorting her across the porch and down the stairs to their new, baby-safe Volvo. Avery made it to the front door, as Kane closed the passenger side door. Thomas slid in the backseat.
"Come on!" Kane yelled at Avery. There was even a moment of clear frustration on his face when he spotted Avery still at the front door. Through all the confusion, Avery realized that Kane must have planned for this too. The just in case. He couldn't have been more proud.
"Avery, go. I'll make sure we get everything closed up. Paulie and I can ride to the hospital together," Kennedy said. Kane honked, waving his hand, yelling out the window for him. The sound of the car being put in drive gave Avery the distinct impression he'd be left behind if he wasn't in that car in a matter of seconds. He took off down the steps, running, and jumped in next to Thomas. Kane was already speeding down the drive before he even shut the car door.
* * * *
"You were spectacular getting us here," Avery said, carrying Kane's backup overnight bag through the hospital halls. Kane seemed to innately know his way, and Avery followed a step behind, just trying to keep up and stay out of Kane's way as he turned corners here and there, never stopping to ask his way. Sophia had agreed Kane could be her labor coach for the birth, and his mister wasn't wasting one minute. No one else would be in the room, just her and Kane and the medical staff. He had even attended Lamaze classes with her.
"I practiced driving here just in case. From both the house and the restaurant," Kane said. He must have realized what he'd just revealed, because for the first time since entering the hospital, he cut his eyes to Avery. "Don't laugh!"
"You saved the day. I'm not going to laugh," Avery said, a huge smile on his face. Of course Kane would have done something like that. Since they started this whole birthing thing, everything he knew about Kane had flown out the window. His ultra conservative, very reserved husband was a ball of nerves that'd evidently left very little to chance. What he couldn't work through, he learned about until he knew every single detail there was to know.
They had made it to Sophia's hospital room, and Avery grabbed Kane's arm before he entered. "Keep me posted. I'll be in the waiting room. Take care of them, Kane," Avery said, leaning in for a quick kiss.
Kane gave him a quick peck before pushing through the swinging metal doors. The door closed, only to reopen before Avery had a chance to even turn away. Kane reached for the bag. "Stay close." And with that Kane was gone again.
He and Thomas were relegated to the waiting room two doors down the hall. Minutes felt like hours. Slowly, members of the baby shower began to trickle in. It wasn't too much longer before he heard Paulie's booming voice asking about the babies at the nurses' station. He sounded as impatient as ever, but that was Paulie's manner. Avery spotted him and his mother about the same time Sophia's hospital room door opened unexpectedly. Sophia lay on a gurney and was being pushed out of the room. Kane followed behind the doctor and nurses solemn-faced and resigned. Resigned to what?
Thomas jogged the few steps to the gurney, and Kane walked immediately to Avery. "Her blood pressure's too high. They have to take the babies."
"What happened? She's been doing well this whole time?" Avery questioned, watching Thomas stand at the other set of swinging double doors his wife had just been pushed through.
"It was high when she got here and spiked higher while we were in there."
"What's happening?" Kennedy asked Avery while she watched Thomas as he stood looking lost, staring at the closed doors.
"It's her blood pressure," Avery replied. He left his family and made his way straight to Thomas. He'd promised to take care of Thomas while Kane handled Sophia. It was the only thing Sophia asked of him, and he wasn't going to let her down.
"She'll be fine, come back to the waiting room with us," Avery said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder as he took in Thomas's clearly worried face.
"She never had this problem before," Thomas said and let Avery slowly turn him.
"She's got the best possible care. You know that," Avery offered, now guiding him back to the waiting room.
"She said it's normal," Thomas added, his worried eyes now searching Avery's.
"She would know, wouldn't she?" Avery calmly stated, trying to hide his own concern. Thomas only gave him a nod. Paulie, God love his soul, took over, because that was all that Avery could muster in the way of encouragement. Avery was worried too. They had come so far with such smooth sailing. How could this be happening now?