Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
I pull out my phone and scroll to Henry’s name. “I guess we should probably start timing the contractions, too?”
“I am,” Liz says, nodding to her smartwatch. “I just started. Call my dad now and get our stuff. I think we’re going to have to go soon.”
“Okay, okay,” I say, jumping up from the couch as I hit the call button next to my best friend’s name. Things were rocky between us after Liz and I first got together, but that’s long been water under the bridge.
“Hello?” Henry sounds groggy as he answers.
“You already asleep? It’s not even nine,” I laugh, though there’s a nervous edge to my tone. Something about having a baby does that to me.
“No,” he chuckles. “Well, I guess maybe. I was watching one of those documentaries about aliens, and it just went downhill from there. How’s everything?”
“That’s what I was calling about,” I say quickly, trotting up the stairs toward the master bedroom. “It looks like Troy Junior is coming tonight.”
“I’m heading over now.” The line fills with the sound of Henry shuffling around, and I bite back another laugh.
“Ella is already asleep,” I add as I swoop up the two duffle bags. “You don’t have to worry about that. We let her stay up late to finish a movie, and she’s passed out pretty hard. I don’t look for her to wake up anytime soon.”
“Aw, man,” Henry mutters. “I was hoping my little buddy wasn’t in bed yet. I figured she’d be caught up in all the excitement.”
I laugh. “I think she would be if she hadn’t fallen asleep before it all started. I took her up to bed, and when I made it back downstairs, Liz was having contractions.”
“Come on,” Liz groans from downstairs. “Tell Dad to drive fast, or I’m going to have this baby in the living room.”
“Supersonic speed,” Henry bursts into laughter. “I’ll be there in five minutes.” He hangs up, and I rush to Liz, bent over the couch.
“I don’t want to have the baby in the living room,” she looks over at me, tears forming in her eyes.
“You’re not going to have the baby here,” I say reassuringly. I rest my hand lightly on her back, and she turns to me, falling into my arms. “We’re going to make it in plenty of time.”
“How do you know?” Liz looks up at me, tears in her eyes. “What if I have him in the car? Oh my god,” she groans as she hunches back over. I steady her, nearly losing the duffle bags still hanging off my shoulder.
“You’re okay,” I coax her, doing my best to support her. My heart is racing in my chest, and as much as I’m here to be a steady rock for her, I don’t want to have to deliver our baby in the living room, either. “Let’s start heading for the garage.”
She nods, leaning against me as we walk through the house to the side door. I push the door open and hit the garage opener, making the entrance easy for Henry when he gets here.
“We can’t leave yet,” she looks up at me with worry in her eyes. “I don’t want to leave Ella by herself.”
I squeeze her shoulders as I guide her to the passenger door. “We’re not leaving until Henry gets here, baby. I just want to ensure we’re ready to go when he does. There’s no way in hell I would leave our three-year-old here alone.”
“Right, I know that,” she laughs, her anxiety apparent in her voice. “I think I’m going crazy.” Liz leans against the door just as another contraction hits.
“How close are they?”
She glares at me, groaning through the pain.
“Right, you can just answer that when it’s over. Sorry.” I bite back a chuckle, knowing now is not the time to laugh. Doing that might get me killed. In all the years of being in the Mafia, no threat has ever come close to being as deadly as my wife being pregnant and in labor.
“They’re only four minutes apart now,” Liz cries as the contraction subsides. “We really need to go.”
“I know, I know,” I tell her, swinging the door open. “Let’s get you in and settled.” She nods, and I help her climb inside, only shutting the door after I’ve buckled her seatbelt. My eyes shift to the dark driveway, searching for headlights.
Come on, Henry.
Using my key fob, I start the car, letting it warm up as the cool air filters into the garage. Honestly, I hadn’t even noticed the chill in the air until now, and it’s brutal. I glance again into the night and then head for the inside door. Peeking inside, I listen closely, ensuring the chaos doesn’t wake up Ella.
She can usually sleep through a storm of noise, but I’m not sure how loud Liz was a moment ago. About the time I’m convinced that Ella is still sleeping, I turn back to the car, headlights flooding the garage.