“I will. Hurry.”
I don’t want to know how fast Fiona drove, I’m just thankful for whatever she did to get to the apartment in record time. She lets herself in and finds me leaning over the couch, swaying my hips back and forth.
“Shit, Sage. What can I do?”
I shake my head, still focused inward, as the latest contraction starts to fade. Only when it’s fully subsided do I look up at her. “They’re about eight minutes apart, I think? I’ve tried to time it. Can you take over? Enid didn’t answer, but I left a message saying it was urgent.”
Fiona whips out her phone. “On it.”
I start to walk in a circle around the apartment.
“Have you called Brady?”
“No,” I say sharply, turning to look at her. “Don’t do it. He’s got to focus on the game. First babies take forever to come, and I don’t even know if this is real labour.”
Even as I say it, I know I’m lying to myself. As if to prove that fact, I feel the contractions start up again.
“Ohhh,” I moan, moving back to the couch and bending over it. My phone, which is on the couch next to me, starts to ring.
“It’s Enid,” Fiona says, answering the call and putting it on speaker. “Hi Enid, this is Fiona, Sage’s best friend. I just got to her apartment and…”
I don’t hear anything more, all of my attention on the pain rippling through my abdomen.
“Come on, girlfriend, we’re meeting Enid at thehospital so she can assess you.” Fiona’s voice breaks through the haze. “Where’s your hospital bag?”
“Nursery,” I manage to gasp out before moaning again. “I need a shirt. Jersey. Brady’s.”
Thank fuck she knows what I’m trying to say. Moments later, Fiona’s back at my side, the hospital bag Brady and I packed before he left in one hand, and one of his home team jerseys in the other. I pull it on but leave it unbuttoned. The faintest whiff of his scent comes up from the collar, making me long for him to be here.
“You need to call Brady. He should be here, Sage.”
I bite my lip, feeling tears start to build. I want him here. But I don’t want to worry him for no reason. It’s still so early.
“Okay, I’ll call him if Enid confirms it’s actually happening,” I whisper. Giving me a nod, Fiona wraps her arms around my waist and leads me to the door.
Thank God the hospital is close to the apartment. I only have to suffer through one more contraction on the drive. At the hospital, Enid meets us at the entrance, guiding Fiona on how to check me in while she immediately takes me over to the elevators that lead to the labour and delivery ward. Upstairs, she gets me onto a bed and checks me over.
“Well, you’re definitely in the early stages of labour,” Enid says calmly as she removes her gloves. “You’re already four centimeters dilated. Is Brady on his way?”
“He’s in Idaho. Due back tomorrow.”
Enid’s brow furrows. “Sage, I don’t think you have that long. Have you called him?”
“We’re going to do that right now,” Fiona announcesas she walks in. Coming over to the bed, she hands me the phone. “Before your next contraction, preferably.”
I open my phone and dial his number. Hopefully he isn’t busy with practice or a team meeting. But just as the phone is ringing, another contraction starts to come on.
“Sage? Hey, what’s up?” he answers.
All I can do is moan in response, “Baby’s coming.”
35
BRADY
I’m in shock.That’s what this is, shock. I can’t hear anything around me, just the muffled moans coming through the phone.
“Sage? What did you say? Hurricane, talk to me.”
