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Yay, let the nervous babbling begin.
I was already in fine form.
“He was having a few breathing issues, so they took him off to make sure he’s okay. Nothing to worry about.” Ally twisted her wedding ring around and around her finger. “All routine stuff, they said.”
“It is.” Seth covered her hands with his much larger ones. “The same thing happened to Laurie when she was born.”
“And you, for that matter,” Mr. Hamilton added. “Not Oliver though. We used to joke he took all your oxygen because he came out screaming.”
We all laughed, and Ally and I exchanged a glance. The kind that said we had volumes to say to each other, once the prying ears of the men were gone.
That happened faster than I expected.
Once Mr. Hamilton and Seth had gone off to get some coffee, I pulled up a stool next to the bed. “So, were you in labor long? When did the contractions start? Did it really hurt? Oh my God, what am I asking, you were screaming for drugs in the car.”
Ally laughed softly and shook her head. “We’ll get to all that, but first, what’s going on with you?”
“Me?” I tucked my hair behind my ears. “Same old, same old.”
“Yeah, right. I know you. Something’s up. Something big.” She leaned forward and winced. “Ugh, none of those moves quite yet. I’m stitched up like the Velveteen Rabbit.” She mimed from top to bottom and it was my turn to grimace.
“I think I like the idea of a C-section better. My vagina was not made to push out a watermelon.”
She smirked. “Actually, it was.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do, and after that, I’m not sure I’d go vaginal again. It went really fast, all things considered with the horror stories I’ve heard.”
“Tell me everything.”
And oh, she did. About begging for an epidural that would not work fast enough and mucus plugs and water breaking all over their new leather couch. By the end of it, I was a little nauseous and I couldn’t decide if my morning sickness had decided to add in an evening session or if it was just stark-raving terror at what awaited me.
“You look green. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I smiled and took a deep breath. “Oh, and I’m pregnant.”
I hadn’t meant to say it. Not here, and not to Ally before I told Oliver. That was the fairest thing to do. He should know first. But with all the baby talk and the fact that my news was still so fresh, it just spilled out.
Ally let out a laugh and clutched her chest through her thin hospital gown. “Good one. For a second there, I thought you were serious.”
“I am.” I gazed down at the bedding I hadn’t realized I’d been pulling at with my fingers. “I just found out tonight.”
“Oh, Sage. Sage.” Her sympathetic whisper made me stare harder at the white blanket in my fist so that I wouldn’t immediately start bawling again. “Does he—he doesn’t know yet?”
“Not yet. But it won’t come as a huge surprise. At least it shouldn’t. The condom broke. Very first time.”
“Oh God. What rotten luck.” She snaked her hand out to still mine. “I’m so sorry, honey.”
I sniffled and laughed. “Nothing to be sorry about. You know I’ve always wanted kids. I guess it was probably good I kept the ol’ hymen on lockdown, because fertile Myrtle.” And yep, there were more tears gathering right on cue. I’d have to drink a gallon of water in fluid replenishment if they kept coming at this rate.
“Sometimes it’s just a matter of timing. Though, oh man. Seriously? No way.” Ally covered her mouth with her hand. “He did a Seth, with the whole knocking-up-a-virgin-first-time deal. He’s going to absolutely die.”
“Twin thing,” we said simultaneously, and this time, there were no tears when I laughed.
It was so ridiculous, but it was my life. And I already loved my kid, already desperately wanted him or her, so there wasn’t room for looking back or what ifs.
The only what if that remained was Oliver’s reaction.
