1:
Alone. She was alone so often these days. She wondered briefly where he was,
then shoved that question as far away from her mind as possible. She knew the
answer but maybe if she didn’t think about it, it wouldn’t matter. She laughed grimly
in the darkness. The "Arthur Syndrome" as she had dubbed it . . . of
course that couldn’t work. It didn’t work for Arthur when he pretended not to
know about Lancelot and Guinevere, long before the advent of reporters and the
internet. As she did so many nights, she thought about those she loved most and
then wept bitter tears until she was too exhausted to do anything but sleep.
Justin’s paralysis had turned out not to be permanent, thank the good Lord,
but even after being out of the hospital for nearly three months, his legs were
too weak to support his weight. It was only a matter of time though. She was
happy for him, and for Sugar. She thought about Chris and Heather, smiling to
herself in spite of her own mounting tears. Even she had thought those two
would never last more than a day or two. Then there was Lance. He adored Zahra
and it was obvious to anyone that had ever seen them together that she felt the
same way. JC and Amanda . . . well, she wasn’t certain about them. They tended
to fight a lot, but then that always led to earth shattering make-up sex that
anyone within a thirty-mile radius could hear. After having gone through the
list she returned to thoughts of her own situation. She didn’t even fight the
tears anymore.
She fell asleep on a damp pillow. She woke up in a wet bed. Of course she
knew right away what was going on. The contractions had been going on for a
week or so this time. "Practice runs" as her doctor had told Joey
with a smile. She had told herself it was false labor, even though all day she
had been certain that <i>something</i> was different this time.
"Joe--" She called out to him as a reflex before another
contraction cut her off. Then she realized that he wasn’t there. She had been
on strict bed rest for nearly two months and he had been with her maybe seven
or eight nights in all. She hadn’t told anyone and they hadn’t thought to ask.
After all, he was an attentive, doting husband and father-to-be during the day.
It was when night fell that he made himself scarce. She tried to bite back a
scream. She failed. After all, she felt as if she were being torn apart by a
pack of wild dogs and she was utterly alone. Almost.
The hall light came to life and the door flew open. Comforting hands and
soothing words surrounded her as she succumbed to the pain, blacking out.
"OK, come on baby, push."
"Damn it, shut the hell up. I AM PUSHING and so help me God, if you
ever touch me again I’ll come after you with a weed whacker."
"I know. You told me that with the last one."
"Well forgive me for not being really original right now. I’m a little
preoccupied at the moment." She squeezed his hand and he was fairly
certain that he heard bones cracking. Not that he cared right then. He was more
concerned about his lovely wife and the new life she was struggling to bring
into the world.
"Justin will you please stop that! You’re making me crazy."
"Oh. Sorry." He drew the wheelchair to a halt, momentarily ending
the loops he’d been making about the waiting room. Sugar smiled, letting him
know she had forgiven him for his "pacing." Lance chuckled from his
seat across the room, Z curled up in the chair beside him, nearly asleep. JC
and Amanda were on opposite sides of the room, apparently in one of their war
phases.
The door opened and Chris walked in, looking tired but happier than any
person had the right to be. "It’s a boy . . . and a girl," he
grinned. Everyone in the room immediately began congratulating him and hugging
each other. The excitement was short-lived, however. A very nervous and scared
looking Steven Fatone entered the waiting room and just looking at him was
enough to make the rest of them absolutely silent.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Lance. "Find Joey," he snapped.
"Tell him to get his fat ass here before I hunt him down and kill
him."
"Why?"
"Because his wife is in labor and she’s not conscious, now GO!"
Lance asked no more questions. He ran all the way to his car. Somehow, he knew
where to find his friend, though he prayed all the way to his destination that
Joey wouldn’t be there.
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