Epilogue
"You feeling okay, Randi?" Ann Richardson asked concerned.
Randi sighed. Everyone asked her how she felt. It's all they ever asked anymore. "I'm fine, Ann" she reassured Kevin's mom. A concerned Kevin had asked his mother to stay with Randi during the last two weeks of her pregnancy. Right now, it was a week before Randi's due date and they were walking through the mall. Randi reached an arm back to lightly massage her lower back. It had been a constant ache since she'd started to show. It didn't help that she was almost to the big day. Kevin called constantly. The Backstreet Boys had not been able to reschedule a tour, so he couldn't be with her. So he called her all the time. He had already told his mother that as soon as Randi started labor, she was to call him so he could catch the first flight from the West Coast to Pittsburgh. He maintained that the Boys had done shows without him before and they could do it again. He'd be damned if he would be sitting on his ass or doing a concert instead of being with his girlfriend as she gave birth to his child. He had told everyone as much. From what Randi had heard from Howie, the management hadn't been happy with it, but they knew they couldn't do a thing about it.
"Look, Ann. Isn't that the most adorable little dress?" Randi asked, pointing to a pink and white lace dress hanging in the window of a baby store.
"Come on. Let's look around," Ann said, pulling Randi into the store behind her. Randi and Ann browsed through the store for awhile. Of course Ann had to buy a dress for the baby to wear. Ann bought a lot of things for her soon to be first granddaughter, Randi observed with a smile. She's almost more excited than I am.
Randi spotted a Baskin Robbins down a little ways. "Feel like ice cream, Ann?" she asked.
"I guess. But it's on me" Ann warned.
"You're spoiling me rotten" Randi grinned.
"Somebody's got to do it. My son sure isn't around to do it" Ann smiled. "Besides, I enjoy spoiling people. That's why I love my grandkids. Now what flavor do you want?"
Randi looked in the glass cases. "I can't decide between peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie dough" she moaned.
"So get a scoop of each" Ann, ever practical, suggested.
"Why not? I can't get much fatter!" Randi laughed. Ann got a cone with Carmel praline and they continued walking through the mall. Randi looked sideways at Ann. She kinda reminded Randi of her Mom. Except Mom was never this much fun!
Ann looked at Randi to find Randi looking at her. "What? Do I have ice cream on my face?" she asked.
"No. I just still can't believe you had three boys!" Randi laughed.
"Your time will come. Trust me" Ann smiled knowingly.
"Sooner than you think, Ann" Randi admitted as she felt a mild pain shoot through her abdomen. "I think you better call Kevin" Randi said as she turned around and began to walk back the direction they had just come from. Ann supported Randi until she took her outside, sat her on a bench and told her to wait for her to come back with the car. Randi sat in the cold Pittsburgh March weather and waited for Ann. Finally she spotted the car coming just as another sharp pain hit her.
Ann slammed on the brakes, put the car in park, hung up on Kevin, who was practically in hysterics, and rushed out to help Randi into the passenger seat of her car. "If you think you can handle it, I need directions" Ann said as she slammed the car into gear. She was trying to provide Randi with a distraction through the pain. And it worked. Randi was able to give directions to the same hospital she'd run into Kevin 3 months ago.
Kevin meanwhile was frantically packing a suitcase. Brian sat on Kevin's bed watching in amusement as his normally levelheaded cousin tore apart his room. "Want me to call the airport and make a reservation?" he suggested.
"Please" Kevin responded as he ran into the bathroom. Ten minutes later, Kevin was in a cab headed for LAX. Three hours later, he arrived at Pittsburgh International Airport. Randi's former roommate Jen was there to meet him and give him a ride to the hospital. "How is she?" Kevin asked as they ran out of the airport.
"Call your Mom, Kevin. I left 45 minutes ago, so I don't exactly have the current info here" Jen said in between breaths. God, it was too cold to be running across a parking lot, she thought. Soon, she and Kevin were speeding along the interstate towards Pittsburgh. Kevin was on his phone talking to Randi.
"Hang in there, sweetheart. I'm coming," he said, trying to be encouraging as she screamed in pain.
"We're there, Kevin" Jen said, stopping in front of the hospital to let him out. He took off running. "And that's the thanks I get for skipping classes today" she muttered as she pulled away to find a parking spot. Sighing as she pocketed her keys, Jen followed Kevin. Last update from Kevin had said Randi was at 7 centimeters. It won't be much longer, she thought as she got in the elevator and punched the button for floor 8.
Kevin skidded to a stop outside the nurse's desk. "Ashleigh!" he cried, spotting the familiar face of one of the nurse's. "Where is she?" he asked.
"Breath, Kevin" she commanded. "You won't be any help to her if you forget to breath and collapse on her. Now come on." Ashleigh led him through some doors until he came into a room that held Randi, his Mom and her other former roommate, Maple.
"You're doing great, sweetie" he heard his Mom tell her.
Kevin slowly advanced towards the bed. "Randi? How are you doing?" he asked softly, brushing some of her sweat-soaked hair off her face.
Randi looked up. "Kevin" she whispered, holding up her arms to bring him down in a hug. Just as his arms wrapped around her, another pain hit her. Randi clutched at Kevin, digging her nails into his back, trying to hold back a scream till she could hold it no longer. When it was over, she smiled weakly at Kevin and apologized.
"Don't apologize, Randi" he told her. Ashleigh came back in the room with a doctor.
"I'm Dr. Martin. Randi, I think it's time we get you into the labor room" he smiled kindly. Looking at Kevin, he asked, "Are you the father?" Kevin nodded. "Suit up" the doctor commanded as they wheeled Randi out or the room.
An hour later, Randi gave birth to hers and Kevin's daughter. Ashleigh bundled the newborn in a towel and placed her in Randi's arms. "Congratulations" she whispered.
"What should we name her Kev?" Randi asked softly, looking down lovingly at the baby who had inherited hers and Kevin's black hair. She yawned and waved her little fists in the air.
"Awwww" Randi and Kevin said in unison. They looked at each other and softly laughed. G"I kind of like the name Cassandra" Kevin whispered, holding his thumb out to the baby, who wrapped her fingers tightly around it.
"How about Cassandra Marie?" Randi suggested.
"Cassandra Marie Richardson. I like it" Kevin smiled. "Thank you, Randi, for giving me my daughter" he said as he kissed the top of Randi's head.
"It was nothing," Randi said, dismissing the painful hours of labor.
"Randi?"
"Yeah?" she asked.
Kevin looked from his beautiful baby girl to Randi. Looking straight in her eyes, he whispered "I love you, Miranda Ashley Carey. Will you marry me?"
Tears sprang into Randi's eyes. "Yes, Kevin, I will" she said softly