Page 40 of Blame It on the Bikini
"What?" he shouted. "That's not possible. Where are you?"
"Grayson is driving us to the hospital. I've been calling you for several minutes."
"I just went back into the kitchen to talk to our chef. How is she doing?"
"I'm scared," Serena cried. "You better hurry, Brad. This baby is coming fast."
"I'll meet you at the hospital," he promised. "Hang in there, honey."
"I'm trying, but it really hurts." As another contraction hit, Serena squeezed her hand and yelled again, swearing like Lexie had never heard her swear before.
Brad had already ended the call, so she put her phone into her pocket and focused on Serena. "Try to breathe in and out," she said soothingly. "We're going to be at the hospital in like two minutes. You can do this, Serena."
"I'm not sure I have two minutes, Lex. I can feel the baby."
She could see the terror in her eyes. "Try not to push," she said, not sure if that was the right advice or not, but she really didn't want Serena to have her baby in the back of Grayson's car.
Thankfully, Grayson was driving fast, and a minute later, they pulled up in front of the ER. Grayson jumped out and ran into the building to get help.
She opened her car door. "Can you get out, Serena?"
"I can try," Serena said, sliding toward the door. As she swung her feet to the ground, Grayson returned with a nurse and a wheelchair. They helped Serena out of the car and into the chair and then rushed her inside as Serena began to cry again.
"I'll park the car and meet you in there," Grayson said.
"Okay, thanks." She blew out a breath as she made her way into the ER. The woman at the information desk told her that Serena was already on her way up to maternity, which was on the third floor. She could join her there.
She went back outside and waited for Grayson, who came running up to the door with Brad at his side.
"How is she?" Brad asked, his face worried and stressed.
"They've taken her up to maternity. It's on the third floor."
"Tell me how she's doing, Lexie," he begged as they raced inside. "It sounded like she was in a lot of pain."
"The contractions were fast and rough," she said as they moved down the hall and into the elevator. "We were just walking back from the bar, and she suddenly had a horrible pain. It kept coming back, every couple of minutes. I called you as soon as it happened."
"I know. I can't believe I didn't have my phone. I've been keeping it close to me, but I didn't think anything was going to happen so soon."
She could see the guilt in his eyes. "You couldn't have known, Brad. She's not due for two more weeks. And it all came on so fast. You're here now. That's what matters."
"I hope she's all right and I'm not too late." Brad jumped off the elevator as soon as the doors opened.
She and Grayson followed more slowly, watching as Brad was waved through a set of double doors.
"I hope he gets to her before she has the baby," she murmured to Grayson.
"I wouldn't bet on it. I thought she was going to have the baby in my car."
She met his gaze. "I was afraid that was going to happen, too."
He ran a hand through his hair as he let out a breath. "That was intense. But you did good." Admiration filled his eyes. "You kept her calm."
"I tried, but I was having a hard time not panicking myself." She moved across the waiting room, sat down on a couch, and let out a breath. "I thought childbirth was supposed to go really slow in the beginning. I'm so glad you were with us, Grayson. I don't know what I would have done. I probably would have had to call 911 from the bench on the sidewalk."
"I'm glad I was there, too," he said.
"I hope there's nothing wrong. The labor came on so suddenly. I don't think I can fully relax until she has the baby, and I know both of them are healthy and safe."
