Page 7 of Falling for Autumn
“They were five minutes, but they’re now coming three minutes apart.”
“Shouldn’t you be at the hospital?”
“I’m on my way there now.”
“Who’s taking you?”
“Me.”
“You can’t take yourself, pretty baby. How you gon’ drive in this kind of pain?”
“I have no choice, October.”
He glanced around as I walked to my car and unlocked the doors.
“Like hell you don’t,” he declared nervously.
“No. I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I’ve been preparing for this moment in the event no one was around when I went into labor.”
“Well, someone is around. Me.”
“Well, it isn’t your problem, is it?” I snapped rudely.
He blew out another breath as I walked around the front of the car.
“I know you’re in pain, ma, so I’ma let you make it.”
I opened the door and glanced in the back seat to make sure that our bags were there. I knew that they were, but it was just a natural response to check. Once confirmed, I prepared to sit down when another contraction hit.
I gripped the door handle, and sweat popped out on my face. I squeezed my eyes tight, trying to breathe through the pain. I felt October’s cool hand resting on mine.
“Come on. I’ma take you.”
“No. I’ll be fine.”
“No, you won’t. God forbid that you should have one of those during a moment of snap judgment. The last thing you want is to be involved in or create an accident right now. Your baby’s safety is our primary concern.”
“I can?—”
“If you don’t get your ass in my car and let me drive you, I’ma know something,” he grumbled, rushing to my passenger side and opening the door.
I watched in alarm as he grabbed my and my baby’s bags and came back for me. He graciously took my hand and helped me to his car, which was parked one space in front of mine.
“You really don’t have to do this,” I stated, humbled and embarrassed by my need to depend on anyone. From the moment that I learned I was pregnant, I vowed to do this alone with minimal help from my family.
Not that they wouldn’t be there for me, but this wasn’t their problem. It was borne from a decision I had made, and I alone would bear the responsibility and inconvenience of it.
He helped me into his car without responding to my protestations. Once he finished, he declared, “I’ll be back. Let me get her car seat.”
“You don’t need to do that. I can have my sister or parents pick it up before I’m released.”
“If I have the honor of transporting you to the hospital, let me have the honor of transporting your princess back home again.”
Although his tone was sharp and his demeanor serious, he flashed a beautiful smile that may have had me jumping on his lap under different circumstances. But the last thing on my mind at the moment was another man. God knew I had my fill of trouble with men.
