Page 154 of Steel
“Mom . . . Mom . . .”
I tossed back the covers and threw my legs over the side of the bed. After slipping my feet into my house shoes, I left the guest bedroom to go to her room right across the hall. When I opened the door, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding her stomach.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, rushing over.
“I think—shit! I think I’m in labor.”
“Did your water break?”
“N-no, but I’ve been having contractions all day. Mom, it hurts.”
“I told you to let me take you to the hospital, baby. Braxton Hicks my ass.”
“Mommy, please! Not right now.”
“Don’t worry. Everything is gonna be okay. Take a few deep breaths for me. In and out. In and out.”
She mimicked my breathing with a pained expression as I grabbed her phone to call an ambulance. Once I confirmed that they were on the way, I got her dressed and helped her out to the living room to wait. I then went back to the guest room to put on clothes myself. By the time I was ready, I could hear the ambulance outside. I went back into her room to grab her phone then rushed out to the living room to open the door.
The EMTs rushed in to check my baby while I grabbed her hospital bag from the hall closet. As they loaded her onto the stretcher, she reached out for me.
“Mommy, I’m scared.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of, baby. I’m right behind you, okay? I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I kissed her cheeks and rushed out the house behind them to my car. As soon as the ambulance pulled off, I was right on their ass with my emergency lights. Pulling out Donna’s phone, I found Kerrion’s contact and hit the call button. It rang for what seemed like forever before he answered.
“What’s up, D? You good?”
“Kerrion. It’s Anita.”
“Hey, Ms. Anita. Everything okay?”
“Donna is on her way to the hospital.”
“Oh shit! Are you at the hospital? Do I need to come get her? Did you?—”
“Calm down. I called the ambulance. I’m on my way to the hospital now. She’s been having contractions all day and refusing to let me take her because she thought it was Braxton Hicks. Silly ass girl. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had that baby in the back of the ambulance.”
He chuckled. “I’m getting dressed. I’ll meet you there.”
“Please drive safe. It’s late.”
“I will. See you soon.”
I hung up and focused my attention on the road. Ten minutes later, we were pulling into the hospital parking lot. I quickly found a space and rushed out of my car. When the ambulance door opened, the first thing I noticed was the amount of blood.
Nurses came rushing out as the EMTs rolled Donna out. One of them had a small bundle in their arms.
“Is she okay!” I asked frantically. “Is the baby okay?”
“The baby is fine, but we have to get her to surgery.”
“Surgery!”
“Come with me, ma’am,” one of the nurses said softly, as she guided me inside. “I’ll keep you updated.”
