Whatever color was left in Logan's face faded the minute he jerked his head around. “What does that mean?”
“It means that we're going to start the epidural she requested to relieve some pain. But when it’s time to push, you will have to help her.” The nurse raised her eyebrows, grinning when Logan’s jaw dropped. Alicia leered at him, wishing he would hurry up and faint, before she lost control and knocked him out.
“You better sit down, Mr. Holder. You still have a long way to go. It could take hours.”
Logan complied, collapsing onto a chair. For a second his body went limp. Then the panic set in. Holy shit! I’m having a baby!
JAKE
Franky paced back and forth, a disturbed look covering his face. He cast his eyes down at Jake, taking in his sorry condition. He looked like crap, the severity of the hangover obvious. They had one hour to fix the situation and get to the gallery for the opening. It was a good thing Jake had forgotten to lock the door, enabling him to enter when no one answered, otherwise they would really be in trouble.
“Jake, man, come on! You gotta snap outta it. Jump in the shower and clean yourself up before I do it for you!”
Jake shoved his greasy hair out of his face and let out a loud groan. Every bone in his body ached, his head a time bomb on the verge of detonation. After lifting himself up with his arms, he staggered to his feet, about to topple over. Franky sprang forward, catching him in time.
“What the fuck happened to you? Must be real bad shit! I've never seen you this hungover. Want some pain killers?”
“Yeah, that'd be great.” Jake rubbed his throbbing temples, sinking back onto the couch when Franky released him. Realizing he was naked, he flushed, grabbed a shirt from the pile strewn across the floor and covered himself.
Franky returned with some pills and water, which Jake downed eagerly before stumbling off to the bathroom.
The excruciating pain in Jake’s head gradually subsided. After his second cup of black coffee, he was functional enough to get dressed while Franky sorted through the paintings he wanted to showcase. As he began focusing he dialed Kristen one more time. Still no answer, her voicemail was full. For a second it derailed him. But strangely enough, as his nervousness increased so did his willpower.
He had to push her out of his mind for a bit. There was nothing he could do from there anyway. He'd call Ruby as soon as he had a break. The bad vibes that had been bombarding him all day, the fear that she was suffering and in trouble, had to be put on hold for the next few hours.
Franky was right. He couldn’t waddle in gloom any longer or he would blow this opportunity.
He was hesitant to check his image in the mirror and even more unprepared for what he saw before him: hollow, bloodshot eyes framed by deep, purple circles.
I do look like shit—it matches how I feel.
Several days without more than four hours sleep—it figured. Too late for regrets. He raked his fingers through his hair in a failed effort to detangle it. This was as ready as he was going to be.
CHAPTER 11
TUESDAY, WEEK 10
LOGAN
At last, the dull ache in Logan’s neck and back had worn off after a long, uncomfortable night. He'd barely slept, crunched up on the narrow cot the hospital so graciously provided for him next to Kristen’s bed.
This is what I get for upgrading to a private room? What the hell would they have done if I hadn't? Dump me on the floor? His aggravation worsened the longer he obsessed over it.
They were examining her again. Then they were headed to the intensive care unit for babies. It was hard to believe, after eighteen grueling hours, they ended up delivering the baby by emergency cesarean section. They could have avoided all the unnecessary stress if they had cut it out a lot earlier. And he hadn't even been allowed in the room when it happened, not that he really wanted to be there. His body burned so much he couldn't even lift it out of the waiting room chair. Now they were supposed to get their first glimpse of him, straight from the incubator. The doctor never told him how long he'd be hooked up for, and of course, Kristen was too doped up to understand what happened.
It was taking forever. He decided to grab some coffee from the vending machine. When he returned, he was disgusted to see Alicia. He ignored her until a sudden recollection flashed in his mind.
“Hey do you have her stuff? Where's her phone?”
“Talk to her about that when she comes out. She gave it to me to hold. You weren't around, remember?”
“Give it to me.” He growled, lowering his head.
“No, Logan! You're not going to bully me. So back the fuck off!” Alicia glared at him while her survival instinct guided her to safety.
Logan gave her a dirty look, waving her off. The hate he felt for her blazed deep rooted and pure, but he also hated himself for not being home when the ordeal started. It would have saved him a lot of trouble. Now I have to deal with this obnoxious bitch! He took a deep breath, dismissing her from his mind.
They sat in uncomfortable silence for another thirty minutes until the nurse finally wheeled Kristen out. When she saw them, she attempted a smile, her disarrayed copper hair hiding most of her pale, exhausted face. Alicia bolted forward, hoping to beat Logan. Not wanting to give him any leeway, she took Kristen’s hand in hers. Logan grunted, too beat up to compete and took his time approaching.
“They don't know how long they're keeping him yet.” Kristen couldn’t hide her sadness, her words meant more for Alicia’s ears than Logan’s. As the drugs wore off her anger toward Logan resurfaced and she glanced at him, unable to conceal the fury in her eyes. He gazed at her, his eyes fatigued.
At the entrance of the newborn intensive care unit, they were instructed to scrub up carefully, before they were escorted in.
Holding her breath in anticipation, a sudden chill spread through Kristen. She inched closer to the incubator and froze. Her tiny baby, hooked up to hundreds of needles and tubes, so helpless and fragile, his anguished wails echoing through the incubator walls, his little head hidden by a small blue beanie, his bright red face scrunched up in pain.
Kristen lost control the minute she laid her eyes on him, bursting into hysterical tears. She dropped her head weakly against the side of the incubator, plastering her palms to the glass. Alicia knelt down next to her, desperate to console her. Logan took slow, tentative steps forward, hoping to get a better view of the baby. Without warning, Kristen lifted her face up to him, holding out her hand. He sniffed and took it in his, clasping it tightly.
As hard as he tried to determine who the baby resembled, it was impossible under the circumstances—another indistinguishable, lobster faced creature, all twisted up and thrashing about. He sank down next to Kristen, kissing her hair, unable to comprehend why she was so broken up over it.
“Can I touch him?” Kristen lifted her sullen eyes to the nurse on duty.
“Of course,” the nurse smiled, her eyes soft. “Stick your hand through there.”
In a magical moment, Kristen's expression instantly brightened. She grabbed Alicia’s arm.
“Go ahead,” Alicia urged giving her a tender smile.
Logan took the opportunity to sneak away, hopeful she wouldn't insist he do it also. It didn’t shock him that she seemed unaware of his presence—not with Alicia lurking about. He squirmed, watching as she hesitantly stuck her hand through an opening in the side of the incubator to stroke the baby’s palm.