Page 61 of Interception

“I’ll call Dr. Garcia right away. Do you need an ambulance?”

“No, I’ve got my car. I can have her there in ten minutes.”

“Okay. Dr. Garcia will be ready when you arrive.”

“Will they still be able to do the C-section?”

“It depends on how quickly she’s progressing. The doctor will have answers for you after she examines your wife.”

“Okay. I’m on my way.”

The Justice ends the call and tucks my phone back in my pocket. “Good luck to you both.”

“Thanks. Sorry about your floor,” I say as I head out the door.

Zee’s groans are coming thick and fast. “Coop?”

“Yeah?”

“You just called me your wife. Pretty great, right?” Even in her pain, she finds a way to make me smile.

“Damn straight. You better believe I’m calling you that every day for the rest of our lives.”

“Good. And I’m sorry about ruining everything with the icky water breaking.”

“You didn’t ruin anything. Hands down, this will be the best day of my life. I got to marry the most amazing woman, and now we’re going to welcome our sons into the world.”

“Is it wrong if I think this is going to be a crappy day? It really fucking hurts.”

“You can feel whatever you want, beautiful. We just need to get you through this. I’m going to be with you the whole time, okay?”

“Promise?”

“Cross my heart and hope to die.”

“G-ood. Oh shit! It’s like one long contraction… I think. Fuck I don’t know. The books all say they come and go and gradually get closer. It feels like it’s not stopping at all.”

I make my way through the lobby, everyone stopping to look at the woman in labor being rushed out of the building. I’m so relieved to see Hunter pulling up in my truck.

“Get in the back with her.”

Some random stranger opens the door for us, sympathy for Zee’s current state etched in her brow. “Thank you!”

Once we’re in, she shuts the door. “Good luck.”

Hunter pulls into traffic, weaving his way to the hospital as quickly as possible. Every bump in the road has Zee crying out in pain. If I could trade places with her right now, I would.

“Oh God. Make it stop.”

“We’re almost there. Just a few more minutes.”

“I need the drugs now, Coop.”

“Hunter, what the fuck do I do, man?”

“I’ll have you there in two minutes. Does the doc know you’re on your way?”

“Yeah. Fuck. This was supposed to be happening next week, and it wasn’t going to involve contractions.”

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