Page 24 of Dropping the Ball

“Don’t tell me to calm down. You’re having a baby!”

Madison gives her a second to let that sink in, and I press my lips tight to hide a smile. I understand why Kaitlyn isn’t thinking straight.

“Fine, I’ll keep the freaking out on the inside,” Kaitlyn says. “Let’s go.”

We head down the hall, and Madison is moving just fast enough to waddle, the first I’ve seen her do that. I keep an eye on her, still not sure what I’m watching for. I think the baby waving from under her hem.

When we get to reception, Kaitlyn orders the receptionist, “Do not tell my dad,” as we head out the door.

In the parking lot, Madison hands Kaitlyn her keys and points to where she parked her SUV.

I stay right behind them. “I’ll follow you.”

“Good idea,” Kaitlyn calls over her shoulder. Then she and Madison both turn to look at me. “Why?”

I stop too, stumped. “I don’t know. Maybe for backup?”

“Works for me,” Madison says, waddling ahead. When she reaches her car, she opens the passenger door but then hesitates.

“What’s wrong?” Kaitlyn asks, climbing into the driver’s seat.

“Leather seats,” she says. “And I’m leaking.”

“Uh . . .” Kaitlyn glances around wildly, like she’ll see a solution hanging from the low hedge in front of us or hiding in the SUV. “It’s okay. Baby matters more.”

“No, hold on.” I jog over to my truck a few spots down. I yank open the door to the extra cab and duck behind the driver’s seat. A few seconds later, I straighten and call, “Head’s up.”

Kaitlyn catches the sweatshirt I toss and holds it up. It’s a new UT one, crisp orange logo on an ivory background. “I’m not sure about pregnant, uh, water or whatever we’re dealing with here, but this is probably too nice for Madison to sit on.”

I grin. “I would be honored. Keep it. I’m going to back out so I can follow you.”

Kaitlyn nods, trying not to look worried, but faint lines around her eyes and the tightness around her mouth give her away. Still, she turns toward Madison and manages to sound excited as she announces, “All right, Mama. It’s show time.”

Chapter Ten

Kaitlyn

I hurry around thefront of the car with Micah’s sweatshirt. Oliver said the baby won’t come for a while because Madison isn’t having contractions, but I don’t care. I’m hurrying anyway since this is the woman who told me thirty minutes before her water broke that this baby wouldn’t come for at least a week.

I spread the UT sweatshirt over her seat. “We’re good.”

“Turn it front down. That longhorn doesn’t need to see this.”

“Good thinking.” I flip it over and watch her get in. There is hoisting and grunting, and the grab handle is called upon to do more work than it was ever designed for. I don’t think even with Micah and me helping her she would have made it into my Audi. She definitely would never have made it back out again.

Once she’s buckled in, we get on the road, Micah pulling out behind us in his pickup.

I glance over at her. It’s rush hour, but her hospital isn’t far. That doesn’t stop me from thinking of search phrases like “how to deliver baby in car” and “delivering baby in traffic.”

“How’s it going over there?” I ask.

She scrunches her face. “Okay? I don’t feel contractions. If this is labor, it’s just leaky so far.”

“We’ll be there in less than fifteen minutes.”

She nods. “I want someone in scrubs to wave a stethoscope at me and confirm that this is fine, and I’ll feel better.”

“Do not let that baby do anything for the next fifteen minutes until we get to that stethoscope.”

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