Page 54 of The Workaholic Down the Hall

Aubrey

“Hey, there,” Oscar said. He walked into the office at Nora's Inn, bringing with him the scent of the outdoors and the chill of the air. I looked up from the computer screen. I'd been trying to stay awake and focus on advertising costs and returns. “You ready to go? Or do you need a few more minutes?”

I rubbed my eyes and shut down the computer. “No, I'm ready.”

I stood and Oscar handed me my winter coat, hat, and gloves. “It's cold out there today. It smells like snow.”

“I hope it snows.” I pulled on my winter gear and followed him outside. “I'd love to see these mountains covered in snow.”

Oscar closed the door behind us and we began our usual walk. I'd mentioned to him the week before that my due date had come and gone and I really wanted the baby to be born before Thanksgiving. I didn't want to have my baby on a holiday when the hospital was running on a reduced staff. Not to mention, I was beyond ready to have this baby. It had been Oscar's idea for me to walk, to try to encourage my daughter to make her appearance, and I was just desperate enough to try anything.

Honestly, I'd expected Noah to call or text after our argument. At the very least, I'd expected to hear from his lawyers, but there had been nothing from him. Nora and May wouldn't tell me what the family meeting had been about, and I didn't push very hard. It was their business and, if I needed to know about it, I trusted them to tell me.

I pulled my coat up around my face and tried not to waddle as I walked beside Oscar. We usually walked the mile into town and then had dinner together, after which he would drive me back to the bed and breakfast. May and Nora had been awesome, but it was good to know I had someone else in my corner, that Oscar would be there for me, too. “How's your day been?” I asked as we set off at an easy pace.

“Slow. It's the start of cold and flu season, so I thought I'd have more customers. Instead, I've lost customers since allergy season has ended.”

“It'll pick back up with the holidays, I'm sure. People will get gift certificates for friends and people with time off will try it out. Once people try the salt treatment, they'll definitely go back again.”

He shrugged, looking glum. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I've eaten a watermelon whole. If this baby doesn't come soon, I may have to take desperate measures.” It was Friday, less than a week until Thanksgiving, and something needed to happen soon before I changed my mind about this whole pregnancy thing.

Oscar chuckled. “What exactly are you going to do?”

“My doctor said she could try to do this thing that involves—” A sharp pain shot right through the center of me. I'd had more contractions since my scare in Atlanta, but this once was doubly painful. “Oh, ow.”

Oscar put a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

I took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah, I think so, but maybe we should turn around and head back, just in case.”

He didn't argue. He turned with me and we started back the way we'd come. I stepped onto the gravel of the driveway and water flowed from me. It was warm and, at first, I thought I'd peed myself. Oscar and I stared at the puddle at my feet.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice a bit high pitched. “Don't freak out.” He pulled in a deep breath. “It's okay. I'll…I'll just…”

“Call Nora,” I said, feeling oddly calm. This was really going to happen and it would be okay. “And help me up to the house.”

He nodded, his eyes the size of alien space ships. “Right, right. Okay, I can do that.”

“You should probably pull your phone out of your pocket.” Despairing of him regaining his senses, I started toward the house. I had to stop every couple of minutes for contractions that bent me over, but it wasn't too bad. I could move.

“Okay,” he said. “I've got this.” He took out his phone and dialed Nora. I kept walking.

In moments, Nora and May were running down the drive toward me. George stepped out of the house behind them, but he jumped into a car and headed our way.

I breathed a sigh of relief as George stopped the car next to me. Oscar helped me into the car.

“Just drop me at my car on the way to the hospital,” Oscar said. He took a seat up front. Nora and May got in next to me. “I'll get Aubrey's bag from her house and bring it to you.” Apparently, the arrival of the others had kicked his brain back into working order.

“Good,” Nora said. She took my hand in hers and squeezed. May was texting rapidly on her phone. “How are you feeling?”

At that moment, a sharp pain ripped through my lower half. I clenched my teeth together hard to avoid saying something R-rated in front of my baby's grandmother. “I'm okay,” I said, once I could breathe again.

Nora's face was more than a little pale. “We'll get you to the hospital and get you some good drugs as quickly as possible.”

I can't deny I was tempted by the idea of relief from the pain, but I had a plan and I was determined to stick to it. “I'm not taking any drugs,” I said. “I want to do this naturally.”

Nora frowned. “I know that's what you said, but now that you've felt the pain of a contraction, surely you see how foolish that idea is.”

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