Page 77 of Still The One

‘That anesthesiologist said he could hit me in the leg with a hammer and I wouldn’t care. Lies!’ she exclaims loudly,frustration and discomfort clear in her voice. ‘Get. Him. In. Here!’

‘Relax, Jessie,’ her husband says. ‘And maybe loosen the grip on my h—aahhaaha,’ he squeals, obviously getting the opposite of his request.

Feeling helpless, and a tad unwelcome, I turn to Eve and say, ‘I think that’s my cue. I’ll be waiting for you down the hall.’ As I leave the room, the sound of Jess’s cries echoes through the corridor – the sound of birth control.

The waiting room of the hospital is decently sized. A couple of tables and chairs sit mid-room. The overhead lights are off and only small table lamps emit a warm glow in each corner. The walls are painted a crisp white, and on one side, a large window overlooks the city lights below and the Willamette River. You’d pay a million dollars for a home with this view. Along the walls, there are comfortable couches arranged for seating, as well as a flat-screen television playing sports highlights on mute. The only other occupant is a slight man, his eyes transfixed on the TV screen. It’s hard to tell if he’s actually waiting for someone or just catching up on the sports stats.

There’s a faint smell of disinfectant lingering in the air, a reminder of the seriousness of the place. Posters promoting pregnancy and infant care line the walls instead of artwork. In one corner, multiple vending machines stand ready to provide sustenance and a Keurig promises a cup of hot coffee to those in need. I choose a spot on one of the couches and sink into its cushioned embrace, removing my cowboy hat and placing it gently over my face – like they do in the movies – then close my eyes and allow myself to rest.

After weeks of being confined to a bed for most of the day, I suddenly feel like I’ve just run a marathon. Everything hurts and I could sleep until tomorrow night, if I wanted. Instead, as I lie here, my mind races with thoughts of all the things I should havedone differently. I should have brought her on tour with me, but the guys were against it because we’d only known each other thirty days – why should they have to change their lives while we lived together because I couldn’t wait? They were scared it’d change the vibe of our group, and that creates a bit of havoc when you’re doing daredevil things in front of a crowd. And how the fuck have I not considered having to make amends with her family if I ever tried to fix this mess? God, I wish things could be as easy as they were at first. I’d give anything to get that back.

Five Years Ago

As I pull into my driveway, she’s standing on the porch, waving like a psychopath. A beautiful, fun-loving psychopath. I laugh, waving back as I park my car.

‘Hi, handsome husband!’ she exclaims, waving her left hand, now sporting a sparkling diamond as perfect as she is. She refused to let me pick the size because she didn’t want to ‘stand out’ – that’s not her, so she ‘settled’ for a .75 carat emerald-cut diamond, flanked by two smaller triangular-cut sky blue topazes that she claims remind her of my eyes. Sweet as sugar – that’s my girl.

‘Hello, beautiful wife,’ I say, planting a kiss on her as I wrap my arms around her, carrying her up the porch and through the front door. Our usual, very ‘casual’ greeting anytime I arrive home, whether I’ve been gone ten minutes or ten days.

‘I missed you!’ she says, running a hand down my chest.

‘Missed you too,’ I reply, grinning as I set her down in the cozy living room. The scent of her favorite vanilla candle fills the space, mixing with the aroma of…

‘Do I smell Chinese food?’

‘Yes!’ she says. ‘I slaved in that hot kitchen all day for you.’

I laugh, patting her ass as we walk into the kitchen. ‘I’ll pay you back for that lie later…’

We sit at the island across from each other, because she wants to see my handsome face when she talks to me. Her words.

‘Nobody on the road is this pretty,’ I say, looking at her between each potsticker I eat.

She chuckles. ‘Are you declaring me the prettiest girl on the planet?’

‘I am.’ I hop off the bar-stool and grab the trophy I just won from my bag and set it between us. ‘I’ll have my name and title buffed out. Tomorrow this will say, “Prettiest Girl on Earth – Eve Foster”.’

She lets out a soft giggle – it’s adorable – one of the many things I love about this girl. I really mean it too. I’m feeling things I’ve never felt before when I’m around her. Sometimes I can’t even believe she fell for me. I’m usually covered in grease, reek of gasoline and exhaust, and trek dirt into the laundry with my clothing – and she sees right through it.

As we eat, we fall into our usual easy rhythm of conversation, sharing stories of our day with laughter and affectionate teasing. Sure, it’s only been two weeks since we got married, but it’s only going to get better. God damn. How lucky am I to have found a woman who can make even the mundane moments feel like magic?

Now

‘Here we are.’ Kait’s voice cuts through my thoughts and pulls me out of a deep nap that felt like hours had passed. To my surprise, I see her helping a frail and weak-looking Eve over to the couch where I am sitting.

‘What happened?’ I ask, concerned.

‘Birth isnota beautiful process,’ Eve says with a small smile as she sits next to me on the couch, leaning her head against my shoulder.

‘She fainted,’ Kait explains, a slight grin on her face. ‘It’s interesting how she can handle trauma situations but gets overwhelmed by childbirth.’

‘I’m not usually looking up my sister’s hoo-ha,’ she snaps. ‘I’m complicated,’ she continues with a sigh, closing her eyes as if to block out the memories of what she’s just experienced. ‘And the two moonshine drinks are not helping.’

Kait’s nose wrinkles in disapproval. ‘Moonshine? Is that what I smell on your breath?’ She shoots a glance at me – as if the moonshine was my idea – before returning her gaze to Eve, who is now slumped against my side.

‘Maybe grab her something to eat and drink,’ Kait suggests, motioning toward the vending machines. ‘It’ll help with her blood sugar.’

Eve shakes her head stubbornly, burying her face deeper into my one good shoulder. ‘No,’ she mumbles, voice muffled. ‘I can’t eat after that.’

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