Page 96 of More Than Nothing
“I’m sorry, what?”
“In Bali, they think eating octopus when you’re pregnant will give you a difficult delivery.”
A wry smile lifted Caitlyn’s face. “If Delia has started using octopus as an ingredient, you’ve got your own problems to worry about, my friend.”
The girls sat and chatted for over an hour. Each time she refilled their drinks, Elenie stayed as long as she dared without risking anyone’s attention.
“How bruised are you on a scale of one to ten?” Summer asked. “I can’t get over how fast Roman moved when you disappeared into that heap of crazy!”
“Blasted Ty. He could pick a fight with a poodle.” Elenie pretended to refill the sugar canister for the third time.
“And he’s stupid enough to do it with Levi Foster—the guy with snow shovels for hands.” Caitlyn rolled her eyes.
“I swear he has a screw loose.” Elenie shook her head. “He’ll square up to the wrong person one of these days when there’s no one around to break it up. And it won’t end well.”
Summer gave her a sneaky side-eye. “Where did you disappear to, by the way? One minute you were there and the next you weren’t.”
Elenie couldn’t stop the smile from spreading slowly across her face.
Caitlyn let out a low whistle. “Hot damn, you little snake. There’s a story that I need an empty bladder to hear!” Heaving herself up onto her feet and poking a finger in Elenie’s direction, she waddled away from the table. “Do not go anywhere. I’ll be as swift as these overalls will let me.”
Elenie cleared the empty mugs and plates from Summer and Caitlyn’s table, unloaded the dishwasher, and began to restack it again. She made milkshakes for a couple of teenagers who wanted takeouts and took coffee to Mrs. Elliott and Ray Parker, who were sitting at a small table in the corner.
It turned out that swift was not that quick at all.
After more than ten minutes had gone by, Summer stood up. A frown pinched at her forehead. “I think I’ll just go check—”
She was interrupted by Caitlyn peeping around the edge of the door to the back corridor. Her eyes were a little wild. “Ladies, we appear to have a bit of a situation.” They flew to her side and she opened the door wider. The cotton legs of her pants looked like she’d dropped a drink in her lap. Summer’s lips parted with a silent intake of breath. “My waters have broken.” For a second, no one moved. Then Caitlyn winced and gripped her stomach with both hands. “I’ve been having some pains, but they’re getting stronger.”
“And you didn’t think to say anything?” Summer squeaked.
“I’m ten days from my due date. I thought they’d go away again. Isn’t that what’s supposed to happen with first babies?”
Elenie and Summer exchanged looks. Nope, not a clue between them. Delia peered out through the hatch, took in what was happening, and opted right out.
“I’m calling Milo.” Summer’s voice was decisive. She shot over to the booth to grab her phone from her bag.
“I need to walk,” Caitlyn muttered between tight lips. While Summer made the call, Elenie paced slowly with her up and down the center aisle of the diner. “I made a mess in the bathroom.” Cait’s voice was wobbly. “But I think my socks soaked most of it up. My shoes are kind of squelchy.”
“Clearing up messes is my superpower,” Elenie soothed. “And I think the contractions will take your mind off your socks.”
Summer’s face glowed with excitement when she re-joined them, but her voice was calm. “OK, so I caught Milo between meetings. He’s heading straight back and will meet us at the hospital. Unless you think you need an ambulance, I’ve spoken to Dougie and he’s on his way to take us in.”
Caitlyn nodded, eyes wide, like a small girl being told what to do.
“Let’s keep walking while we wait,” Elenie suggested. They paced together for the next ten minutes, pausing a couple of times when the contractions came on.
When Dougie burst in, he had a wide grin on his face and was rolling up his shirtsleeves. “Right then, ladies. I hear there’s a baby needs delivering and I’ve washed my hands, so let me at it.”
The girls regarded him with varying degrees of eye roll.
“If you think for one minute that your homemade first-aid certificate will give you access between my legs, you’re truly delusional,” Caitlyn deadpanned.
They helped her waddle outside, where Dougie’s truck waited curbside with the passenger door open, a sweatshirt spread out on the seat for Caitlyn to sit on. Sweeping her up in strong arms before she could think of protesting, Dougie lifted her straight in. Summer climbed across from the driver’s side to sit in the middle.
Elenie gave Cait a quick hug before she shut the door. “Good luck! I’ll be thinking of you.” Pulling carefully away, Dougie gave a short blast on the horn and they were gone.
Inside the diner, Mrs. Elliott and Ray Parker had left money on the table to cover their drinks. The place was silent, other than Delia banging about in the small kitchen. Turning the sign on the door to “Closed,” Elenie went in search of a bucket.
