Chapter Thirty-one
“Just a minute,” I yelled back.
“Cammy, I need you, like now,” she yelled back and hearing the tone in her voice, I knew something was happening. I finished peeing, wiped, set the stick on the counter, washed up and ran out to her. She was sitting on my bed, staring between her legs where a big wet spot had emerged.
“Did you pee my bed?”
“I don’t think so.” She shook her head.
“Will you smell it?” she asked me in all seriousness. I backed away waving my hands frantically.
“Hell, no. You’re the one with the freaky sense of smell, you smell it.” Heck, no, I wasn’t smelling that. She touched her stomach and winced. Wet bed forgotten for now.
“You okay?”
“I think I’m having a baby,” she announced and I panicked.
“Oh crap, all right, we need to go! I’ll get the bags, and whatever else. Are you hungry? Do you want some water? Um, crap, crap. Okay. I need to change. Uh, you should probably change, too. Oh, I will call Arson. He should probably know that his kid is on the way. Okay. We got this. Breathe. Everything is going to be just fine.” I was pacing and breathing heavy. I looked at Rayne to see her still sitting on the bed, watching me and holding back laughing.
“How are you still sitting there? You are having a baby, for Christ’s sake. Why aren’t you up and moving? We need to get you to the hospital, like stat! Don’t sneeze or cough either! I don’t want any babies born in my apartment.” With that, she finally burst into a fit of giggles. What part of having a baby did she think was funny?
“Oh, Cammy. The baby isn’t going to just fall out of me. My vagina isn’t a laundry shoot. This is my first kid; it’s going to be a while. Hours, most likely. The contractions aren’t bad. Let’s just get ready. No rushing, then head to the hospital. Relax. Don’t stress me, stressing will only make me worse.” She smiled and shook her head.
I helped her up from the bed and together we got ready to leave. I called Arson on the way, and he said he would meet us at the hospital. Rayne’s contractions were picking up, but she was breathing through them, my tough girl. Arson was at the door when we walked in and tried to get Rayne in a wheelchair but she refused. Something about walking helped move the baby down more. After signing some paperwork, they dressed her in an ugly blue hospital gown and set her up in a room. It was much different from what I was thinking a labor room would be. It was actually pretty nice.
Rayne had signed up for a room with a shower and a bathtub, aiming for a water birth, au natural. I cringed when I heard her say that, but to each her own. Rayne was a fighter and I had no doubt that if anyone could do it, she could.
We waited and held her hand when she needed it, until she was far enough along that she could get in the tub. On her knees, with her arms resting on the sides of the tub, she breathed through the painful contractions while Arson massaged her lower back. Man, what a team. The doctor came in and checked her to see how much she was dilated, and smiled.
“We are ready to start pushing,” she announced. Rayne was covered in sweat, as she sat naked in the tub. I had officially seen every part of my best friend. Every part.
She had asked me to stay and I agreed. I was now in this until that baby popped out. Arson held one hand and I held the other, as she clenched her teeth and started to push. I watched as my bad ass Xena-like friend pushed, naturally, for thirty minutes, until a little baby boy was born.
“A boy,” Arson whispered, looking at his child in awe. There was a full head of black hair on the baby’s head, and he was big, too.
“Lie back, he needs skin to skin contact right away.” Rayne did as she was told and they placed the tiny little thing on her chest. Tears were streaming down her cheeks from joy. Arson leaned over and kissed her head. I was elated for them, utterly happy for their new bundle of joy. As they cleaned Rayne up and Arson got to hold his son, I sat there, holding my best friend’s hand in her moment of pure joy seeing her two boys together. Something clicked inside me. This was what I was missing.
Casey’s passing was traumatic, and sad. But with every death came life. It was the way of the world. I was missing the happiness of love. The love of someone who adored you, even through your ups and your downs. The love of family, and the love of life. Right now Arson and Rayne were living their lives to the absolute fullest. They had everything they ever wanted right here in this room. I knew what I wanted and I needed to take a leap of faith. I knew there would be heartbreak in my life, but if I got to experience life like this, it would be worth it. I just needed to accept it and never look back. I had so much to give to this world, and I knew that with love by my side, I could do anything.
“Thanks for staying,” Rayne whispered to me, and I squeezed her hand slightly.
“No other place I’d rather be.” I smiled. Arson walked over to me and told me to hold out my arms. When he placed that sweet child in my arms, I was in love. He was so beautiful, and I told his parents as much.
“You guys have a name?” I asked, and brushed my hand over his soft hair. He squirmed but was otherwise calm.
“Cameron Leo Kade.” Rayne smiled and my eyes flew to hers. Tears started sneaking out of my eyes, and finally, after so many weeks of grief, I was crying tears of happiness.
“Really?” I questioned excitedly.
“Yep. After his Auntie Cammy.” She winked and that was all it took for me to take that leap of faith. This was life, this was happiness, and this was love. The ultimate goal in life.
I stayed until they got Rayne set up in the room she would be in overnight, then I left and went home with a smile on my face. I felt like the Cammy I was yesterday was gone. Banished to the depths of the universe. Once I got into my apartment, I packed a ton of clothes, and went into the bathroom for my makeup bag.
I stopped in the doorway and stared at the stick I had totally forgotten. Feeling resolved to be happy either way, I walked over and looked down at the results.
“Two lines,” I smiled, and held it up closer to inspect.
“I’m pregnant.” I hooted. I was pregnant and all I could think about was a little redheaded girl, raising hell just like her mother. I made sure the cap on the stick was tight and put it in my purse, then headed out the door. I left my bags, and everything behind and jumped into my car.
As safely as possible, I sped towards my life of happiness.
