Autumn notices her first. “Amber?”
Amber’s smile tightens. “My water just broke.”
Drac straightens instantly. “Are you sure, baby?”
She motions to the puddle. “Well, I didn’t just pee my pants—” She doubles over in pain. “Oh, I think these contractions are real now.”
Drac looks pale.
She exhales slowly, one hand bracing on the edge of the table the other still holding her belly. “Okay that was definitely a contraction.”
The room freezes.
Then everyone scrambles.
“Oh shit,” Phantom mutters.
“Wait a minute,” Autumn quickly says, holding up a finger. “Everyone calm down. It could be Braxton Hicks again.”
Another wave hits Amber hard as she sucks in a deep, sharp breath, knuckles whitening as she grips the table.
“Or,” she adds, rushing to Amber’s aide, “these could very well be real.”
Drac is on his feet in an instant his chair clattering to the floor as it’s thrown backward. “How far apart?”
Amber checks her watch, face slightly pale but focused. “That one was about… seven minutes from the last.”
“You heard the lady, everyone fucking move out.”
The clubhouse scrambles, moving awkwardly around each other as they try to figure out what to do.
Voorhees shouts, “Get a cage, now!
Gremlin nearly trips over himself sprinting for the door. “I’ll grab one of the cars!”
Autumn hands Amber a jacket. “Hospital bag? Do you have it?”
“It’s in the car,” Amber yells, teeth clenched and bared as another contraction rolls through her. “I wasn’t supposed to be due for another few weeks.”
Drac cups her face gently, his voice steady even though his eyes dance wildly. “Hey, I’ve got you. You’re doing great.”
She laughs weakly. “You say that like I’m not about to murder your hand the second we get to the hospital.”
He grins. “I’m looking forward to it, baby.”
Giovanni toddles over and squeezes his mommy’s hand. “Mommy, are you okay?”
She nods, ruffling up his hair. “Yeah, baby. I just think your brother or sister is coming a bit earlier than expected.”
The smile on his face is endearing. “Yes! That means I finally get to meet them.”
She laughs. “Yup, but can you do Mommy and Daddy a favor and hang out with uncle Krampus and Voorhees?”
He nods. “Yes, Mommy.”
The kid runs up to Rich and climbs into his arms. “Mommy says you’re stuck with me.”
Rich grins. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, kiddo.” His attention turns to me. “You doing okay?”
