Page 29 of For Her
“What’s the new project?” I ask, as he takes my hand and leads me back through the door and into the kitchen. “I want to see,” I nag.
“Not ‘til it’s finished. Are you hungry? I’m starving. What am I talking about, you’re always hungry,” he grins and winks at me.
I know what he’s doing. And I know he knows I know what he’s doing. We both know he’s distracting me. But dammit, it’s with food.
Eleven
Mayzie
“What’s that?” I ask, pointing to a machine that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. “And what are those?” I point at a tray full of silver tools before Sarah can even answer my last question. “This place is scary.” Hospitals? Not a fan.
We’re at the local hospital where Sarah delivers babies, and it’s nice to have that connection so that we can be given a private tour today.
“I can promise you, when you’re in here in the throes of contractions, the last thing on your mind will be your surroundings,” Sarah assures me. “Trust me.”
I do trust her words, seeing as how she deals with these things daily, and she had to push not one, but two babies out of her hoo-ha. I’m sure in the middle of labor, this cold, sterile environment won’t be as big of a deal, but still…
“So, you still think you want to do a home birth?” she asks as I start to fidget. Jack notices and steps away from inspecting the instruments of torture. He comes to stand behind me and starts running his fingers through my hair, trying to soothe me.
“Yeah,” I nod hesitantly. “That’s what I’d prefer. I like the idea of not having to leave the house and have the press follow us, especially with the shit show Eli is causing.”
I hear Jack blow out a frustrated breath behind me.
“I’d like that too,” he agrees, “but my only worry is if something goes wrong, I’d rather already be here where the professionals and resources are.” He leans in to kiss my cheek as he adds, “And so that you can get something for pain if you need it.”
“You’re afraid you’re going to have the pain too, aren’t you?” I imply flatly, and Sarah stifles a laugh.
“No!” he proclaims indignantly. “Fine, maybe a little, but you know damn well it’s you I’m worried about.” I sigh and turn to face him.
“I know,” I mumble.
“You know, Jack,” Sarah pipes up from the hospital bed I’m already having nightmares about laying in, “We do have the contraction simulators. We could hook you up to one so you can see what it’s like. You know… to prepare you in case you do get the pain,” she suggests with a devious smile and gets a dreamy look in her eye. “I’ve been dying to get Mike in here to try it.”
“Are you scared?” Jack asks quietly, turning away from his evil, plotting sister.
“Yeah, a little.”
“…since I had twins, that’s double the pain, so we could crank it up to ten…” Sarah keeps dreaming out loud.
“Okay, a lot scared. But I really don’t like the hospital. I want to have him at home.”
“I know, Baby, and I want you to be happy and comfortable. I just worry about something happening that could have been prevented if we were already here. I’m sorry; I’m not trying to scare you.”
“…and then I’ll tell him, ‘try that for thirty-one hours, ya pussy!’”
“I hate this,” I groan. “Your option is the more sensible one, but I hate it.”
“Like she said,” he tilts his head towards his sister, “You might not even care about it once you’re here and you’re focusing on the labor.”
“Or there’s a third option,” Sarah announces her return to Earth and we both look expectantly in her direction. “On the other side of the sky bridge is a birthing center with more natural options. The suites are comfier and homey so that it feels less like a hospital, and has all the natural options that crunchy moms-to-be like.
“Hey!” I turn on her, defensively. “Just because I do yoga and meditate it does not make me crunchy!”
“Mood swing, right on cue,” she quips back, totally unfazed by my outburst.
“Please don’t make her upset,” Jack murmurs.
“Give me a break, I’ve been abstaining from coffee all this time. You’d be moody too!”