22. Chapter 15 Part Three (1/2)

--chapter fifteen last part--

a/n—last part of chapter 15. i promise. happy reading!

mike and carol are on the way to the hospital. carol is visibly upset.

mike: tries to hide the panic in his voice. it's gonna be okay.

carol: mike! another one hits. oh! she tries to

eathe through it.

mike:

eathe, carol. we're almost there.

carol: hurry!

mike pulls up to the hospital entrance. he runs into the lobby.

mike: almost out of

eath, a bit panicked. my wife. she's having a baby.

receptionist: who's your wife?

mike: carol. carol

ady.

an orderly

ings a wheelchair and follows mike out to the car. mike opens the passenger door and helps carol into the chair.

mike: i'll see you in a minute.

carol nods as the orderly whisks her into the lobby. mike parks the car and rushes into the building. he looks around for his wife.

mike: where's my wife? carol

ady?

receptionist: ah yes. she makes a call. mr.

ady is here to see his wife. is she ready yet? ten minutes? okay. i'll tell him. she hangs up. give them ten minutes and then i'll have someone take you to her.

mike: thanks.

ten minutes pass. mike paces nearly the whole time.

receptionist: she motions to a candy striper. nancy, could you take mr.

ady to maternal obs? she's in room 201.

nancy: sure. this way, mr.

ady.

nancy takes mr.

ady to room 201. carol is dressed in a gown and lying in bed.

carol: relieved to see her husband. mike.

nancy leaves without a word. mike moves by her side. carol holds her arms out for an em

ace.

mike: hi, honey. how are you feeling?

carol: the contractions… oh! she

eathes through another one. …aren't as strong anymore. another one hits.

mike: really? he smooths down her hair around her face.

carol: the doctor thinks it's a false alarm.

mike: false alarm?

carol: inhales through another contraction. yeah. sometimes that happens close to the due date. exhales.

the couple continue to talk. the nurse comes in to check her vitals.

nurse: how are you feeling?

carol: the contractions aren't as strong. they seem to be waning.

nurse: that's good.

carol: a bit frustrated. you'd think after three pregnancies, i could tell the difference between false labour and true labour.

nurse: every pregnancy is different. i've had my share of false labour. when i was pregnant with my third child, i had a number of false alarms. checks her vitals and the reports from the monitors. everything looks good.

carol: when can i go home?

nurse: i'll talk to the doctor. maybe in a couple hours, if the contractions continue to lessen.

mike: i'm gonna call the kids. i know we've got 7 anxious people waiting to hear.

carol: okay.

mike: i'll be right back. he gives her a peck on the lips.

carol: i won't go anywhere. gives a wry smile.

mike finds the nearest payphone and calls the house. peter answers the phone in the kitchen.

peter: hello?

mike: peter, it's dad.

peter: how's mom?

bobby and cindy hear peter on the phone.

cindy: how's mom?

bobby: is she okay?

peter: puts his index finger to his lips. shh!

mike: it's a false alarm.

peter: so, she's not having the baby?

by this time, marcia and jan join the rest of the crew.

jan: mom's not having the baby?

peter: shh!

mike: not tonight.

peter: when will you and mom be home?

mike: if the contractions keep decreasing, we should be home within the next couple hours.

peter: that's good.

mike: can you call greg? i know one of you called him.

peter: okay.

mike: see you soon. bye.

peter: bye.

alice joins the anxious

ady kids.

marcia: so what did dad say?

peter: false alarm.

bobby: what?

alice: oh, false labour.

bobby: huh?

alice: sometimes women can have contractions that feel like real labour, but she doesn't have the baby.

bobby: still not comprehending, but not wanting an explanation. oh, okay.

marcia: i'll call greg.

jan: he's at the university union, at his banquet. here's the number. she passes a piece of paper to her sister.

marcia: thanks. she dials the number. greg

ady, please. a few moments pass.

greg: hello?

marcia: greg?

greg: yeah. how's mom?

marcia: dad just called. it was a false alarm.

greg: that's a relief.

marcia: yeah. she may get to come home in a couple hours.

greg: that's good. i'll tell nora. i've gotta go. i'm doing another number in ten.

marcia: okay. talk to you later.

they hang up.

mike goes back into carol's room. she looks like she's sleeping.

carol: her eyes flutter open. mike.

mike: hi, honey. how are you feeling?

carol: tired. i feel like i've been through the wringer.

mike: i bet you do.

carol: places mike's hand on her abdomen. at least this one decided not to make his appearance tonight.

mike: talking to the baby. you hear that, son? stay in there for just a little while longer.

carol: giggles. so, you're finally convinced it's a boy.

mike: no, not necessarily. the jury's still out.

carol: i know. you want a daughter.

mike: what i want, is for this baby and her mother to be healthy and happy. he gives her a light kiss.

carol: strokes the side of his face with her hand. i am happy.

the doctor knocks on the door.

carol: come in.

doctor: checks the monitors. how would you like to go home in another hour?

carol: yeah. i'd like that.

doctor: okay. i'll have the front desk draw up your discharge papers. since you're close to term, i see no real need for complete bedrest. just take it easy and don't overdo it.

mike: i'll make sure she doesn't overdo it.

carol: mock offended. i can take care of my self, thank you very much.

doctor: okay then. i'll see you next week for your regular checkup.

carol: thanks.

an hour passes and soon mike and carol are on their way home. carol yawns.

mike: why don't you take a little nap? i'll wake you up when we get home.

carol: i'm not tired. tries her best to keep her eyes open.

mike: honey, you don't have to stay up. you've had a long day.

carol: okay. gives up and lets sleep overtake her.

the couple pulls up into the driveway. alice and the kids are in the family room. cindy looks out the window and sees the car pull up.

cindy: they're here, they're here!

mike wakes carol up.

mike: honey, we're home.

carol: mumbles. mmmm! her eyes are still closed.

mike: carol, wake up. we're home.

carol opens her eyes.

mike: smiles. how are you feeling?

carol: i just wanna go back to bed.

mike: okay. let's get you inside.

carol nods. mike helps her out of the car and walks her into the family room. the kids can see their mother is incredibly tired.