by Dara Girard
“I told you I wouldn’t. Did you call Glenn?”
“You can call him at the hospital,” Lina said taking a seat at the dining table. “You can get my suitcase and then drive me to the hospital.”
“That wasn’t the plan. You were supposed to call Glenn and then take a taxi.”
“That was only if no one else was around. I don’t want to take a taxi or anything else. I want you to drive me.”
“No.”
“What?”
“I’ll get your suitcase, but that’s it.”
“Do you know how hard it is for a woman in labor to walk down two flights of stairs?”
“You’re doing well so far.”
“I’m really in labor. Do you think I’m faking it?” she said through clenched teeth.
“No, but if the contractions were really close together you wouldn’t be sitting here so calmly.”
She folded her arms. “I’m not leaving until you say yes.”
“I can outlast you.”
Lina laughed. “I doubt it.”
Carissa’s phone rang. She looked at the number and saw it was Kenric. “Hi.”
“I wasn’t going to call you today, but I couldn’t stop myself.”
Lina looked at her appalled. “Are you really going to talk to your boyfriend while I’m in labor!”
“What’s going on?” Kenric asked concerned.
“Lina thinks she’s in labor.”
“I am in labor,” she shouted.
Carissa shot her a glance. “Then call your husband.”
“No.”
“I should let you go,” Kenric said.
Carissa sighed, disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to talk to him more. “Sorry about this.”
“It’s okay, I could tell you stories about some of my brother’s women.”
“Carissa, I’m serious!” Lina said.
She squeezed her eyes shut. “An ambulance may be coming here for another reason, if I don’t get rid of her soon.”
He laughed. “Remember to breathe. Bye.”
“Bye,” she said then hung up.
Lina walked up to her and pointed. “I’m not going in an ambulance. I want you to get my suitcase and take me to the hospital now.”
Carissa pushed her aside and turned on the TV.
Lina fell down beside her. “You can’t treat me this way.” She winced then swore. “We’re family.”
Carissa kept her gaze on the screen. She wouldn’t be manipulated anymore. She wouldn’t let her bully her. It stopped now.
After the first hour she heard some grunts and moans and groans but soon they quieted. When Carissa finally looked over at Lina she was fast asleep. She gripped her hands into fists. So much for labor pains. She felt like shaking her awake and shouting at her for continuing to play such a dangerous game. She didn’t understand the need. Everyone adored her, wasn’t that enough? Why did she always need to have Carissa come running?
After another hour Lina woke up, yawned and stretched her arms over her head.
“How are the labor pains?” Carissa asked in a flat tone.
Lina let her hands fall to her stomach and flashed a sheepish grin. “I guess it was a false alarm. I wasn’t lying. I did feel them this morning and I was scared.”
“I’m sure you were.”
“I guess coming here calmed me.” She yawned again. “I didn’t realize I was so tired.”
“Then you should go home and sleep.”
“Couldn’t you just make me a little something to eat?”
“No.”
She pushed her lower lip out in a pout. “Please.”
Before she could reply someone knocked on the door. When Carissa opened it she saw her brother. He looked past her and grinned at his wife. “I thought I’d find you here.”
“And you can take her to go find something to eat,” Carissa said.
“Couldn’t she have something here?” he asked.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because she’s a little angry with me,” Lina said. “It was a false alarm.”
He rushed over to her, sat by her side and held her hand. “You were in labor?”
“I thought I was, so I came here and now Carissa thinks I made it up.”
He turned to his sister. “You don’t really think that, do you? How could you be angry with her? She didn’t know it was a false alarm.”
Carissa wasn’t in the mood to argue. When it came to his wife everyone else was always the enemy. “I’m really not in the mood to prepare anything. If you want to eat you can get it yourself.”
“Fine,” Lina said starting to stand. She paused halfway, gasped and slowly sat back down, grabbing both sides of her stomach.
Glenn looked at her anxious. “What’s wrong?”
“Something funny just happened.” Her face brightened. “I think I really am in labor. That contraction was stronger than the rest.”
“Are you scared?”
“No,” she said with a note of awe. “We’re soon going to hold our new baby boy in our hands. It’s exciting.”
He jumped to his feet. “Let me go get the suitcase. I’ll be right back,” he said and darted out the door.
Lina stood and stared at Carissa triumphant. “Isn’t this amazing? In a few hours I’m going to be a mom and I’m not frightened at all. Now this is what I want you to do. You’ll drive Glenn and me to the hospital. I want my husband in the backseat with me, holding my hand.”
“I’m not going to the hospital with you. When Glenn returns he’s taking you.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“But I want you to be there. I don’t want to do this alone.”
“You won’t be alone. You’ll have your husband and when you call her, your mother and then my mother too.”
“But you have to be there. I’m really in labor this time.”
“But you weren’t last time?”
Her expression tightened. “I told you, it was a false alarm.”
“I wish I could believe you, but I don’t and that’s the problem.”
Lina folded her arms. “I’m not leaving until you say you’ll take us.”
“Suit yourself.”
“I’m serious,” Lina said resuming her seat on the couch.
“So am I.”
“Okay, baby I’m back,” Glenn said coming through the door.
“I’m not going,” she said.
“What do you mean you’re not going? Has the pain stopped?”
“Carissa said she won’t come and I won’t leave without her.” She suddenly winced then groaned.
Glenn looked at his sister with panic. “Come on, Carissa. It’s time.”
“Then take her,” she said. “I’m not coming.”
He looked down at his wife. “Come on you don’t want the contractions to get any worse.”
Lina closed her eyes and let out a long breath. “I’ll be fine as long as I’m not over stressed because of tension.”
“You should go with your husband.”
She glared at her. “I’m not going anywhere until you say ‘yes’.”
“You know your stubbornness could really put your life in danger,” Carissa said.
“Just say you’ll come,” Glenn said.
“No,” she turned and headed for the kitchen.
“Please, just do what she wants,” her brother said. “Just this once.”
“It’s never ‘just once.’ It will be forever and I won’t take it anymore. You and the rest of the family can spoil her but I won’t. I don’t think she’ll last much longer when the real pain starts to hit and she stops smiling. Just wait another couple of minutes and she’ll change her mind.”
But Lina was more stubborn than Carissa thought and after another hour her breathing had become a little more shallow with mixtures of painful gasps and anguished groans that increased in depth and volume.
“It hurts so bad,” Lina whim
pered, grasping onto her husband like a pitiful child. “And she won’t do anything.”
He sent Carissa a glare, but the look she sent him quelled any rebuke. She had a stronger will than he did and he knew it. He returned his attention to his wife. “Lina, you’re being ridiculous. Are you ready to go now?”
Lina bit down on her lip and let a contraction pass then said, “No.” She shifted her glance to Carissa, the look of excitement and triumph gone from her face. “Why are you doing this to me?”
“I’m not doing anything. You’re the one who’s punishing yourself. By now you could be in a comfortable hospital bed with your husband by your side.”
“I want you there.”
“I’ll be there later.”
“I want you there now. I want you to drive us—”
“No.”
Lina sat forward, resting her hands on her thighs, sitting in an inelegant pose. She hung her head and let out a deep breath.
Glenn reached for her. “Lina.”
“Get me some water,” she snapped.
“But—”
“Now!”
He hurried into the kitchen.
She looked at Carissa. “I liked you a lot more when you were with Morris. You weren’t so selfish and uncaring. I don’t know what’s come over you, but since you got your new look you’re not the same and I don’t like it. You think because you now have a rich man and get a couple of expensive gifts that you’re above us?”
“No.”
“The Carissa I knew before wouldn’t watch me in pain and do nothing about it.”
“Let your husband take you to the hospital.”
She pointed to herself. Her face was flush, her hair plastered to her forehead by sweat. “Do you see this? Do you see what I’m about to do? I’m about to bring new life into this world. And you refuse to be there to support me? You’re not doing anything more important than this. You owe me.”
Glenn came back holding a glass of water and handed it to his wife. She took a long swallow.
“I think you may have to carry her to the car if she keeps this up for another hour,” Carissa said. “Although the contractions do seem to come in different time intervals, so there’s space. And her water hasn’t broken yet.” She looked at Lina, flashing a sour grin. “And my couch thanks you.”
Lina glared at her. “Don’t be a bitch.”
Carissa shot her brother a look of disdain. “Are you really going to let her keep this up?”
“Carrie, please.”
Carissa surged to her feet. “No, this is the last time I’m going to tell you about the husband you need to be because you’re soon going to be a father and you need to exert yourself.” She walked over to Lina. “Because you’re a lot stronger than she is and she’s not thinking rationally so you have to do that for her. You take her under her arm and yank her to her feet,” she said demonstrating, surprising them both. “Then take her to the car and drive her to the hospital.”
Lina yanked her arm away. “My man treats me like a princess. He treats me with kid gloves. You’re the problem. Do you really want me to give birth in your living room?”
“No.”
“Then why can’t you do this one thing?”
“Because I’m sick of you. I’m sick of you taking me for granted. How dare you say that I owe you. You and my brother decided to have a child. That’s your choice, not mine. My life is just as valuable. I am proud of it. It’s not perfect, but I’m glad I broke up with Morris, and I’m glad I’m wearing new clothes that make me feel good about myself.”
“Carissa all I want—” Lina bent forward, lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut as another wave of pain hit. She then released a breath and screamed, “Why are you doing this to me? You’re supposed to take care of me! You’re the only one in the family who cares about everybody else more than herself. That’s the Carissa we love. And it will be your fault if anything happens to me or my baby!”
“No, it will be your fault. It will be your fault if you have to tell your son you gave birth to him on his Aunt’s living room floor because you were too stubborn. Because you always want to have things your way. It’s time to grow up Lina. This is the time you stop thinking just about yourself and start thinking about others. You’re soon going to be a mother and have someone fully dependant on you. You won’t be the center of attention anymore.” She turned and looked at her brother. “And it’s your fault too. How can you just stand by and watch this without doing anything? Stop acting so helpless. Your son is in there, ready to come out. Will you be there to catch him? Or are you going to let your wife try to hold him in so that she can prove a point?”
Glenn grabbed his wife’s arm in a grip that made no allowance for struggle. “We’re leaving now.”
“I’ll make you pay for treating me this way,” she said as her husband dragged her to the door. “It’ll serve you right if anything happens to me or my baby. I’ll never forgive you for this and I’ll make damn sure that you never see your nephew,” she said, and she would have walked out of the door in a cloud of victory if another contraction hadn’t seized her causing her to lean heavily against her husband as her knees buckled under the pain.
Their eyes met over Lina’s bent head and she saw her brother’s pleading gaze. Carissa knew what he planned to do next and she would help him, because he knew her limit. Carissa grabbed the suitcase and opened the front door while he lifted Lina in his arms and carried her. She followed him to the elevators and pushed the down buttons. As they descended she saw Lina wrap her arms around Glenn’s neck and rest her head against his shoulder. She caught a small satisfied grin. Lina had a right to be pleased with herself. Glenn was a wonderful man and truly loved her. Soon she’d have a son who’d love her just as much.
Her hateful, spiteful words still rang in Carissa’s ears. Even if she hadn’t meant them, even if it was just the pain talking, they had wounded her. You owe me. What do you have better to do? She spoke to her as if her life was less valuable. She envied their love. She couldn’t imagine Kenric carrying her to their car. They were both too practical for such romantic gestures. She’d likely meet him at the hospital. He wouldn’t bend over backwards to please her as Glenn did. Maybe Lina had a right to feel so entitled, woman used to being so loved likely felt superior.
Once they reached the main lobby she saw Kenric coming through the front doors. He looked at them surprised and held a door open.
“Did something happen?” He looked at Carissa, taking the suitcase from her. “I thought you’d be back from the hospital by now.”
“It’s a long story,” she said.
He followed them to the car and placed the suitcase in the trunk while Glenn settled his wife inside the passenger seat.
“Talk to you later,” Glenn said to Carissa then jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off.
“Are you going to follow them in your car?” Kenric asked.
I’ll make damn sure that you never see your nephew, Lina’s words sliced her because she knew she probably meant them. She knew her sister-in-law could be vengeful enough to deny her one of her greatest joys. She’d hosted her baby shower, cooed over all her photos showing her expanding belly, helped her shop for baby items and thought of names and now she wouldn’t be able to see her brother’s son. She turned to Kenric, seeing the look of confusion on his face. “No,” she said, then covered her face and cried.
Chapter Eighteen
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “Let me guess. You and Lina had a fight.”
“The worse we’ve ever had.”
“Want me to take you away for a few days?”
She shook her head.
Kenric held Carissa in his arms, the brilliant rays of the setting sun painting the sky above an array of different pinks and blues, but all he saw was gray. He’d never felt so helpless and it angered him. He hated not knowing what to do. That he couldn’t stop her tears. He could buy a lot of things, but not what
she wanted. He wanted to protect her, shield her from the callousness of others, but he knew that was impossible. He wanted to take her away, to get her mind off things, but he knew part of his desires were selfish. If she was estranged from her brother that would make things easier for him. He wanted York out of his life—their lives. But Carissa had refused his offer to take her away and he’d run out of ideas.
“She’s right,” Carissa said in a choked voice.
“About what?”
“If anything happens to her or the baby they’ll blame me. I’m just so tired of being used.”
“I’m sure everything will be fine,” he said, hating the sound of his own voice and how pathetic and empty his words were. He didn’t know what the future held and knew he couldn’t make promises.
She sniffed then paused, then sniffed again, leaning closer into his jacket. “What’s that smell?” She sniffed again. “It smells like chocolate.”
“It’s nothing,” he said drawing away.
But she didn’t believe him. She opened his jacket, reached inside his inner pocket and pulled out a designer chocolate bar.
He’d remembered her telling him the story of how during the summer, she’d save most of her babysitting money to contribute to her family’s household expenses, but her one treat she didn’t spare was buying herself a gourmet chocolate bar. It was one of her few luxuries. He’d hoped to treat her with one.
She stared down at the bar, running her fingers over the elaborate logo, then sniffed it. “Is this for me?”
“Yes. I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate becoming an Aunt.”
Carissa wiped her eyes. “It’s just what I need.” She unwrapped the bar then broke a piece off and ate it. She squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh, it’s as good as I remembered.” She opened her eyes then broke off a piece and handed it to him. “Try it.”
Kenric shook his head. “Watching you enjoy it is good enough for me.”
“Fine,” she said popping another piece in her mouth. “I won’t force you,”
The chocolate had been an inspired idea, but he was glad it had stopped her tears, at least for a little while. “Do you want to go inside?”
She shook her head.
“Want to sit in the car?”