Then He Kissed Me

by Maria Geraci

  “Bunco!” Kitty shouted. “This is so my night!” She stood and began doing the same victory dance she’d done earlier. Steve looked on and grinned. Then, she stopped suddenly. Her face went blank and she stared down at the ground between her feet.

  “Um, babe?” she said to her husband. “I think my water just broke.”

  Everyone jumped from the table and converged on Kitty, who at the moment, now looked more embarrassed than anything. “Is the baby coming?” Steve asked, sounding a little panicked. Lauren couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Poor guy. After she’d had Henry, Tom had confessed to her that he’d felt completely useless during her labor.

  Kitty laughed. “Hardly. I’m okay, really. We have plenty of time. Don’t we?” she said to the room in general. The other women began talking at once, all about their own labor stories. The consensus in the room was that, yes, Kitty did indeed have time. “But you still need to get to the hospital,” Mimi said.

  “Are you having contractions?” Lauren asked Kitty.

  “Braxton-Hicks. But I’ve had them all night.”

  “All night?” Steve’s eyes bulged.

  “Just since earlier this evening,” Kitty said, placing a hand on her husband’s arm to reassure him. “Really, it’s no big deal.”

  “Well, no big deal is now a big deal. I say we go to the hospital immediately,” Steve said.

  “I was in labor for over twenty hours with Anthony,” Pilar said. “So if you’re anything like me, you’re looking at a C-section sometime tomorrow afternoon.”

  Shea narrowed her eyes. “Aren’t you just a bundle of optimism? Why do you have to tell her that now when she’s obviously in pain?”

  “Girls, girls, I’m fine,” Kitty said, trying to play peacemaker. “There’s absolutely no reason that I can’t stay and finish playing. Um, once I change, that is.”

  “Finish playing? Are you crazy?” Shea said.

  “But, I’m winning!” Kitty’s gaze searched the group for a friendly face, but no one was buying it.

  “No one’s finishing the night anywhere but at the hospital,” Steve said. This was met by a chorus of agreement by all the men.

  “Oh, all right. But we need to swing by the house first and get my bag. It’s got all my labor equipment in it. You know, my good camera, and my special pillow, and the lollipops and the chap stick—” Kitty stopped and winced.

  “What’s wrong?” Steve asked. Lauren noted that the level of panic in his voice had raised a notch.

  “She’s having a contraction, dummy,” Shea said. “Give her another sixty seconds and she’ll start ordering you around again.”

  “Whew!” Kitty said, “That one was rough.”

  “That one?” Steve said. “I thought you said they were just Braxton-Hicks or whatever.” He shoved a hand through his dark hair.

  “I guess couples Bunco is over for this year,” Shea said cheerfully. “I’m going to get Kitty some towels and I think Steve should drive his car up to the house.”

  “Good idea.” Steve looked relieved to have a plan. “I parked halfway down the street. I’ll be right back.” He took off for his car and Lauren offered to help Kitty in the bathroom.

  Shea found a box of maxi-pads and handed them to her. Kitty cleaned herself up as best she could and when they were done, they walked out to the front of the house to wait for Steve. The rest of the group followed them outside. The mood was still jovial, with the women taking bets on how far along Kitty would be dilated when she got to the hospital, and the men talking about how much the baby would weigh. And everyone, of course, was still on the fence as to whether they thought it was a boy or a girl.

  “I feel like a big mess,” Kitty joked. A few minutes later, she had another contraction. This time she moaned toward the end. The entire group fell silent.

  “That didn’t sound good,” Mimi said.

  Lauren caught Nate’s gaze. He shrugged as if to say everything was normal. And Lauren knew from experience that it probably was. But she also knew everyone would feel better once Kitty was actually on her way to the hospital.

  A white Chevy Tahoe came screeching to a halt in the circular driveway. Steve jumped out and opened the passenger side door. “Let’s go.”

  He tried to help Kitty in the car, but she waved him off. “I’m not an invalid. Oh. Hold on a minute, I think I’m having another contraction.” She bent over, supporting her hands on her knees and began to huff and puff.

  Steve’s frantic gaze searched through the small crowd. “You,” he said, pointing to Nate “You’re coming with us. Just in case.”

  Nate gave Lauren a questioning look. “If it makes Steve feel better, then go ahead,” she said. “I can catch up with you later.”

  “Damn right it’ll make me feel better,” Steve said.

  Kitty straightened and made a face. “Don’t be silly, honey, this is all normal. We have plenty of time to get to the hospital.”

  “Maybe we should all go,” Mimi suggested. “We could caravan.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. It’s not like we’re going to keep playing,” Pilar said. “Not now that Kitty is in labor.” She glanced around the group. “Who’s got the info on the baby pool? Twenty bucks says it’s a boy.”

  The crowd came alive again with chatter as they began dispersing to their individual cars. Some of the couples doubled up according to who had been drinking and who hadn’t, so that at least one designated driver was assigned to each vehicle.

  Nate slipped his arm under Lauren’s elbow. “Why don’t you ride with us in the Tahoe?” he suggested. “You can keep Kitty relaxed and I’ll keep Steve calm.”

  “I think I have the easier job,” Lauren muttered. “But I agree. Good idea.”

  Nate handed his car keys off to Ed, who volunteered to drive Nate’s car to the hospital so that he’d be able to drive back home afterward.

  Lauren lined the back seat of the Tahoe with the towels Shea had given her, then she helped Kitty get comfortable in her seat. Steve drove and Nate sat up front with him. They took off down the road, with the rest of the Bunco Babes and their partners in tow.

  “Looks like a damn circus,” Steve muttered, glancing in his rear view mirror. “But I’m glad they’re there.”

  “How much longer till we get to the hospital?” Kitty asked, gripping the side of the car door.

  “We haven’t even gotten down the street!” Steve said. “Why? Do I need to stop the car? Should I call 911?”

  Nate glanced back at Lauren, who tried to hide her smile. “Why don’t you time her contractions,” he suggested to Lauren. “That way we’ll have some information to provide when we get to the hospital.”

  “Good idea.” Lauren pulled her cell phone from her clutch. “Just breathe,” she urged Kitty. “You’ll be fine. Now, tell me when you get a contraction and then tell me when it ends.”

  Kitty nodded. “Okay, now.”

  “Now?” Steve said, turning his head. “You just had one a minute ago!”

  “Eyes on the road,” Nate said to Steve.

  “Why don’t we put on some music? You have satellite radio, right? How about the spa channel or something soothing?” Lauren said.

  Steve turned on the radio and began flipping through the channels. He found the spa channel, but after a few seconds he turned it off. “That music is making me nervous. Like I’m ready to get a root canal or something.”

  Oh dear. Lauren was glad Nate had suggested she tag along. It was going to take the two of them to keep Steve calm and Kitty breathing.

  “Okay, it’s over,” Kitty said. Lauren glanced at the stop watch on her cell phone. The contraction had lasted almost seventy seconds. Kitty straightened and peered out the window. “We’re going by the house, right?” she said to Steve. “I can’t do this without my labor bag.”

  Steve turned to ask Nate, “Do we have time?”

  “Generally, the average woman dilates a centimeter an hour,” Nate said.

  “Engli
sh, please,” Steve shot back.

  “Do you know if you’re dilated at all?” Nate asked Kitty. “It’s usually standard procedure for your doctor to check your cervix in the last few weeks of pregnancy.”

  “I got checked at my last visit,” Kitty said. “My doctor told me my cervix was only a dimple, but that it was soft and thin. Whatever that means.”

  “When was that?” Nate asked.

  “A week ago.”

  “There’s really no telling—”

  “Now!” Kitty waved to Lauren.

  “Now what?” Steve cried.

  “Another contraction,” Lauren said, trying for a calm voice. She glanced back down at her phone. This contraction was exactly two minutes from the last one. Yikes. It seemed like the contractions were getting closer at a much faster rate than she’d expected.

  “As I was saying,” Nate continued, “there’s really no telling what your cervix might be dilated now, but if you’re planning on an epidural—”

  “Yes! I definitely want one of those,” Kitty said. “Do you think we can call the hospital so they can have one on standby?” She clutched her abdomen and began to rock. “I think more of my water just came out.”

  “But, babe, I thought you had a birth plan,” Steve said. “You told me under pain of death I wasn’t allowed to let you get an epidural.”

  Kitty winced. “I said that? Obviously, I was delusional.”

  “But, you said that—”

  “Screw the birth plan, Steve! I’ve changed my mind!”

  “Sure, okay, yeah, yeah, whatever you want.” He wiped some sweat off his brow. “Do you think we can do that?” he asked Nate. “Call the hospital, I mean, to have the epidural ready for her?”

  Nate cleared his throat. “That’s not usually how it works, but it’s certainly not a bad idea to call her doctor and let him or her know what’s going on.”

  Steve tossed Nate his cell phone. “Can you call for me? The number is under Dr. Joan Becket.”

  Nate dialed and after a few rings someone picked up. “Hello? Yes, this is Dr. Nate Miller, I’m a GP over in Whispering Bay and I’m with your patient, Kitty Pappas.” There was a pause. “Her water broke and she’s having strong contractions. I just wanted to advise you she’s on her way to the hospital now.” There was another pause, then Nate said, “All right. Thank you.” He hung up. “She’s on her way to the hospital so she’ll be there when we arrive.”

  “Okay, yeah, good to know,” Steve said.

  “But we’re still stopping by the house, right?” Kitty said. “I need my labor bag.”

  Steve looked to Nate for guidance. “What do you think? Do we have time to go by the house?”

  Nate turned to talk to Kitty. “I’m sure we have plenty of time to stop by the house and get your things,” he said calmly, “but, just to be on the safe side, why don’t we get to the hospital first and check you in? Lauren and I can get your house keys from Steve and bring you the bag.”

  “Oh, but I need my special pillow. It’s going to help when I have to push the baby out,” Kitty said. “I saw it on the Baby Channel.”

  “Pushing is the last phase of labor. We’ll have plenty of time to get your pillow,” Nate said.

  Steve frowned. “Don’t they have pillows at the hospital?”

  “Not the special ones,” Kitty said. “Not the ones you can wrap around your legs to help open up your pelvis.”

  “Open up your pelvis?” Steve shook his head. “What the hell does that mean? Forget it, babe, Nate’s right. We should get to the hospital and worry about the bag later.” He got in the left lane to pass a car that Lauren could swear was already speeding.

  “All right,” Kitty conceded. “I guess I don’t need my labor bag right now. It’s in the foyer, right by the front door,” she said to Nate. “You can’t miss it.”

  “Don’t worry,” Lauren said, trying to reassure her. “Like Nate said, we’ll just check you in and he and I will go back and get you the bag.”

  She nodded. Then she reached out and grabbed Lauren’s hand. “Now!” she cried again.

  Lauren tried to look down at the cell phone to time the contraction, but Kitty had her hand in a death grip. “Just breathe, that’s it,” she said, trying to keep Kitty calm. Lauren glanced out the window. They were still on highway 98, on a lone stretch of road between Panama City and Whispering Bay, at least thirty more minutes from the hospital. Kitty seemed to be more uncomfortable with each contraction, making Lauren wonder if they were to going to get to the hospital in time for Kitty to get an epidural. Best to keep that thought to herself, though.

  “I think I need to go the bathroom,” Kitty said weakly.

  “Again?” Steve said. “Didn’t you just go before we left Shea’s house?”

  “That was…you know, number one. This is the other.”

  Nate turned in his seat. “Do you feel like you need to push?” he asked her.

  Kitty nodded frantically. “Now!”

  “Now you need to push, or now you’re having a contraction?” Lauren asked, hearing the sudden panic in her own voice. She remembered the sense of urgency that came when Henry was ready to be born. It was overwhelming. Like your body had been taken over by a freight train trying to split you in half.

  “Both!” Kitty panted through the contraction. “Does this mean I’m not getting an epidural? Oh, God, what have I done?” She closed her eyes and moaned. “I should have told you this afternoon that I was having contractions.”

  “This afternoon!” Steve bellowed.

  “Please don’t be mad,” Kitty whimpered. “I just didn’t want to miss couples Bunco.”

  “Babe, I’m not mad, I’m…” Steve shook his head at an obvious loss for words. His hands gripped the steering wheel and he rammed his foot down on the accelerator.

  “Oh, no, here it comes again!” Kitty began to blow through the contraction. “Slow down, Steve! You’re going to get us killed!”

  “What’s coming now? Another contraction? That’s impossible!” Steve looked nearly as frantic as Kitty .

  Nate turned and motioned to Lauren. She leaned forward in her seat so they could whisper. “I think we need to take over here.”

  “Good idea,” Lauren said.

  “Steve, why don’t you let me drive?” Nate said. “That way you can get in the back seat with your wife.”

  Steve nodded furiously. “Yeah. I don’t think I can drive anymore.” He braked too fast causing the SUV to jostle and jump its way to the side of the road. The car stopped on an isolated strip of grass next to a clump of trees. Steve got out of the driver’s seat and opened the back door to slide in next to Kitty,

  Five other cars, crammed with the rest of the Bunco group, slowly came to a stop as well, parking their cars haphazardly behind the Tahoe.

  Pilar jumped out of her car. “What’s going on? Why did we stop?”

  “Nate’s going to take over the wheel,” Lauren explained.

  In a move that seemed to surprise them all, Kitty braced her feet up against the driver’s side back seat. “I need to push!” she screamed.

  “Oh God.” In the dim moonlight, Steve’s face looked incredibly pale.

  Nate pulled out his cell phone and made a fast call. “I just called 911 to get an ambulance here,” he told the group. “Do you have a first aid kit in the car?” he asked Steve.

  “Glove compartment,” Steve said in a daze. “911? What—”

  His words were drowned out by the sound of Kitty’s sing song holler. “Something’s happening!” she cried. She clutched Steve’s hand while still keeping a death grip on Lauren.

  Somehow, Nate managed to wedge himself into the back seat. Lauren noticed that he’d put on a pair of gloves. “Kitty, listen to me. You shouldn’t push if your cervix isn’t fully dilated. If you’d like, I can examine you. You can lie down on the back seat. I called an ambulance and they should be here any minute. Everything is going to be fine. Understand?”

  She no
dded wildly. “Okay, yes, yes! Please examine me.”

  Lauren gently pulled her hand from Kitty’s grip and helped her to discreetly take off her underwear, then Lauren climbed out of the car and out of the way while Nate went into action. He instructed Steve to help Kitty lie down on the seat with her knees bent. Nate positioned himself outside the car, facing Kitty’s legs. “This will be just a second,” he told her. He examined her, then turned to Lauren, who had been standing nearby in case she was needed. “The baby’s head is right there,” he quietly told her. “See if you can find a flashlight.”

  Lauren nodded, stunned. Kitty was going to have her baby on the side of the road! She informed the rest of the group what was happening. Moose Masterson pulled a large industrial flashlight from the trunk of his car and handed it to her. She ran back to the Tahoe, to find Nate instructing Kitty on how to push.

  “Aim the flashlight right there,” Nate said, pointing between Kitty’s legs. Lauren did as he instructed. “Now, Kitty, when you get a contraction, go ahead and push,” Nate said.

  “Okay,” Kitty said, panting. “Now!”

  Nate instructed her to pull her knees back while Steve helped support her shoulders from behind. Lauren watched in fascination. She’d had her own baby, but she’d never seen a baby born. Not from this angle. Not even on T.V.

  After pushing through a few contractions, Lauren could see the top of the baby’s head.

  Kitty began to panic. “I can’t do this! I need some drugs!”

  “You’re doing fine,” Nate said soothingly. He caught Steve’s gaze and nodded to him.

  “Yeah, you’re doing great, babe,” Steve said, picking up on Nate’s unspoken cue to reassure Kitty.

  A contraction started again. Kitty pulled her legs back. She took a big breath of air and held it like Nate instructed and bore down. This time, Lauren could see the entire top of the baby’s head crown.

  “You’re almost there,” Nate said. “Just a couple more pushes and the baby will be born.” He shrugged out of his navy blazer and instructed Lauren to place it over Kitty’s swollen abdomen, then he gently placed a gloved hand on the area beneath her vagina. “I’m going to support your perineum so that you don’t tear, all right?”