Lila

Lila was surrounded by babies. Drowning in them.

And now she was going to have to watch her best friend give birth. Possibly even help with it.

Luckily, the midwife, Nora, was there to help. They’d already vetoed going to the hospital, since the wind was getting crazy and there were all kinds of alerts sounding on their phones.

As far as she was concerned, if it had been up to her, they would’ve gone to the hospital anyway. But Margo still seemed to think she wasn’t in labor. And she wasn’t going anywhere without Simon.

As if he could help. Margo would probably end up strangling him before the actual birth.

Lila sighed and refolded the cotton towels Nora had asked her to gather. If she’d been smart, she would’ve stayed home with their twins, rather than coming on this vacation. Her hope had been that the lack of stress would lead to something positive on the baby front. Maybe. They really weren’t in any hurry, but when close friends and family knew that having a child was on the agenda, they tended to ask often how things were going. And look at you a lot when certain announcements were made.

Such as Zoe’s pregnancy. That one she hadn’t expected.

No matter how often she said they were okay with waiting to see what happened, the questions kept coming along with the speculative glances. Add in the endless baby reminders literally every place she went and she was ready to get pregnant one more time just so they could all move on. No one would stop asking otherwise.

Besides, she couldn’t help being a planner. She’d finally decided she really wanted one more child and now it was supposed to happen in the allotted time. And it just was not.

Yet.

Then again, Margo’s imminent birthing experience might just remind her of what exactly she was signing up for. Her daughters were moving out of the toddler stage. Did she really want to go back there again?

She glanced at Margo, who was still so beautiful with her flushed cheeks, big belly, and slightly frantic eyes.

Yes, she did. Without a doubt. The soft, sweet little baby waiting on the other side was worth all the discomfort.

Lila smiled. Her best friend would get to experience the wonder and fright and joy of that soon enough.

“She’s not kicking. Shouldn’t she be kicking?”

“If you don’t get stressed out, she won’t get stressed out,” Nora said soothingly from where she sat beside Margo. “Keep focusing on your breathing. And we’ll wait for the next contraction.”

“Li? Did yours kick before you gave birth?”

“Yes, but intermittently. There’s a lot going on inside you right now.” Lila moved closer to Margo and wiped a wet washcloth over her friend’s forehead. “Are you sure about not going to the hospital to be checked out? It could just be Braxton-Hicks.” She glanced at Nora. “Not that you aren’t in very capable hands.”

“It doesn’t feel like Braxton-Hicks. It feels weird.” Margo rubbed her belly. “I wish she’d just move. She’s freaking me out.”

“She was moving earlier, wasn’t she?” Nora’s calming voice helped to ease the crackle of nerves buzzing between Lila’s shoulder blades as well.

It was one thing having a C-section with a team of medical professionals. As skilled as Nora was, Lila wished they were in a hospital. She never would’ve guessed Margo would prefer to stay home, even with the ominous weather.

“Yes, she’s been kicking my bladder and using me for a punching bag. That’s why I don’t understand why she’s so quiet now.” Margo cupped her belly and took a shallow breath. “Oh, God, here comes another one. And wait—wait.” She hesitated and then broke into a weak grin. “She’s hitting me again. Oh. This is a strong one.”

“Grip the tiger and focus on your breathing, just as we practiced. In and out. There we go.” Nora touched Margo’s rippling belly. “You’re doing just fine.”

A few minutes later, Margo exhaled. “I think I’m regretting skipping drugs now.”

“We can still go to the hospital—”

“No, the idea of all that chaos and being under all those harsh lights, when our birthing center is so calm and peaceful… I just don’t want to do it. Not when the storm is coming in. If there was an accident—” She bit her lip and broke off. “Plenty of women have babies at home without drugs. It’s natural. I am warrior. Hear me roar. Where the hell is Simon?”

Lila had to laugh as she took Margo’s hand. “They’re coming. I’m sure they had to pull over and do deep breathing exercises to get up the nerve to walk in here.”

“But it’s getting bad out. The rain’s starting now.” Margo closed her eyes. “Simon is a jackass. We should’ve stayed home.”

“While I can’t argue with either of those assessments, you were right about the rest too.” Lila squeezed Margo’s fingers. “You’re a warrior and you so can do this.”

“Thank you for being here with me. I know it’s kind of icky. No one really wants to see their bestie’s lady bits.”

“All our lady bits look the same pretty much. I’ll probably live. Did you know my mother helped two babies come into this world?”

“Really?” Margo opened her eyes and focused intently on Lila’s face, proof that her best friend was in pain. “Who?”

“The first was a woman whose car broke down outside Happy Acres. Snowstorm of course. Because what else?”

“Oh, God, she had the baby in a car on the side of the road? That’s far worse than here.”

Lila smiled. “Undoubtedly, since this really isn’t bad at all.”

Christmas music was playing softly and the small tree in the corner of the bedroom offered a twinkling glow. And if she cocked her head just so, she could see the “penis” palm tree outside, bending in the gusts from the storm and still shimmering with lights all the while. The howling wind and the stampeding rain in the background weren’t as nice, but she had to believe the weathermen who’d said the storm was shifting away from here.

They’d all had enough to deal with in the past year. It was time for them to get their happy endings.

She shifted back toward Margo. Especially her best friend and Simon and baby Raine.

“She’s going to be here soon,” she murmured softly, smiling as Margo swallowed a sob. “It’s going to happen so much faster than you think.”

“Yes, it is, because I think my water just broke.” Margo blew out a breath. “So much for Braxton-Hicks.”

Lila and Nora exchanged glances. Yes, not so much.

After they changed the sheets—much to Margo’s consternation and embarrassment, no matter how much they told her not to worry—and put down lots of towels, Margo got back in bed. Almost immediately, she had another longer, harder contraction.

Lila looked at her watch and knew Nora was doing the same. They were coming faster now. It definitely wouldn’t be all that long.

“You didn’t tell me about the other baby your mom delivered.” Margo brushed a hand over her already sweaty hair. “C’mon, keep talking to me. Keep my mind occupied.”

“The other baby my mom delivered was my cousin Beck.”

As if she’d been summoned, Zoe stepped into the room, bearing a cup of ice. “I thought you might want this.”

Margo made grabby hands. “Bless you. I’m dying of thirst.”

Zoe hurried over to hand the cup carefully to Margo. “You’re so brave. When it’s my turn, I’m going to take every drug they offer me.”

“Brave or stupid.” Margo sucked on a piece of ice. “God, so good.”

“No, I think it’s brave. I considered natural childbirth for like five seconds.” Zoe shivered. “I know my limitations.”

“Try being on months and months of bed rest with twins and then we’ll talk.” Lila glanced at Zoe. “Not twins?”

Zoe’s eyes widened. “No. Definitely not. Just one.”

“Are you sure? It’s early yet.”

Zoe grabbed her nonexistent belly and eased into the empty chair beside Nora’s that Lila had not yet been able to relax enough to sit in. “Tell the story about my brother’s birth again and stop with this horror story.”

Everyone laughed, even Margo.

Lila recounted the story of how her aunt Sarah had wanted to do natural childbirth at home and through a series of misadventures, Lila’s mother, Laverne, had helped her nephew to be born. Which kept Margo laughing until the next contraction left her breathless and teary.

“Why isn’t Simon here? And oh God, she’s coming so early. I keep trying to tell myself she’s in the okay range, but the doctor felt everything looked good for full term or we wouldn’t have come.”

“You’re perfectly fine range-wise,” Nora said gently. “Raine’s on the early side, but she’s just in a hurry to get things started, that’s all. Everything is going just as it should.”

“You know her father. Can’t stay still for a second. Of course, she’s going to be the same way.” Lila nodded to Zoe as well. “Take notes. Bet you’ll have an early Kagan too.”

Zoe pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “I’m going to bask in being able to sit like a pretzel right now, thanks.”

“Enjoy it while it lasts.”

“I will.” Zoe pressed her cheek to her knee. “You really didn’t want any children?” Then she winced. “Oh, man, let me blame hormones for my rudeness. I’m sorry.”

Margo waved it away. “Not rude at all. It wasn’t that we didn’t want one so much as we never considered it. We loved our life as it was. Children change everything. I guess I used to think about the negatives, not the positives.” She patted her belly. “I can’t wait to meet her. To hold her and sing lullabies and put her into cute little bath towel footie-pajama thingies. But we’re still just having the one.” She smiled. “One is everything.”

“You’re right.” Lila smiled. She would forever be so grateful for her daughters.

“Just don’t visit that town near Happy Acres. The one with all the single dads and the babies popping out all over.”

Lila frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Crescent Cove.” Zoe snapped her fingers. “That’s the name. There was a human interest story on the news about how all these women are flocking there to get knocked up or to land a DILF. Dad I’d like to…fornicate with,” she added for Nora’s sake.

“Seriously?” Margo gasped. “Here we go again.”

Lila gripped Margo’s hand through the next contraction. Crescent Cove, huh? Had to be just some sensationalized news story. Probably. But she’d look into it, just in case.

A commotion sounded downstairs. All four women glanced toward the doorway at the thundering footsteps on the stairs. “Margo,” Simon bellowed. “Where are you? I’m sorry it took forever to get back here, but we were at the jewelry store and British forgot to grab his—”

Zoe sat up straighter. “Why were you at the jewelry store?”

Margo did too, then grimaced and gripped her lower back. “Push present?”

Nicholas laughed. “Oh, boy, you forgot the push present? Damn, son, you better hope she stays in that bed for a week.”

Lila moved to the doorway and blocked it bodily. “Slow your roll there, Kagan, and both of you as well. This is a quiet room. Everyone needs to be calm and relaxed as we usher this baby into the world.”

Simon’s eyes grew huge. “Quiet—as we—into the world?”

Behind him, Nick and Ian exchanged glances. And barely moved fast enough when Simon pinwheeled backward.

Lila cupped both hands over her mouth as she stared down at Simon lying on the floor, half braced in his brother’s lap. Ian looked as if he didn’t know if he should laugh or cry—or possibly do both at the same time.

“Simon,” Margo called, already half out of bed. “What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you what’s going on.” Nick shook his head and stepped over Simon as if he was dead. “Your husband fucking fainted.”