Chapter Fifteen

AJ

“I swear to God, if I didn’t love that man so much I would kill him. He’s driving me to drink,” Lexi says, her belly protruding from her midsection so big, that it almost makes me uncomfortable for her.

“But you can’t drink,” I prompt.

“Thanks for the reminder,” Lexi chastises sarcastically.

“It can’t be that bad,” Meghan says softly, always the peacemaker.

“Oh, it is! He thinks I’m helpless. It’s always No, Lexi, don’t move. Should you be up? Why are you walking? No, Firecracker, we can’t have sex. The babies, the babies, the babies!” Her voice escalates dramatically with each word, not to mention the fact that everyone else in the room turned and started listening when she said sex.

“You’re not having the sex?” Jaime gasps. “I thought you said pregnancy makes you…horny,” she whispers so only us sisters can hear.

“It does! And he knows it!” Lexi hollers, adding the oil to the mixture in her bowl and stirring the ever-loving shit out of it. “But why would he want sex with me, anyway,” she adds, her voice sounding completely dejected. “Look at me.” Lexi drops her hand to her huge abdomen and gently rubs.

“Why wouldn’t he want to have sex with you?” Payton asks, dumbfounded. “You’re gorgeous. You’re glowing and light up a room.”

“That’s sweat, Payters. I’m a sweaty pig,” she says, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

“You’re amazing,” I add. “Look at you. You’re growing that man’s babies in your body.”

“And we’ve all seen the way he looks at you, Lexi. That man can’t keep his eyes or his hands off you.” This from Abby. We all nod our heads in agreement.

“I know,” she whispers. “He’s the one who’s amazing. He dotes on me, anticipates my next move before I do, and treats me better than anyone ever has. And don’t get me started on when he sings to the babies at bedtime,” she says with a teary smile on her face.

“Aww,” we all coo together.

“He sings?”

“It’s the only thing that calms them down. I’m pretty sure we’re having boys because they already fight like cats and dogs, and let me tell you, there is absolutely no more room for horseplay in this womb.”

“He loves you so much,” Meghan says, her own eyes glistening with tears.

“He does,” Lexi confirms. “Even when I’m a hormonal psychopath who screams at him for not letting me go to the bathroom alone.” She sniffles, completely forgoing her bath bomb mixture in front of her. Hell, we’ve all pretty much disregarded our bowls. “And I love him too.”

“He knows that,” I remind her, reaching across the table and patting her hand. “That’s why he puts up with your hormonal psychopath side,” I add lightheartedly.

She laughs and wipes her tears. “We better get these finished. He’s probably chomping at the bit to come over and drag me back to the house.”

“How did you convince him to let you out?” Abby asks. It’s no secret Linkin has gone to the extreme to make sure our sister is taking it easy.

“Road-head,” she says loudly, drawing the attention of the ladies around us once more.

“You’re giving him road-head? Atta girl!” Jaime boasts, a proud little gleam in her eye.

“Are you kidding me? I can’t give road-head like this! I can’t see my feet, Jaime! God, I miss my feet. I haven’t seen them in months,” she mumbles, grimacing a little as if in pain.

“What was that?” Meghan asks as all of us watch our baby sister adjust her position in her chair.

“Nothing,” she waves off. “Just those Braxton Hicks things. I’ve been having them all day. Totally fine. Why are we not talking about AJ and the fact that she’s having sex with a major leaguer?”

“Former major leaguer,” I correct.

“But you are having the sex with him, right?”

I glance around and notice a couple of young ladies at the table next to us are very quiet and they appear to be leaning in our direction. I know I won’t be giving them any of the gory details like they’re hoping, especially not in a public place with very open ears eager to hear all of the personal details. There’s something about hearing about the paparazzi that followed and hounded Sawyer that has me biting my tongue right now.

“Why don’t I come over tomorrow and paint your toes,” I offer Lexi, changing the subject. I mean I know I’m staying with Sawyer again tonight, but I should be back at my place mid-morning, right? Early afternoon at the latest, I’m sure.

Maybe?

“Thanks, AJ, but Linkin already did it last night when we watched Sixteen Candles,” she says, making us all abandon our bomb-making and look at her. “What? It was my night to pick.”

For the next five minutes, we mix in the rest of our ingredients and start to press out bath bombs. I opt for plain Jane circles, especially since I’m going to leave a few of them at Sawyer’s house. I’m not sure if he’ll use them or not, or maybe it’s just an excuse for me to go over and use his big bathtub. We’re just setting them down on the tray to dry, the air a mixture of soothing lavender and tantalizing strawberry, when the door flies open.

“That didn’t take long,” Jaime mumbles under her breath as Linkin leads the charge into the room, followed by Ryan, Levi, and Sawyer.

“What are you doing here? It’s been like thirty-eight minutes,” Lexi demands, trying to get up, but failing. Linkin is right there, placing his hand under her arm to help. “I got it!” she chastises, but fails again. “Fine. You can help,” she mumbles dejectedly.

“Do you have to use the bathroom?” he asks sweetly as he helps her stand.

“No, I don’t have to use the bathroom,” she grumbles as she stands. “Crap, now I have to use the bathroom.”

We all watch as she waddles toward the restrooms, Linkin hot on her heels, trying to be supportive, but getting his ass chewed the entire way. The best part is when she has her back turned, we can see the small grin on his face. I think he’s doing it on purpose, but I’m not about to jump in the middle of their power struggles by asking.

“How’s it going?” Sawyer asks, his warm breath tickling my ear.

“Excellent. Lexi was just telling us how much she loves and hates Linkin. It’s quite entertaining,” I tell him.

“What is this mess?” he asks, turning his attention to the colorful sand-like material scattered all over the table.

“Bath bombs. I may or may not have made a sandalwood one for you,” I reply with a wink.

“Is that a manly scent? I only want manly scented bath bombs for my nightly soak, AJ.”

“Definitely manly,” I confirm as I turn and press my chest into his. “But maybe it would help if you had a bath partner. Then, it wouldn’t matter what the scent was,” I suggest.

“A bath partner, you say?” He pretends to really think about that idea. “That could work, as long as I can turn on the jets.”

“Oh, the jets are mandatory. Who would use a tub like that without the jets?” I ask, feigning disbelief.

“That is true,” he says, wrapping his hand around my waist. “So, do you get to take the bombs home with you tonight? I think we should test this sandalwood.”

“They’re supposed to dry for twenty-four hours,” I tell him.

“Let me get this straight. You make them with wet material, have to let them dry, just so you can throw them in the bathtub?” he asks.

I stare at him for several heartbeats, but realize I don’t have a logical explanation. “You just singlehandedly wrecked the entire bath bomb industry.” That earns me a little chuckle that’s deep and sultry. My lady parts stand up and beg.

“Okay, so I’ve noticed Lexi grimace at least twice since we’ve been here,” Abby says, concern etched on her face.

“She said it was those Braxton thingies.”

“Is it?” Lexi’s twin asks.

“How would I know? I’ve never had a baby,” I argue.

“No one here has,” she reminds me. “Where’s Dean?”

Payton overhears the question and walks our way. “He’s home with Bri. She wasn’t feeling well, so he decided to stay home instead of taking her to spend the night with Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa. Why?”

“He’s the only one here who’s had a baby. I was wondering about those Braxton thingies.”

“They’re like practice contractions,” Payton says.

“I know, but I could tell by the look on her face that she was really in pain. Plus, she’s really uncomfortable. She wouldn’t say, but I know. I feel it,” Abby whispers, really worried about her sister.

“I’m sure everything’s fine, Abs,” Payton replies.

Just then, we watch Lexi walk out of the bathroom. Linkin is behind her, trying to help guide her back into the room, when she stops and makes a face. It’s one of complete discomfort and maybe a little worry. Linkin doesn’t see it, but we all do.

“Everything okay, Lexi?” Jaime asks cautiously as she comes over and joins us.

“Fine. Everything’s fine,” she confirms.

“You sure?” I ask slowly.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that? It’s just a little Braxton Hicks contractions,” she assures.

“Braxton Hicks? You’re having contractions?” Linkin asks, his eyes wide with panic.

“Braxton. Hicks,” she bites out, taking a large pause between the two words for emphasis.

“But when my mom was pregnant with twins, she–”

“Stop right there, Stone. I’ve heard every detail of your mom’s pregnancy with the hellions. I know what I’m talking about here,” she insists.

“But she thought–”

“Enough, Linkin! I know what contractions are and these aren’t them!” she hollers, but then bends down and grabs her stomach, moaning a little. “Holy shit, that hurts,” she pants.

“We’re going to the hospital,” Linkin demands.

“I’m fine,” she whispers, trying to catch her breath. “It’s not time yet for the babies.”

Linkin seems to transform right before our eyes. He bends down until he’s face-to-face with Lexi. “I know you’re fine, Firecracker, but humor me, okay? Let’s go to the hospital so that they can tell us they’re Braxton Hicks and send us home. Then you can tell me I told you so for the rest of the night while I massage your feet,” he says softly as he brushes the hair off her forehead. He’s so gentle and supportive of her that it brings tears to my own eyes, not to mention the tears that well up in Lexi’s eyes.

“Okay, babe. Let’s go,” she concedes gently, allowing him to lead her toward the door.

“Is she okay?” Sawyer asks as I start to gather up our things.

“He thinks she’s in labor. I could tell by the way he completely changed his demeanor. He’s not giving her a hard time anymore.”

“Is she in labor?” Jaime asks.

“It’s not time yet,” Payton says, her voice laced with worry.

“Let’s go to the hospital just to make sure,” Meghan suggests.

Together, we all rush from the building. I jump into the passenger seat of Sawyer’s car and we immediately fall in line with the rest of my family, making our way to the hospital. It’s the first time this evening I’m glad we weren’t drinking.

I know what you’re gonna say–a Summer sisters’ night without booze? It happens. Well, it happened tonight. No one wanted to drink in front of Lexi, especially since she’s so irritable and emotional lately. She’s been talking a lot about having a drink when the babies are born, so we didn’t want to rub her nose in the fact that we could all drink and she couldn’t.

We’re both quiet as we race to the hospital. Sawyer reaches over and links his fingers with mine, quietly offering me support. My uneasiness is a palpable creature, living and breathing in the car with me. My foot bounces against the floorboard and sounds like a snare drum during a pep rally.

“I’m sure she’s fine. They’ll probably send her home, like Linkin said,” Sawyer assures me.

“You’re probably right. But it still concerns me a little. She’s not scheduled to have them for a couple more weeks.”

“Let’s just get to the hospital and see what’s going on, okay?”

“Yeah.” It’s hard to swallow over the huge lump in my throat.

Sawyer parks in the lot next to Ryan’s truck. We make sure everyone is accounted for and then all head into the hospital together. Our group bypasses the front counter and heads to Labor and Delivery.

“Should we call Dad?” Abby asks.

“Let’s wait until we know something. We don’t want to worry him and have him get here to find out they’re sending her home,” Payton reasons.

“True,” Abby mumbles.

When we reach the Labor and Delivery hall, Payton gives Lexi’s name to the little box on the wall that connects the outside hallway to the L&D unit on the opposite side. We’re buzzed in and pointed to a small waiting area. The place is deserted, even though it’s only a little after eight.

After ten minutes or so, a young woman comes to greet us. “You must be Alexis Summer’s family. They’re hooking her up to the fetal monitor now. Her doctor wants to monitor those contractions for a bit and see what’s going on. Once we know more, someone will come back out,” she says politely, not giving us any information at all.

“So we wait,” Jaime says, sitting down in one of the chairs, her husband joining her.

“I’m going to slip out and call Dean, let him know what’s going on,” Payton states, cell phone in her hand.

We make small talk as we wait for any word on Lexi, but even then, no one appears very chatty. It’s about an hour, and one cup of horrible waiting room coffee later, that Linkin enters the room.

“She’s in labor,” he confirms. “At first they were thinking Braxton Hicks, but then the contractions started to register. They’ve been getting closer together over the last hour. The babies’ heart rates look good on the monitor and they even did an ultrasound to make sure they’re both in the right position. They’re gonna let her go naturally.” He seems to take a big breath. “We’re gonna have babies tonight.”

I move first, throwing my arms around his big body. There’s a slight tremble in his arms as he wraps them around my back. More arms encompass us as my sisters all join in and turn it into a group hug.

“She’s gonna be fine,” Payton whispers to him, offering him an encouraging smile.

“She is,” he agrees, nodding his head. “She’s the strongest woman I know.”

“And they don’t think it’s too early for the babies? I mean, she wasn’t scheduled to be induced for another week or two,” Abby asks, clearly still worried about her twin sister and our nieces or nephews.

“Yeah, the doc says it should be okay. They gave her steroids to help make sure the babies’ lungs are developed, which they say is just a precaution. They also have some antibiotics in her IV as a preventative measure.”

“You’re about to be a dad,” I state, a wide smile spreading across my face.

Linkin seems to take in my heavy words for a few moments before his own grin spreads across his face. “We’re gonna be a family,” he whispers, and if I’m not mistaken, blinks away wetness in his eyes. “I better get back in there,” he adds, nodding toward the hallway.

“Go! Keep us posted,” Jaime says happily.

“I gotta call my mom first,” Linkin says, pulling out his cell phone. “Wait, your dad.” He looks up at Meghan.

“I got it,” she says, pulling her cell phone from her purse and following him into the hallway.

“I can’t believe we’re about to be aunts tonight,” Jaime says, an excited grin on her face.

“Me either. It seems like she just told us she was pregnant,” I say, walking over and sitting beside Sawyer. He’s deep in conversation with Ryan and Levi about baseball.

“Everything okay?” he asks, when I slide into the chair beside him.

“Fine, I guess. They’re not stopping her labor. They feel she’s far enough along and the babies are strong enough to be born now.”

“That’s good,” he says, pulling me into his chest and kissing my forehead.

“You could probably head home, if you want. You don’t need to stay here and wait with me.”

“Are you kidding? I’m not going anywhere,” he says with conviction.

“It could be a long night,” I add, giving him another out. It’s not that I want him to go or anything, but I don’t want him to feel like he needs to stay.

“I don’t mind,” he says into my hair. “Unless you want me to go. I would understand if you wanted this to be just your family.”

I’m shaking my head before he’s even finished saying the words. The truth is I want him here. The comfort and support he has offered tonight has been a welcome reprieve, something I’ve never had before. It’s nice to have a friend to lean on, and know has my back, if something should happen. “No, I kinda want you to stay.”

“Then I stay,” he says, placing another kiss on the top of my head.

Abby and Levi are cuddled up next to us, sharing a chair, and the guys continue to talk baseball. It amazes me the stats and general knowledge Sawyer has for the game, and not just his team, but all of the others too. You can hear the love for the sport in his voice as he talks about his career and even a little about the injury. I’ve read many articles that focused on the play, the surgery, the recoup time, and the decision that his shoulder would never be the same, resulting in the termination of his contract. Even now, as he talks to Levi and Ryan, he sounds almost clinical. He states the facts easily, but I can sense the pain. I can hear the sadness buried deep in his words. I can feel his hurt.

Soon, a commotion draws our attention to the doorway. Grandma and Grandpa are there, with Dad hot on their heels. “Where’s my granddaughter. I need to see her,” Grandma says to the nurse at the counter.

“I can check with the patient to see if she’s up for visitors,” the kind nurse says, making Grandma scoff.

“I’m Grandma, dear,” she says slowly, as if her title alone is equivalent to the Queen of England and earns her a free pass to do or say whatever she wants.

“I’ll be right back, ma’am.” The nurse hurries down the hallway to a room at the end.

“Good evening, family,” she announces happily when she enters the waiting room.

“Hi, Grandma,” Abby says, hopping off Levi’s lap and giving her a hug.

“Oh, you don’t have to stand, Abs. You have one of the best seats in the house. You know, hospital storage rooms are usually locked nowadays, but the bathrooms are fair game. At least you know they’re super clean; nothing like bar bathrooms,” she says to our sister, who blushes a thousand shades of red.

“This hardly seems like the appropriate time or place,” Abby babbles, stumbling over her words.

“It’s always the right time for the sex, dear. In fact, your father had to interrupt our playtime in the playroom this evening,” she says softly, as if she were referring to something as simple as the weather.

“I’m traumatized for life,” Dad mumbles, looking at the floor.

“Oh, hush,” Grandma says just as the nurse returns to the waiting room.

“Lexi has agreed to a few visitors. Two at a time and for only a few minutes,” she says as Grandma barrels to the front of the room, grabbing Abby on her way by, leaving the rest of us to sit.

And wait.

Something none of us does well.