Chapter 11

Cassie

Fifteen days later, the babies were finally coming home. Lauren and Lance Jr. had been going back and forth each day. Lucy and Lance were taking care of the kids and going to the hospital as much as they could. The rest of us were helping every chance we got as well. We would cook, clean, or watch the kids, but we stayed away from the hospital. Between the four of them, we figured the nurses were ready to send our family packing, and we didn't want to give them any more stress than they were already getting from Lance.

Since the babies were coming home, we all headed to Lance Jr. and Lauren's house for dinner. He'd secretly called each of us to tell us his parents needed to go back home. While he'd appreciated every single thing they'd done for him, Lauren, and the kids, he couldn't do it for one more day. He wanted to walk through the house in his boxers or fall asleep on the couch watching a movie, but he couldn't do that, not while they were there. Part of him also wanted his family to himself for just a little while, and we were all supposed to somehow make that happen.

I was busy cooking with grandma, my mom, and Sammie when I let out a laugh.

“What's so funny?” my mom asked.

“I only have three weeks left,” I said. “Parker was here when Lauren had the girls, and I was damn glad he was. I don't know how I would have taken care of so many kids without him. The poor guy had probably never been so happy for an away game as he was then.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off.

“I'm just hoping he's there for our baby,” I said.

“He will be,” she said.

“Don't tell her that,” grandma said, as she walked over, wrapped her arms around me, and laughed. “I can't even get my arms all the way around you anymore. If he's not here, you'll have all of us.”

“I want him with me,” I said.

“You should have thought of that before you slept with a ballplayer,” she said.

“I know,” I replied, as I leaned in close enough to her so I could whisper in her ear. “I want to go watch him play today, but he doesn't want me to come. How about you sneak out and go with me.”

“No way,” she said, as she took a step back from me. “He warned me already.”

“Warned you?” I asked.

“Sure did,” she answered. “He said you were going to try that crap. He also said he'd kick my butt if I let you do it. I never thought I'd see the day I'd actually have to keep you away from a ballgame, but that day has come. He worries about you, Cassie. That's a good thing.”

“He's being a pain in the ass,” I said. “I can go if I want.”

“I disagree,” she said. “You can try, but you know the men in this family, they won't let it happen.”

I heard the front door open, and a smile covered my face.

“I've got some babies to see,” I said, as I turned around and linked my arm with my grandma's. “Come on.”

When I held one of the twins in my arms, I couldn't help the excited feeling that went through me. Fifteen days, I thought. Only fifteen more days and I'd be holding my own precious bundle of joy. The baby's room was ready and so were we, all of us. The twins were more excited than the rest. They didn't have a younger brother or sister, and they couldn't wait. Jenny and Jeff were excited too, but it wasn't the same. Jake couldn't be bothered by the idea. He was way too busy playing to think about a baby.

We all sat down to dinner and were busy stuffing our faces when Sammie spoke.

“I was thinking you and mom should probably go home so Lance and Lauren can get used to taking care of their own zoo.”

“Are you suggesting my grandchildren are animals?” Lance asked, in a harsh tone.

“Not at all,” Sammie answered. “They are all super adorable kids, but they need their parents to step up and take care of them. You and mom can't live here forever.”

I looked over at Lance Jr. to see him giving his sister a dirty look.

“What?” she asked, in an innocent tone. “I'm just trying to help you out here.”

“Help him out with what?” Lance asked.

“Hurry this up,” grandma said. “I'm about to go watch my boy play, so get a move on.”

“Help with what?” Lance asked again, much rougher than he'd asked the first time.

Then he turned his cold stare from Sammie to Lance Jr.

“What is she trying to say?” he asked him.

“Come on, Lance,” grandma snapped out. “You've been living here for how long? Once you found out Lauren had to stay in bed, your ass moved in, and it hasn't left. It's time to go home, Son. Now get your ass moving. Pack it up. Give them the room back. Shit! I was thinking about coming to stay for a few days, and I can't do it as long as you're living here.”

Lucy let out a laugh as grandma and Lance had a stare down.

“She has a point, hotshot,” Lucy said. “Have you seen our room. We've taken over.”

“They'll still need help,” Lance said, as he took his eyes away from grandma's and looked at his wife.

“We can still help them,” she said. “That doesn't mean we have to live here. Don't you miss our home? Don't you miss being able to walk around naked and have sex wherever we want?”

“Mom,” Sammie yelled out, as her hands moved to cover her ears.

“You started it,” Lucy said.

“Lancie did,” Sammie said. “You owe me, Brother.”

“Do not,” Lance Jr. said. “You did a bad job of starting the conversation.”

“I'm turning on the game,” grandma said, as she got up and walked toward the other room. “Take your ass home, Lance, and please quit talking about where you do it.”

Grandma turned on the television, and I stood up to follow her. Just as I took one step forward, I felt the strangest feeling, and I looked down.

“Shit!” I yelped out.

“What?” my mom asked.

Then she looked down too.

“Scott,” she called out to my dad. “We need to go.”

“Why?” he asked, as he walked around the table. “I thought we were watching the game here. You can't take her. Parker will be pissed. We had one job, Woman. Keep her here.”

“Scott,” she said, as she pointed to the drip coming out of the bottom of my jean pant leg.

“Shit!” he let out.

Grandma came back into the room and looked down.

“Really?” she asked. “I was just about to watch the game. Come on.”

“Guess we get to leave all the kids here,” Sammie said.

“What?” Lance Jr. barked out.

“Oh, come on,” she replied. “You already have five. What's a few more?”

“A few,” he said, as his eyes widened.

“Let's go,” Sammie said, as she took my arm and pulled me toward the front door.

Then I heard his voice come from the television in the other room, and I froze.

“Parker,” I said. “He's not going to be there. He's in town, and he's going to miss his baby's birth. We have to wait. I can't do this.”

That was the second the first pain hit, and I freaked.

“Move it,” Sammie snapped out at me. “Do not pull this shit now. We don't have time for it. He'll be there.”

“You don't know that, Sammie,” I snapped back. “Quit being so mean. Don't you have any sympathy for a woman in labor?”

She tugged on my arm again to get me moving.

“Not at all,” she answered. “If I did that in this family, that's all I'd be doing. I'll call one of the wives so they can get him a message. Just hold your legs together and hope your man finishes the damn game in nine innings.”

By the time we got to the hospital, Sammie had already gotten a hold of one of the wives. She said she'd find a way to tell him, and I hoped she was right.

Since my water had already broken and I was having pains, they put me in a room and began preparing me. Once I was settled, everyone else came in, and we turned the television on. I watched, as Parker played. If he already knew, it sure didn't look like it. Then I saw him look up toward the family area. He was scrunching up his eyes, and I let out a laugh. Whatever he was looking at, he couldn't figure out. I could tell. The second the inning was over, he walked toward another player, and as they walked back toward the dugout, they both looked up. That was when he got it. She'd stood by her word and let my man know. His eyes widened, and then worry filled them.

“You see that shit?” Lance asked, as he laughed. “I guess they told him.”

“Stop,” I said. “Don't be laughing. Look at the look on his face.”

“I told you he worries about you,” grandma said.

His hand went up and threw his hair, and I knew he was going to be in a hurry to get out of there.

Each time an inning was over, my pain got stronger. It was really bad, and I knew I was very close.

“Get a nurse,” I said, as I looked over at Sammie and whispered.

“Shit!” she yelled out. “Get a nurse, James.”

“Really?” I asked, as I looked up at her. “Way to not be obvious.”

The nurse came, and they all stepped out while she checked me.

“You're almost there,” she said, as she looked up at the television. “You must be a huge fan.”

“That's my husband,” I said, as the tears began to pour from my eyes.

“Parker,” she said, as she looked back at me. “I hadn't even realized it. I'm sorry. I'm not a huge baseball fan.”

“Neither was I,” I said. “Not until him. Three of the guys in my room are former Pirates.”

“Seriously?” she asked. “And you weren't a fan until him?”

“Not at all,” I said. “I couldn't stand the game.”

“He better get his butt moving then,” she said. “His baby will be here very soon.”

As soon as she said that, the tears came even faster.

“I'm sorry,” she said.

“It's okay,” I said.

As soon as my family came back into the room, Sammie hurried over and hugged me.

“He'll be here,” she whispered.

“The game just went into overtime. I don't think he will,” I said. “I want him here. He wasn't there when the twins were born. He needs to be here. I have to hold out. I need him.”

“I'm here,” she said. “I won't leave your side.”

Each time a contraction came, I tried my best to hide it, but the damn machine would beep and everyone would look at me.

“I'm waiting,” I said, as I cried. “I have to wait. He needs to hurry. Call them again. Tell them.”

I looked up at the screen to see Parker hit the ball right out of the park. He'd hit a home run. It was over.

“He'll be here,” I said. “I know he will.”

“We're here, Cassie,” grandma said. “Stop stressing out. Everything will be fine.”

“No,” I cried out. “It won't. He has to be here. I have to wait.”

The game ended, and I knew I had to hold on just a little longer. I could do it. I didn't have a choice.

The nurse came in again, and everyone walked out into the hall. As soon as she checked me, she looked up with a smile.

“It's time,” she said. “The baby is right there.”

“No,” I said. “I need another twenty minutes. He'll be here.”

“I disagree,” she said. “We're going to get everything ready now. I'm going to ask your family to move to the waiting room. Would you like one of them to stay?”

“Sammie,” I said, as I began to cry even harder.

When Sammie walked back into the room, she hurried toward me.

“Cassie,” she said.

“What if he doesn't make it?” I asked.

“Then we'll do this together,” she answered.

In that moment, I knew I'd be okay whether he made it or not, but I also knew I was going to do everything I could to wait for him.