15-05-2021-052358It-Ends-with-Us

I look down and water is trickling down my leg. My phone is still
ringing on the kitchen counter. I walk—or waddle—to the kitchen
and answer it.
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s Lucy! Quick question. Our order of red roses was
damaged in shipment, but we’ve got the Levenberg funeral today and
they specifically wanted red roses for the casket spray. Do we have a
backup plan?”
“Yeah, call the florist on Broadway. They owe me a favor.”
“Okay, thanks!”
I start to hang up so I can call Ryle and tell him my water broke,
but I hear Lucy say, “Wait!”
I pull the phone back to my ear.
“About these invoices. Did you want me to pay them today or
wait.. .”
“You can wait, it’s fine.”
Again, I start to hang up but she yells my name and starts firing off
another question.
“Lucy,” I say calmly, interrupting her. “I’ll have to call you about all
this tomorrow. I think my water just broke.”
There’s a pause. “Oh. OH! GO!”
I hang up right when the first sign of pain shoots through my
stomach. I wince and start dialing Ryle’s number. He picks up on the
first ring.
“Do I need to turn around?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, God. Really? It’s happening?”
“Yes.”
“Lily!” he says, excited. And then the phone goes dead.
I spend the next few minutes gathering everything I’ll need. I
already have a hospital bag, but I feel kind of gross, so I jump in the
shower to rinse off. The second burst of pain comes about ten
minutes after the first. I bend forward and clench my stomach, letting
the water beat down on my back. Right when I near the end of the
contraction, I hear the bathroom door swing open.
“You’re in the shower?” Ryle says. “Lily, get out of the shower, let’s
go!”