I started to feel the tears building in my eyes again. Shit, I’ve never cried so damn much in my life as I have these last few weeks.

Rose started jumping around a bit. I pulled back on her to get her to settle down.

Ellie turned Big Roy out of the way while I tried to get Rose under control. She seemed to calming down until a huge bolt of lightning hit close by. It scared the shit out of all the horses. When Rose reared up, it took everything out of me to stay on her. The next thing I knew, she was running off. I heard Ellie yell out for me as we headed toward the creek.

Oh fuck, Rose. Don’t jump it.

She jumped it.

All I heard was Ellie and Heather both scream.

Oh shit. I knew I was in trouble the moment I flew off the back of the horse.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

JEFF

I was almost into Austin when my cell phone rang. It was Rebecca. Shit, I hope nothing happened.

“Hey, I’m almost to your place. Are you doing okay?”

“Yeah, they’ve slowed way down, and the doctor said it was just Braxton Hicks again.”

“I thought you said they were painful and coming faster?” I asked, clearly frustrated.

“They were, but now, they’ve settled down.”

Shit. This was another time when I rushed away from Ari, except this time, I had a really strange feeling that I fucked-up more than normal.

“Well shit, Rebecca, I drove all this way. Damn it. Have you eaten today?”

“No, I haven’t had anything since breakfast. I’ve been too nervous, I guess.”

“Want to go grab something then? That way, you can eat, and we can make sure you weren’t feeling the real thing. Then, I have to head back to Mason. I kind of walked out on Ari and a party.”

“Oh no! I’m so, so, sorry Jeff. I know you said to call only if it was important, and I really thought it was important.”

I could almost hear the smile in her voice. Somehow, I figured that I totally just got played here. I thought it was time to have a heart to heart with Rebecca, regardless of the risk of an early birth or not.

***

After I picked up Rebecca, we headed to the restaurant. Along the way, I tried to call Ari five times. Each time, it went straight to voicemail. Shit! Why did my cell phone work out there today but Ari’s isn’t?

“Thank you so much for rushing in Jeff. I’m pretty sure everything is going to be okay. You really don’t have to baby-sit me, you know. Like the doctor said, it’s just Braxton Hicks contractions. I think if I just take it easy, I’ll be able to make it to term with no problem.” Rebecca said with a smile

There was something about her smile that seemed wrong. I was starting to get a strange feeling that maybe this was all just a game with her. As we made our way to the table, I glanced down at her stomach. She really did seem pretty big to have a month and a half left. Then again, what the hell do I know.

Suddenly, the sickest feeling came over me. I reached for my phone and tried to call Ari again. Nothing. I tried Ellie’s cell and then Gunner’s. Something’s wrong. I could feel it.

Just as the waitress was about to take our drink order, Rebecca grabbed the table. “Oh no.”

“What? What is it, Rebecca? What’s wrong?”I jumped up and walked around the table to her.

She looked up at me with a panicked look on her face. “Um, nothing, Jeff. It’s nothing. I guess the baby just kicked really hard. That’s all.”

“Are you sure? Do we need to go the hospital?”

She tried to laugh, but I could see the pain on her face. She was trying to hide it. She shook her head and reached for her phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“I’m gonna call Crysti. I really just want to go and lay down. She can stay with me at my apartment to make sure I’m alright.”

While she started to talk to Crysti, my head started spinning. What the fuck is going on here?

“Rebecca, don’t be crazy. I’ll take you home and stay with you until Crysti gets there. Don’t you think though that you should call the doctor again?”

“No! Jeff, listen to me. I just need to go lie down.” Rebecca looked away from me, returning to the her phone conversation. “Yeah Crysti, I know….I know! It’ll all work out. Just trust me on this, please. Just come to Maudie’s. Yep, the one off of Lake Austin Boulevard.”

Rebecca hung up the phone and tried her best to smile at me.

“Rebecca, I don’t understand. I drove all the way in because you said you didn’t have anyone to be here for you. You said you were having contractions. Now you’re fine, and you just want to go home and lie down. You don’t want me to take you home even though I just drove a few hours to get here. What the fuck is going on? Clearly something is wrong.”

“Jeff, really, I just need to stay calm right now. I sense that you’re upset that you had to leave the party and Ari. You’ve tried calling her a number of times. Really, you should just head back to Mason. I promise I’m okay. Crysti is on her way, so I’ll have someone to stay with me. I can’t go into labor this early. I’m just nerv-v-v.”

She grabbed the table again.

I looked up and noticed the waitress was still standing there. She just kept looking back and forth between us. Then, she took a step back and glanced at Rebecca’s feet.

“Um, can you give us a few minutes? Just two waters for now, please,” I said smiling up at the waitress.

She looked back at Rebecca.

“Listen, I really think you need to go to a doctor now,” the waitress said.

Rebecca gave her a dirty look.

“Um, I really think you need to mind your own goddamn business!” she yelled.

“Rebecca! Holy shit!” Turning to the waitress, I said, “I’m sorry.”

“Listen, I’ve had three kids, sweetheart and I hate to tell you this, but your water just broke.”

Rebecca’s face turned white as a ghost.

“No!….Oh no. Oh god no! This can’t be happening!” Rebecca just kept repeating herself over and over again. She reached for her phone and called Crysti again.

“You need to hurry. My water just broke. Yes Crysti! I know!”

It took a good two minutes for everything to soak in before I jumped up and headed over to Rebecca. I reached down and picked her up in my arms.

“What the hell are you doing, Jeff? Put me down!”

“Jesus Christ, Rebecca. You’re in labor. We’re going to the hospital now!” I couldn’t believe it. Fuck! She still had a month and two weeks to go. This was not good.

“Oh god, Jeff. Please…I just need you to leave. Crysti can take me to the hospital. I’m sure it will be fine. They will get the contractions under control. I’ll probably just be put on bed rest or something. Really, I just need you to leave!”

When we got to my truck, I gently set Rebecca down while I opened the passenger door.

“What the fuck are you talking about? Your water broke! You’re gonna have this baby, Rebecca, regardless if it’s time or not. I’m not leaving. I missed the first seven months. Do you really think I’m going to miss the birth of my son?” I held the door open and helped her in. Poor thing seems like she was scared to death.

Rebecca was panicked during the entire ride to the hospital. I thought she was going insane. Motherfucker, is this a normal reaction?

She just kept saying the same things over and over again. How this can’t be happening. This wasn’t part of her plan.

“Rebecca, I’m pretty sure Mother Nature’s plan outweighs yours. It’s going to be okay.”

She called the doctor’s office, saying that her water broke. Then, she began crying hysterically. What the fuck?

***

Twenty minutes later, things were only getting worse. The nurses were telling Rebecca that she needed to calm down. She even tried to tell one of the nurses that I wasn’t allowed in the room.

“What the hell? I’m the father! You better bet your ass I’m gonna be in the room!”