Kitty straightened and made a face. “Don’t be silly, honey, this is all normal. We have plenty of time to get to the hospital.”
“Maybe we should all go,” Mimi suggested. “We could caravan.”
“That’s not a bad idea. It’s not like we’re going to keep playing,” Pilar said. “Not now that Kitty is in labor.” She glanced around the group. “Who’s got the info on the baby pool? Twenty bucks says it’s a boy.”
The crowd came alive again with chatter as they began dispersing to their individual cars. Some of the couples doubled up according to who had been drinking and who hadn’t, so that at least one designated driver was assigned to each vehicle.
Nate slipped his arm under Lauren’s elbow. “Why don’t you ride with us in the Tahoe?” he suggested. “You can keep Kitty relaxed and I’ll keep Steve calm.”
“I think I have the easier job,” Lauren muttered. “But I agree. Good idea.”
Nate handed his car keys off to Ed, who volunteered to drive Nate’s car to the hospital so that he’d be able to drive back home afterward.
Lauren lined the back seat of the Tahoe with the towels Shea had given her, then she helped Kitty get comfortable in her seat. Steve drove and Nate sat up front with him. They took off down the road, with the rest of the Bunco Babes and their partners in tow.
“Looks like a damn circus,” Steve muttered, glancing in his rear view mirror. “But I’m glad they’re there.”
“How much longer till we get to the hospital?” Kitty asked, gripping the side of the car door.
“We haven’t even gotten down the street!” Steve said. “Why? Do I need to stop the car? Should I call 911?”
Nate glanced back at Lauren, who tried to hide her smile. “Why don’t you time her contractions,” he suggested to Lauren. “That way we’ll have some information to provide when we get to the hospital.”
“Good idea.” Lauren pulled her cell phone from her clutch. “Just breathe,” she urged Kitty. “You’ll be fine. Now, tell me when you get a contraction and then tell me when it ends.”
Kitty nodded. “Okay, now.”
“Now?” Steve said, turning his head. “You just had one a minute ago!”
“Eyes on the road,” Nate said to Steve.
“Why don’t we put on some music? You have satellite radio, right? How about the spa channel or something soothing?” Lauren said.
Steve turned on the radio and began flipping through the channels. He found the spa channel, but after a few seconds he turned it off. “That music is making me nervous. Like I’m ready to get a root canal or something.”
Oh dear. Lauren was glad Nate had suggested she tag along. It was going to take the two of them to keep Steve calm and Kitty breathing.
“Okay, it’s over,” Kitty said. Lauren glanced at the stop watch on her cell phone. The contraction had lasted almost seventy seconds. Kitty straightened and peered out the window. “We’re going by the house, right?” she said to Steve. “I can’t do this without my labor bag.”
Steve turned to ask Nate, “Do we have time?”
“Generally, the average woman dilates a centimeter an hour,” Nate said.
“Engli
sh, please,” Steve shot back.
“Do you know if you’re dilated at all?” Nate asked Kitty. “It’s usually standard procedure for your doctor to check your cervix in the last few weeks of pregnancy.”
“I got checked at my last visit,” Kitty said. “My doctor told me my cervix was only a dimple, but that it was soft and thin. Whatever that means.”
“When was that?” Nate asked.
“A week ago.”
“There’s really no telling—”
“Now!” Kitty waved to Lauren.