“We’re here.”
Before I have time to react, the back doors are open and Josie’s gurney is being pulled out from under me. The EMT’s are running Josie in and I’m left standing on the sidewalk as she disappears through two sets of doors and down a hall.
“You look lost. Can I help you?” I look down at an older lady with white hair and a grandmotherly face. For a minute, I think she looks like my grandma.
“That was my wife they just rushed in there.”
She nods and places her hand on my bicep as pushes me toward the doors. “I’m Ethel. I volunteer here in my free time. It’s the best thing for me in my old age. I can spend hours rocking newborns to sleep while their moms rest.”
“My wife is pregnant. She passed out at our son’s baseball game today.”
“The staff here is wonderful. They’ll take care of her. Come on, I’ll show you where to go.”
Ethel takes me to the emergency room, where the lady tells me they’ve taken her to labor and delivery.
“Well, we best get on up there.” Ethel is slow and I want to run there, but I’m not sure if I’d make it. I let her show me the way because right now she’s keeping me somewhat calm.
“Good afternoon, Ethel.”
“Hi, Lois. This young man is looking for his wife. They just brought her in by ambulance.”
Lois smiles, but it’s not very reassuring. I just want to see my wife. “She’s with the doctors now. Ethel can take you to the waiting room.”
Ethel tugs on me to follow her and I do. When she sits down next to me, I feel like asking her if she has someplace else that she needs to be, but the truth is I don’t want to be alone. I don’t know how much time passes until I hear familiar voices. Noah comes sprinting toward me and I stand up and catch him as he launches himself into my arms. Everyone is frantic, except Nick, who is calmly speaking with the nurse.
“What’s going on, Liam?” Mrs. Preston asks.
“I don’t know,” I say, shaking my head and holding Noah in my arms. I don’t care how old your child is, when their mom is hurt, they’re just like babies again. I set him down and pull him into my side.
“Where is she?” her father asks.
“The doctors are with her now. We have to wait until they come out.” I’m useless in this situation and my hands are tied. I want to be in there with Josie, but know I’d be in the way. I’d have to touch her, hold her, and they need the space to work on her.
We cram into the waiting room, which isn’t big enough to hold our family. JD, Nick and Harrison all take spots on the floor. Jenna is holding a sleeping Eden in her arms. Peyton is sitting on Harrison’s lap with Quinn sitting next to him, while Elle is sitting in JD’s lap. Noah is next to me and we’re sitting in between my mom and Josie’s. Tess, Mr. Preston, Katelyn, Mr. Powell and Jenna sit across from me, as Yvie and Xander lean against the wall.
Ethel appears out of nowhere with a tray full of coffee and juice for the kids. Right now I think she’s the greatest lady I’ve met in a long time because she’s taking care of my family without even being asked.
When she stops at my mom, she smiles softly. “You know, you look like this actress I used to love on the big screen.”
“Is that so?” I eye my mom out of the corner of my eye and watch her. Her silver screen days have been over for so long that her movies are hard to find.
“Oh yes, she stopped acting though, and just disappeared.”
“What was her name?”
I don’t know if my mom is fishing or just making conversation, but either way, their chatter is keeping the mood light.
“Bianca Page. She just lit up the screen when she’d smile.”
“Oh, Bianca, you must give her your autograph.” Josie’s mom says, chuckling. Ethel’s face is priceless as she gasps. My mom blushes, but I know she likes it. She recently auditioned for a role in the fall production at the Beaumont Theater.
“My dear, what happened to you?”
My eyes are focused on the hallway, waiting for the doctor to appear, but trying to listen to my mom as well. I’m interested in her excuse as to why she stopped.
“I had a family to raise, and grandbabies.” I turn just in time for her to motion to all of us sitting around. I wish it were true, but Ethel doesn’t need to know that.
I’m starting to get jittery so I stand and walk out into the hall. Nurses move around, and babies cry. Looking into the waiting room, I see family – family that didn’t exist years ago, aside from Tess, Harrison, Quinn, Yvie and JD. They’ve been with me through everything and never questioned me when I came back.