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I wince. “Ah.”
“Every time I bring it up, he reminds me that he made me a vow. And as a ‘man of his word,’ he refuses to let me sway him.”
“At least you know you can trust him.” Kira turns her scowl on me, and I duck my head. Mostly because I’m afraid she might take a swipe at me.
Polina snorts politely into her cup of tea and tries to push the pie towards Kira. “Come on, honey, try to eat.”
“I can’t eat!” she declares loudly, rubbing her enormous belly. “I’m too full of baby to eat a thing. I get full after three bites. And then—” She looks down at her lap and throws her hands up. “Great! I have to pee. Again!”
I spring up to offer her a hand. She swats it away, instead rocking herself backward and forward like a boulder. “Everyone, look at the amazing pregnant lady. Come and see her, folks. She’s enormous, and this baby is never coming—oh!”
Water splashes on the tile floor, and I jump out of the way. “What was that?”
“Oh my God.” Kira’s eyes go wide with shock. “I don’t even have control over my bladder anymore. This is a new low.”
I stare at the little puddle between Kira’s legs and I’m hit with a wave of nostalgia. “Kira, I think the baby’s coming!”
She blinks at me. “No. No, he’s not. I already told you: he’s never coming out.” But even as she says it, she grips her stomach, her eyes wide as saucers. “Ow.”
Polina squeals and reaches for her phone, ready to make calls, and I take Kira’s hand. “You’re about to be the amazing pregnant woman no more. Girl, it’s go time.”
Kira pales. Her eyes bounce from me to Polina and back again. “Dominik…”
“Breathe.” Polina waves her phone. “I’m on it.”
I try to pull Kira towards the door, but she resists. She squeezes my fingers until I wince. “I’m not ready.”
“You were just screaming about how ready you were a few minutes ago.”
“That was a few minutes ago!” she says. “This is now, andI’m not ready.” She punctuates each word with a quick clench of my hand.
“Stay calm. Breathe. Come on—breathe with me.”
I try to coach her through a few deep breaths, but she grabs my arm, nails digging into my skin. “I need my husband, Laila. I need Dominik with me. I… I can’t do this.”
“Hon, believe me, I understand the feeling. I was as terrified as you are. But trust me: you can do this.”
Polina hangs up the phone. “Okay, so Dominik is in the next state, but?—”
“He’s not even in the state?!” Kira shrieks. “What in the hell was he thinking? I’m about to pop. Actually, I’m popping. Right now! He can’t be out of the state!”
Polina holds up a hand. “He’s currently out of the state, but he’s coming, honey. He has plenty of time. You still have a long way to go.”
Kira actually sways on her feet, and I blanche. The last thing this situation needs is a fainting pregnant woman.
Since Polina is not helping, I step between them, forcing Kira to focus on me. “Just breathe, Kira. Everything is fine.”
“I can’t do this alone,” she gasps. “Dominik and I planned everything out. He’s supposed to hold my hand and rub my back. He promised to cut the cord. Who is going to cut the baby’s cord if Dom isn’t here?” Her chest is heaving as she doubles over with another contraction. “I can’t do this alone. I can’t. I can’t.”
Once it passes, I put my hands on her shoulders and look her dead in the eye. “You’re not alone, Kira. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
She blows out a shaky breath. “You promise?”
“Cross my heart. Now, come on.” I push her towards the door. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”
It’s been five hours, and Dominik still isn’t here.
Evelyn’s holding down the fort with Nina back at home, and Polina is running around fetching ice chips and tubs of jello, trying to distract Kira from the very real possibility that her husband might not be there for their son’s birth.
