Chapter 7

            On the way home Madison’s back was breaking. “Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah I just need a hot shower and some sleep.” She smiled as much as the pain would let her. Lance helped her up the stairs and into the shower. The hot water helped but the pain started to take her breath. After she was done Lance jumped in while she got dressed. She went back into the bathroom for her brush when Lance got out of the shower. She brushed her hair as he dried off. Sharp pains made her drop her brush in the floor.

“Maddy! What is that?” Lance yelped when the she flooded the floor.

“My water just broke,” she said clutching her stomach.

“But it’s not time…” he said putting the towel on the floor under her and drying her legs.

“Ohhee, she took a deep breath. “Lance, baby call the doctor.” He ran to the bedroom and pulled on his boxers and took her the cotton dress she had on the bed. While she slid into it he got Dr. Stone on the phone. She said she would meet them at the hospital. Lance grabbed the duffel bag from the closet and slowly helped Madison to the car. 

            In the emergency room they took Madison and made Lance wait outside. He called everyone he knew twice before he heard anything again. Avery moved him and his friends into a family room where they could wait in private. Dr. Stone found him when Justin got there. She pulled Lance to the side to give him the deal. “Madison is in labor.”

“But it’s not time,” he tried to tell her.

“I know but she is going to deliver very soon. Her condition has escalated and we may have to do a cesarean. If she goes into a seizure while we are doing that then it puts her and the baby at risk. The baby being premature is bad enough.”

“Dr. Stone," Lance put his hands on her shoulders to keep from falling over. “What are you saying?”

“Lance I’m saying only one of them might make it out of there and as it is now, I’m not sure which one it will be. Madison is just as weak as that baby inside of her.” Lance was as pale as the doctor’s jacket. He sat down and buried his face in his hands.

“Dr. Stone please report to emergency room ten, stat!” the PA sounded in the building.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.” With that she was gone. Justin and Shawna sat on each side of him and tried to console him. Justin was talking to him telling him it was going to be ok. He never moved an inch. The world seemed to be tumbling down around him.   

            “Where do you want me to put this bag LB?” Chris asked about the duffle bag. For the first time in twenty minutes Lance showed his red face.

“Hand it here.” He said. The bag had Madison’s clothes and the baby’s coming home outfit in it. But it was in the side pocket that he found what he was looking for. “Look,” he whispered pulling out a box. He showed them what the blue Tiffany’s box held, Madison’s engagement ring. “I was going to give it to her when I came home, but she was already sick.” His voice was shaky. “And now…” he put his head back down and cried softly. Shawna stood up and walked away. She was crying too hard to be sitting next to him. JC held her to his chest letting her get it all out. Justin rubbed his back and put the ring up.

On the other side

            “Lance… where is Lance.” Madison cried a little. The pain cut her in two. Dr. Stone tried to tell her what was going on. She saw the room in frenzy, but seemed to be going in slow motion. Slower and slower she felt less pain. Her mind drifted off, she remembered Cancun and her party in New York. How she wished she could feel her promise ring. Touring with the guys, it was all a blur. I love him she thought. I love him so much. “Lance…” she whispered breathlessly.

*************

            Lance stood over the changing table. “Umm wipe, powder, and diaper.” He went over the list out loud. Blake was one week old, tiny in his dad’s hands. Lance closed the snaps, he wrapped the quilt around the baby as he started crying. Carrying him over to the rocking chair, He talked the baby. His deep bass voice seemed to calm him just like it did Madison. “You are Daddy’s little man… yes… yes.” He rubbed his back as he quieted down. “There, that’s what he wanted.” Lance baby talked giving him his bottle. “You look just like your Mama, but he got Daddy’s eyes. Yeah I think so.” Lance seemed to tear up a little looking at Blake. When the baby was done he patted his back until he burped a few times. Laying him back into the crib the newborn was asleep. Lance covered him up and took the portable end of the monitor downstairs.

            There seemed to be a hundred people in the house. Food filled the kitchen and people hugged him with every step he took. Justin pulled him aside in the hall and gave him the ring box. “Thanks man, good looking out.”

“Anytime… let’s go.” Justin led him to the living room. Lots of laughter came from smiling faces. Lance sat next to Madison as she received gifts from every direction.

“Wait!” Lance put up his hands. “I need to give her something.” He pulled the ribbon off the box and put the ring on Madison’s finger. “I have had to wait two years to ask you this. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” she shouted and hugged him tightly as the room cheered. Shelby and Diane hugged and made all the girls cry with them. Gwen and Rick toasted them and let the baby shower engagement party continue. The house could now truly relax having been though seven months of pure hell. Lance kissed Madison fully on the lips.

“I love you and I could never imagine my life without you.” A tear ran down her cheek and she sniffled a bit. “When I thought I had lost you, I almost went mad.”

“Lance I love you and you will never lose me… I promise.” She spoke with her forehead pressed against his.

            I really appreciate you loving me…

*************

Epilogue

Madison hit the shutter release button watching Lance and Blake build a sand castle on the beach. The three year-old smiled and giggled with his pail and shovel. His dark hair and skin belonged to Madison with no question, but the green almost yellow eyes were his dad’s own trademark. “Look Mama, we make you.”

“For me?” Madison squealed in mock surprise.

“He he,” Blake giggled again. “Me take,” he said reaching for the camera.

“Do you remember how?”

“Push but.”

“Can you see Mama?”

“Push But.” Blake told her. He put the camera to his eye and pushed the button. Giving it back to her she pulled him into a hug and Lance tickled his sides. He squirmed away. “Get Mama,” he said and little fingers wiggled on her sides. She twisted and laughed to make Blake laugh even harder. Lance took a picture of them rolling in the sand. He looked out to the water and remembered five years ago in the same spot he fell in love with Madison as she watched the sunrise.

“Let’s get Daddy,” Madison whispered to Blake. They attacked Lance and all fell into the castle. Blake’s laughter was the sweetest sound in the world.