"Toni!" Janet moved around on the bed. "Toni!" Toni dropped everything and ran upstairs. She tripped and fell as she reached the top but quickly jumped up. Rushing into the bedroom, she tripped again trying not to step on Gabby. She caught herself before she hit her face.
"Is it time?" She caught her breath. "Is it time? Are you...."
"Can you get me some jalapenos and cream cheese? Oh and some cheese puffs?" Toni caught her breath and sat on the bed.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes." Janet smiled. "Please." Toni threw herself back on the bed.
"Janet, why are you eating so much spicy food?" Janet rubbed her belly.
"I want her to have a bunch of hair." They laughed. "Seriously, I don't know. I'm just craving it."
"Alright, be careful though. We don't know the effects."
"Just get my jalapeno, please." Toni chuckled and got up. Before she left the room, she squatted down next to Gabby.
"Your mama is crazy." Gabby looked at her. "She trying to give your sister heartburn and she ain't even here yet." Gabby laughed. Toni rubbed her head. "I'll be back." Toni left the room. Janet sat up straight and watched Gabby play. The doctor had put Janet on bedrest until the baby came so Gabby had been spending most of her time in the room with Janet. So she had a bunch of her toys in there with her.
Gabby held a doll in one hand as she pushed herself up to stand. She took a few steps before grabbing another toy; a ball. She let it fall out of her hand and watched it bounce before going to get it again. After a few rounds, she dropped her doll and picked up a bigger toy. She tried to carry it away but fell down. Janet went to get out of bed almost immediately, but stopped when Gabby pushed herself up. She began crying. "Come here, Gabby." Janet held her hands out. Gabby looked at her. "Come here." Gabby walked over to her and held her arms up. Janet managed to pick her up and sit her on the bed.
"I'm back with....oh no." Toni sat everything on the bed and picked up Gabby. "What happened?"
"She fell on her toys."
"Aww.." Toni tried to quiet her cries and comfort her. "It's okay, princess. It's okay." Toni sat down on the bed with Gabby. She situated herself against the headboard as she sat Gabby on her lap. She had finally calmed down and laid against Toni.
"Thank you for my snack."
"You're welcome." Janet ate another piece of her jalapeno and sighed. "How are you today?"
"I'm okay. I've done some writing in my journal."
"Any anxieties?" Janet was quiet for a minute before looking at Toni.
"I don't want a c-section. I want to have my baby naturally, but...."
"You can't."
"I can't. She's going to be too big. I don't want to....." Janet sighed. "...I don't...I don't want to die, Toni."
"You won't die." Toni brushed Janet's hair back. "I won't let you die. We have a future of rocking chairs on a front porch to get to." Janet smiled. "We have grandchildren who will be disgusted by us kissing waiting on us in the future. There's compression socks, canes, orthopedic shoes, and concerns about cholesterol and blood pressure that we have to look forward to." Janet chuckled.
"Complaints about the rain making my knees lock up."
"Sagging skin."
"Bifocals."
"You won't die. Not on my watch. You will have a safe c-section, our baby girl will be healthy and chunky. Everything will work out." Janet smiled but it quickly fell when she looked at Gabby.
