Aubrey (Axis Rising)

037:

         

*****037:

Aubrey

It was hot, so awfully hot. I mean, it's June in Southern California, and that reeks of heat. But we were on the ocean and were at least supposed to have some respite from it. Even from the front door to the car door in the garage I felt gross and sweaty.

Angie politely held the door for me, and I begrudgingly thanked her. Begrudgingly, because I simply was so hot and gross feeling, I couldn't be nice about it. Virgil was at the garage door waiting to push the garage door release button, and wave at us.

"How are you feeling, Aubrey?" Angie said as she got in the driver's seat.

"You tell me, you're dripping on the leather seats in an air-conditioned car."

It was true, she was glistening-- and it rolled off me in slimy fat rolls. I felt disgusting.

I wouldn't even be going out, but I had a doctor's appointment, and Gerald Breckinridge didn't do house calls. Even for me.

I turned the AC all the way up and the fan that blew it. We waved to Virgil and now Abbie holding Rein who was screaming his head off at the separation, and Felicity and Celeste were nowhere in sight. As we pulled out I nodded to Keeva and Kodey, stationed close to the house and the grounds. I looked back over at my former home, to see Ben's car parked there, just him. Rafe would be meeting us in Santa Monica--- coming from Dark Avenue in LA.

Angie knew me better than to keep asking mundane questions, and wisely turned on the radio. A little Fleetwood Mac on an oldies station and I had closed my eyes and was humming along to Stevie Nicks' voice in my head: And if you don't love me now, you will never love me again, I can still hear you saying you would never break the chain....

I was escorted into the cool cream and gold waiting area. Three other pregnant mom's looking about as uncomfortable as I was were waiting. We signed in and sat down. You'd think--- this being my former practice--- I'd have been privileged to just wander around, walk into the interior, get choice on-demand performance, but no. I behaved like the rest. Waiting my turn.

One gal was looking at a magazine, she was across from me, her eyes tortured in the less than ideal circumstances. "Your first?"

I flashed a conspiratorial smile, since we pregos had to stick together in our fatness. I nodded. "You?"

She flashed that tired and true smile back. Not like pregos didn't answer these same questions fifty times a day. Congratulations, when are you due? Are you having a boy or a girl?

"I wish it wasn't so god-awful hot out." The girl said, twisting her blonde hair into a ponytail and using her teeth to open a hair tie for it. "I can't stand the heat. I feel there's already an oven inside me, let alone being cooked from the outside!"

"Yeah, the AC doesn't seem to be taking the edge off like it should." I commiserated ingenuously.

Angie picked up a cooking magazine.

"So, you look ready to pop. Have you scheduled an inducement?"

"No, I've got 8 weeks till 40, but it's not likely I'll go that long." At this point, I thought in selfish discomfort, I won't even care if he says let's get them out today. I want my body back!

"Oh, you poor thing! You look miserable, and you're huge. I've got only four weeks left, and we're going in today to schedule the C-section."

"Why? Is there a medical need for the C-section?"