Hustle. (Book 2)

Chapter 16: Location

Lauryn P.O.V.

I didn't have any idea where Chris was and it was finally morning time.

"Please leave a message after the beep."

"Chris! Please answer your goddamn phone! Where are you? Are you in trouble? Please just let me know," I pleaded, leaving a voicemail.

I made myself some breakfast and took my vitamins, but I couldn't bare to finish all of my breakfast. My stomach was in knots. I feared something bad had happened and I didn't like the feeling of being in the house by myself.

I couldn't call my mom and ask to stay with her; that'd just cause her to become more suspicious and want me to come back home. If Chris was telling the truth, then I needed to trust him, and it wouldn't be good for us to be separated when I had the baby.

I stood up to put my bowl in the sink and felt a sharp pain in my back that caused me to immediately fall back down in the kitchen chair. "Fuck," I moaned, rubbing at my side. I was getting more scared by the second. I decided I had to call someone

In about 20 minutes, Gigi and Tee came over with a heating pad, candy, and frozen Icees to soothe my pain.

"It's probably just Braxton Hicks, girl," Tee reassured, rubbing on my stomach. "My sister had those a lot when she was pregnant with my nephew." I nodded and took another deep breath as a sharp pain came again. I'd read about Braxton Hicks in a baby book I'd bought so I felt a little better, but they really were a pain in the ass.

"So...where's Chris?" Gigi asked, raising an eyebrow. I hadn't told them that I wasn't sure where he was, just in case it happened to be nothing and I was overreacting.

"Oh, he's at...uh..he went to a family brunch thing," I responded, trying to sound sure of myself.

It didn't convince her. "Well,wouldn't you be at the brunch too?" Tee questioned. "I mean, they do know your having his baby right?"

"Yes, yes. That's no problem. I just didn't start the morning off feeling well so I figured I'd stay--" I was cut off by another horrible back pain and leaned all the way back on the couch.

"That's about 3 minutes apart from the last one," Tee said.

"You're...timing...them?" I asked, through gritted teeth, fighting the pain.

"Yes, you might be in labor!" she shouted. Gigi's jaw dropped and then she squealed.

"It's coming! It's coming! Yay! My baby is coming!" Gi screamed.

My eyes widened and I felt extremely light-headed. The room started to blur, and continued to blur until I couldn't make out what was in front of me.

There was no way I was in labor. I was only 34 and 1/2 weeks. I still had a little over a month to go! "No,"I told myself. "This baby is staying in," I mumbled to myself. Or so I thought.

"What'd you say Lo?" Gigi asked. She shook my arm. "Why are you closing your eyes?" she asked.

"I said," I began, pointing to my stomach. "This baby is not coming out." At least that's what I thought I said.

"She's slurring her speech, Tee! Call 911!"

"I'm fine," I reassured.

"It's okay Lo. Stop talking. We're getting help, okay?" she asked, bending down to my face. "Everything's gonna be okay."

I remember her squeezing my hand and laying her head on mine before I blacked out.