No More Games

74

DECEMBER 2

Michael's Point Of View

It's nearly been two weeks since Elise came and stayed here in Sasha's basement. There were days that Sasha felt so bitter towards her that she came and slept over my place. She spoke not a single word to Elise.

I didn't want it any other way. No words spoken meant no drama; no drama meant there was peace and I needed peace more than anything.

The year was in its last stretch and I couldn't be happier.

I sat in Sasha's study, jotting down lyrics of a song that came to me while I was in the shower. The melody came first, then once I got out of the bathroom and saw how beautiful and angelic Sasha looked as she slept, the words to the melody came to me like missing puzzle pieces that I've been desperately trying to find.

I hummed the melody as I continued to jot down words on the white sheet of paper.

"Michael?" I heard my name called and a light knock on the door.

It opened and it was Elise.

"Hey," I sat back and gave her my full attention. I noticed her eyes were really red and it was evident she'd been crying. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," she forced a smile. "I was just looking for Sasha but then I heard you humming in here."

"Oh, did you need her? She's actually still asleep upstairs."

"Well, I just wanted to thank her for letting me stay here for this long and that I was leaving and finally going back home."

"You're leaving now?" I raised my brow and she nodded. "Well, I guess I can go wake her." I began to get up and she stopped me.

"No need to wake her," she chuckled. "Just give her the message for me. A pregnant woman needs her sleep and should never be disturbed while in it. Trust me, I know." She smiled, rubbing her belly.

As she continued to talk, I couldn't seem to focus on anything she was saying because something unusual caught my attention.

"Elise?" I stood up slowly. "Are. . .are you peeing on yourself right now?"

"What are you--what--" She moved her dress up enough to see what I was talking about and sure enough there was this clear liquid streaming down her left leg. "No, no, no, no. . ." she continuously shook her head while she stood there frozen.

I stood there almost speechless, not knowing what to say then suddenly it hit me. "Elise, I'm not an expert in these sort of things but. . .if that's not pee running down your leg, would that mean your water just broke?"

She placed her hand underneath her belly and grimaced with pain. "Oh, God,"

Her water broke?

Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit!

Her water broke!

Suddenly the room felt very hot and the walls seemed like they were closing in. Though words weren't coming out of my mouth, I was mentally panicking and screaming at the top of my capacity. I was sweating bullets by the nano second.

"I need to go to the basement," she began to walk away.

"What?" I grabbed her. "We need to call an ambulance!"

"No, I--Oh shit! Oooouuu," she moaned in pain as she held her belly. "Michael, please help me to the basement. I'm not going to the hospital. I'm having the babies here."

She slowly began to walk out of the study to head to the basement. My mind was completely frozen. I didn't know what to do besides run upstairs to grab Sasha and Lauren.

Thankfully, as soon as I got upstairs, Lauren was walking out of her room.

"Thank goodness, Lauren I need your--"

"Sshh. . ." she placed her index finger against her lips. "The baby is sleeping. Please don't be too loud."

"Lauren, I need your help," I said in a more quiet volume. I dragged her by the arm down the stairs.

She was confused and kept asking me if I was ok. All the while my head was just spinning like a twister, ready to drive me crazy.

"Michael what's going on in the basement? Why are you dragging me in--"

"We gotta get you to a hospital!" Trevor is seen yelling at a hysterical Elise as soon as we opened the door.

"Oh my goodness, what the fuck is going on?" Lauren rushed to Elise who was hunched over near the sofa as more baby fluid poured down from between her legs.

"Do not call for an ambulance! I'm having my babies here and that's that!" Elise huffed.

"You can't have them here, Elise," Lauren rubbed her back. "We have to get you to a--"

"Aaaaahhh! Fuck!" Elise screamed in agony.

"Ok, just lay down here," Lauren grabbed a few pillows off the couch and threw them on the floor.

Meanwhile, all I could do was just watch as Trevor and Lauren ran around grabbing necessary accessories needed to help bring these babies into the world. I felt as though I was floating outside of my own body. My heart and my breathing was so loud that I could hear nothing else.

It wasn't until this moment that it really hit me.

I'm about to be a father.

"Michael!" I'm startled by Trevor pushing me. "Bro, you gotta snap out of it! We've been yelling your name for a good minute."

"I--I'm sorry. . .I was just--"

"Bro, you need to sit down. You look like you're seconds away from passing out."

"What the hell is going on down here?" Sasha's voice is heard as the basement door swings open. "What's all this noise I'm hear--oh shit, Elise, what's going on?"

"She's in labor," I ran my fingers through my hair.

"In labor? This early?" Sasha's eyes widened as she held on to her belly. "An ambulance has been called right?"

"She doesn't want to go to the hospital," Lauren said, putting on some black latex gloves.

"Fuuuuuccccccccckkkkkk!" Elise was sweating bullets as she cried in pain.

"Elise, you need to go to the hospital," Sasha knelt down, holding one of her legs as Lauren held on the other. "Trev, you might want to stay on the other side if you don't want to see two babies rip through a vagina."

Trevor walked to the other side of the room and I decided I'd join him until Lauren stopped me.

"Nigga, where do you think you're going? Sasha spoke to Trevor! Not you!"

"I thought I'd stay over here."

"Michael, if you don't get yo' ass over here!" Sasha rolled her eyes. "These are your babies she's about to give birth to."

I took a deep breath and got closer to them as Lauren and Sasha encouraged Elise to push.

I always anticipated the day I'd hold my very first child in my arms. To experience the rawness of child birth.

Elise's cries got louder as she pushed.

"Oh my god, you see that?" Lauren's face lit up. "That's hair! Keep pushing, mama!"

What was happening before my eyes was enough to make me pass out. The sight of it all was nothing like I expected.

As she pushed and pushed, a head full of hair was making its way out.

My babies were entering the world.