“Excuse me, we’re looking for a Karlee Martin,” Chris explained to the woman at the front counter. “She was brought in tonight and is having a C-section now. Or being prepped for one.”
“Are you family?”
“No, but—”
“I am,” Seth lied, his eyes on hers, just waiting for a challenge. “I’m her brother.”
Chris took his hand and squeezed while they waited for the woman to decide if they were telling the truth. In the end, it didn’t matter because Debra found them before the woman made her decision.
“Seth!”
He saw a curvy young woman with blonde hair and green eyes headed his way. She wore a plain pink T-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts.
“I’m so glad you came,” she said as she gave him a hug. “I’m so scared.”
He let go of Chris’s hand and hugged her for a moment before placing his hands on her shoulders. “Can you tell me what’s happening? Why are they doing surgery?”
“Her blood pressure was so high they were worried about her having a stroke, so they started this IV that was supposed to lower her pressure, but in the meantime, her water broke!” She brought her hands to her face and covered her eyes. “She was so scared!”
“Her water broke? This early? That can’t be good,” he said, more to himself than anyone else. He dropped his hands from her shoulders. “Where is she?”
“They’ve got her in surgery. I’ll take you to the Maternity area. She’ll be moved into a room on that floor once surgery is over. The doctor promised to come out and tell me how it went because Karlee asked her to.”
Chris took Seth’s hand and they followed Debra down a long hall that ended with several elevators. She pushed the button and soon they were riding up to the fourth floor. Once they stepped off, she led them to a small waiting room.
There was only one other person in the room, knitting up a storm. At least eighty-years old, Seth marveled at her nimble fingers. He sat in a chair a few seats down from her, facing the door as Chris satto his left.
“I guess now we just wait,” Seth said with a shrug.
“I’m running to the vending machine,” Debra said. “I need some caffeine. You guys want anything?”
When they declined, Debra nodded and took off down the hall.
“How do Karlee and Debra know each other?” Chris asked.
“Crap. I didn’t even introduce you guys. I’m sorry.” Seth let his shoulder lean into Chris’s.
“Hey, it’s fine. We’re all a little overwhelmed.” Chris rested his head against Seth’s.
“They grew up together. Debra moved away in middle school—I think it was middle school. Yeah, it had to be then because Karlee and I went to different schools growing up, until we got to high school. And I’m pretty sure Debra moved right before that. I’ve met Debra once when she came back to visit, but it’s been a long time. They’ve remained friends all these years, though. Debra moved back here about a month ago. Maybe longer. I don’t know.” Seth knew he was rambling. He couldn’t quite get a thought together.
Chris straightened and wrapped an arm around Seth’s shoulders. Seth sagged into him, wishing there weren’t two chair arms between them. He glanced at the old woman, who’d stopped knitting to stare at them, her head tilted to the side.
Shit. He didn’t have time for any homophobic crap today. He stared back and she surprised him by smiling.
“You boys becoming dads today?” she asked.
Chris froze and Seth looked back at him, his eyes wide. “Um, nooo,” he began, turning back to the lady. “A friend of ours is having surgery. Cesarean Section.”
“Oh, sorry. I kind of just say what comes to my head nowadays.” She chuckled. “When you get to my age,your social etiquette can go out the window. Hell, I don’t care anymore what people think of me.”
Seth smiled. She was funny. And surprising agile, he realized, as he watched her rise from her seat, dropping the knitting on the chair next to her, and making a beeline for the hall. “Gotta check on my granddaughter. She’s about to give birth and my daughter and her nitwit husband are in there with her.”
Seth scrunched up his face. That would make her a great-grandmother.
“This is my sixth great-grandchild,” she called to him as if reading his mind.
“Wow. I hope I’m that with it when I’m her age,” Chris said.
“Me, too,” Seth replied.
A moment later, Debra rushed toward them. Seth and Chris stood immediately.