Free Moments In Time: A Collection of Short Fiction by Dominic K. Alexander, Kahlen Aymes, Daryl Banner, C.C. Brown, Chelsea Camaron, Karina Halle, Lisa M. Harley, Nicole Jacquelyn, Sophie Monroe, Amber Lynn Natusch Page B

be fine, Alex,” Nat chimed in. “My sister got that and it was a breeze.”
    I looked from Cassie to Nat, making sure I gave her a dirty look, and then back to Cassie. For the first time in what felt like forever, I saw a smile caress her beautifully pouty lips.
    “Alex. I’ll be okay.”
    A new doctor and the corpsman came back into the room with a tray full of instruments and one long-ass fucking needle. Seeing that thing on a TV screen was one thing, but seeing it in person was another; it made me sick just looking at it.
    “Hello, Cassie. I’m Dr. Myers and I’ll be administering your epidural today.”
    He went on and on about how he would place it, what she would feel, and so on. He asked for the room to be cleared out, but I stood my ground. No way in the fucking world would he and this shithead kid, that I didn’t know from a stranger on the streets, be left alone with Cassie to push this ridiculous-ass needle into her back.
    I made sure he knew that I was staying right where I was, and there would be no discussion about it. Whether he relented because he didn’t want to fight about it, or if he saw the sincerity in my eyes, it didn’t matter. Cassie was my number-one priority, and I would be there to protect and nurture her any way that I could.
    Cassie leaned forward, resting her head on my chest. I held her tight, closing my eyes so I didn’t see the needle as it went into her back. She tensed a bit, causing the doctor to stop what he was doing. When she relaxed again, he continued his work. All in all, it was about fifteen minutes later when I laid her back down, and the doctor and the corpsman left, allowing Nat and Dalton to reenter the room.
    “How ya doin’, buttercup?” Dalton asked, inching into the room with a candy bar in hand.
    “I’m already feeling better. Thanks,” Cassie replied, her eyes slowly but surely shutting.
    I wanted her to rest because I knew when the time came, she’d have a hell of a lot of work in front of her.
    Dalton, Nat, and I struck up lighthearted conversation but kept our voices low, effectively taking my mind off of Cassie and allowing her to finally get uninterrupted sleep. The corpsman came back a few times, checking to see if she had dilated any further.
    An hour after her epidural, she was already at six centimeters. Another hour later, she was at eight to eight and a half. She was moving along rapidly, and the more she progressed, the more nervous I grew.
    “Hey, Alex! She’s okay. This is a good thing.”
    Nat’s voice broke my nervous rocking in my seat. I hadn’t realized what I was doing until I became aware of it.
    “I know.”
    “You’re like Chris. That’s why I told him to just stay home.”
    “I’m stoked,” Dalton excitedly chimed in. “My little godson will be here any minute now. This is exciting as hell.”
    My narrowed eyes rested on him, wiping away his little shit-eating grin. “It’s a girl, Dalton. I know what I put in there.”
    He dismissed my words with a wave of his hand. “Whatever that baby is, it’ll be here soon and I’m excited as hell. I’m glad this happened on a weekend, too. I’d be pissed if I had to be at work and I missed this.”
    I finally allowed a smile to shine his way. Dalton was everything Cassie had always told me he was, a true, loving friend who loved her with everything he had. I was happy that he was in her life, and would ultimately play a part in our child’s life. Like my own godson, Abel, I wanted my kid to have good, strong influences in her life.
    “Shit! Did anyone call my sister, and my abuelita ?” I asked in a panic.
    “I texted Adriana shortly after I got to the hospital,” Nat calmly answered. “She said Abel is sick, so she won’t bring him out here, but to let her know as soon as Cassie has the baby. And your grandmother won’t drive here without Adriana.”
    “Okay, but they know? That’s all I care about.”
    “Oh, and I called Emmalyn also.” Nat squirmed a little