Free Finding Bluefield by Elan Branehama Page B

baby.”
    “You take care of yourself, Leroy Turner Ellison. And thank you.” Nicky took his hand between both of hers and held it.
    “For what?” Leroy said.
    “Just thank you,” Nicky said.
    “I think we’d best be on our way,” the man said, lifting some pieces of luggage. He turned to Nicky. “Thank you, ma’am,” he said as he herded Leroy toward the station.
    Nicky got back into her car. At Bub’s she picked up a full bucket of ribs, a quart of slaw, and extra sauce. Once she was out of Richmond, she shifted into high gear, pushed down hard on the gas pedal, and let the Bel Air loose. She began to relax as she cruised along the road toward home. Without Leroy in the car, she would tell the troopers that she was in labor and trying to make it back to Bluefield Hospital. The radio played Elvis and Nicky sang along. She was feeling good as she reached over and took a rib from the bucket and worked at it slow.
    Three ribs and an hour later, Nicky had to pull over. She couldn’t tell if she was having contractions or gas. When the pain eased, she drove as fast as she could to Four Corners where she pulled into the station and leaned hard on the horn. Andy came running.
    “The baby’s coming.” Nicky pushed opened her door.
    “What should I do? Should I call the doctor?”
    “Drive me to the hospital.” Nicky got out and went around the car to the passenger’s side.
    Andy wiped his hands on his pants. “You sure?”
    “Let’s go,” Nicky yelled.
    Andy jumped in. “You going to make it there?” Andy said as he backed out.
    “I hope so.” Nicky breathed rapidly, unable to talk. “That was rough,” she finally said. “If we don’t make it, you’ll be the first person this baby sees.”
    “Hang on.” Andy shifted rapidly through the gears.
    “Shit.”
    “What?” Andy said.
    “These ribs, they’re for Barbara. I don’t want them to spoil.”
    “Forget the ribs. Keep breathing.”
    A few minutes later, Andy parked at the emergency room and led Nicky in. “Nurse, we need some help here. She’s having a baby!”
    “Are you the husband?”
    “No, ma’am,” Andy said.
    “Are you the father?”
    “There’s no father,” Nicky said, “no husband. He’s my friend.”
    “There’s always a father,” the nurse said, looking cross at Andy and sounding more irritated than concerned.
    By the time Andy found Barbara, it was clear that Nicky was not in labor. She had gas. Happens a lot to first timers, the nurses told her.
    “Where were you all day?” Barbara said. “I called you.”
    “The ribs!” Nicky said, slipping on her shoes. “I’ve got to get the ribs from my car before they spoil.”
    “What ribs?”
    “From Bub’s,” Nicky said, shifting her weight. “Let’s go home.”
    “I’ll walk you out, but my shift isn’t over.”
    Inside the elevator Nicky said, “I was craving ribs and I went to Richmond and I had one on the ride home. Okay, I had a few, and all of a sudden, I had these incredible pains. I was sure this baby was ready. Turned out to be some wicked gas. If childbirth is worse than what I just had, I’m not going to be able to do it.”
    “You took Leroy?” Barbara asked.
    “Let’s not talk about that in here,” Nicky said as the elevator doors opened. “You just have to try Bub’s ribs.”
    “You said you wouldn’t go. We had an agreement, Nicky.”
    “You had an agreement. You said I shouldn’t go. Anyway, I got ribs and slaw in the car. I’ll get you some beer on the way home and we’ll have dinner and talk then.”
    “You put the baby at risk. Someone could have run you off the road. People are getting killed doing what you did.”
    “It’s not such a big deal.”
    “It is a big deal.”
    “Okay, it was a big deal. But nothing happened.” Nicky opened her car door. “Do you smell that?” Nicky sat behind the wheel, lifted the bucket of ribs, and offered it to Barbara.
    “Not now.” Barbara rolled down Nicky’s window and closed