Getaway Car: A Hellcheer pregnancy story

Some kind of monster

While Chrissy is taken into an exam room, Eddie is strongly encouraged to wait in the family area. Strongly encouraged meaning being strong armed by a rather stern nurse who couldn't do her job for his fretting. Now he paces a trench in the grey linoleum floor, marching from one side of the room to the other between the chairs and vending machines.

Eddie wants to believe both Chrissy and the baby are fine, but she's in pain. Pain is bad, right? How can things be fine if she's in pain? There's nothing in the books they bought that suggest what the problem is, every resource says that discomfort just means going to the hospital.

"What's the news?"

When Wayne walks in, Eddie could almost cry with relief. Not that Wayne can change things, but he needs the support. A fatherly arm on his shoulder to tell him that things will be alright.

"How's Chrissy doing?" Wayne asks.

"I dunno, man. I dunno. They kicked me out," Eddie groans, his movements tense and jittery. "They've not told me anything yet. She's still with the doctor."

Wayne offers him a sideways smile. "Doubt you're the first anxious father to be kicked out of a maternity room," he chuckles. "Ed, take a deep breath. You gotta calm down."

He had been calm. For the sake of Chrissy, he'd even impressed himself with his level headed decision making, taking control and telling her the whole way that everything was fine. It wasn't until she was back on the bed in a hospital gown that the panic began to set in. Now he doesn't have eyes on her, a thick white door separates them and his mind can run riot with possibilities. It's why he's called Wayne. If anyone can stop that proverbial hamster wheel in his head, it's his uncle.

"But what if something's wrong?" Eddie stresses, peering over Wayne's shoulder towards the door. "With Chrissy or with the baby or-..."

"Edward!"

Wayne's voice isn't unkind, but stern enough that it stops Eddie's train of thought in its tracks, his nephew's gaze snapping to look at him. Pressing his hands to the younger man's shoulders, he guides him to a chair and sits him down.

"Like I said, you gotta calm down. Not just for Chrissy but for yourself . You're gonna drive yourself crazy thinking that way," Wayne says.

Eddie sighs, running his hands through his messy hair, his rings almost tangling in the curls. It sounds so easy, but the thoughts still whirl through his mind like a spinning top out of control. Wayne pats his back. His nephew might look tough to some, but he knows better. Eddie is all heart. Fiercely loyal to the people he cares for and more sensitive than he'd ever want to let on.

"I'm proud of you, y'know."

Eddie looks up from where he leans on his knees. "What?"

"You, knucklehead. I said I'm proud of you," Wayne repeats.

Eddie flushes, wrinkling his nose uncomfortably. "Third time senior-..."

"You know damn well I don't care about that. Point is, you've been working hard for your finals, you've kept down a job and more importantly, the way you've stepped up to care for that girl," Wayne states. "That's what a real man does."