A Work of Art (a Chris Brown Love Story)

31: Oh, Baby

Luna Livingston

For some reason, my hands began to shake and I couldn't move whatsoever. "What do you mean she's in labor?" I asked, dumbly. "She's only seven months." I stared at Kate, who was still crouched over on the floor, in obvious pain.

"So?! Go! Go now and call the ambulance! She needs to go to the hospital and your raggedy ass rental car has no gas." Kendall hissed at me.

I was still frozen in the moment, which led to Kate throwing her flip flop at me. "Go bitch!" 

I ran back up the stairs and called the emergency number. "Yes, I'm at 15 Central Park West, and I need an ambulance. My friend is in labor. She's really early."

"And this is an emergency?" The very rude operator lady asked. I rolled my eyes, slightly beginning to panic again. 

"Yes. Our car is out of gas and she's in so much pain. The baby is coming early. She's only seven m-months."

The operator huffed very loudly. "And you have no gas in your car either? What about the baby's dad?" I scoffed, getting annoyed with her. "I need an ambulance! Right now! Please!"

"O-okay! They will be there within ten minutes. Give or take traffic." I hung up the phone and ran back down the stairs. Kate how now managed to lay on the couch, but she was still gripping the cushions in pain.

I heard her mumbling incoherently. "I don't have anything ready yet. I don't... h-h-have... AAAAhhhh!" She began to cry and slide down on the couch. I could tell Kendall didn't know what to do either. He just consolingly rubbed her back. "The ambulance is on its way. Do you need or want anything? Ice? A heating pad?"

"Time! I need time." She managed to breath out. "I need this... I need this baby to wait. I need to prepare."

"And what if that's not an option?" Kendall asked her. She began to whimper in both pain and frustration. "Well, ya'll do it. Get all unisex stuff because I don't know if its a boy or a girl." She rolled over to her purse and threw her debit card our way. I scooped it off the floor and put it in my pocket. "Kate?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Do you want me to call Mijo?"

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!" She screamed. Okay, bad time.

*

The ambulance had came and got Kate a couple hours ago, and she was now waiting and resting at the hospital. I'd called her mother, who said she couldn't make it until in the morning. I hated leaving her there all alone,  but she was adamant about us coming to the store to buy baby stuff.

I guess none of us thought through the fact that baby nameless was going to have to live in New York now, or that Mijo was really not going to be in baby nameless' life. I hated this for her. I hated this was my best friend's reality, because she really deserved none of it.

"So we got bottles, a bassinet, clothes, socks, pampers, blankets, bibs, and a breast pump. What else?" Kendall asked me, reading off of a list. "You forgot wipes and a carseat." He nodded and pushed the full shopping cart down yet another baby aisle.

Looking at all this baby stuff made me sad a little, for myself, and for Kate, but I figured I would get through it in due time. I always did. I looked down as my phone vibrated in my jogger's pocket. I pulled it out, answered it, and put it to my ear.

"Yes, Daddy?"

"Hey, you! You're such a hard woman to reach nowadays." Chris said to me over the phone. "You been forwarding my calls, woman?"

"Aww, babe, I was at the hospital and you know how they are about their phone policies." Kendall threw a baby bottle at me, which bounced off my forehead. I guess I forgot we weren't telling Mijo, which meant I couldn't tell Chris yet.