Bring You Back to Love

Chapter 6

Quickly pulling out of Sam’s arms, I rush to Ali’s side worriedly. “What? Aren’t you like 4 weeks early?!”

There’s a puddle a few feet behind her in the kitchen where she was just minutes ago. “Th-three.” She says nervously as she holds her stomach. “Brian’s on a camping trip with his friends in Tennessee. And Mom is on a business trip in DC. Oh my god. This can’t be happening.”

As Ali starts to panic, I take a deep breath and take her hand, letting her squeeze it. “No, no it’s gonna be fine. Sam and I are here for you. We’re gonna get you to the hospital and we’re not gonna leave you. You’re not alone, ok? Everything’s gonna be fine. Right, Sam?”

When I look up at him, I notice he hasn’t moved very far from the baby’s nursery. His eyes are wide as he stares at the puddle in the kitchen and then glances to his sister.

“Sam! Hello? Earth to Sammy? Snap out of it! Go grab her bag as I take her to the car!” I say before looking at Ali again, “You have a bag packed right?”

She nods and squeezes my hand again, her eyes shut as she lets out a groan through a contraction. “Upstairs closet.”

Sam finally comes to and dashes up the stairs as I grab her purse and carefully lead Ali out to her car. I help her into the backseat as Sam comes out of the house with her bag and a pillow.

I ride with her in the backseat on the way to the hospital as Sam races through traffic. Ali’s contractions are about 23 minutes apart at this point. “Sam, I swear, if you wreck us, I’ll-“

“I got you, just calm down. You don’t need to be stressin’ right now.” He says thoughtfully as he glances to her in the rearview mirror. I smile to myself. No matter how much he pretended he didn’t like Ali, he was her biggest fan and she was his. He’d always done his best to protect her and he wasn’t gonna let her down now as the tires screeched when we came to a stop in front of the hospital emergency room doors. In the blink of an eye, Sam is at the car door with a wheel chair for Ali as I grab the bag and the pillow, following them into the hospital.

Sam and I are leaning against the wall next to Ali’s hospital room as the doctor is inside, checking to see if she’s ready to give birth yet. I bite my lip nervously as I realize it’s just me and Sam there to comfort her as she delivers her baby. I glance up at Sam to see his worried expression too and I assume he realized the same thing.

Absentmindedly, my hand goes to his bicep lightly to get his attention. “Hey, it’s gonna be okay. Don’t worry.”

His smile as his eyes meet mine makes my own lips curl into a grin. “I’m glad you’re here.” He says and I can tell he means it.

With a nod, I take my hand away and let out a sigh. “Yeah, me too. I mean, I’m definitely freaked, but it’s gonna be amazing to see her being born.”

I’m not looking at him anymore, but out of the corner of my eye, I can see Sam is still staring at me, his eyes observing every inch of my face like he’s done millions of times before. I know all his looks and expressions and what they mean, but this particular one was always a puzzle to me.

My head turns and my eyes are met with his again. I raise an eyebrow and smirk slightly. “What?”

“I don’t just mean that I’m glad you’re here, in this hospital, I mean, I’m glad you’re here, in Statesville, again. Have I said that already?” He asks, his eyes searching mine for something.

With a slow nod, my grin grows just a bit. “Maybe. But it’s okay. I agree.”

“And what do you mean you’re freaked? You were the most calm one in that car on the way here!” Sam laughs slightly and I find myself remembering that that I’ve always thought that was the best sound I’ve ever heard.