My Life In Code

24. Without ME, It's Just AWESO

***If you're reading this before you read chapter 23, GO BACK!!!1***

Chapter 24

Without ME, It's Just AWESO

So that blocked doorway with Voss Kauffman's symbol over the top of it?  Yeah, it actually was a doorway, only it was the way to get out.  Just like going down, there was a button that we had to press, only the door was one of those revolving doors that spun around, like the ones that would spin into a different room in a mansion. 

In other words, it was awesome. 

Another awesome thing that happened?  When I finally was able to get service, I had a voicemail waiting for me on my cell phone.

"Hey, Callie," Dad's voice said on the message.  "So I know you're probably busy running around Rome right now and all...but you should probably start to head home sometime within...oh, the next hour or so?  Because your baby sister's on her way, as in now..."

I screamed before I even heard the rest of the message.

"What?" Max asked.  "What's going on?"

"The baby!  She's coming!"

"Now?" Ben asked, eyes wide. 

"Yes, now!" I said.  "We have to go!  I'm not missing my baby sister coming into this world!"

I started to tug Max forward by the hand and Ben and Drew followed. 

But when we went back up into the Colosseum, there were people all over, including dozens of police officers.  I saw when someone spotted us.  They were yelling in Italian, pointing at us. 

So naturally, we started to run.  But not away from them, toward them. 

But hey, once we were back up over the railing, we made a break for it.

And actually got through.

"You guys go," Ben said as we ran toward the gates leading out into the streets.

"Yeah, we'll stay behind, work out everything," Drew said. 

"Are you sure?" Max said.  "You know everyone you need to call?"

"Um, every museum basically?" Drew said, raising an eyebrow.  "That would pretty much sum up everything, right?"

"Exactly."

And with that, we started running again, leaving the two of them behind. 

I swear I was going to go crazy on the flight back to Boston.  We were only about ten minutes from landing and I was already up and moving, even though I knew that I was going to have to sit soon.  I never could sit still.  I was either bouncing up and down in my seat or pacing up and down the entire length.  Max just watched me with a smile on his face. 

"What?" I asked when I passed him for what must have been the thousandth time. 

"Calm down, will you?" he said, laughing.  "You do realize that labor takes hours, especially since this is Brielle's first baby.  I'm a guy and even I know that."

"I know, but still," I said.  "I want to be there."

"But you weren't planning on being in the room when she had her, were you?"

"No, I wasn't."

"Exactly, so you're basically doing all of the waiting without actually being there in the waiting room," he said.  I was at the back of the jet and turned back around.  I could see him grinning when I approached him again.  "And if we were in the waiting room, I wouldn't be able to do this."