The Heart Always Wants More (Completed)

Chapter 22

He crossed his chest with the Catholic hand gesture and allowed himself to fall asleep for the duration of the four-hour flight.

***

The pain that rippled through Val's body was unmistakable. It felt like a cramp times one thousand, sending a dose of adrenaline through her veins.

"Oh shit," she said to herself once the pain had subsided, "I think this might be it."

She remembered her readings and went to her vanity for her journal, then noted the time on her cell phone and wrote it down.

May 30, 10:42 am

Val took the journal and phone and walked downstairs, finding her parents in the family room.

"Um, Mom, Dad, I think it's starting," she said, easily getting their attention with her announcement. "I just had a contraction."

***

Joe's four-hour flight felt more like a forty hour hell journey once the plane landed on the tarmac and he began his trek through the departure gate and baggage claim. After collecting his luggage, he went to the passenger pick-up area. When he spotted Vince and the two men had exited the airport grounds, he was glad he'd decided to fly straight to Lakeland Lindur Regional instead of taking his normal route through Tampa International.

"Have you talked to Val yet?" Vince asked.

"Haven't had a chance," Joe answered, pulling out his cell phone and immediately noticing the voicemail icon at the top of the screen. "Lakeland LRA was surprisingly a zoo. Is she Ok?" he asked, dialing his voicemail.

"Um, she started having contractions around eleven this morning."

"What?!" Joe exclaimed, his head jerking in Vince's direction. "Is she at the hospital yet?!"

"Not yet. Cherie and I have been tryin' to get her to go, but she's hell-bent on waiting for you to take her."

"God, that woman is stubborn," Joe said, shaking his head.

"Like her mother. You ready for it?" Vince asked.

"Been ready, man," Joe answered, dialing Val's number.

She picked up on the first ring.

"Baby," she said in relief, "how far away are you?"

"I'm about fifteen minutes out. How ya doin'?"

"I'm hurting like hell."

"You should've been at the hospital already, Doll. You tracking those contractions?"

"Yeah, they're coming about every half-hour or so."

"Baby, you should get to the hospital," Joe advised. "You and the twins need immediate medical care. This isn't the average pregnancy, Val."

"Not without you," she protested.

"Val, baby-"

"Just get your ass home, Joseph!"

"OK, baby, OK," Joe calmly replied. "Just try to stay calm. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Thank you!" she said, disconnecting the call before he could respond.

He glanced over at Vince and took in a deep breath, slowly releasing it.

"Here we go."

***

Cherie sat next to Val on the sofa and massaged her lower back as another contraction began to rack her body.

"Breathe through it, baby."