Tristan Trilogy- Story 3

CHAPTER 51

The party was already underway by the time Kevin, Tristan and their houseguests arrived. Leighanne, Brian and Howie were already there and it was obvious that Brian had already been hitting the bar. There was an awful lot of eye rolling during those first few minutes. Justin Timberlake had stopped Nick and Holly near the door and was jabbering away about something or other. Tristan saw Nick glance toward Jack and roll his eyes. Leighanne caught Tristan’s glance, looked over towards Brian - who by now was being overly affectionate - and rolled her eyes. Howie's eyes rolled as he made a beeline for Kevin even before their coats had been checked.

“Man, you gotta get me outta there!” Howie groaned, looking over his shoulder. “Jackie and Harold are driving me nuts! All they talk about is the Pope and how I should get my hair cut and stuff like that!”

Kevin chuckled at Howie’s discomfort. “Aww, they’re not so bad. Just not very open-minded, that’s all…”

“Well, they’re talking about you, too.” Howie tattled. “Your new look is a hot topic around the dinner table! Of course, you’re going straight to hell, anyway, especially after that Rolling Stone shit! They just want to make sure you don’t take ‘Brian Bible Boy’ along with you. I thought Harold was going to die of embarrassment when Jackie asked him what ‘rubbing one out’ meant! Even Leighanne’s going crazy. Do you know that Jackie actually believes that Leigh is a virgin? Jesus!” He stepped in closer and pleaded with Kevin to be his savior. “You gotta help me, Kev. Can I come stay at your house tonight? I swear, I can't take any more… I’ll sleep on the floor…”

Kevin looked at Tristan, raised his brows and she nodded in response. Howie was elated.

“I’ll make up an excuse and let you know what it is so our stories will be the same.” Howie's eyes darted around the room as if he were plotting to seize the Pentagon. “We’ll meet later, synchronize our watches and plan the getaway.” The fact that he had obtained permission to enter a safe house seemed to soothe Howie and he started to make his way back to the crowd. Suddenly he stopped and spun back around. He had forgotten an important detail. “You got hair stuff at your house, right?”

Now it was Kevin’s turn to roll his eyes. “Yeah… We got hair stuff.” He bent down to Howie and whispered. “If we don’t have what you need, I’ll break through enemy lines, sneak into the Littrell hideout and seize your contraband…”

“Thanks, Kev.” Howie turned to leave for a second time and stopped once more, suddenly unsure and wary. “You being sarcastic, Kev?”

“Yes….”

“But you will get my stuff… Right?”

“Right.” Kevin's eyes rolled once more.

The party seemed to be going smoothly. No one got too wild but everyone was in high spirits. The talk was almost entirely music and business and although Kevin made an effort to include Tristan in his schmoozing, she preferred to stand on the sidelines and watch. Kevin kept her in his field of vision. She was still edgy but her tension had had been thinned considerably by large doses of complacency and preoccupation. Her anger seemed to have lessened but whenever Kevin gave her a nod from the floor or coaxed her from the wall for a dance, it was if she was someplace else. There was no spark. He felt a little relieved when he saw Amanda and Holly heading her way even though they both looked somewhat pissed. Kevin had recently been reading a little about homeopathic medicine and for some reason, its basic premise seemed to fit this situation. The law of similars which, simplistically put, states that the cure lies in the poison. Just as people are given injections of venom as an antidote to snake bite, maybe a dose of bitching - injected by Holly and Amanda - would rid Tristan of her sour outlook.

*****

“She just kills me!” Holly complained glancing across the room.

Tristan tried to follow her glare but Nick was standing in front of the object of Holly’s rant.

“Who?”

“Titney!” Holly stuck her finger in her mouth and made a gagging sound. “Would it be possible for her to wear fewer clothes?"

“Tell me about it…” Amanda sneered. “Looks like a goddamn stripper’s convention in here. Of course AJ has taken it upon himself to be the ringmaster of this silicone circus!”

Holly agreed emphatically. “Isn’t that the truth! I swear, if I’d realized Nick was so fond of saline, I’d have gotten him a pound of salt and a jug of distilled water for Christmas…”

Amanda tilted her head to look past Holly’s shoulder. “Speaking of saline, here comes Leighanne…”

The angry actress was moving towards the three women like she’d been fired out of a gun. She was bitching before she reached them.

“I swear to the heavenly Father, between Jackie Littrell’s Bible commentaries and Brian’s Donald Duck imitations, I think I’m going to lose my damn mind!”

She issued several more complaints before she realized that no one was sympathizing with her. Tristan, Holly and Amanda were staring at her, speechless. They had only seen her face in the crowd before but now they had a full view.

“What the fuck do you have growing out of your shoulder?” Amanda cringed, reaching out to touch the object of her fascination.

Leighanne closed her eyes and groaned loudly. When her eyes popped open, they flashed with anger.

“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” she hissed, gritting her teeth. “I’ll bet Donatella would love to see how Jackie has improved on her design..”

“What is it?” Holly asked timidly.

“Don’t you know? Why, it’s the latest thing - if you’re at your senior prom at it’s 1963!” Leighanne wasn’t usually sarcastic and so her tone had a particularly strong bite tonight. “It’s a damn corsage! Jackie was appalled that Brian didn’t order one for the…” Leighanne held up her fingers and made quotation marks in the air, “New Year’s Dance”, so she took it upon herself to correct his error!”

“Looks like a goddamn centerpiece…” Amanda frowned. “It’s the ugliest fuckin’ thing I ever saw…”

“Why, thank you, Amanda!” Leighanne spat. “I feel so much better!”

Holly made a feeble attempt to smooth things over. “I really don’t think I’ve ever seen such a…variety… of blossoms used together,” she said sweetly. She wasn’t lying. Leighanne’s shoulder was adorned with gardenias, roses, orchids and carnations.

“I think I did once…” Amanda said thoughtfully, unable to take her eyes from the floral display. “…on top of a casket at DeFranco’s Funeral Parlor…”

Tristan had said nothing. In fact, from the look on her face, one would wonder if she had even heard the conversation, but when Amanda made her last remark, Tristan sucked in her bottom lip. Her dimples began to deepen as she tried to stifle a gurgle that was beginning to rumble deep in her throat. She put her finger against her lips and began to shake her head. Her eyes were watering. The situation was not without humor but it wasn't all that funny. Yet Tristan seemed to have lost control. Her low chuckle soon gave way to a higher pitched giggle that quickly evolved into out and out laughter.

She couldn't stop. When the group's attention shifted from Leighanne's shoulder salad to Tristan's uncontrolled chortling, things only got worse. Soon she was gasping for air as tears cascaded down her cheeks. It would have been a great release from the evening’s tensions if it hadn't been so public. Now, people she didn't even know were staring at her. And she had to pee. Real bad.

“Glad I could brighten your day!” Leighanne grumbled.

“S..S..Sorry…..” Tristan grinned as she tried to catch her breath. “God, where is the bathroom?”

“On the other side of the room, of course…”Amanda pointed.

“I have to go, too….” Holly said, fishing into her purse for a tissue so Tristan could wipe her face.

Leighanne made the final remark as they began to move, en masse, through the crowd. “Do you think this thing will flush?”

Kevin had recognized Tristan’s laughter from his spot beside the bandstand where he had fallen into a conversation with AJ and Jack. He was relieved to hear her happy and hoped that her mood had leveled out and that she was seeing things more clearly.

“Here comes the Piss Squad,” AJ said as the group moved across the room towards the restroom doors. “Please tell me why they have to go to the bathroom in teams. What do they do, guard each other or something? Isn’t a locked door enough?”

“I think they hold each other’s purses or something…” Jack nodded seriously, as the three men watched the women inch their way through the crowd in route to the lady's room.

“They always have to go at the same time….” Kevin said suspiciously. “It’s like it’s pre-arranged or something…”

“It might be some kind of girl-talk thing…” AJ agreed as he analyzed the mystery of group urination. “Although, to be fair, Tris probably does have to piss. Holly probably wants to bitch about Spears’ spheres jiggling in Nick’s face and Amanda either wants to complain about me or find out what’s up with you and Tris….”

“Oh, I hope that’s it…..” Kevin groaned sarcastically.

“What about Leighanne?” Jack interrupted, genuinely curious about AJ’s theories.

AJ started cackling as the women passed. “I’m bettin’ that she’s goin’ in to water that bush!” Then, as if to clarify himself, “The one on her shoulder, I mean…”

Tristan remained seated in the bathroom stall long after she had finished her business. She could hear Holly alternately complaining about Nick’s goofy charm and praising it. Amanda was bitching about men in general and Leighanne was struggling to rid herself of Jackie’s topiary. Their talk soon became background chatter as her mind drifted back to the argument she and Kevin had earlier. Her hurt feelings had escalated to anger and had now settled somewhere in between. She knew that her feelings of general rejection weren't rational but she was tired and her back hurt. She just wanted to be held and made to feel loved. She felt the need to be 'babied' but she was too stubborn to come out and say so. Besides, they had a house full of company.

Now Tristan sat and wondered what she should do. It wasn't her highly sensitive emotional state that concerned her. It was the fact that her mucus plug, the gelatinous barrier that lay between the opening of her cervix and her unborn babies, now rested in the crotch of her panties. It was the mother of all signs. Labor was not far off. It may be several days away or only a matter of hours.

As she stared at her panties, which were puddled unceremoniously around her ankles, she wondered if she should tell Kevin now or wait until they were back home. Her anxiety level was rising. What if my water breaks? I couldn’t be in a worse place for that to happen… There must be over two hundred people here. The due date isn’t for two weeks. The babies need to grow more - they’re still tiny. Every ounce counts. We’re forty minutes from the hospital… and I don’t have my pickles…and my back hurts again.. Tristan felt her heart speed up a bit and she began to feel a little warm. She knew that her blood pressure was rising and she made an effort to calm herself. Deep breath…slowly…inhale….let it out…. Amanda was saying something in a loud voice.

“Well, it’s 11:15…. Come on, Tristan! Let’s go! “

Tristan cleaned herself and pulled up her panties. It was almost 2001.

*****

The four-member group left the bathroom and dispersed. Holly had spotted Mason at the bar and walked over to join him. Amanda and Leighanne went in search of AJ and Brian. Tristan surveyed the room and finally found Kevin standing with a small group near the end of the buffet table. She watched him for a minute or two, trying to decide what to do. He looked so handsome in his tux. One might even say elegant. The tuxedo was traditional in style, with a shawl collar. His shirt was white and tucked - no colors, no ruffles. Studs and cufflinks were of black onyx. Other men had attempted to make statements with their formal wear, using crazy ties and flashy diamond accents. One band member had even worn a Jethro Tull concert tee shirt under his jacket. That was all fine, really, but it didn’t suit Kevin. There were dozens of handsome men at the party but what set Kevin apart was the fact that he looked comfortable - not stiff or ill at ease in a penguin suit like some of the others.

She walked towards him and as she got closer, she could see that Kevin held the floor as the others listened to him intently. His head turned as she approached and he nodded and then turned back to his small audience. Tristan stopped. He was involved in something right now. A small sigh escaped her as she turned away and moved towards the wall, reclaiming her spot near the punch bowl.

People would come by and speak but Tristan kept her eyes on Kevin, willing him to join her. His discussion had become more animated and her powers of suggestion were having no effect. She was becoming irritated. She even waved to him once when he turned his head but he didn’t see her and she let her hand drop, feeling a little embarrassed but mostly peeved. What time is it? She pushed up her sleeve and checked her watch. 11:25…

At 11:26, Tristan felt a definite constriction in her abdomen. Seconds later, the tightening was followed by an ungodly cramping which caused her to bend forward a little as her breath caught in her throat. Her palms had begun to sweat and when she reached up to move her hair back away from her face, she could feel a film of moisture of her forehead. The cramping was accompanied by strong, unrelenting pressure against her pelvis. Tristan moaned slightly as she steadied herself against the wall and glanced around the room. No one seemed to notice her, including Kevin. When the cramping and pressure subsided, she checked the time once more. 11:28. Only two minutes? It seemed so much longer…

She tried to convince herself that the babies had just shifted and dropped or that maybe her bowels were cramping. After all, her water hadn’t broken. She tried to ignore the fact that sometimes a woman’s water didn’t break. That was unusual, but it happened. Tristan’s eyes circled the room once more and stopped at the buffet table. Although hoards of people were milling around it, laughing as they filled their plates, there was an open space that gave her a clear view of the table, if only for a few seconds. The caterers had prepared an extensive fare but Tristan had focused on only one dish. Near the edge of the table lay a silver plated tray covered with small pickles. As if guided by some unknown force, she absently reached for an empty punch cup and stepped carefully towards the buffet.

At 11:50, the crowd began to gear up for the New Year countdown. Tristan’s body began to gear up too, as another burst of pain seized her. She had begun to wander the ballroom, looking for Kevin, unaware that he was looking for her as well. Now she froze again, unable to take a step. She rechecked the time. Twenty-two minutes… She doubted that her legs would hold her much longer. Suddenly she heard a voice over her shoulder.

“Tris! Haven’t seen you all night! Are you having a good time?”

It was Nick. He stepped around to face her and grabbed her by the shoulders.

“I’m gonna get my New Year’s hug while I can!” he laughed. “You’d better go find…”

Nick stopped talking once he got a good look at Tristan. She looked....funny - kind of pink faced, sweaty and furious.

“Where is he?…” she snarled.

Nick raised his arm and pointed. Something was wrong. Kevin was several yards away but happened to turn at the same time that Tristan spotted him. He was grinning his ass off and Tristan briefly wondered how many JD’s he’d consumed in the last couple of hours. She felt like she could use a few belts herself. He came towards her, pausing to do a few dance steps along the way. She was not amused. In fact, she had become downright pissed. Labor hormones were taking over rapidly. Kevin would never know what hit him.

AJ, Amanda, Holly, Leighanne and Brian had joined them, ready to toast in the New Year. Tristan was barely aware of their presence - her focus was on Kevin who had stopped a few feet away from her and was looking at her with a slightly puzzled expression.

“Come on, baby!” he smiled tentatively, holding out his arms to her. “I’ve been looking for you….”

“Have you?” she hissed, her tone hostile and acerbic.

“Well….yeah!” he glared as his brows knitted together. “It’s almost time!”

Tristan slowly raised her right arm. “Sweetie, you don’t know how right you are…” she scowled back at him. “Sorry I don’t have my jar, but you wouldn’t let me bring it, remember? Happy fucking New Year!”

As she spit out those last four words, she threw the contents of her punch cup across the space that separated her from Kevin and a dozen small pickles slammed against his immaculate tuxedo.

CHAPTER 52

Kevin slowly raised his eyes from his brine soaked shirt. Tristan's pickle attack had definitely caught him off guard. For several seconds, he stared at her steadily, in a state of shock. His face was blank but his mouth was open in disbelief.

The rest of the group had also been jolted by Tristan's quick and unexpected action. Everyone seemed to have been stricken dumb as the crowd that surrounded them separated, allowing the couple ample room in which to face off. As color began to creep up Kevin's neck to his face, Tristan's chin began to quiver. She had definitely 'lost it'. Their friends continued to stand nearby, staring - their eyes darting back and forth as if they were watching a ping-pong match. When the band began to play again, Tristan turned and flung herself into the crowd, disappearing with little effort, and pushed herself towards the ballroom exit and out into the cool corridor.

Kevin had neither moved nor spoken. He didn't know what in the hell Tristan's problem was but he had lost patience with her. If she wasn't pregnant, he might have considered that she had developed some virulent strain of PMS. Nick's query broke through his shocked stupor.

"You gonna go after her, Kev? Somethin' ain't right! Tristan looks funny…" he shouted above the din of the music.

Kevin turned to look at Nick. Maybe the alcohol had slowed his brain processes. He didn't know what in the hell was happening. His eyes fell to the floor again and he studied the small gherkins that lay scattered around his feet. Tristan snapping… Pickles…. 'It's almost time'…. 'You don't know how right you are'…… Pickles…. Suddenly, the pieces of the puzzle were slipping into place and the Captain emerged from his slumber.

"Sweet Jesus Christ…" Kevin mumbled. "The babies… It’s time!"

*****

Tristan didn't know where she was going as she moved down the carpeted hallway. She could hear the wind up for the New Year's countdown beginning in the distance. New year - new life… She'd had to get out of there. The combination of the crowd, the loud music and chatter, the heat and Kevin's glare all seemed to bear down on her with an unrelenting force. Logic had left her and instinct had taken its place. She wondered if Kevin would come after her. She had reached the end of the corridor and had to turn. For no reason, she opted to go left. Tristan was moving slowly now. Her legs didn't seem to want to cooperate with her mind. She kicked off her shoes and stumbled on, finding that she needed the support of the papered walls to keep herself standing. A moment later, she discovered that the walls wouldn't be enough. Another contraction began and she made a conscious effort to relax by leaning her back against the wall and taking deep breaths. That was when her legs gave out and she felt her body sliding down to the floor. She did have sense enough to check her watch. Still twenty minutes apart…

This was not the way it was supposed to be. She had read that contractions started gently and grew more intense as they continued. God help her if this was considered a 'gentle' labor pain. She sat on the floor now, beside a potted palm. Her legs were spread out in front of her, her dress pushed halfway up her thighs, as she pressed her back against the wall, held her breath and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Perspiration began to roll down the side of her face as a mantle of fear settled over her. I shouldn't have run away… What if Kevin can't find me? The corridor was empty and silent. She was alone. As the pressure on the contraction started to build, Tristan began to whimper Kevin’s name in time with her quickening pulse. She was feeling lightheaded as a result of oxygen deprivation. She wasn’t drawing in enough air for her body to do its job. Tristan could already tell that this contraction would last longer than the previous ones and as the pressure and stabbing pain reached its apex, her body suddenly slumped.

*****

Seven pairs of eyes stared into Kevin’s, waiting for instruction. They didn’t have to wait long.

“Who’s got a cell?” Kevin yelled as the seconds to 2001 were being counted down.

Leighanne reached into her purse and pulled out a small flip-phone. Kevin grabbed it as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys.

“Nick - go get my truck and pull it around to the front. Wait for us.” Kevin paused for a moment as he took an unsteady breath. If you looked hard enough, you could almost see the mental checklist moving through his mind. “Brian, you take care of things here, with the label and all. Call my mother, but tell her to sit tight until she hears from me, okay?”

Brian nodded.

“AJ!” Kevin screamed.

7…6…5….

“You come with me! We gotta find Tris!”

4…3…

AJ was shaking his head violently. “Naw, man… come on, Kev! What if she…”

2…1….

“NOW, BONE!”

Happy New Year!….

Despite his cavalier attitude, this baby birthing stuff scared AJ to death. Kevin was already pushing through the crowd. He wasn’t going to ‘discuss’ this with AJ. He had issued an order - something Kevin hadn’t done in a long time. AJ watched for a second and then threw his cigarette down on the floor and followed, mumbling a string of curses.

“Fuck…… Why me?…..”

*****

Tristan’s brief journey into darkness only lasted a few seconds. As soon as her body had replenished itself, she started to come around. The contraction was subsiding. She didn’t open her eyes. She sat still and tried to focus. She needed to find Kevin. With that coherent thought came a tidal wave of hormonal fury.

Dr. Fisher had referred to it as PBBS - Pre Birth Bitch Syndrome. She remembered how she and Kevin had laughed at his description. Dr. Malone had mentioned this temporary personality anomaly, too, calling it HMR as in ‘I am woman, Hear Me Roar..’. Tristan had pooh-poohed this theory even after numerous confirming reports from those who had experienced or witnessed it first hand. Now, she suspected that she’d been experiencing PBBS since she and Kevin were getting ready for the party. The ‘condition’, however, was never accompanied by remorse. At best, the carrier may experience a somewhat sheepish embarrassment after the birth. It was the traditional duty of the victim to suffer the slings and arrows of hurled abuses. Usually this was the father, however anyone within hearing range of the laboring mother could expect a blasting. The only known exception to this was the person held the key to the drugs and even they were in danger if they were too slow with the medication. Obstetric personnel would confirm that they had seen 250 pound linebackers brought to their knees by the attacks of a previously meek 100 pound woman in the throes of labor. For some women, it was worth the pain to have those hours of empowerment although they would often claim to have forgotten what they said or did.

Tristan tried to get up but her attempt was futile. She was just too weak, so she sat with her eyes still closed and rested, hoping that rescue was eminent.

*****

AJ was still whining when he caught up with Kevin.

"Shut-up AJ! You go down there and I'll take this side. If you see anything, holler!"

Shit… AJ turned left and headed down the carpet, hoping he wouldn't find, hear or see anything. He frowned when he heard Kevin screaming at him from the opposite end of the hallway. Apparently, AJ wasn't moving quickly enough to suit the Captain. He broke out into a trot and after several yards, froze. He could see a black shoe lying on the carpet where another corridor crossed. AJ didn't think - he just stared at the shoe and hollered. Within seconds he could feel as well as hear the pounding of Kevin's large feet behind him.

"What?" Kevin shouted. "Did you find her?"

AJ pointed to the shoe on the floor and Kevin stepped into the hallway intersection. He glanced to the right. Nothing. Then he whirled around. Kevin could see two legs stretched out on the green carpet. A large potted palm hid the body that was attached to those limbs, but he would know those legs anywhere. It was Tristan. As AJ peeked from behind, Kevin ran over to the body slumped against the wall and fell to his knees. AJ stood back and observed, waiting for Kevin to issue orders as his brain struggled to maintain balance and calm. She didn't look too good.

"Tristan! Baby! Come on, now darlin'…wake up!"

Kevin was trying to lift her from the floor when her eyes flew open.

"Where in the hell have you been?" she snarled. "I'm dying here, party boy!"

AJ's brows shot up. Testy, testy….

"I'm sorry, baby…. I didn't know what was going on…"

"No shit, Kevin!" she snapped angrily. Then Tristan's lower lip began to tremble and she burst into tears. "They started, Kevin! And they started hard! None of this 'stage one' stuff! We gotta go to the hosptal….."

"Shhh, darlin'…okay… I've got Leighanne's cell and Nick is getting the truck. You sit tight while I call Fisher…"

"Hold me!"

Kevin was taken by surprise when Tristan suddenly threw herself against him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, holding on for dear life.

"Jesus, Tris.." Kevin choked, trying to hold the phone in one hand as his right arm wrapped around her back. "I've gotta call the doctor…"

Tristan was yelling something into Kevin's shoulder and shaking her head. He couldn't understand her. Her cries were muffled but she wasn't about to let go of him, so he started pressing buttons with his thumb. Fisher picked up after the third ring.

"It's Kevin! It's time! We gotta go! When can…"

"Hold up, Kevin!" Dr. Fisher admonished. "Now calm down and tell me what's happening. Did Tristan's water break?"

Kevin paused. He didn't know. He didn't think so but he had to ask her. She shook her head against his arm.

"Uh…no…"

"Is she having contractions?"

"Yes…"

"How many and how far apart?"

Kevin tried to speak gently and coax some information from his wife. She was still hanging on and Kevin had unconsciously begun to rock her. His motion was almost imperceptible.

"How many contractions have you had, Tris?"

She let go of Kevin's neck long enough to hold up three fingers. Her face was still pressed into his jacket.

"Do you know how far apart they are, darlin'?" he asked softly.

Tristan turned her head only enough so that she could be heard, and then resumed her position. She didn't want to move. She didn't want Kevin to move. He was rocking, patting and speaking in tender tones. She liked things just like this. She was aware of Kevin nodding his head and then she heard him speak again.

"About 30 to 40 minutes from the hospital…. Okay….. Really?…. No - that's great… Okay, We're on our way."

Kevin clicked the phone off and held it out to AJ.

"Call Amanda and ask her to get Tristan's bag from the nursery. My mom, or whoever comes down to the hospital can bring it."

AJ nodded and began to dial as Kevin pulled Tristan from his shoulder and looked into her face. She was flushed and her skin was damp.

"You doin' okay, baby?"

Tristan barely nodded and tried hard to force a tiny smile. Despite her fear and anxiety, it had not escaped her that this was January first. This was the third New Year's day in a row that had marked a major milestone in their lives.

"Nick's bringing the truck around and Dr. Fisher's gonna meet us at the hospital. And guess what? Dr. Malone's coming, too! Fisher said that Malone was vacationing in Tennessee and told him to call if anything happened - that he wouldn't mind being around…."

Again, Tristan gave Kevin a slight nod.

"Come on Tris…"

Kevin stood up and reached down to take Tristan by the arms and pull her up after him.

"Can you walk or do you want me to carry you?"

"I…I think I can walk…" Tristan whispered. "Just go slow…"

They had taken several steps. Tristan, barefoot and leaning against Kevin, stopped to ask a question. Her voice cracked as she looked to him for reassurance and his eyes filled as she lent voice to her concern.

"You…you're going to stay with me, aren't you Kevin? I don't want to do this alone…"

Kevin pulled her against him and pressed his mouth against her head, fighting to control the waver in his voice that would betray his own highly charged emotional state.

"Always, Tristan… Always.."

*****

The trip to the hospital had been exciting for everyone concerned but for different reasons. Nick had been at the door when Kevin came out with Tristan, gunning the engine and looking like he was ready for the Indy 500. No one had thought to bring their coats with them and it was bitter cold outside. Fortunately, Nick had had the foresight to crank up the heat and Kevin kept a blanket in the back, in case of an emergency. This qualified.

Nicks eyes grew wide as the trio approached. AJ had run ahead to get the door and Nick stepped on the gas again, preparing to peel out as soon as everyone climbed aboard.

"God damn, Nick!" AJ scowled. "You tryin' to carbon monoxide us to death out here?"

Nick didn't answer. His eyes were fastened on Tristan. He was having visions screaming pain, blood, guts and a back-of-truck delivery. Somehow AJ had ended up in the back seat with Kevin and Tristan. Nick glanced quickly in the rear view mirror. Tristan was sweaty and pink looking, Kevin was pale as a ghost and AJ looked positively green, even in the dim light. Nick thought that maybe he had lucked out after all in being assigned the driving duty. As soon as Kevin closed the door, Nick burned rubber. When he reached the highway, he took a hard right, causing the tires to squeal, and floored it.

"Jesus! Take it easy, Nick!" AJ growled. "This ain't no damn Disney ride!"

Nick checked the mirror again. All three passengers had slid together to form a semi-tangled pile of people. Tristan was between AJ and Kevin and AJ's arms were over his head as if he was afraid to touch the mother-to-be. Tristan began to pant. Another contraction was beginning. oh shit…

Tristan's emotional and quiet state was beginning to shift as the contraction intensified. HMR was setting in again. AJ suddenly felt Tristan's hand on his thigh. Soon her nails were digging into his flesh and he felt his stomach flip. I should have ridden shotgun…

Tristan's back arched as her breaths became more rapid. Kevin started speaking to her in soothing tones, trying to talk her through. She was pressing against AJ as Kevin leaned over her, holding on to her hand. AJ was now sandwiched between an unusually strong Tristan who seemed to be using him for leverage and the SUV door handle. AJ hadn't expected that he would be suffering injuries when Tristan had these babies. He thought he would be sitting home in Florida, relaxing when he got the happy call from Kevin. He had little desire to be an eye witness to the miracle of birth. To her credit, Tristan hadn't started screaming or anything but he could tell by the strength of her pressing and the stab of her fingernails that she was hurting. He could hardly believe it when he heard Kevin murmur what had to be considered an exquisitely stupid question.

"Awww, does it hurt, baby?"

Tristin's body stiffened and the hand that Kevin was holding suddenly grabbed his lapel, pulling his face even closer to hers. Her glare bordered on the supernatural.

"Noooo…. It doesn't hurt, Kevin…" she hissed at him. "No more than you pissing a lemon out of the end of you dick would hurt…"

All three men simultaneously made faces and winced painfully. Nick started mumbling anxiously from the driver's seat.

"OhGodohGodohGod….."

Thankfully, they were almost there.

*****

It had been an incredibly long night. Both doctors had been there for the delivery - Dr. Fisher playing the role of the comforting family friend and Dr. Malone acting as the wise-cracking, tension-lifting comedian. Kevin had been asked to change into scrubs soon after their arrival. The combination of hospital smells and the odor of garlic pickle brine didn't make for a pleasant aroma.

AJ and Nick, by now safely out of the line of fire, had suddenly taken on the mantle of confidence and calmness, as if their death defying trip to the hospital had been like a Sunday ride in the country. They hadn't seemed so confident a few hours ago when Tristan had experienced another contraction, this one complete with chilling audio. She had hurled curses like a sailor, screamed for Kevin, at Kevin, whimpered and cried. AJ couldn't get rid of the image of Linda Blair in the Exorcist. He had halfway expected Tristan to turn her head completely around on her neck.

Their numbers had grown. Kevin's brothers, mother and grandmother were at the hospital waiting for news, as were his four musical brothers, Amanda, Holly and Leighanne. Jack sat in a corner and watched Mason pace as if he were the expectant father.

Although Kevin seemed to be holding up fairly well, it was clear that most of his energy resulted from pure adrenaline. Anne watched her son carefully when she could and seriously wondered if he would have to be admitted before this was all over. He didn't look excited - he looked worried and anxious.

He'd had to step out of the room after the anesthesiologist had tried to administer an epidural. Tristan had protested but both doctors had insisted on medication after her blood pressure spiked to a dangerous level. The medication hadn't 'taken' and now new worries surfaced. It was just taking too damn long. Tristan had reached her limit and fatigue was threatening to hinder the babies' demand for release. She had begun to look dazed instead of focused, too weak to scream and barely able to groan despite her intense pain. Kevin hadn't missed the troubled looks that passed between the doctors when Tristan asked the nurse to get her husband. Kevin had been holding her head in his arms at the time. They had ordered him out for a moment while they discussed 'options' and now Kevin leaned against the cool tiles, unable to form a coherent thought. A voice broke thorough his fear and confusion.

"What's going on?'

Kevin looked up from the floor and into the eyes of Nick whose expression moved from apprehension to fear as Kevin gazed at him. He knew that Nick's expression was mimicking his own.

"I'm not sure…" Kevin said softly. "I think there might be some trouble." He straightened and wiped his eyes with his fist. "The doctors are trying to decide…"

Kevin was interrupted when a birthing room nurse pushed open the door and called him back inside. The action had startled him and he hesitated for a moment, trying to read the indiscernible expression on the nurse's face. He couldn't help but notice that no sounds came from behind the cracked door and looked quickly at Nick, swallowed and followed the nurse back inside.

One hour later, family and friends were called to a doctor/patient conference room where they sat and waited some more. No explanation was given for the call to move and once they were seated, they were silent. No one spoke although the smell of fear permeated the room. After several minutes, the door opened and Kevin stepped inside, followed by the two doctors. Kevin carried two small bundles - one in each arm.

"I think I need to make some introductions.."

He could barely get the words out and as he looked up into the faces of his friends and family, he thought that surely he would fall apart right there. His wet eyes met their glistening ones as he tried to speak and failed and after a moment he felt Dr. Fisher's hand on his back. Dr. Malone pulled the cotton blankets back from the baby's faces so everyone could have a look. The babies were awake, alert and squirming. Despite their newborn status, their eyes were not the typical dark blue color. They had been born with distinct features that clearly identified both parents.

Kevin looked down at the baby wrapped in pink. Her head was covered in thick black hair and the overhead lights bounced briefly off of eyes whose color was plainly violet.

"This is Mallory McLean Richardson…" Kevin smiled, glancing towards AJ.

AJ McLean couldn't think of a witty comeback to Kevin's announcement. Kevin had pushed a button he didn't even know he had and all he could do was stare into the face of his older bandmate. He was in shock. Finally, he had to turn away and face the wall. Kevin grinned at AJ's back. He understood completely.

Kevin propped up the blue bundle in his right arm. The little head that peeped out from the blanket didn't seem to be too happy. His green eyes even seemed to flash a tiny bit. Blond wavy hairs clung to his scalp.

"And this…" Kevin chuckled, "….is Benjamin Carter Richardson…"

Nick put his face in his hands and began to cry.

"Tristan is weak but she's gonna be okay….."

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Fiction by Grace