Sweet Children Come Out And Play
Hold On
May 16th. Mike had just had his 20th birthday on the fourth. That just left Tre as the baby. ‘Still in his teens’ Delphine laughed to herself. But then again, she and Richelle were too. Speaking of Richelle, she and Delphine were taking the day off to do a little baby shopping. Brites had no interest in this and Cody was being taught to play drums in Tre’s living room by both Tre and Billie Joe at the same time. That was not working, so well as they had heard just before leaving. But then no one had called them so they must still all be alive.
Richelle was over her head excited about the baby shopping though; she was the one who kept suggesting it. So they went to the baby section in Target downtown to look around. She picked up a tiny little bright pink dress with green daisy flowers lining the bottom. “Look! Isn’t this adorable?”
“That’s so pretty. How much?”
“Ten.”
“Ok, we have about thirty dollars, a ten dollar gift card and a 20 percent off coupon for baby items. Ok, let’s get that one and a couple more baby clothes.” Delphine couldn’t resist. “Look, here’s a little t-shirt!” she held up a black baby shirt with a cute – yes cute – little sweet looking skull on the front. “Skully!”
“That’s sweet,” Richelle clasped her hands together and begged, “can we please get it!?”
“You know you won’t fit right?”
“But it’s so cute.”
“Well,” she turned it around to look again herself and smiled, “Ok.” Everything was miniature. It was so hard to pass up. “We also have to get these,” Delphine held up a little pair of hot pink pantyhose like she used to have when she was five. They brought back memories and used to be her favorite.
After that, they went around and picked up all the essentials: diapers, diaper wipes, extra bottles, pacifiers, baby powder, Vaseline, socks, baby blankets and by that time they were forced to be done. Delphine laughed as she remembered the days back home when her mom and dad used to pay for her own clothes. Now they were pretty stretched money wise, but not living at home was a good tradeoff. “Ok, I think you are set,” Richelle said as they walked back out to the van. She was carrying the bulk of the load.
“I think so too. But I feel like we forgot something.”
“We didn’t buy something?” she said glancing at the bags.
“No. I think we forgot someone.”
“How about the baby?"
“Oh yeah, that was it. Ok, got the baby.”
“You know, we just bought all pink things. What if the baby turned out to be a boy?”
“Then I would probably laugh hysterically and Billie would complain about how the kid is going to be messed up because we made him wear little pink dresses.”
“Like he could complain. Billie wears dresses anyway because HE WANTS TO. Well, I guess that’s mostly at shows.”
“Oh, you don’t see what goes on at home.”
“Wait, what?”
“Nothing.”
“No! Wait, what does he do at home?” Richelle started jumped up and down.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Yes you did! Tell me what he does at home with dresses.”
“Well, it’s not just dresses.”
“What? What is it!”
“Nothing.”
“Ahh! …Fine!”
~
Delphine sat alone at home. She had not felt like going out today. It was the middle of April now. The baby’s due date had come and gone a few days before. For the last two weeks, Billie and the other had been on edge. She kept insisting that they should not be. Twice in the last three weeks she had suddenly gotten a few painful tremors. They both started abruptly and stopped within minutes. The doctors told them it was nothing to worry about. The body was just preparing for when true contractions came.
Two weeks passed without a sign before her due date and then for a half a week after. It could be another two weeks even. So they all went on with life. Today though was another sluggish day. Delphine felt tiered. A few ‘I hope nothing’s wrong with me’ and ‘I better not be getting sick now’ came over her but it was probably nothing and she lied down to watch TRL. She was in Brites’ kitchen, the main hangout house of the three (it had the biggest living room/ refrigerator). She was always around people just in case, but no one was home right then. A moment’s ‘maybe I should call someone’ crossed her mind as the front door opened with a creak and Brites and Tre walked in.
“Hey Del, how’s it going?” Tre hopped over as Brites dumped the grocery bags on the counter.
“Oh, all right.” Tre sat down beside her feet at the end of the couch. She felt a little better with someone for company.
“Tre went food shopping with me!” Brites fell onto the couch beside them pretending to be exhausted. “And we got nothing done. I don’t know why Richelle is with him – he’s no help – although he does make a good karate partner when you are fighting for the last box of chocolate poptarts,” she smiled, Tre looking proud and giving an innocent nod. “And it’s good to see you finally tired, I mean lying down for once,” she continued. “But are you feeling ok?” Delphine didn’t seem to look herself.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said quietly. Brites and Tre did not look so convinced.
“You sure? You look a little pale,” she said sweetly. “Del?”
“Can I get you anything?” Tre asked.
“No, no I…oh,” Delphine stopped. “Actually, can you call Billie?”
“Oh, sure, Delphine,” Brites got up quickly, “should we go to the hospital?”
“Oh, no, I don’t think we need to yet-” she stopped, “Um, yes, maybe we should go just in case,” she breathed calmly still.
“Oh!” Brites ran to get the phone, shuffled around for a minute in a panic when she could not find it, discovered it under a mound of newspaper, and dialed Billie’s cell. “Tre, help Delphine to the car!” she called.
Tre suddenly looked scared, “What?”
“It’s fine, Tre,” Delphine said getting up. “It’s probably nothing.” Tre helped her to her feet and to the van out front.
Billie Joe picked up his phone in Jason’s car, “Yeah?”
“Billie, it’s Brites! We are talking Del to the hospital and you have to come!”
“What?! What is it?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Delphine wasn’t felling so good so we’re going.”
“Now!”
“Yes, meet us there! I’m going now.”
“Uh, ok,” Billie sat stunned on the line for a second after Brites hung up on the other end. He turned to Richelle and Mike who were sitting with dumb faces in the back seat.
“What’s wrong?”
“We have to go to the hospital! Quick!” he turned back to Jason and threw his hands on the steering wheel. “Hurry! Turn around!”
“Ah! Chill out man! We’re going.” Jason pushed Billie back in his passenger’s seat. “Just, stay calm.” Billie shrunk back with a groan and started twisting his fingers together nervously.
“But…what if this is it and something goes wrong.”
“What did they say?” Richelle asked impatiently.
“That she was feeling sick and they’re going to the hospital now. That’s it.”
“Well, go faster Jason.”
“There’s this old guy in front of me and he won’t go faster.”
“Honk the horn,” Billie whined.
“I can’t, he’ll get mad or something.” But then Billie reached over and did it for him. The driver in front of them slowed down and pulled to the side to let Jason’s car pass, but glared out the window as they went speeding by. It seemed like they were hitting all of the traffic lights through town and Billie was getting really pissed off.
“Come on, beat the light!” he shouted.
“Do you want to drive?” Jason shouted back. Billie was shaking though.
“No, now just go.”
Then Jason felt bad and sped through the light. What if something really was wrong? He sped through the next green light and got caught by another which was turning yellow as they drove up to it. The car screeched to a halt. Richelle puffed from the back seat and Jason went straight through it. Unfortunately, there were flashing lights behind them about thirty seconds later.
“Shit,” Jason said as he pulled the car over to the side.
“No, fuck!” Billie stomped rubbing his face.
The officer walked up to the car window at an incredibly slow stride and asked, “Did you realize you just ran that red light back there?”
Jason spoke up, “Yes officer, I did, but it was because…”
“I really don’t want any excuses right now, son,” he shrugged pulling out a ticket pad.
“Sir! My wife is HAVING A BABY!” Billie shouted throwing his hands up in the air and pounding them down as hard he could on the dashboard. The little dancing hula girl tumbled off to the ground and his hands turned red, but the officer seemed to have gotten the message.
“Yes, that’s why we were speeding. Sorry.” Jason added timidly. Billie Joe looked as if he was about to explode at any fucking minute.
“Oh, I see. Is that right young miss?” he turned to Richelle who was bending over Billie’s seat.
“Yes, we have to hurry please. It’s our friend, Delphine, Billie’s wife,” she pointed urgently.
“Well, then I’ll let you off with a warning. You better be on your way. Be careful.”
“THANK YOU!” she called back as he walked away. Jason sped the car back off down the road.
~
When Billie Joe, Richelle, Mike and Jason all arrived at the hospital and burst into the maternity ward, a nurse showed them to Delphine’s room. Billie fell through the door at full speed and nearly crashed into Brites on the other side. “You’re here!” she cried. He found Delphine propped up in bad with Tre sitting next to her.
“Delphine, I’m so sorry! I came as soon as I could,” he took her hand.
“It’s ok, Billie,” she said tiredly.
“So?” he said, “What is it? What’s happening?”
“She’s in labor,” Brites said.
“I got a few contractions at home and I didn’t know what they were. And it just felt like I had the flu or something and it got worse.”
“So, is this it then?” he asked frantically.
She nodded, “We’re pretty sure. It’s all right now, Billie. Calm down,” she brushed some of the long locks of blue hair out of his eyes. “Unless the contractions slow down-” Delphine stopped and closed her eyes with her had back on the pillow.
“Delphine, sugar,” Billie laid a hand across her forehead, “it’s ok…” Everyone stood still except for Tre who took her other hand.
“Shit,” she murmured, trying hard to breathe deeply. When the pain eased, Delphine untensed. Billie kissed her cheek. After a moment’s rest she spoke up, “They’re getting stronger. I don’t think it’ll stop.”
“Should we go tell the doctor?” Mike asked.
“Yes, go,” Billie said spastically.
“Billie, maybe not quite yet-” she stopped, “Wait, yes go now.” She said it with a calm sigh actually, but her deep eyes blushed with a scared look.
“Oh my god, go!” Billie shouted back at him. Mike ran out of the room followed by everyone else except Tre who sat there dumbfounded. Then a quick, “Hold on,” and kiss from Billie, “I have to go make sure they get the right doctor!” and he ran out. “Stay there Tre!”
“Ok,” he said helplessly, still holding onto Delphine’s hand.
Richelle was over her head excited about the baby shopping though; she was the one who kept suggesting it. So they went to the baby section in Target downtown to look around. She picked up a tiny little bright pink dress with green daisy flowers lining the bottom. “Look! Isn’t this adorable?”
“That’s so pretty. How much?”
“Ten.”
“Ok, we have about thirty dollars, a ten dollar gift card and a 20 percent off coupon for baby items. Ok, let’s get that one and a couple more baby clothes.” Delphine couldn’t resist. “Look, here’s a little t-shirt!” she held up a black baby shirt with a cute – yes cute – little sweet looking skull on the front. “Skully!”
“That’s sweet,” Richelle clasped her hands together and begged, “can we please get it!?”
“You know you won’t fit right?”
“But it’s so cute.”
“Well,” she turned it around to look again herself and smiled, “Ok.” Everything was miniature. It was so hard to pass up. “We also have to get these,” Delphine held up a little pair of hot pink pantyhose like she used to have when she was five. They brought back memories and used to be her favorite.
After that, they went around and picked up all the essentials: diapers, diaper wipes, extra bottles, pacifiers, baby powder, Vaseline, socks, baby blankets and by that time they were forced to be done. Delphine laughed as she remembered the days back home when her mom and dad used to pay for her own clothes. Now they were pretty stretched money wise, but not living at home was a good tradeoff. “Ok, I think you are set,” Richelle said as they walked back out to the van. She was carrying the bulk of the load.
“I think so too. But I feel like we forgot something.”
“We didn’t buy something?” she said glancing at the bags.
“No. I think we forgot someone.”
“How about the baby?"
“Oh yeah, that was it. Ok, got the baby.”
“You know, we just bought all pink things. What if the baby turned out to be a boy?”
“Then I would probably laugh hysterically and Billie would complain about how the kid is going to be messed up because we made him wear little pink dresses.”
“Like he could complain. Billie wears dresses anyway because HE WANTS TO. Well, I guess that’s mostly at shows.”
“Oh, you don’t see what goes on at home.”
“Wait, what?”
“Nothing.”
“No! Wait, what does he do at home?” Richelle started jumped up and down.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Yes you did! Tell me what he does at home with dresses.”
“Well, it’s not just dresses.”
“What? What is it!”
“Nothing.”
“Ahh! …Fine!”
~
Delphine sat alone at home. She had not felt like going out today. It was the middle of April now. The baby’s due date had come and gone a few days before. For the last two weeks, Billie and the other had been on edge. She kept insisting that they should not be. Twice in the last three weeks she had suddenly gotten a few painful tremors. They both started abruptly and stopped within minutes. The doctors told them it was nothing to worry about. The body was just preparing for when true contractions came.
Two weeks passed without a sign before her due date and then for a half a week after. It could be another two weeks even. So they all went on with life. Today though was another sluggish day. Delphine felt tiered. A few ‘I hope nothing’s wrong with me’ and ‘I better not be getting sick now’ came over her but it was probably nothing and she lied down to watch TRL. She was in Brites’ kitchen, the main hangout house of the three (it had the biggest living room/ refrigerator). She was always around people just in case, but no one was home right then. A moment’s ‘maybe I should call someone’ crossed her mind as the front door opened with a creak and Brites and Tre walked in.
“Hey Del, how’s it going?” Tre hopped over as Brites dumped the grocery bags on the counter.
“Oh, all right.” Tre sat down beside her feet at the end of the couch. She felt a little better with someone for company.
“Tre went food shopping with me!” Brites fell onto the couch beside them pretending to be exhausted. “And we got nothing done. I don’t know why Richelle is with him – he’s no help – although he does make a good karate partner when you are fighting for the last box of chocolate poptarts,” she smiled, Tre looking proud and giving an innocent nod. “And it’s good to see you finally tired, I mean lying down for once,” she continued. “But are you feeling ok?” Delphine didn’t seem to look herself.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said quietly. Brites and Tre did not look so convinced.
“You sure? You look a little pale,” she said sweetly. “Del?”
“Can I get you anything?” Tre asked.
“No, no I…oh,” Delphine stopped. “Actually, can you call Billie?”
“Oh, sure, Delphine,” Brites got up quickly, “should we go to the hospital?”
“Oh, no, I don’t think we need to yet-” she stopped, “Um, yes, maybe we should go just in case,” she breathed calmly still.
“Oh!” Brites ran to get the phone, shuffled around for a minute in a panic when she could not find it, discovered it under a mound of newspaper, and dialed Billie’s cell. “Tre, help Delphine to the car!” she called.
Tre suddenly looked scared, “What?”
“It’s fine, Tre,” Delphine said getting up. “It’s probably nothing.” Tre helped her to her feet and to the van out front.
Billie Joe picked up his phone in Jason’s car, “Yeah?”
“Billie, it’s Brites! We are talking Del to the hospital and you have to come!”
“What?! What is it?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Delphine wasn’t felling so good so we’re going.”
“Now!”
“Yes, meet us there! I’m going now.”
“Uh, ok,” Billie sat stunned on the line for a second after Brites hung up on the other end. He turned to Richelle and Mike who were sitting with dumb faces in the back seat.
“What’s wrong?”
“We have to go to the hospital! Quick!” he turned back to Jason and threw his hands on the steering wheel. “Hurry! Turn around!”
“Ah! Chill out man! We’re going.” Jason pushed Billie back in his passenger’s seat. “Just, stay calm.” Billie shrunk back with a groan and started twisting his fingers together nervously.
“But…what if this is it and something goes wrong.”
“What did they say?” Richelle asked impatiently.
“That she was feeling sick and they’re going to the hospital now. That’s it.”
“Well, go faster Jason.”
“There’s this old guy in front of me and he won’t go faster.”
“Honk the horn,” Billie whined.
“I can’t, he’ll get mad or something.” But then Billie reached over and did it for him. The driver in front of them slowed down and pulled to the side to let Jason’s car pass, but glared out the window as they went speeding by. It seemed like they were hitting all of the traffic lights through town and Billie was getting really pissed off.
“Come on, beat the light!” he shouted.
“Do you want to drive?” Jason shouted back. Billie was shaking though.
“No, now just go.”
Then Jason felt bad and sped through the light. What if something really was wrong? He sped through the next green light and got caught by another which was turning yellow as they drove up to it. The car screeched to a halt. Richelle puffed from the back seat and Jason went straight through it. Unfortunately, there were flashing lights behind them about thirty seconds later.
“Shit,” Jason said as he pulled the car over to the side.
“No, fuck!” Billie stomped rubbing his face.
The officer walked up to the car window at an incredibly slow stride and asked, “Did you realize you just ran that red light back there?”
Jason spoke up, “Yes officer, I did, but it was because…”
“I really don’t want any excuses right now, son,” he shrugged pulling out a ticket pad.
“Sir! My wife is HAVING A BABY!” Billie shouted throwing his hands up in the air and pounding them down as hard he could on the dashboard. The little dancing hula girl tumbled off to the ground and his hands turned red, but the officer seemed to have gotten the message.
“Yes, that’s why we were speeding. Sorry.” Jason added timidly. Billie Joe looked as if he was about to explode at any fucking minute.
“Oh, I see. Is that right young miss?” he turned to Richelle who was bending over Billie’s seat.
“Yes, we have to hurry please. It’s our friend, Delphine, Billie’s wife,” she pointed urgently.
“Well, then I’ll let you off with a warning. You better be on your way. Be careful.”
“THANK YOU!” she called back as he walked away. Jason sped the car back off down the road.
~
When Billie Joe, Richelle, Mike and Jason all arrived at the hospital and burst into the maternity ward, a nurse showed them to Delphine’s room. Billie fell through the door at full speed and nearly crashed into Brites on the other side. “You’re here!” she cried. He found Delphine propped up in bad with Tre sitting next to her.
“Delphine, I’m so sorry! I came as soon as I could,” he took her hand.
“It’s ok, Billie,” she said tiredly.
“So?” he said, “What is it? What’s happening?”
“She’s in labor,” Brites said.
“I got a few contractions at home and I didn’t know what they were. And it just felt like I had the flu or something and it got worse.”
“So, is this it then?” he asked frantically.
She nodded, “We’re pretty sure. It’s all right now, Billie. Calm down,” she brushed some of the long locks of blue hair out of his eyes. “Unless the contractions slow down-” Delphine stopped and closed her eyes with her had back on the pillow.
“Delphine, sugar,” Billie laid a hand across her forehead, “it’s ok…” Everyone stood still except for Tre who took her other hand.
“Shit,” she murmured, trying hard to breathe deeply. When the pain eased, Delphine untensed. Billie kissed her cheek. After a moment’s rest she spoke up, “They’re getting stronger. I don’t think it’ll stop.”
“Should we go tell the doctor?” Mike asked.
“Yes, go,” Billie said spastically.
“Billie, maybe not quite yet-” she stopped, “Wait, yes go now.” She said it with a calm sigh actually, but her deep eyes blushed with a scared look.
“Oh my god, go!” Billie shouted back at him. Mike ran out of the room followed by everyone else except Tre who sat there dumbfounded. Then a quick, “Hold on,” and kiss from Billie, “I have to go make sure they get the right doctor!” and he ran out. “Stay there Tre!”
“Ok,” he said helplessly, still holding onto Delphine’s hand.