The Marriage Mistake (27 page)

She clucked with sympathy and a bit of humor. “Probably next week, Maggie. They’re close.”

Maggie glared and took the glass of seltzer with lemon from Max. “No, they’re not. I just went to the doctor
yesterday, who told me there wasn’t a contraction in sight. Nada.
Niente
. They’re nice and cozy in there. They get food, sleep, and play karate when they’re bored. Why would they come out?” She moaned. “I didn’t want to get a C-section unless necessary but I think it’s the only way. They need to feel threatened or they’ll never come out.”

Carina patted her sister-in-law’s hand. “I bet within five days you’ll be holding two perfectly healthy, happy babies. Remember the same thing happened with Alexa? She was two weeks late with her first.”

“Yeah, that was a riot. Nick almost drove to the hospital without her.”

Max brought Mama Conte some tea and they sat in front of the crackling fire. “Yeah, I heard that story, a pure classic. How is Alexa doing?” he asked.

“Fine. They took Lily to Sesame Place for the weekend. You know how she obsesses over Elmo.” Lightning lit the sky, and a rumble of thunder sounded low and threatening. “Supposed to be a wicked storm today. Hope Michael doesn’t get caught in it. He’s running late.”

“Yeah, he was going to take the car into Manhattan for his meeting, but decided on the train. There’s some big protest going on by Wall Street today and he didn’t want to get stuck in traffic. He should be okay.”

Maggie rubbed her massive belly. “Not sure if I can even eat tonight. Awful indigestion all day.” The ringing tune of “Sexy Back” boomed through the room, and
Maggie reached over for her purse. “That’s Michael. I can’t reach it.”

Carina grabbed the hot pink cell phone and handed it to her. Maggie’s side of the conversation included curse words and sympathetic murmurings. Finally she clicked off. “You are not going to be believe this. There’s a major blackout in the city and all the trains are delayed. He’s stuck there for a few more hours.”

Carina nibbled on her lip. “Will he be okay? Are there police? Where is he right now?”

Maggie sighed. “He’s eating at La Mia Casa. It’s a little Italian restaurant I used to haunt, and now I got him addicted. I know Gavin, the owner. He’ll take good care of Michael.”

“Thank God. Well, you can sleep over here if you want. We’ll treat you to a homemade breakfast in the morning.”

Mama Conte snorted. “I will make breakfast, Carina. I miss not cooking for my family, and my skills are getting rusty. Tonight we will have a slumber party.”

“Can we watch
Magic Mike
?” Maggie asked.

Max lifted a brow. “Somehow I don’t think Mama Conte will like that choice.”

“Why?” the older woman demanded. “What is it about?”

“Male strippers,” Maggie said. “It’s good.”

Her mother looked thoughtful. “I will try it.”

Max groaned. “I’m going to kill Michael.”

The hours flew by with good conversation, laughter, and food. Michael called once more to check in and confirm he was okay, but probably wouldn’t be able to get out of the city until early morning. Maggie rested her feet on a pillow and snuggled under a comforter. Max finally caved and allowed them to slip in the movie, but promptly regretted it when all three women panted over the first scene. He threw popcorn at the television screen to distract them.

Maggie sighed with satisfaction as the ending credits rolled. “I love that movie,” she declared. “It’s so deep.”

Max snorted. “It’s female porn. I feel dirty just watching it.”

“You’re just mad because the hot chick never took her clothes off.”

“I have more respect for women than you do men.”

“Yeah, right, I think—Oh, my God.”

Carina looked at Maggie. Pure horror contorted her features. She breathed deep and glanced down in shock. “I think my water broke.”

The dampness of the sofa confirmed it. She rubbed her stomach. “I thought it was indigestion, but now I’m thinking I was in labor today.” She looked across the room in a panic.

Carina froze. Max held his breath. Mama Conte rose from the sofa with a serene smile. Her dark eyes glowed. “You are going to have your babies, Margherita,” she said. “And everything will be fine.”

Tears swam in Maggie’s green eyes and she shook her head hard. “Michael’s not here,” she whispered. “I need him.”

Mama Conte took both her hands and squeezed. “I know. Your labor will go for many hours with twins. He will be here. If I know my son, he will do what he needs so he is beside you when your babies come.”

“I’m scared.”

Her mama laughed. “But of course, you are scared! This is one of the scariest things you will ever do in your life. We are all here with you, Margherita. You have a family now, and we are not leaving.”

Maggie took a deep breath. Nodded. Then reached for her phone. “Okay. Let me call Michael, and the doctor. Max, can you get the car ready? Carina, can you go upstairs and find some things for me to bring? Toothbrush, robe, T-shirts, that sort of thing?”

“On it.” Carina rose from the couch and tugged Max with her. Her husband wore the comical expression of a man terrified to move, as if one word would elicit contractions and screaming from Maggie. “Max?”

“Huh?”

“Try to do better than Nick, okay? Get the car and call Alex and Nick for us. Let them know what’s happening. Can you do that?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t leave without us.” His panicked eyes made
something inside soften. She grabbed his hands and interweaved her fingers within his. Max blinked in surprise, and she smiled. “We get to see our nieces or nephews born today. Let’s not forget a moment, okay?”

He lowered his head and kissed her. Just the softest touch, a whisper of lips sliding over hers and reminding her she wasn’t alone.

“You’re right. Thanks for reminding me.”

He released her and disappeared down the hallway.

“I
want drugs!”

Maggie never wailed, or screamed, or whined. She demanded in her pissed-off, snarky manner until every nurse in the place was afraid to go into her room. Max held her Rubik’s Cube as her focal point and Carina gave the man credit. As each contraction rippled across the screen, he urged her to breathe through the pain and concentrate on her focal point. He took her curses and insults in stride and never wavered.

When he left to get her a glass of ice, she found the Rubik’s Cube on the side of the bed and hurled it across the room.

The only person her sister-in-law seemed to listen to was Mama Conte. Her mother never coddled Maggie, and
did not let her get away with bad behavior. But she never left her side, and spoke with her in a low soothing voice, telling her about the birth of each of her children and their special story. In the spaces between contractions, Maggie calmed and listened. Until the next wave hit.

Carina dragged Max out of the room for a moment. “Is Michael going to make it?” she asked. “It’s been hours and the last time they checked she was almost dilated enough to push.”

Max tunneled his fingers through his hair and shifted from foot to foot. “He texted me he should be here within the hour. This is a nightmare. Michael and Alexa gone on the same damn day. I suck at this, Carina. She wants to kill me bad.”

“No, she’s in pain and scared and her husband’s not here. But you’re the next best thing, Max. You’ve been friends since childhood.”

He groaned. “What happened to the days when men got to wait in the waiting room? Crap, I don’t have to look down there when she pushes, do I?”

“Listen, buddy, you’re not spitting two humans from your vagina. Suck it up. She needs you.”

Her words penetrated his brain. He straightened up and nodded. “Sorry. I got this.”

Maggie snarled between the rapidly increasing waves rocking the monitor. “I signed up for a fucking epidural and I want it now.”

“Language,
Margherita,
” her mother said. “You are past that point and it’s almost time to push.”

“Not without Michael.” She gritted her teeth and panted. “I’m not pushing till Michael gets here.”

Her mama wiped the sweat off her forehead. “He will be here.”

“I’m never having sex again. I hate sex!”

Carina bit her lip and turned away. Her mother nodded. “I don’t blame you.”

Max’s voice cut through the room in sharp demand. “Maggie, look at me. Concentrate on my face when the contractions come. I’m going to tell you a story.”

“I hate fairy tales.”

“This is more like an action adventure. I’m going to tell you about the first time Michael and I bonded.”

Maggie looked a bit interested. He settled himself in the chair near the bed and leaned over. The monitor beeped and Max talked. “Our mothers were always close friends so we basically grew up together. One day they took us to the playground and there was this massive climbing thing. I think we were six at the time? Anyway, we both got into a bragging match of who could get to the top first. Michael was a bit smaller than me, but he was quicker, so it was sort of an even match. We both scrambled to the top, trying to kick the other one off in a crazy game of Lord of the Flies, and then we got there at the same exact time.” Max shook his head at the memory. “I remember that moment when we looked at each
other. As if we both realized we’d be best friends and do everything together. Then we tried to shove the other one off.”

Maggie fought for breath. “Are you kidding me? Were you both psychos? What happened?”

“Michael and I both took a fall and broke our arms. The same damn one.”

Mama Conte snorted in disgust. “I was speaking with Max’s mama for only a minute, then we hear these screams. Both boys in a tangle in the dirt, blood everywhere. I think I almost passed out. We ran over to them and they were crying but laughing at the same time, as if they had both won something important.”

Max grinned. “We had matching casts and called ourselves ‘bone brothers.’ ”

Carina rolled her eyes. “Oh, I get it. Instead of blood brothers, you were bone brothers. Personally, I think you both were always a couple of bone
heads
.”

Tears slid down Maggie’s cheeks. Carina’s heart broke for her sister-in-law, and she ached to make things right. “He’s not going to make it, is he?”

Max leaned over the bed and gazed at Maggie. Fierce blue eyes commanded her to dig deep. “Right now it doesn’t matter, Maggie. I’m here for you. Lean on me, and think that Michael is my twin brother. Use me, and let’s get these babies born. I will not leave your side.”

The nurse walked in and examined her. “Let’s see, honey, are we ready to push?”

Maggie sniffed. Slowly, she reached out and took Max’s hand. “Don’t let go, okay?”

“Never.”

“Yes, I think I’m ready now.”

Carina and her mother stood on one side, and Max on the other. Time melted away until seconds blurred into minutes and back again. She pushed and grunted and cursed. Each one moved the twins a little bit farther, until Maggie lay back on the pillows, exhausted. Face red from exertion, perspiration rolling down her forehead, she gasped for air. “I can’t. No more.”

“Yes,
mi amore
. More.”

Carina mashed her fingers against her lips as her brother strolled into the room. Commanding and confident, he took Max’s place and held his wife’s hands. Pressing kisses to her cheeks and forehead, he murmured something in her ear, and she nodded. Crunched up again. And pushed.

“The head’s coming. Baby number one. One more, Maggie, make it a big one. Bear down and push!” A wail lit the air and Carina watched the wrinkly newborn slide into the world. Slippery and red, the baby twisted in crankiness and let out another roar. “It’s a boy.” She lay the baby on Maggie’s stomach and voices swirled around them. Maggie sobbed and touched her son.

“He’s so beautiful. Oh, my God.”

“You’re not done, love,” the nurse chirped. “Here comes number two. One more push, Maggie.”

With a roar, Maggie gritted her teeth.

Baby two popped out. “Another boy! Congratulations, Mama and Papa. You have two beautiful sons.”

Carina watched in awe as her brother touched the babies in wonder, eyes wet from tears. Her mother laughed with delight. The room exploded with activity as the babies were weighed, measured, and wrapped in blankets with matching knit caps. As they worked on patching Maggie up, Michael cooed to his sons and lifted them up.

“Meet Luke and Ethan.”

Her mother reached out and held Luke, rocking him and murmuring in Italian. Carina pressed a kiss to her sister-in-law’s cheek. “You did so good, Maggie,” she whispered. “I’m sorry Alexa couldn’t be here with you. I know you missed her.”

Maggie smiled up at her. “No, Carina, I’m glad it was you. You were meant to be here with me tonight. I loved you the moment we met, and watched you blossom into a beautiful woman. You are truly my sister, and I’d like for you be Luke’s godmother.”

Joy exploded inside of her until there was nothing left but pure emotion. She nodded, too choked up to talk. Her mother walked over and slid the blanket-covered bundle into her outstretched arms. “Meet your godson Luke.”

She stared down at the crinkly, wrinkled skin. The perfect mouth scrunched up in a tiny O. Dark hair peeked from beneath the pink and blue stretchy cap. Her fingers
shook as she cooed and stroked his silky skin. He was a living, breathing miracle, proof of what can bloom from two people who love each other.

She blinked back a sheen of tears and looked up.

Max stared back. His blue eyes darkened with a raw need that reached across the space and ripped at her heart. She sucked in her breath.

And waited.

•   •   •

He was in love with her.

Max watched his wife. She cooed to the baby and shifted on her heels as she rocked him back and forth in the ancient rhythm women seemed to possess. A strange emotion clawed up from his gut and tore out of him, leaving a bloody battered mess behind. His head throbbed and his mouth dried up like after a night of hard drinking. And the truth finally came in earth-shattering form to rival any end-of-the-world scenario from Revelations.