its time

Really, it was weird. That's all Elliot could say about it. He felt he was the last to know, now wasn't he? And yes, he had to be there to make sure it was all set to go. But just remember. "You have to call, Eric." Amanda was breathing so breathy, and she looked like she could have plopped right out in the snow and had the baby in the driveway, the way she was waddling to the car.

"I know. I know." Elliot just nodded starting up the car. They had to get to the hospital. They had to do something. After-all, she'd waited until he got home from school, dinner was done so were the dishes...and she calmly looked over to him when he sat him self down in his favorite chair to turn on Cartoon Network, just to say "It's time".

"Time for what?" He was dazed about it still. But they were moving along on schedule, he thought. They made it to the hospital. Got her in the wheel chair. Kyle had Rosie so that was good. Oh, he had to call someone.

"CALL ERIC!" She was having a contraction right there on the way to the room where they were going to check out the logistic of the matter. It might have been nothing, but she was suppose to deliver about a week ago.

"Yeah. I will." He had to sign paperwork. He just didn't want to use his brain. He just wanted this over. He guessed. Hoping it would all end all right. What if it didn't? He looked intense and frightened and worn out, already. And he wasn't even having the baby.

What was he going to say when he looked at the nurse. I just can't work under these conditions. So he was in turmoil over the paperwork. "I just want to be with my wife!" He was about to lose it.

Finally, he managed to dial Eric to tell him the news, and Eric asked nothing but was on his way.

"He's on his way." He finally found Amanda, who squeezed the crap out of his hand just to leave Elliot with a scream in pain. He took a couple of deep breaths. "What did I ever do to you?" He looked at her, wondering why he got all this pain and no one else did.

"Eric's not here." She was all teary-eyed.

"I'm sorry. I had stuff to do. They won't leave you alone with all the damn paperwork." He told her.

"You said, you'd do that stuff months ago." She was in a pout.

"Well, I forgot and-" And he didn't want to mention how he sort of intentionally forgot about it when he found out the kid wasn't his. What was the point? He wasn't going to mention it. "But its taken care of now." He tried to smile as if he were here for her.

"You're not still mad at me, are you?" She started to cry again.

"No, I'm not mad. We are fine. We are just dandy." Now he felt like he was the one who'd have to entertain her for these next umpth-teen hours. "We're good. We're great."

"OK, you can shut up now." She closed her eyes as if she were trying to relax and sleep.

Elliot just smiled as he brushed his fingers threw her sweaty hair. He thought of when he first found out she was going to have the baby. He was ecstatic, but she told him he could tell no one. They couldn't let this get back to Kyle. Not anyone.

He was miserable over that fact. He'd been so happy and such joy and she put a lid on it. All matter of fact. As if they could hide it for the whole nine months. What were they suppose to say? Look what we brought home from Wal-mart?

And then to find out it wasn't his. The baby wasn't his. He'd never been so devastated. It was as if he was the biggest loser. It was as if, he deserved as much.  He hoped nothing worse would happen. He just wanted this to be a happy time. A good time.

"Hey, Mandy, you asleep?" He put his cheek in his hand and watched as his elbow wobbled on his knee.

She finally moved a bit and almost opened her eyes. "What?"

"Did you want me to call your brother?"

"No. I dunno." She whispered.

He was sure her grandmother would be pretty upset if he didn't call. All these people he had to call. Did he do it now? Later? Was anybody in the hall, out there?

He sat back in the soft chair and started calling people. Everybody in the family. Yes, it was best to make a big deal out of this. Uncles wanted to know. Her great Aunts, who didn't come to the wedding because it wasn't Catholic, were still wanting to know about the baby. Elliot yawned then when he got through half the calls. It was going to be a long night, wasn't it?

He got up when Eric got there.

"So?" Eric was tense with so much anguish. But he looked awake and ready to take over.

"Just contractions." Elliot sighed. He'd hand it off to him. Elliot needed to stretch. "Take a seat."

Eric just nodded.

Elliot walked out into the hall and saw Syd there, holding containers of coffee.

"When did she start having contractions?" Syd wanted to know.

"After lunch sometime, I guess." Elliot sighed. He didn't know this until he'd overheard a nurse tell this to a doctor. How long had she really been in labor?

"That's awful." Syd shook her head. It was way past mid-night now.

"Really?" Elliot squinted. Amanda hadn't acted like it was that awful. She seemed pretty OK with it. He guessed. "She's OK." He thought, anyway. It was just a very slow process. "Eric really didn't miss anything."