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The Center (Houdini and Nurse_K)

She rolled her eyes and sighed, making her way over to her bedroom. She grabbed another pair of panties and pulled them on. She didn't bother to get pants to put on. She padded back over to the couch and sat down next to him, not feeling standing up or moving around. "Yeah, Gulliermo," she said with a little smile as she looked down at her giant baby belly. She lifted the shirt up and looked at her bulging self.

She reached over and grabbed his hand boldly, placing it on her stomach. "He kicks a lot. You might be able to feel it. It doesn't hurt or anything, it's kind of cute actually."
 
Carlos frowned a little when she skulked into her bedroom. Was she going to leave him along out here? But when she came back and sat with him, he lightened up a little. It was somewhat mesmerizing the way she lifted up her shirt. That was his baby in there, he realized, unable to take his eyes off her enormous stomach. When she lifted his hand, his first reaction was to tug away slightly. This wasn't something he was used to at all. But after a moment, he gave in and let his hand rub her stomach. Once she placed it there, he moved it all around her massive bump, although he didn't really feel anything. He wasn't about to lean over to the bump and coo or anything like he'd seen on TV, but he had to admit it felt nice. "How do you get him to kick?" Carlos asked naively.
 
She laughed and shook her head, amused by the fact that Carlos knew absolutely nothing about pregnancy. "I can't make him kick. He does it when he wants to." she leaned her head against the back of the couch and closed her eyes. Elsa was tired almost all the time these days. But she felt alright right now, relatively speaking. After a few moments she turned her head and looked at him again, "I still don't want to live in the ghetto, Carlos. I live in the city but I don't live in the ghetto. Why can't you find a place like this, but bigger?"
 
Carlos frowned at her constant bias against the ghetto. He could live wherever he wanted, he imagined, but why? He liked living in a Latino community, and would probably be seen as a sellout if he lived in some apartment building or something. "So what you saying, you wanna stay with me and the baby if I get some.... apartment?" he finally decided, almost spitting the word out. He wasn't sure if that's what he wanted anyway, but was curious about finding out. Looking back over, he trailed his hand over her belly again, suddenly intrigued by the idea of the baby kicking in the womb.
 
She suddenly got very possessive of the way he said their living arrangements, "The baby will always be with me," she snapped before she really thought about it. The way he'd said it insinuated that the baby would be with him, and that was definitely not the case. Gui was her baby, and her baby was going to be with her. Carlos was damned if he thought she'd give him up even for a second. "You've been saying all along you want me to stay with you. What, you don't want that anymore?" she shrugged, still on the defensive. "Fine. Live in the ghetto, but I'm not going to be there," and then she felt a strong kick from inside her belly. She looked down at it and smiled, "He doesn't like it when his mama is angry," she murmured, mostly to herself.
 
Carlos steamed inside as she exploded at him. He hadn't even meant it that way. He just said it in that order because he felt like the baby was his, which it was. "I ain't gonna make you live with me anyway," he snapped. "I don't need no woman bitchin' at me, that's for damn sure." Standing up, he turned to face her, quieting his voice just a little at the mention of the baby not liking anger. That seemed reasonable. "But you gonna bring him to see me. At my house," he emphasized, before heading over towards the door. "I'd best be off. I got things to do. 'Sides, maybe I should find a woman who appreciates me." He was leaving now on his own terms, which he was happy with. Now that he thought of it, he didn't want a crying, pooping baby around him all the time anyway. He could see the baby all he wanted without going through those nasty parts.
 
"Good!" she seethed, shooting daggers at him from across the room as he went to the door. "Go fuck some ghetto slut. That's the best you can get when you don't have me." no, they weren't going to work together. They clashed too much. They were both bull-headed and they both only cared about themselves (besides the baby, who Elsa was sure only she truly cared about). She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from him. She was done with him and glad he was leaving. She wanted him to leave before and he hadn't, he was such an asshole that he didn't even have the courtesy to leave her house when she told him to.
 
"I think I will," Carlos shouted, almost out the door, but sticking his head back inside to get the last word in. "I'ma go fuck a hot, tight bitch right now. One who don't have to shoot off her mouth every two seconds, thinkin' she the shit cause she got my boy inside her." He squited at her, seeing only hatred for her now, hatred for every part of her except what she carried inside. "I'm goin' to give her some of what every whore pussy wants. Some of this," he shouted, emphatically gesturing at his crotch. "You know you wanted it too." With that, he slammed the door and stormed back to his waiting car, his driving taking him home to a big crowd of his family, and even his ex, waiting to greet him.
 
"NO GHETTO BITCH IS TIGHT!" she screamed at the top of her lungs after he slammed the door. She picked up the remote control for the TV and threw it at the door. It banged on the door loudly and then fell to the ground with a thump. She was furious. How dare he. He was such an asshole. She was furious for the rest of the evening and the next two days, but she eventually got over it. He called her on Friday at 6pm, just as if he'd been at the Center. They had a decent conversation, but it was clear that Carlos at least was still angry at her.

The last three weeks of her pregnancy flew by. She wasn't working anymore, mostly because every time she tried to show up to work the girls pushed her out and told her to go rest at home. Then one day she was laying on her couch trying to sleep when she felt some strong pressure in her gut. She woke up immediately and sat up, her hands on her stomach. Oh god. Oh god. She knew exactly what was happening. She flung her arm out for the phone and dialed Carlos' number quickly.
 
Carlos was lying around at home when the phone rang. To be exact, he was lying in bed with a skinny girl with huge hoop earrings and long hair in tight black curls. He'd found the eighteen year old working at the neighborhood liquor store, and they'd been on and off with each other lately. He'd been expecting something to happen with the baby sooner or later, and things were patched up enough between he and Elsa that he figured she'd call him.

"What is it?" he mumbled after rolling over and picking up the phone next to the bed. His expression changed completely when he heard the voice on the other end. "Really?" he exclaimed. "I'll be right there. I'm leaving now." Leaping out of bed, he dressed quickly. "I gotta go, Erica," he muttered. "You can let yourself out."
 
"Okay, okay. Good," she said when he said he'd be right there. She had no idea where he lived or who he was with, but as long as he was on his way to her she could deal with whatever. She put the phone down and eased herself off of the couch, moaning in pain as she felt another strong contraction come. She grabbed the small bag she'd kept ready for when this happened as she knew it would soon. She hobbled her way down the stairs and waited outside of her building for him.
 
Carlos was at her building in ten minutes. Luis was only down the street, and Carlos quickly enlisted him to drive them to the hospital. Once they got to Elsa's building, Carlos jumped out of the passenger seat and ran over to her, patting her on the shoulder. Taking her bag into his own hand, he put his arm around her shoulder as they walked gingerly to the car. This was no time to continue any of their many squabbles, so he didn't really say anything until he'd helped her into the car and shut the door. Walking around, he got in the back seat across from her as Luis took off. "So...you sure it's the time?" he asked, tentatively reaching out and putting his hand on her knee.
 
"Yeah," she said, her face twisted in pain as they got into the car. She was squeezing his hand tightly, deathly afraid that he would let go and leave her. Strangely, she wanted nothing more than for him to be right by her side right now. She definitely didn't want to be alone, but she couldn't think of anyone that would be better to have with her than him. Him, Carlos, the one who made her this way. She cried out in pain, doubling over as far as she could go with her massive belly. "Ahh!" she moaned, squeezing him tightly, "It hurts!"
 
Carlos squeezed her hand and patted her knee as they rode, unsure what else he might be able to do. "Don't worry, we gonna be there soon. They gonna give you a shot or something," he promised in an attempt to console her. A couple of minutes later, the car screeched to a stop in front of the emergency entrance. Carlos hopped out, staring at an orderly who was outside smoking. "Yo!" he shouted at the surprised employee. "My baby's about to be born. Get one of those wheelchairs over here right away," he demanded. Looking around, as if to make sure he was the one being ordered around, the shaken guy went inside and retuned with a chair. "Sit down," Carlos told Elsa. "We gotta get you in there," he said, pushing her inside once she sat down. "Hey, where the pregnant mothers go?" he shouted at the first woman dressed in scrubs he spotted inside.
 
Elsa could barely think. She was in pain and her endorphins were making any reasonable thought an impossible feat. She fell back into the wheel chair when the orderly brought it for her, both hands on her stomach now. She groaned in pain, sweat beading on her forehead and on her chest. The woman in the scrubs pointed Elsa and Carlos in the direction of reception where they'd take her to a room. "What's your name?" the woman asked Elsa, "Elsa," she moaned, her toes curling in pain. "Elsa Benton, I'm with...with Carlos Jara," and then her head flung back and she screamed in pain.

The woman nodded and another orderly quick sped Elsa away to a delivery room. She reached her hand out for Carlos, not wanting him to be more than a foot away from her. The woman snuck outside and called her cell phone, "Hey, Joe? Do you remember what Brendan told us that one time? About the girl he wanted to marry, Elsa Benton? Yeah, well she's here...with that Carlos guy. She's having the baby, you should tell Brendan."
 
Brendan was busy marking a sheet of new drywall for his cuts when Joe approached him. "C'mon man, you messed up my concentration," Brendan complained after Joe spoke. "I'm trying to get out of here on time today," he said with a grin as he stood upright, looking over his work. "No, no," Joe said a little frantically. "You remember that Lisa works at St. Elizabeth's, right? She just called and said Elsa Benton is having a baby. Isn't that your ex?"

Brendan dropped his pencil and quickly did the math in his head. It was the right time. Too close to be a coincidence, he figured. "I have to go," he suddenly told Joe, his face getting a little pale. "Tell Denny I'll stay late tomorrow to make up for it." Jogging out the door, he hopped into his car, and left the unpaved lot in a cloud of dirt, heading to the hospital as quickly as he could. He didn't know why he was going. It was an odd time to see Elsa, he hadn't even tried to contact her since that failed lake trip. But he'd grown attached to the growing baby in some way. And he'd promised to be there for the baby. Something inside him just had to find out if she'd let him make good on the promise.
 
In ten minutes Elsa was up in a delivery room, changed into a gown, in the bed with her legs up in the delivery stirrups. The doctor had given her an epidural and she was in less pain now. The contractions had stopped for the time being, but the nurses said they could start up again at any moment. Her face was soaked in sweat and her usually fluffy vibrant hair was matted down to her head. She still held Carlos' hand as if it were worth her life.

"Oh my god," she groaned, turning her head to look at him, "It's really happening. Our baby is coming."
 
Carlos stood along with Elsa as she was set up for the baby to be delivered. Luis popped his head in the door after he'd parked the car, but was quickly waved away by Carlos. It was all kind of weird, the way she was sweating, grunting, and her legs were up in those things. He hadn't ventured around front of her yet, and had a little bit of a sour look on his face. But he dutifully held Elsa's hand, stroking it with his other hand as her contractions started again. After another round of contractions came and went, he wondered how the whole thing worked. "What's going on, nurse?" he asked the woman who was tending to Elsa. "How long does it take?" She frowned at the gangster a little. "It varies," she explained. "But it can take longer when it's the first baby." Carlos looked down once his phone rang. "Can't this wait?" he whispered after answering. "My baby's bein' born. Fine, a minute," he said, letting go of Elsa's hand. "I gotta take this," he apologized. "Business," he explained, before leaving the room. "Gonna be a while anyway," he muttered on the way out.

Brendan, meanwhile, had arrived at the hospital. Quickly asking for the room number at the front desk, he lied and said he was Elsa's brother. "Brad Benton," he told the receptionist, laughing at himself once he got into the elevator. It sounded like such a made up name. Walking past the room once, he turned his head, and saw Carlos and one of Elsa's feet. He kept walking for now. He wasn't afraid of Carlos, but he didn't think that Elsa deserved a fight in her room while she was delivering her firstborn. So he lurked at the end of the hall for a few minutes, scratching the back of his head. Finally, he thanked God for a seeming miracle, as he saw Carlos leave the room on his cell. Walking as fast as he could, before Carlos turned his back he dodged into the room, standing a few feet away from Elsa, hoping she'd notice him.
 
Elsa thought Carlos was being a little bit of a jerk. He was complaining about it taking a long time. What did he think this was, one-hour photo? Having a baby doesn't happen in five minutes. She glared at him as he left the room to talk 'business' on the phone. She had a feeling it probably wasn't business. It was probably some dumb ghetto bitch he was screwing. Whatever. That bitch would get her time when she got pregnant some day.

She leaned back and closed her eyes for a few moments. She heard someone enter the room and opened her eyes, thinking it was Carlos. She reached her hand out and then quickly dropped it when she saw who it was. "B-Brendan?" she asked in awe, her eyes widening in shock. "W-why are you here?"
 
Well, so far so good. She hadn't screamed him out of the room. He didn't know if he could have lived with himself if he’d ruined the experience of her little miracle. "Elsa," he said softly, approaching the bed gingerly so he was within reaching distance of her. "I... I heard you were here," he said a little humbly. "And, well... I promised I'd be here when you had the baby, so, here I am," he mumbled, unable to think of any reason better than that. A half hour ago, he had no idea he was going to do this, so he certainly didn't have any speech prepared. "How've you been?" he asked almost as a reflex, realizing immediately that it was a pretty silly question.
 
She just stared at him as he approached the bed and explained himself. She was touched. He had said he would be here...so here he was. And yet at the same time she was scared out of her mind for him. This was the last place he should be if he was going to be safe. She looked passed him towards the door to the room, knowing that Carlos could walk back in at any moment.

"I...I've been okay I guess," she said warily, "Things aren't exactly bright and sunny with me and Carlos. Speaking of...you know he's not going to be happy about this," this being Brendan being at the birth of his baby.
 
Brendan didn't want Elsa to be unhappy, but his mood brightened a little to learn that things had been a little rocky with Carlos. He knew she would be unhappy with him in the long run, anyway. One only had to look back to how they 'met' to know that. "I know he won't be happy to see me. That's a risk I'm willing to take to see you," he explained, reaching out and letting his fingertips touch her hand, not being so bold as to hold it.

Just a moment after he touched her hand, Carlos reentered the room, tucking his phone into his jeans pocket. Looking up, he was shocked to see Brendan. Fire seemingly about to emanate from his nostrils, he approached Brendan like an angry bull. "What the fuck you doing here?" he demanded, backing Brendan up against the wall, holding back from hitting Brendan only for Elsa and the baby's sake. That moratorium was in danger of not lasting long, though. "Hey!" shouted the nurse. "You both need to leave the room NOW. Cut it out, or I'll have security take you both out for good."
 
"No, no, no!" Elsa screeched when the nurse told the both of them to leave the room. "Please, let them stay!" she begged the nurse, tears almost welling up in her eyes. She couldn't even bear to think of the possibility of delivering her baby alone. Or with the doctor and the nurse, but alone otherwise. Carlos shot her an angry glance at her saying 'they', she knew he didn't like that. But Elsa could shoot right back at him, she knew he'd been sleeping around. If he was going to sleep around, then the only guy she'd ever slept with besides Carlos in the time they knew each other was going to be there.

Just then she felt an extremely strong contraction and she cried out in pain, grabbing hold of her stomach. The nurse ran over and took a look between her legs, "Looks like you're dilated, Elsa! I'll go get the doctor." and the nurse ran out of the room. "Ahh!" Elsa cried, her toes curling again. "I think this is the real thing," she said to no one in particular.
 
Brendan was about to try to work out a deal with Carlos. He'd stay for a while, then Carlos could stay with her. But that went out the window when Elsa got going for real. He wasn’t leaving for the birth. The men stared each other down, but neither wanted to lose the chance to be there for the baby’s grand entrance. And Elsa had made her wishes known. At least for the hospital staff, that was what counted.

Brendan walked around to the other side of the bed, close to the window, which seemed to placate Carlos well enough. It was odd, all three of them being there for such an important moment. The three of them had all impacted each other's lives greatly, directly and indirectly over the past year, yet it was a strange group, the first time they'd all been in one room since the courtroom, probably. "It'll be okay," Elsa, Brendan told her, squeezing her hand and massaging her shoulder as he fought to keep her eyes focused towards his side of the bed. Carlos tried to follow suit and vie for her attention also, squeezing her other hand. "Don't worry, sugar. Guillermo's coming soon. It'll all be over then."
 
Elsa took both of their hands, not thinking about how strange their arrangement was at the moment. What she cared about was having something to hold on to while she went through this, not being alone, and getting this done as quickly as possibly. Like everything else Elsa did, she wanted this to be efficient. The doctor came in swiftly and sat down on a stool in front of her and began poking around. The nurse was there too and said, "Okay Elsa, I need you to start breathing and push." Elsa nodded and did so, pushing as hard as she could. She cried out in pain, squeezing both hands with a vice grip.

She pushed and pushed and could feel the baby moving inside of her. She could feel him sliding down her engorged canal. "I can see the head!" the doctor announced as he pushed his hands up to be able to help her pull. Pushing a baby out was no quick ordeal, much as she wanted it to be, and it took at least ten minutes for her to be able to push her son out far enough for the doctor to actually help her. Once she got there she had a little bit of a reprieve, resting her head back for a moment before she got another order for pushing. She pushed and cried and groaned and squeezed until finally she felt a great pressure off of her. The doctor held her baby underneath the covering and motioned for the nurse to cut the umbilical cord. He wrapped the baby in swaddling clothes and then she heard it. Her son's first cry, his first breath.
 
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