Sam and Raleigh get the toilet unbolted, and pull it out. Tim and Glenn have been sent to the store for a new one.
"Hot times at the Home Depot, huh?"
"Molly took them, so I doubt that. She's an in and out shopper."
"Yeah, me too. Em could linger over salt and pepper shakers, which is cuter?" He let his voice rise in a girlish way, giggling. "God, just shoot me. I totally couldn't care less about most stuff. If it's comfortable, I'll wear it. If it works, I'll buy it."
"Molly is the same way with some things. Others, she can linger all day. Shopping for the baby has been pure misery. I finally made her promise me to go shopping with her mother, and leave me completely out of it. I could give a shit which pair of booties is more precious?" He did the same thing with his voice that Sam had, adding a brogue.
Both men were laughing heartily when Molly, Tim and Glenn walked in with the toilet in tow. Between them, the men got the new toilet in position and the old one hauled outside. Molly stopped them before they took it to the street.
"I'll be wanting that," she told them.
Glenn and Tim gave her a dubious look.
"Put it in the backyard by the studio. I've plans for it."
"The tank's broken, sis," Tim told her.
"Yes, but I can still put it to use as I have in mind. Glenn, once that's back there, fetch the potting soil from the trunk. Tim, you'll get those plants for me and bring it all back to the studio as well."
Neither of them contradicted her. That was a fast way to get extra jobs and neither of them wanted the work. Getting the supplies for her, they helped her pour potting soil in the tank and bowl of the toilet. Then, Molly pulled the plants out of the pots, planting them in the toilet. She had chosen a spider plant for the bowl and a bougainvillea in bright magenta for the tank. Admiring her work, they stood by, grinning.
"There now," Molly beamed. "That's done. Clean up that mess, would you please? I've got to have a lie down before lunch."
"Sure, Molly," Glenn replied. "I'll get it. Tim, you'd better get her inside."
Glenn and Tim didn't like how Molly looked. Suddenly pale, she was sweating heavily despite the cool day. Molly got halfway to the house when she collapsed. Tim caught her, setting her gently on the ground while Glenn called Raleigh. An ambulance arrived minutes later. The EMT's lifted Molly carefully into the back. She looked terrible. Raleigh wanted to ride with her, but there wasn't room.
"I'll take you," Tim volunteered. "You're not in any condition to drive."
"No, I will." Glenn stated calmly. "You're not in much better shape, Tim. We all love Molly, but we aren't her family. Vera, will you take over lunch prep?"
"Sure. Shelby, you want to go too, honey?"
"Yeah, V. I need to be there. Mol's like my sister."
"I know, sweetie. You go on. We'll be fine. Call us."
Shelby promised to call when she found out anything. Together, she and the men followed the ambulance.
Lunch was very subdued. No one felt much like talking. They knew that it was early for the baby to be born, but Shelby's call later that day confirmed that Molly was indeed in labor.
"They're doing a C section in a little while. Molly doesn't want it, but the baby is in distress. It's pretty close to time, so they think they'd better do it now before either of them goes into crisis. Raleigh's staying the night, but the guys and I will be back for supper. Molly wants to know if you can handle meal prep?"
"We've got it under control. We'll make spaghetti and salad," Vera told her. "It's not the menu for tonight, but we've got the ingredients, and it's something we can handle."
"I'll see you in about an hour," Shelby told her.
"Give our love to Molly," Vera said, swallowing with difficulty. "Tell her we're praying for her."
"Will do. Thanks, V."
©2020 Dellani Oakes
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