Pushin' (16 page)

“All right, ladies,” Alicia says at the end of the first routine. “Now it's time to learn a new cheer. Get back in line and pick up your pom-poms. This is what it's all about.” I wipe the sweat from my brow and wave at my man, who's smiling from ear to ear. Jeremy was shocked when I first told him about trying out, but I know he likes what he sees. Nellie and her associated student bitches, on the other hand, look as sour as lemons. Whatever.

“Okay, ladies. Just like in tryouts, when your captain calls out ‘ready' you respond with ‘okay' and a loud clap, got it?” Shauna says, shouting at the top of her lungs. We nod our heads, ready for our cue. “We're going to start with a basic offense cheer we use at every game to get our teams hyped. Ready?”

“Okay!” we shout, but it's Mickey who responds the loudest.

“Oh shit,” Mickey yells from her seat in the bleachers, standing up and looking down. “I think my water just broke.”

“I got you, baby,” Nigel says, taking Mickey by the elbow and escorting her out of the gym.

“That's just gross,” Laura says, turning her nose up at the natural sight. We all look toward the door, Nellie included. I look at Shauna and back at my friend, knowing what I have to do.

“I need to be with her,” I say, turning in my pom-poms. The other girls look at me like I've lost my mind, leaving the first practice—but what can I say? My goddaughter's birth trumps pom-poms any day.

“Go ahead, Jayd. You can catch up on Monday,” Shauna says. She's cool as hell. Too bad she's graduating. Otherwise I think we could've become real good friends.

“Nigel, wait up. I'm coming with y'all,” I say, running over to the bleachers and grabbing Mickey's backpack before catching up to my friends. Jeremy and Chance follow me out of the gymnasium, all of us running toward our cars.

“Jayd, I can't go to the hospital with you, baby. I've got plans with my brothers after school,” Jeremy says. “And I don't think it's my place anyway.” What he's not saying is that he doesn't want to run into Rah, the baby's godfather, who he knows will be there by the time we arrive.

“Okay, baby. I'll call you later,” I say, giving him a quick kiss before running to the main lot where my car is parked. I need to call my clients and let them know I won't be able to make it today, after I call Mama and Netta, of course. I can't believe she's finally coming. It feels like we've been waiting for Nickey Shantae to make her appearance forever, and now the day is here.

 

Poor Mickey. She's been in labor for several hours with barely any progress. It looks like it's going to be a long night, and Mickey and Nigel are prepared, with playing cards and plenty of hard candy for Mickey to suck on since she can't eat anything. I know she's in hell, but she's being a good sport so far.

It's been difficult seeing Rah all evening, too. I haven't talked to him since the run-in with Sandy's parole officer. I'm not mad at him as much as I'm tiring of his bull, and he knows it, too. Rah's been trying to talk to me since we arrived, but I've been busy with Mickey. Nellie's ignoring me and that's fine with me. She's a trip and a half, but as long as she's here for Mickey, I'm cool. Rah and I are waiting in the hallway outside of Mickey's room while Nigel and Mickey talk with the doctor about her labor's progression. Nellie and Chance made a coffee run. I guess she's talking to her gold toothed man again, but I'm not sure if Chance is feeling Nellie like he used to.

“So you are going to ignore me all night?” Rah asks, standing next to me. He smells good as usual, this time sporting Egyptian musk oil as his fragrance of choice, and it's working for him.

“Rah, I'm not ignoring you as much as I'm trying to keep my distance. Until you learn to respect my man, we can't chill like we used to.” I look up at Rah and roll my eyes at his smiling ass. He's so full of himself it's ridiculous.

“Jayd, stop pushing me away. You know you want me right here,” Rah says, breathing so close to me that we could share the same pulse. I swore I would never let him get this close to me again.

“No, Rah. I don't want you all up in my personal space. I share it with someone else now,” I say, stepping away from him, but he doesn't let me go too far.

“Who, Jeremy?” Rah asks, flicking my gold bracelet hard with his right index finger, similar to the way Jeremy touched my ankh charm when he found out it was from Rah. I think they'd both rip them off and burn them if they could.

“Yes, Jeremy. He's my man now, not you.”

“You should've asked me harder, Jayd, and we'd still be together.” Is this fool serious?

“So let me get this straight. You wanted me to beg you to take me back, to keep you from sleeping with Sandy way back when, to not slang herb in the streets, therefore allowing your lunatic ex-girlfriend Trish to stay in your life until you change professions. Did I miss anything? All of the shit wrong in your life is my fault? Is that what you're saying to me, fool?” Whatever good these jade bracelets usually do for a sistah just went out the door with that ill logic.

“Well, when you say it like that it doesn't sound so good,” Rah says, his chiseled ebony cheeks having lost some of their charm on me.

“You're damn right it doesn't sound good, because it's bull, Rah. None of that is my responsibility, especially not us breaking up. That was all your doing, every time you decided to cheat on me.”

“All I'm saying is that if you had been a little sweeter to a nigga in the first place, none of this shit would be happening right now,” Rah says. Now he's just getting indignant with his shit.

“I'm plenty sweet, and I'm not the one with the problem here. It's you.”

“You could've asked me stronger. You could've insisted. You could've been a little sweeter to me, Jayd. Just admit it and I'll let it go,” he says, lowering his voice. The nurses walking up the hall look at us curiously. We're the only other people in the hall talking, but there are plenty of couples on the floor having babies tonight.

“Like I said, I'm plenty sweet, Rah. I'm just not sweet enough for you.” I turn around and knock on the door to Mickey's room, hoping they'll let me in. I have to get away from Rah and his warped logic.

“Come in,” Mickey says. I open the door and see Mickey hooked up to the baby monitor, charting her labor's progress. The doctor's talking to the nurse and Mickey and Nigel are watching the monitor closely.

“How's it going?” I ask my friends, who look exhausted. It's after ten and I know they're ready to go home, but their job is far from over, especially Mickey's.

“It's not,” Mickey says, sounding pissed. “I've only dilated three centimeters in eight hours, Jayd. That ain't shit.” The doctor looks at the nurse and then at us, exiting the room on that note.

“I'm sorry,” I say, standing next to her bed where she and Nigel are laid out, comfortably spooning, which is what got them here in the first place. “Is there anything you need?”

“Yeah—for this baby to come out. Other than that, I'm good. My mom will be here when she gets off work later. My dad's pulling a double shift and can't make it until tomorrow afternoon.” Mickey's parents are some of the hardest working people I know.

“You can tell everyone they can leave,” Nigel says, yawning. “We'll call when something happens.” Sounds good to me. I'm tired and need to get some sleep.

“Okay. I'll let everyone know and see you soon. Let me know if you need anything.” I give them both a hug and head out of the room, turning the light off on the way out. Mickey needs to get as much rest as she can, and Nigel, too. I'm glad she's not in a lot of pain.

When I come back out into the hallway the entire gang is present.

“Y'all can go home. The labor is progressing slowly and there's nothing for us to do,” I say, looking at the wall clock, ready to eat. We've been here all afternoon and evening and Mickey's only three centimeters in.

“But what if the baby comes and we're not here?” Nellie asks, speaking to me for the first time tonight. I can tell she's worried about our friend and that supersedes her jealousy for the time being.

“Then we'll meet her later,” I say to Nellie. “Mickey's not in any pain yet, and she wants to rest. And believe me, she's going to need it to get through this.” Mama's delivered her fair share of babies, and from what I've seen, labor can be very deceiving. Everything's calm now, but before we know it, it'll be time for Mickey to push, and all of this chilling she's doing now will be over. “Nigel and Mickey just want to relax right now.” And so do I. My morning cramps have turned into my own personal cramps. I need to check myself before I leave. It's not a long drive from the West LA Kaiser Hospital to Inglewood, but it can be if I'm unknowingly bleeding all over the place.

“Let's bounce then, and give them their space,” Rah says. Chance and Nellie are already at the elevator and Rah's waiting for me.

“I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be okay,” I say, waving to them as the elevator arrives. I make my way to the women's restroom where my concern is validated. My period would have to start right now. I look inside my purse, praying my emergency pad is in the zipper pocket but it's not. Shit. Now what? I don't have any change for the ladies' supplies in the vending machine and don't want to walk back to the nurse's station like this.

I notice a woman's feet in the stall next to me. Hopefully she has an extra pad on her and I can get out of here.

“Excuse me,” I say, tapping on the wall separating her stall from mine. “Do you have a pad?”

“Nope, but I've got tampons. Paper or plastic?” she asks. Damn. I hate using tampons, but beggars can't be choosers, especially not while squatting.

“Paper,” I say, reaching under the wall and claiming the small monthly necessity. “Thank you.”

“No problem. We've all been there.” As she exits the stall to wash her hands, I rip the paper off and begin pushing. I can't wait to get home and get comfortable. My cramps are now full-blown and I'm in desperate need of my couch bed.

I'm miserable now, but it's nothing that some raspberry tea, a heating pad, and a good night's sleep can't cure. I have a long workday ahead of me tomorrow and so does Mickey if the baby doesn't get here soon.

 

I'm a soldier of love,
Sade sings from my ringtone, waking me up. I have no idea what time it is. When I got home from the hospital last night, I fell into a deep sleep and have been there ever since. I worked all day and have a long day ahead of me at Mama's this afternoon. No matter how much work I have, it doesn't compare to what Mickey's going through. She's been in labor all weekend. They sent her home yesterday morning because her labor wasn't progressing. Mickey didn't want to take their drugs, under the advice of her mom who, after five children, knows what she's talking about. Mickey's been laboring at home ever since and is coping pretty well.

I called Jeremy to say goodnight before I passed out. He and his friends were hanging hard and probably still are, knowing them. I grab my phone and see Rah's name in the caller ID. I remember that Mickey's still in labor, even though it's technically Sunday morning. Maybe Rah's calling because she's finally ready to push that stubborn little girl out. Otherwise I wouldn't answer.

“Jayd, it's time,” Rah says and I know what he's talking about, calling me at two in the morning. Why couldn't Nickey make her appearance at a decent hour and a day earlier? Already little mama's causing me to lose sleep, and I'm only her godmother, if Mickey hasn't changed her mind. If it were any other baby, I wouldn't care so much. But I already know Nickey Shantae is my spiritual godchild, and I have to be there for the birth and the rest of this child's life, starting today.

“Okay, I'm up,” I say, kicking the blankets off and jumping to my feet. I would've felt bad waking up Jeremy again if he were here.

“Do you want me to come get you? I'm already on my way to the hospital.” Rah giving me a ride is dangerous, but so is me driving by myself this late with very little sleep and cramps. I have to take a Tylenol and keep pushing. I'd better pack one for the road and other supplies, too.

“Okay. I'll be ready when you get here,” I say, flipping the phone shut and turning on the floor lamp next to the front door. I already have on sweats and a tank top. All I need is a sweater and some shoes and I'm ready to go. My gold silk scarf can stay on my fresh braids. There's no need to dress up for what I'm about to witness.

No, but you should at least wash your face and brush your teeth. You don't want to scare the poor child her first day out,
my mom says in my head.

“Don't you ever sleep?” I ask aloud, as if she's standing right in front of me. I know she's right. As many times as me and my friends have awakened together after an all-night session, they won't be disturbed by my morning breath, but Nickey is new to the crew and deserves a sweet welcoming—fresh breath and all.

 

When Rah and I get back to Kaiser Hospital, Nellie and Chance are already there. Mickey's screaming can be heard all the way down the hall. I guess she's dilated more since we left a few hours ago.

“I'll let you handle that,” Rah says, opening the door to Mickey's room for me. Mickey looks like hell. At least her mom's here to hold her hand and so is Nellie.

Mickey's near tears and ready to strip down to the bare necessities from the look of the sweat dripping down her face. “I want drugs. Lots of drugs!” she screams, but the nurse shakes her head.

“Oh, honey, it's too late for that. You've only got two more centimeters to go. You'll have to push the baby out the old-fashioned way,” the same nurse from earlier says, checking Mickey out. “Don't worry, your body was designed for this.” Mickey looks like she wants to kill the nurse and if she gets the chance to, she just might try. I step in between the two of them, ready to calm my girl down the best way I know how. But I have to get her to focus on me first and not the pain.