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Part I Chapter 26

The next two weeks towards the big break went smooth. AJ cancelled his talk at the school without a guilt trip from Win, but he did feel bad after he did it. Even that could not damper his mood about Win coming to stay with him for two weeks, to meet his mom. This would be the real test, if his mom liked her, then she was definitely for real. He’d known enough girls that had dated him just because of who he was. He’d read that stupid book by one of his ex’s “Loving AJ” and still shook his head at the thought of it. He already knew Win was different, but his mom saying it would seal the deal. His mom always knew.
The last concert was in Nevada and then they would head to LA to make all final arrangements and plans in their home base of Holly Wood. AJ had already reserved a flight for Win, him, and to his displeasure, Jack the rat, to Maryland where he had just bought his mom a house on the shore.
Win was on the crew bus with Red, Daemon, Steve and their assistants. Jen was sitting beside her as they listened to their instructions about the break.
“We’ve got a concert the night after we get back together, so be ready to jump right back into work.” Daemon chorused for a third time. Jen and Win, as well as the rest of the assistants sat with glazed eyes. Why couldn’t she have gone on AJ’s bus? Or how come he couldn’t have ridden on her bus. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The bus swayed dangerously sending papers and notebooks careening to the floor off the table. Red grabbed the couch for support and finally the bangs stopped and the bus jolted to a stop.
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!” Red screamed jumping up and running to the front of the bus. The doors snapped open and the driver popped out. Win looked out the window and saw AJ’s bus also stopped a few yards away. She looked closer. There were several tires popped on the bus.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SIX FUCKING POPPED TIRES! WE DON’T HAVE THAT MANY SPARES!” Win heard Red screaming. Daemon closed his eyes and shook his head.
“Great, fabulous, just frigging fabulous.” He said standing up and going out the door. Slowly, everyone filed out of the bus to look at the damage. The crew bus was sitting lopsided on its two unpopped tires and AJ’s bus was down to only three tires.
“What the hell could have caused that much damage?” Steve asked. He and Daemon walked over to the road they had all just careened off of and looked around. In the mean time AJ was rushing over to Win grabbing her up into a bear hug.
“You okay beautiful?” he asked.
“Yes AJ, I’m fine, but your going to break my ribs!” she laughed.
“Oh, sorry.” He replied loosening his grip.
“There was glass all over the road, big chunks of it too.” Daemon said rubbing his head.
“So how did the rest of the tour get through this?” Red asked.
“The rest of the tour took the long way around, they had to drop off four people in Las Vegas.” Daemon replied.
“Convenient,” Red snapped.
“It’s not like it would have been any better if four buses and how many vans were also stopped. Look, we’ll just call for help.” Daemon replied pulling out his phone.
“Shit, no service. Everyone check your cell phones! We need one that works!” Daemon called. Everyone tried, but it was the same, no service, although that did not surprise Daemon, here they were in the middle of the desert, there most likely was not a tower for considerable miles around.
“I’ll use the radio Dae!” Alex called trotting back into the bus.
“OH MY GOD!” Everyone turned when they heard the scream. Kevin came pelting out of the bus towards the crowd of people.
“Brianna’s water just broke!” he said.
“Oh shit,” Daemon replied.
“Oh my God,” Win replied.
“And she wants you,” Kevin said looking directly at Win.
“Me?” Win’s eyes went wide.
“Yes, now come on,” Kevin grabbed her hand and led her to the bus.
“Alex, we need an ambulance, right away!” Daemon screamed running into the bus.

Inside the guys’ bus Win found Brianna half sitting, half laying down on the couch, trying to stay calm, but Brian wasn’t making matters any easier. He was pacing up and down the small hallway, furiously pounding his phone to make it work. Win was nervous enough without Brian and she was sure that he was making poor Brianna even more scared and nervous.
“Get him out of here.” Win said shaking her head at Brian. Kevin nodded and dragged Brian out of the bus.
Win sat down beside Brianna and patted her leg.
“How are you doing sweetie?” she asked.
“Been better, not pregnant, oh, oh, oh!” Brianna screamed clutching her stomach.
“OH that was a bad contraction!” she moaned. Win’s eyes went wide.
“You’re having contractions already?”
“That was the third one. Oh my god, here comes another one.” Brianna’s screams were so loud that everyone outside the bus heard them. Win got up and yelled out the door,
“Daemon! We need that ambulance, now!”
She ducked back inside and got Brianna something to drink.
“There’s, the, there’s the baby book, in Brian’s bunk, look in there.” Brianna said pointing down the hall. Win jumped up and searched for the book. When she found it she brought it back and searched through it till she found emergency delivery. She read each passage quickly, her eyes widening with each word she read.
“We can’t get anyone here for another three hours,” Daemon said coming into the bus.
“Oh no,” Brianna moaned. The tears were building her eyes.
“Daemon! Get out! She doesn’t need to hear that!” Win yelled pushing him back out the door. She went back to the book and started making preparations in case the baby came sooner than three hours. She followed the book’s instructions, which still didn’t make her feel any more confident in what she was doing.
“Winifred?” Brianna asked, the tears falling steadily now.
“Yes sweetie, what is it?” Win asked tenderly.
“I’m scared, what happens if this baby comes before the ambulance gets here?”
“Oh don’t you worry, you and the baby will be fine.” Win said, trying to reassure Brianna as well as herself.

Fifteen minutes later Brianna’s contractions were coming every five minutes. Win did her best trying to keep Brianna comfortable while reading snippets here and there, hoping to God she wouldn’t have to do this.
Two hours drifted by. Brian popped in and out, but he only seemed to be making Brianna more nervous. Win helped Brianna with her Lamaze breathing, she’d worked once for three weeks in a community center as an assistant to a Lamaze coach and knew a little about it. She found it hard to remember everything she’d learned, that had been four years ago now.
As the minutes passed Brianna’s contractions became closer together and more powerful to the point that she was screaming. The ambulance was still an hour away.
“Win, I got a doctor on the phone, he wants you to,” Brian said running in, but Win just grabbed the phone from him. She spoke to the doctor on the other line but Brian was fretting around and disturbing Brianna. She put the phone on her shoulder and screamed,
“Brian, get your ass over here and just help Brianna, help her sit up! Kevin! Get in here!” Brian did as he was told sitting down and pulling Brianna into his lap to hold her up. Kevin rushed in and listened to Win’s instructions.
“The baby is coming now, it’s not going to wait, okay, okay doctor, I’ll do it.” Win spoke into the phone. Meanwhile Brianna screamed to Kevin.
“Get the camera, we don’t want to the baby to miss this.” Kevin did as he was told.
“Oh big help,” Brian snapped. Kevin juggled the video camera and the regular digital camera.
“Brian, just shut up, Brianna, you need to get ready to push, okay, three big ones, I’m gonna count to ten and then I want you to push,” Win counted and on ten Brianna screamed as she pushed.
“I see the head, I’m gonna count again,” Brianna pushed a second time.
“You’re almost there, Brianna, come on.”
“I can’t, I can’t.” she cried.
“Yes you can Brianna, this baby needs you! Now push!”
“I can’t do it!”
“Honey, come on, you’ve come this far, you can do it!” Brian encouraged.
“Brianna, look at that ring, look at it, you wanted to show that to your baby one day, I dove to the bottom of the dumpster to find that ring so you could show your baby, now push!” Brianna pushed one more time and cries were heard outside the bus.
“It’s a girl, a perfect baby girl.” Win said lifting the baby to Brianna’s arms.
“Oh Brian, look at her, just look at her.” Brianna cooed. Brian was sitting in astonishment, staring at his wife and baby.
Win stood up and walked out of the bus, finishing her talk on the phone with the doctor before handing the phone over to Brian.
Everyone had gathered around the bus as Win emerged, covered in blood.
“She’s fine, it’s a girl,” she said walking towards her bus. A great cheer went up and sirens were heard in the distance. The bus was empty and she proceeded to the bathroom to scrub off her hands. She changed her clothes and returned to the door of the bus just in time to see Brianna, her new baby girl and Brian being shut up in the ambulance.
She looked down at the ground and watched the ambulance pull away.
“Hey! Here you are! The woman of the moment!” AJ said bounding up to the bus and pulling her down. He picked her up in his arms and carried her over to the group.
“Here she is!” he said putting her down in the circle.
“Way to go Win!”
“You were incredible!”
“What a way to take charge!” Win was spun around among her fellow crewmembers, all patting her on the back and congratulating her.
“Looks like you’re one of the family now!” Nick chimed in hugging her. But she’d never felt so far away from these people before, she’d never felt so alone in her life.