Tempest swung the back door open and almost lost her stomach contents. Blood was everywhere, mixed with a clear liquid. “Shit, her water broke!”
“Tempest, please help me,” Kensington begged.
“They’re on their way,” Gold Tooth announced. “For what it’s worth.” He cut the phone off and glanced at his watch. “I’m timing these mofos, too.”
Tempest couldn’t believe that none of them seemed the least bit frazzled about the blood. Then again, they were probably used to the sight of blood.
“Looka here, I have an idea.” Gold Tooth pointed to the twins. “Ronnie and Ray-Ray both got bikes.”
“Bikes?” Tempest asked incredulously.
“Yeah, motorcycles. They can cruise right through all this traffic shit.”
Tempest spotted two Harley Davidsons leaning up against the side of the building. “You’ve got to be kiddin’?”
“Hey, I’m just making a sug-ges-ten. It’s up to ya’ll. Wait around here for another two hours. Up to you.”
Tempest had to make a split-second decision. She surveyed the traffic. It hadn’t budged. The trash truck had moved maybe fifty feet.
“Kensington, listen to me,” she said, trying to remain calm while she pulled Kensington out of the backseat, legs first. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
“Tempest, I can’t ride on the back of a motorcycle,” Kensington blurted out in agony.
“You don’t have a choice,” Tempest proclaimed. “I’ll be right behind you. I promise.”
Gold Tooth gave swift instructions to the twins. “Yo, go get the bikes, man!”
By the time Tempest got Kensington out of the car with the help of Gold Tooth and one of the others, the twins were waiting right beside the car, mounted on their bike
s.
“Be careful,” Tempest pleaded while they lifted Kensington onto the back of one of them. Ray-Ray was spray-painted on the side of the engine casing. “You be careful with her, Ray-Ray.”
“I will,” he replied, taking off with a jolt in the direction of the hospital. Kensington was holding on to his waist for dear life.
“Not too damn fast, man!” Gold Tooth yelled out.
Tempest hopped on the back of Ronnie’s bike. “Hurry! Please hurry!”
• • •
Tempest’s legs felt like they were about to fall off as she wobbled out of the recovery room. They’d delivered the baby girl by cesarean section less than ten minutes after they’d arrived. They were just in the nick of time, too; the cord had been lodged around the baby’s neck.
Tempest waited in recovery with Kensington until she woke up. Kensington was in great spirits. She was just glad it was all over. So was Tempest.
She asked a passing lab technician for directions to the nursery and wobbled down there to see the baby. Much to her astonishment, Gold Tooth, the twins, and the rest of the crew were all gathered around the window, tapping on the glass and cooing at the babies.
“I don’t know how to thank you guys.” Tempest hugged them all one at a time like they were long-lost relatives. “We wouldn’t have made it in time without your help.”
“Don’t mention it, sistah,” Gold Tooth said, cracking a smile. He pointed to the tiny baby wrapped in a pink blanket, lying in a bassinet marked Baby Sparks. “That little honie in there was well worth it.”
Tempest pressed her face up to the glass. Kensington’s baby had smooth, caramel skin and a head full of black, curly hair. “She’s beautiful!”
Ray-Ray agreed. “Yeah, her daddy’s gonna have to beat the lil’ knuckleheads off with a stick when she gets older.”
Tempest grimaced. What damn daddy?
“We’re about to roll out,” Gold Tooth announced, looking a bit teary-eyed.