"What's going on? Is Janie okay? Elizabeth hasn't texted."
Both Matt and I handed our photo IDs to the receptionist so they could make us visitor badges for the day.
"She's still in labor. It's been since seven last night, and Quinn hasn't slept. Janie won't let him in the room, says he's making her nuts. Katherine is in there now. She and Mr. Sullivan arrived after 1:00 AM, then the plane turned around and picked you up once Alex figured out where you were."
I smirked a little because Dan called Quinn's mother by her first name, but could never bring himself to call Quinn's father by anything other than Mr. Sullivan.
I knew Quinn's mother, Katherine, rather well as she and I had organized Janie and Quinn's wedding together a few years ago. Neither Janie nor Quinn had expressed any interest in planning the event and I loved that kind of stuff-and I loved to help-so I didn't mind.
Janie had chosen Katherine as her birth coach early on in the pregnancy when it became clear that Quinn's tendencies to want to control everything-especially where Janie's safety was concerned-wasn't going to work during a vaginal birth.
"Elizabeth says they won't let Janie go past seven tonight, because of something having to do with her water breaking yesterday and after twenty-four hours there's an increase in infection problems, or something like that. I don't know." Dan tugged his fingers through his hair, looking truly stressed.
Matt and I accepted our visitor badges, placing the stickers on our shirts. I then placed a comforting hand on Dan's shoulder.
The three of us walked to the elevators while I smoothed gentle circles on Dan's back. "Hey. Everything is going to be fine. Elizabeth won't let anything happen to either of them."
Dan sighed, jabbing at the call button for the elevator and then rubbing at the swirly neck tattoos peeking out of his T-shirt collar. "I'm just glad you're here. Kat's exhausted. She's been sitting with Quinn since early this morning. I want her to go rest, but she won't listen to me. Mr. Sullivan is also there, but he's mostly quiet other than telling Quinn to calm the fuck down and reminding him that women do this every goddamn day. In fact, it almost looks like he's enjoying Quinn's anxiousness, which I think is pissing Quinn off. And I can't tell Quinn he's overreacting because, what the hell do I know?"
We boarded the elevator and Dan pressed the button for the fourth floor.
"His pacing is driving me nuts. I asked Elizabeth if we can sedate him, and she said no." Dan snorted, rolling his eyes. "But the good thing is they have Janie in this special room, bigger than the others, with its own waiting room outside. So he can pace all he likes without tripping over doctors and nurses trying to do their job. It's the VIP suite, where I'm guessing the acronym stands for Very Irritating Patients' Husbands."
"That would be VIPH," Matt chimed in good-naturedly, saying something for the first time since we arrived.
Dan's eyes cut to Matt's. "You think I don't fucking know that? Who the fuck are you?"
I had to struggle to keep from laughing at Dan's surge of aggression; clearly, he'd reached the end of his patience.
"This is Matt Simmons, Fiona and Greg's next-door neighbor. He's here to see them."
"Oh." Dan continued to inspect Matt with suspicion. "Well, Fiona crossed the finish line last night. Three-hour labor, bing bang boom. I saw her and Greg this morning; it's like night and day with those two and what Janie and Quinn are dealing with. Greg was whistling. Whistling! And giving their little gnome a bath. Cutest fucking baby I've ever seen. Meanwhile, Fiona is sitting up in bed, knitting. Knitting! She looks like she's been on vacation, all well-rested, smiling and shit." He shook his head again, like he couldn't believe two pregnancies and deliveries could be so entirely different.
The doors opened and we departed, Dan turning and pointing down the hall. "So that's where Greg and Fiona are. They'll scan your badge again and double-check whether you're allowed in, if they want to see you before they open the security door."
"Thank you." Matt nodded at Dan, then to me he asked, "Where will you be? I'll call you after I'm done."
Dan's glare of distrust returned and he answered before I could. "She'll be here all day, taking care of her people. If you want to help, bring the woman some food, her knitting, or give her a back massage. Come on."
Dan took me by the arm and began leading me away, but Matt stopped our momentum by grabbing my wrist.
Tugging me forward, he slipped his hand around my waist and captured my mouth with a kiss.