Donovan ran into the office and leaped for Chaz’s neck. Carla stood in the doorway and Chaz waved. She slinked out the door and he opened his bag for Donovan to pick the sandwich he’d want to eat.
“Hey,” Chaz said. “I met your friend Miss Glory today.”
“I stayed at her house.”
“I know. She seems nice.”
“She is nice,” Donovan said. “Mom said I need to know her address just in case I get lost or something, so I remembered 814 Maple and got two things of SweeTarts for it.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” Chaz said.
“We made cookies and she gave me some to bring to you, but I ate ’em all.”
“Thanks! She said you told her it looked like a cat played in her hair.”
Donovan chomped down on the sandwich. “I didn’t say that to her. I said that to the other lady.”
“She thought you said it to her,” Chaz said. “That’s pretty funny, though.”
Donovan laughed at himself, and bits of sandwich blew out of his mouth. Chaz jumped and pretended to be grossed out, which made Donovan laugh even harder. Chaz’s night always seemed to go faster when Donovan was around.
Erin pushed my door open at midnight. “Gloria! I think my water just broke.”
My feet hit the floor and Whiskers bolted out the door. “Get in the car!” I groped for the light and pulled a sweatshirt that was lying on the end of the bed over my nightshirt. “Get dressed first, then get in the car. I shouldn’t have let you help deliver those packages. It was too much for you.” I pulled a pair of sweatpants from a drawer, and paused when I realized they in no way matched my shirt. “Where’re my keys?” I pulled on the sweatpants and dug through the pockets before screaming, “Your keys are in your purse, you idiot!” I ran into the hall and grabbed Erin’s arm. “It’s early.”
“I know it’s early,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
“I mean the baby. The baby’s early.” Miriam squinted up the stairs as I led Erin down. “She’s having the baby. She’s having the baby!” Miriam turned in circles and felt up and down her body. I waved my arm, yelling, “It’s your gown! You’re wearing your gown.” I realized I was saying everything twice but couldn’t think long enough to fix the problem. “Go get your robe. Put on your robe,” I said as Miriam tore off down the hall.
Erin groaned and I screamed when she did. “Oh, it hurts!” she said.
“I’d tell you it was going to feel better, but I’d be lying.” She groaned louder and I yelled over the top of her head. “Miriam!” Erin bent over, holding her belly, and I shouted louder. “Miriam!”
“Where are my green wellies?” Miriam said, running into the living room.
“Where are your what?” I asked, helping Erin into her boots.
“My wellies! My green wellies!” She was spinning, looking around her.
“Would you just talk like a normal person?” I screamed.
“My rubber boots,” Miriam said. She hiked up her robe and pulled on the green rubber boots. “How could she be having the baby?” she said wild-eyed. “It’s early.”
“We’ve already been through all that,” I said, putting Erin’s coat on her.
“I can’t go out in public like this,” Miriam said. “It’s not Halloween.”
I held Erin’s arm and ushered her through the front door. “Shut up, Miriam!”
“What did you say?”
“She said shut up,” Erin said, taking the steps with her legs wide apart. Miriam cinched her robe tight and ran beside us. I opened the passenger-side door and Erin dipped down to get inside.
“Don’t put her in the front,” Miriam said, lifting Erin’s arm.
“She’s the one having the baby,” I said, pushing her back down. “She deserves to be in front!” Erin sat and lifted her legs inside.
“What about the air bags?” Miriam said, waving her arms as if being struck in an accident.
I pulled Erin’s arm. “Get in the back.” We helped Erin into the backseat and I searched around for my keys. “Where are the keys?” Miriam twisted in all directions, searching the driveway. “Where’d they go? I just had them!”
Miriam turned and shrieked, “They’re in your hand!”
I screamed when I saw them. “Oh, you idiot, Gloria!” I was clearly no good in a crisis.
Miriam ran to the passenger side. “Turn left out of the driveway, because Baxter is closed.” I turned right and Miriam jumped. “What are you doing? I just told you to turn left.”