46. Wes

Chapter forty-six

Wes

“ Y ou are a fuckin’ Eejit if you think that Frodo should have just said ‘fuck it’.” I shout, throwing my hands up at Gavin as we sit on the couch binging Lord of the Rings in the loft. I look over at Layne who is curled up in her favorite reading chair. She stares right back at me, eyes wide mouthing, “Wow.”

“All I’m sayin’ is he would have saved himself whole lotta trouble if he had simply decided to say, ‘Ya know what, I’ll sit this one out.” Gavin cackles as the look on my face as it turns into a snarl.

“How the fuck are we related?” I shake my head as I get up to grab another beer from the fridge. Stopping first to give Layne a kiss. “You agree with me, right Ma Petite Mort ?”

“One hundred percent with you.” She snakes her hand around the back of my neck, pulling me back to her mouth.

“For fuhck’s sake, she’s already pregnant. Get a room.” Gavin huffs, throwing a pillow at my back .

“Your kind of in it.” Wes pulls back, motioning to the ‘loft’ as a whole, then laugh as I settle back onto the couch, my mind still buzzing with the debate about Frodo’s choices. Gavin and I, always at odds with each other, never missing an opportunity to argue when we’re together.

I glance at Gavin, who is still grumbling about the ongoing debate. He may not understand my love of Frodo and the Lord of the Rings , but that’s okay. We all have our own preferences and opinions. He may be wrong, but he’s entitled to that opinion.

With a last glance over at Layne, I say loudly, “Let’s continue our movie marathon, baby. You get to pick the next movie after Return of the King .“ She giggles and nods, her eyes sparkling with mischief. As we settle back into the couch, the familiar music of the film fills the room. Gavin groans as the last movie starts, Layne giggles from her chair.

Layne’s in the kitchen getting dinner ready while Gavin and I smoke out on the balcony. It’s warm out for May, so we’re going to eat dinner out here tonight. “So,” I turn to Gavin. “Why are you really in town?”

“Can’t just be to visit my Da and my wee sisters? Oh, and my favorite vigilante cousin?” Gavin smirks.

Yeah, he knows the family secret, too.

I give him a hard stare.

“Alright,” he says, taking a drag from his cigarette. “I met a girl the last time I was here. Single mom with a daughter. Her ex is a real piece of shite, and he mistreats her and the girl. Deals drugs and has beat on her in the past. She called me and told me he’s been at it again. So…” He stubs out the butt in the ashtray between us, blowing out a cloud of smoke. “I figured I’d come and take care of the problem. Larimore style.”

There it is. The motherfucker is in love and he came all the way back here to protect her. Very much in the Larimore way.

“Look at this.” I reach over and put him in a headlock giving him a noogie. “G-string’s in love.”

“For fuhck’s sake, Wes. Do you still have to call me that? We’re not fifteen anymore.” Gavin pushes me away and fixes his hair.

“You’ll always be G-string to me.” I laugh.

The door open and Layne walks out with three plates and silverware. “If you guys are done, can you go in and help grab the food?” Layne winces as she walks to the table off in the balcony corner. I motion for Gavin to grab the food and make my way over to Layne.

Taking the plates from her hand’s I look at her. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s just an annoying cramp that I have had all day. Maybe I’m not drinking enough water?” Layne holds onto her side, and that’s when I notice the sheen of sweat across her forehead. I place my hand on her head and hold it there. She’s warm .

“ Ma Petite Mort , you’re pretty warm. Are you feeling sick?“ I ask, looking her over.

Layne looks at me with concern in her eyes. “I don’t know, Wes. I just feel off. Maybe it’s just the weather or something I ate.” She tries to brush it off, but I can tell she’s not herself.

I take a step closer, gently touching her arm. “Let’s get you inside and sit you down. Gavin can handle the food.” I guide her towards the door, keeping a watchful eye on her.

As we make our way inside, I can’t help but worry. Layne rarely complains about feeling unwell now that she is around eight weeks pregnant, and her cramp seems more than just a minor inconvenience. I guide her to the couch, urging her to rest while I grab a glass of water.

“Here, drink this. It might help with the cramp,” I say, handing her the glass. Layne takes a sip, but her discomfort doesn’t seem to lessen.

“Maybe we should call Emmy, just to be safe,” I suggest, my concern growing. Layne shakes her head, a faint smile on her face.

“I’m sure it’s nothing, Wes. Just give me a moment to rest, and I’ll be fine,” she reassures me. But I can’t shake the feeling that something is seriously wrong.

Gavin walks over, carrying the plates of food, his face filled with worry as he sees Layne’s pale complexion. “What’s going on? Is she okay?” he asks, setting the food down on the coffee table.

“I’m not sure,” I reply, my voice filled with apprehension. “Layne’s been feeling unwell all day, and now she’s running a fever.”

Gavin stands beside me, concern etched on his face. “Should we call an ambulance, just to be safe? It could be something serious.”

Layne protests. “I’ll be fine. It’s probably something stupid, like food poisoning.”

But I can’t ignore the nagging feeling in my gut. I’ve seen Layne tough it out through minor illnesses before, but this feels different. Her pregnancy adds another layer of concern. I glance at Gavin, silently pleading for his support. He nods, understanding the gravity of the situation.

“Ya should at least call a physician,” Gavin suggests. “Ya never know what kind of things pregnancy can complicate.”

Layne hesitates for a moment before finally nodding her agreement. I quickly grab my phone and dial Emmy’s number, my hands slightly trembling. When the line connects, I explain the situation to Emmy. She listens attentively, asking me a series of questions about Layne’s symptoms and condition.

After a brief pause, Emmy advises me to keep and monitor her for any worsening symptoms. She explains that it’s important to rule out any potential complications, especially considering Layne’s pregnancy.

“What should I be watching for? She vomits occasionally still, things like that?” I put the phone on speaker so I can write the list of things.

“You’re going to want to watch for things like extreme fatigue, generalized pain, excessive bleeding, a headache that doesn’t go away. I’ll text you a link with more things you can look out for. If you feel like it’s bad, just go to the emergency room and I can meet you there. Okay?” Emmy sounds calm and assures me everything is going to be okay. That Layne could be right and it’s just food poisoning or a virus.

We decide to keep a close eye on Layne, monitoring her symptoms and watching for any signs of deterioration. As the evening progresses, Layne’s discomfort seems to worsen. She starts experiencing intense abdominal pain and her fever spikes even higher. Panic starts to set in as we realize this is not a mere case of food poisoning or a virus. I’m typically calm as shit in high stress situations, but this has me losing my shit.

Gavin and I exchange worried glances, silently communicating our shared concern. I know we can’t wait any longer. We need to seek immediate medical attention for Layne and the baby’s sake. I quickly gather some things together and toss Gavin the keys so he can run down to get the truck ready.

“I need the bathroom first, Wes,” Layne says weakly.

I help her to the bathroom, and she closes the door behind her. “Leave the door unlocked, baby.” I don’t hear the lock engage, so I know she heard me. I hurry over to the bed and grab the bag that I started packing. My heart is racing as I zip up the bag, taking it and making my way across the loft. I whistle and Gavin appears in the doorway downstairs.

“Put the bag in the car.” I chuck the bag down on him. He catches it and walks back outside to the car .

I stare out at the warehouse floor when the sound of Layne screaming and a thud has my head snapping back toward the bathroom.