“Aunt Marva, I can drive. Her pains are coming too close together. I don’t think I can make it to Mount Sinai. We have to find somewhere closer.”

“Stop talking like I am invisible,” Tasha said, puffing and holding the bottom of her stomach. “I hear—heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh. Oh God! That was a hard one!” She damn near screamed. She was sitting on the sofa with her bag packed.

“Dang, Tasha, you’ll upset the kids. Haven’t you done this shit before?”

“Angel, now is not the time! This shit hurts like it’s my first.”

I burst out laughing and that broke up some of the tension. Tasha laughed, too. It made me realize in about seven months I’d be in the same position. “Okay, okay. I know the severity of the pain. Just breathe through the pain like they teach in the childbirth classes.”

“What the hell do you think I’m doing?” Tasha said, trying to breathe, moaning and yelling all at once.

“I’ll look out for the kids,” Marva said, looking helpless. “I’m not riding with y’all.”

Kyra was hesitant as well. “You’ll be all right, Tasha. I’m praying for you. I’ll help watch the boys, but I suggest y’all leave now. The ambulance obviously can’t get here.”

Leave it to Tasha, the drama queen, to go into labor during one of the worst rainstorms on Sag Harbor. This tropical storm must be the stepchild of Hurricane Irma.

I googled, nearest hospital to Sag Harbor, and Hampton Bays Hospital appeared to be the closest. Since I was the designated driver, I had to keep my cool, tropical storm and all. I kept thinking of Kay. He always remained calm or better yet large and in charge.

Unfortunately, sheets of rain were pummeling the street when we opened the door and came outside. The winds were so high, I had to struggle to close the door behind us. I tried to hold the umbrella over Tasha, and it blew away and we both were getting wet. The sound of high winds whistled through the trees, which leaned to the side.

One of the goons was waiting outside the door. He made him the scariest looking one in the group, with the jagged knife scar across his face we called him Scarface behind his back.

“Where are you going? You’re not supposed to leave the house,” Scarface barked in his strong Mexican accent.

“She’s in labor. We called an ambulance almost a half hour ago. We can’t wait any longer. I’m taking her in my car.”

“What hospital? How far from here?” Scarface asked.

“She was supposed to go to Mount Sinai Hospital, but we can’t make it in this rain, and her contractions are coming really close together. We’re going to the hospital nearby. It’s about a half hour.”

“Okay; but let me drive you.”