Previously, in The Princess of Peach — Part 1 https://thewriteaddiction.wordpress.com/2014/09/22/the-princess-of-peach-part-1/ 

And now for this week’s installment of The Princess of Peach — Part 2…

After putting the car in park, Ray Brown hurried over to the passenger side to help his wife climb out of their 1977 Ford Maverick.  He couldn’t help but smile and shake his head as he looked at his bride and how this pregnancy seemed to make her glow somehow.

“What are you smiling about, Ray? You know Mama is gonna whoop both of us when she sees us next!” she said. Looking over her shoulder nervously, JeAnn halfway expected to see her mother come racing into the parking lot.

“We’ve got a good 15 minute lead on her, baby.  Come on, lets get you checked in and make sure the hospital calls Dr. Jackson to let him know we are good to go!” said Ray calmly as they carefully maneuvered up the short flight of stairs leading into Chandler Memorial Hospital.  They went straight to the reception desk and range the bell.  Everyone seemed to be somewhere else at the moment but within 15 seconds of digging the bell a nurse came from around a corner and smiled when she saw the young couple.

“Finally decided to come pop out that baby so we can see what he looks like, huh?” said Nurse Sharon Lawson trying hard to conceal the huge grin threatening to crack her face.  JeAnn returned the smile that matched hers so well, it was a wonder that she didn’t burst into a fit of giggles like the two did growing up.

“Yes, cousin dearest, I am ready to be a Mama today!” said JeAnn.

“Well, lets get you back into your room then.  Ray, if you’ll finish up the last of this paperwork, I can take JeAnn back and get her settled,” said Sharon.

“Hold up, Sharon, I’m going back with JeAnn to the room.  I can fill out the paperwork there,” said Ray as he gently took JeAnn’s arm and started walking toward the hallway door.

“Renard Kingston Brown, if you don’t sit down in that chair over there and fill out these forms, I’m gonna whoop you upside your head from here into next Saturday.  You know the rules, husbands are not allow back in the delivery room,” Sharon reminded her cousin-in-law firmly.

“Sharon, don’t play with me today. Does your boss know that you’re JeAnn’s cousin?” asked Ray.

“No, he just moved down here from Atlanta, he hasn’t had time to get to know much of the local color. Why? What are you planning to do, Ray?” replied Sharon.

“Don’t worry about it. You take JeAnn back while I have a little chat with the hospital administrator,” said Ray with a glint in his eye.

“Ray, do not act a’fool up in here and get me fired,” Sharon said quietly so as not to attract the attention of the few other visitors to the hospital’s main admittance area.  She left but returned quickly with a wheel chair which she helped JeAnn into and drove off to take her cousin to the delivery room while Ray headed in the direction of the hospital administrator’s office.

~ Marta