So where was I? Oh yeah, I had just landed in Chicago and was trying desperately to get home. Steph was in the hospital and she was only 32 weeks along.
I should mention, I'm writing this 3 years later. I fully intended on writing part two, but for some reason or another, never got around to it.
Back to the story: I locate the Budget Rent a Car facility and drive out of the airport, not really knowing where the fuck I'm going, because I've never driven from Ohare to home. I usually fly from Chicago to Peoria (hey, I'm cheap. I know ...it's like a 25 min flight). So I'm driving ... and getting lost quickly. I make what seems like 54 U-turns and find the interstate that goes south. I don't recall which one, probably I-90? By this time, it's easily midnight if not later. Do you know what toll-roads are? They're the way that IL robs people by way of annoying toll booths for each interstate. I should mention, I don't carry case, let alone change when I travel. The reason? It's one more thing to manage through the X-ray machines; don't bother with change. Fuck change. So I come across the toll booth, with no change and I'm in a hurry to get to Peoria. The toll booth lady let's me pass! Feeling pretty good, I drive on....
So at around 1:45am, the exhilaration of a free pass from the toll booth has long worn off and I'm chugging coffee from random gas stations, while driving. I didn't hit any deer or racoons (racoons is another business trip to Chicago, lol. There was literally blood on the rental car, lol!). So I make it to the hospital at around 2:30am in Peoria. Steph is pretty much sleepy or sleeping and I crash on the couch-thing they have there.
Around 8 or 9 the next morning, I get up and we get briefed on the status. If I recall, Steph water hadn't exactly broke, but it was leaky. Not sure how that works, but whatever. So we wait. No labor pains, no pain at all (that I recall Steph having). I, on the other hand, was pretty ragged from the adventure of getting home. Not a lot happened for a few hours. We ate breakfast, lounged around, watched tv (coincidentally, President Obama was in Peoria on that day) and we generally did a lot of waiting. So after lunch, it was 'decided' that it was safe for me to go home, shower and let the dog out and feed him. And that's what I did. I drove the 30 minutes back to Metamora and let the dog out, fed him and took a much needed shower. I remember not being the slightest bit worried about Steph going into labor. Not a care in the world. No labor yet. And labor is something that takes hours and hours, I'd have plenty of time. Plenty. I get dressed and sort of look around the house and notice how quiet it is. Afterall, this could be the last moments of peace around the house with kids coming.soon. I drive the 30 minutes back to the hospital. I hear the news report of possible traffic being backed up on I74 due to the President leaving town. So I take an alternate route to the hospital. I get there and park, go up to the 4th or 5th floor and walk into our room.
Both Steph and her mom say, "WHERE WERE YOU?"
For a split second, there's the reaction to be sarcastic. I could say, " Oh, I stopped and decided to build a barn on the side of the road. You know, for the poor". But I don't. Instead I mutter out the obvious answer.
"I went home and fed the dog and took a shower. What's going on?"
I look down and walk over to the chair to sit, not expecting what came next.
"You missed it, I had them." said Steph.
"What are y... WHEN?" I say.
"About 20 minutes ago, it was real fast..." said Steph.
You'll have to ask Steph for the actual events as I wasn't there. Needless to say, I was in complete shock and I couldn't believe that I'd missed it. I missed it, despite the accomplishment of making it home under cancelled flights and a 3 hour drive in the middle of the night. Unbelievable. That is the story of the birth of the twins, the race to get home and how I missed their birth.
