073:

Aubrey had not called, so I consented to a meeting with a music journalist called Bertie Langdon who I didn't know, but who worked for Roger. I went down a hall with her and about three photographers, and as we walked--- which I knew was very trendy these days---walking and talking--- she asked me about my marriage, my kids and my work, including the production company. It was a professional and tasteful interview and she dropped me back at the main rooms, only to be met by another blogger, Ora Dennell, with a whole set of questions for me, Ben and Jeff about the music. We were used to these kinds of interviews and could literally talk our heads off all day about the music.

Then came the refresher course in social media obligations that Rowland had spoken of. I pinched my nose as if the whole reminder thing bored the crud out of me, which it did, but I listened for about twenty seconds and then faked the Aubrey call, by calling her instead. Showed them the phone, shrugged like I had to take the call, couldn't wait, and exited the room.

I walked quickly down the hall, passing others who would have stopped me, but I held up the phone like it was the most important thing in the building, and made my way out of sight.

"Hey." She finally answered on the second call and the tenth ring. 

"What's going on? Is everything okay?"

Her voice was reassuring. "Yeah--- they turned by the time we got over here. They are side by side and you're never going to believe---."

I heard her gasping, and finally, Angie's voice came on the phone.

"What's wrong? Is she crying?" I was alarmed right away.

"Yeah--- she's crying. We're all crying."

"Are you all freaking at the doctor's office? What the hell is going on? What's wrong with Aubrey? Why can't she talk to me?"

Another voice now came on the phone, a male voice that instantly caused me to stop walking, lean against the wall, and hold my sides as if hoping to keep the chill from settling in.

"This is Doctor Breckinridge--- is this Rafe?"

I had to answer, but I suddenly wished I'd gone there. Wished I hadn't been so caught up in my PR meetings. Wished I'd put Aubrey first. "Would somebody just tell me what's going on?"

"Let me reassure you, Rafe, your wife and children are fine. Everything looks wonderful."

"Then why are they both crying? Why is she not able to talk to me?"

"She has caught her breath, Rafe, and I can assure you, she has every right to be emotional. However, we are assembling a team of the best in the medical field to care for your wife and children. I have no reason to doubt that you will be enjoying all of them for many years to come. Here's Aubrey."

"I'm so sorry! Rafe, I'm so sorry. I didn't actually want Angie to take the phone I just had to catch my breath!"

"Why didn't you have your breath? What happened? Were you laughing or crying?"

"Both, baby, both! Oh my gosh! You're not going to believe this. You're just not."

I was getting pissed. "Tell me."

"The twins on the bottom, they didn't look right, remember I told you, and I couldn't see on the first ultrasound exactly where they all were. Well, Gerald did the ultrasound a few minutes ago and the placentas were back exactly where they should be side by side--- all three of them. Three of them. Rafe! There are three sacks, and there are five not four babies. Two sets of identical twins, and one baby in another sack, by herself---- with what looks like may have been her twin. I think we originally had six babies, and one died. Three sets of twins, Rafe, three natural sets of twins. I think I'm hysterical."

"You are." I leaned heavily against the wall, I thought about what she was saying. We'd had three sets of twins, and one baby had died. One baby in the USVI--- on the snorkeling trail.

"There is a little girl in there all by herself. She's strong and doing fine, and Rafe. You have to come over. I wouldn't let them look at the others to identify the gender. You'll have to come and see with me. Gerald saw them--- he says we can see them ourselves later today. When are you done there? Did you get a lot done?"

"There's a little girl in there? Oh, Aubrey, we have a daughter!"

"I know! A little girl. Yep."

"I'm coming now. Right now. I'm coming. Stay there. Text me the address." I hung up and started back down the hall. Mutt and Lance were there--- "Finally." I said as I passed them.

"Finally what?" Mutt said in stunned monotone.

"Did you guys make the announcement?" They both looked extremely alarmed and I laughed realizing what they thought I meant. "That Lance is our second drummer? I always wanted you to be in the band." I hugged him hard. I wouldn't begin to make an announcement about anybody else's sexual preferences. I'd not ever thought to see Mutt experimenting this way. But whatever floated his boat.

"Oh! Nah, we didn't announce it yet. Are you sure we are going to announce it?" Lance said quickly, giving Mutt a meaningful glance.

"I don't think we completely made it official with the band. I've just been goofing around." Lance said, his blue eyes long on mine. He could see I was agitated. "What's up, bro?"

"Not much. Me and Aubrey, we actually do have an announcement."

"You're expecting again?" Lance guessed, having not been told by Ben or Jeff who were the only ones who knew besides Angie and Marshall. Or so I thought.

I grinned and he grabbed me in a bear bone crush. His kiss against my temple was forceful. And since we'd been hanging out--- but warily avoiding deep conversation--- the kiss felt healing as well.

Mutt reached out to hug me too, and there we were in the hall all hugging. My heart was bursting. I had to get to Aubrey. I felt this weird premonition that if I didn't get to the baby--- the fifth little survivor baby, that she'd not be there when I got there.

"We are, expecting--- yes. But we're expecting--- quintuplets." It was the first time I'd said it.

Mutt backed up and crossed his arms over his chest. "Excuse me?"

I grinned. "Yeah, we thought---- we thought there were just the four, quads. But today--- she had an ultrasound and they found there were three sets of identical twins, except one died." It hit me that that meant that our little girl was in the sack with her dead twin. I felt a queasy gut feeling and pressed send on the phone in my pocket, bringing it up to my ear slowly, I'm sure with this startled comical look on my face.

I held up a finger as Mutt and Lance both stared at me incredulously.

"Rafe?"

"Where's the other twin? The one that died? It's not still----?"

Her short little laugh reassured me. "No. The body, my body absorbed it. It's not still in there with her, it's okay. It happens."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure. But you can see for yourself when you get here. You're on your way right?"

I started walking. "Yeah."

Mutt caught up with me, his expression one of deep alarm. "What's all that about?"

"I've gotta head out to the doctor's in Brentwood--- I think."

"Aubrey's practice? Santa Monica. You want I should come with you? You don't have no car here."

"Yeah. Let's get out of here. You have a car?"

"Yeah, I had Lance bring it over. It okay if Lance comes?"

"He's my brother, Mutt, don't be an idiot." I glanced behind me to see Lance grinning.

"Okay, well, I wasn't sure how you felt about him and--- being my man."

"I think you're both idiots." I said casually, because I tend to say what I think regardless of how it comes out. "But I still love you."

"Good, 'cause I been a little worried."

"About what? You know how I feel."

"No, not that, just that it's Lance and he just going through a bad divorce." We rounded the corner and entered the lobby to yells and whistles. I waved distractedly. Annoyed. Hopefully, there was some other entrance to an underground parking facility.

"I don't care what you guys do. Except you need to drop the Chicago dude talk. Quit dropping your conjunctions."

"My what?"

"Use your grammar, man, you're a college grad."

Mutt had his phone out and had called Jeff. I saw them coming down some stairs ahead of us, as I literally started running. I needed--- needed to get to Aubrey, and to that baby.

Mutt started telling Jeff we were leaving, and why, and I saw Jeff's eyes snap to mine. We all met up at another hallway with an elevator entrance ahead.

Jeff held up five fingers--- I nodded distractedly, trying to be excited with them, and failing in my urgency.

Allen Katzenmeir was with them. "Is it okay if I go back to work?" He chewed his gum thoughtfully, oblivious.

"Why are you asking me?" I breathed, waiting for the elevator impatiently. He looked alarmed at my gruff attitude.

Jeremy leaned over. "He's expecting."

Allen gave a funny neck twist, as if he were about to cock his head and then thought better of it. "You gonna need a bigger house, dude."

"I know that." I snapped again and the elevator door opened.

"I got a friend in celebrity real estate, you want I should call him?"

"I want you should all speak like normal people." I blinked hard at them. "We might like to add rap to our music now and then, but that doesn't make us rapsters."

They all started laughing as we loaded onto the elevator. I wasn't catching the humor. "Yeah, have your guy give me a call. I think I'm either moving back to Montana permanently, or ----."

"You can't move to Montana permanently. You love California." Ben said with real anxiety. He would never move out of Southern California. And he would never move away from me.

"I do love California." I affirmed, catching Ben's relieved eye. "But we just finished the studio."

"So keep the studio, or build another one. I know a guy who's selling his ranch-style mansion for 23 million, up on the hill, with beach access, and three and a half acres. Very private, two guest houses, the works. Do you want me to call him?"

I gave him my friendliest look at the moment. "What I want, buddy, is to get to my baby. I want this damn elevator to stop at the parking garage, and I want to drive, right now. Yeah, give me the number of the guy."

The door opened on cue and everybody, squished in like the idiots we all were--- thirty-something-year-old men, all acting like conjoined Siamese twins, unable to walk or move without each other. And they all started to guffaw again. I stalked out into the garage and looked around. Lance's suburban beeped ahead of us. I made my way to it.

"Does Roger know we all left?" Ben asked as we piled in. "We had some kind of photo shoot, didn't we?"

"Better call him."

"You call him." I said impatiently getting in the driver's seat, as Lance, in brotherly fashion handed me the keys.

"You're the front man."

"You're just as good at calling as me."

"It's your job."

"Fine." I ripped my phone out of my pocket and dialed as we swerved out of the parking lot.

"Hey, listen, man, I had a family emergency, and I gotta go, we'll catch up with you tomorrow or something, call Gordie, or Oliver Elliot."

"Okay." Came Aubrey's voice loud and sweetly clear.

Now my entire band and my brother were not even bothering to hide their snickering, and in some cases, full on laughter.

*****