My Water Broke, But He Chose His Best Friend

My water broke unexpectedly, way before my due date. Panic-stricken, I shook Brandon awake and urged him to grab the hospital bag and take me to the ER.

Just as we reached the front door, my best friend, Chloe, ran out of the guest room barefoot.

Oh wait. Hold on. I haven't washed my hair yet.

A sharp contraction hit my abdomen. To my shock, Brandon actually stopped in his tracks.

"Okay, take your time. Put some shoes on first."

Chloe stood in front of the hallway mirror, combing her hair and pouting.

"Scarlett, don't worry. I wash my hair super fast."

"We agreed that I'm going to be the baby's godmother and the first one to hold her. I can't take photos with greasy hair."

With that, she casually bossed Brandon around. "I'm going to wash my hair. Can you clean my white sneakers? I need to wear them later."

Without a second thought, Brandon dropped my hospital bag and started cleaning her shoes.

Clutching my stomach in agony, I stared at him. "I'm already dilating, Brandon. If we don't go now, the baby and I could both be in danger."

Brandon just let out a soft chuckle. "Labor doesn't happen that fast. Even if we go now, we'll just be waiting around. Stop being so dramatic."

Dramatic? My water just broke, and he called me dramatic.

Watching him meticulously brush the dirt off Chloe's sneakers, my heart turned cold, little by little.

I pulled out my phone and sent a Snapchat message to someone.

"You said you wanted me and the baby, right? I'm giving birth in half an hour. If you show up, you're the father."

The reply came almost instantly. "?" "Deal. I'll be there."

In the bathroom, the shower was running. Brandon didn't rush Chloe at all. Instead, he carefully plugged in the hairdryer for her, setting it to warm.

Meanwhile, the dull, heavy pain in my lower abdomen intensified. I slid down the wall and collapsed onto the floor.

Our nanny, Nora, couldn't bear to watch any longer. She helped me lie down on the sofa.

"Mr. Miller, you really can't delay this. Once the water breaks, the baby can suffocate at any moment. She needs to be in the hospital within thirty minutes."

"It takes time to drive there. What if Scarlett has a difficult labor?"

My sister-in-law, Amanda, chimed in anxiously. "Scarlett is weeks away from her due date. This is premature rupture of membranes. She has to go to the hospital immediately."

"Even if she can wait, the baby can't."

Everyone was looking at him with pleading eyes. But Brandon didn't even look up. He was busy packing Chloe's skincare products into her bag.

"It's fine. Chloe is just washing her hair."

Then he turned to me with a comforting smile.

"Giving birth takes time. Worst case, we'll just do a C-section. It's not like you wanted a natural birth anyway."

I looked at him, my voice trembling.

"Do you even know how dangerous it is when the water breaks early?"

"Yeah, I know."

Brandon turned his head, staring at the bathroom door, giving me a dismissive response. He clearly wasn't listening to a word I said.

I took a deep breath and threw a throw pillow right at his face.

"I said, the baby and I could die! I need to go to the hospital right now! Do you hear me?!"

Brandon was stunned by my outburst, his eyes instantly filling with impatience.

"What is wrong with you lately? Ever since you got pregnant, you think the whole world revolves around you."

"Chloe is just washing her hair, and you can't even wait for a few minutes? Didn't you promise she could be the godmother?"

The shouting in the living room disturbed Chloe. She ran out of the bathroom with dripping wet hair, wrapping her arms around me to baby-talk her way out of it.

"Please, please, Scarlett. Didn't we promise I'd be Lucy's godmother?"

"This is a major life moment! I can't look like a greaseball in the pictures. Let me just blow-dry it, it'll be super quick."

The moment the hairdryer whined to life, Brandon snatched it from her hand.

"She dries it too slowly. Let me do it so we can leave sooner."

I watched Brandon gently run his fingers through Chloe's hair, blow-drying it with utmost care. A bitter pang of envy struck my heart.

During my late pregnancy, whenever I asked him to help dry my hair, he always excused himself, saying he was too tired from work.

Just then, my abdomen violently cramped. More amniotic fluid leaked out. After helping me clean up, Nora's face turned pale.

"Oh my god, the fluid is turning yellowish."

"This is a sign of fetal distress. We really can't wait anymore!"

The hairdryer was buzzing loudly. Neither of them heard her. Nora walked straight over and yanked the plug out of the wall.

"Miss Scarlett must go to the hospital immediately!"

Chloe looked at Brandon in shock.

"Why is the nanny bossing us around in your own house? I just washed my hair, and she's making a scene?"

Brandon sneered.

"I told Scarlett I wanted my mom to come and help, but she insisted on hiring a nanny. What can I do?"

He plugged the hairdryer back in. The noise started again. Instead of worrying about me and the baby, they were complaining about me hiring a nanny.

Then, the hospital called to press us.

"It's already 10:20. Where is the patient? The delivery room and doctors are ready. She must be here before 11:00. Do not take any chances!"

The hairdryer stopped again. This time, I was the one who pulled the plug. I gasped heavily.

"11:00. I must be at the hospital."

"Fine, fine. We're going now, okay? You always make a mountain out of a molehill."

Under my urging, Brandon reluctantly grabbed the hospital bag and walked me out.

Just then, my parents and my brother, Logan, arrived. Seeing that we hadn't left yet, their expressions darkened instantly.

"Why are you guys still here? Let's go, hurry!"

But before we could cross the threshold, Chloe screamed again. She touched her hair in frustration.

"Oh my god! I forgot to curl it!"

"Can we wait just a little longer? I'll curl it super fast."

My mom, Mandy, couldn't help but plead.

"How about you stay home and get ready? We will take Scarlett to the hospital first. This is a matter of life and death."

Chloe plugged in her curling iron, her tone relaxed and unbothered.

"Don't worry, Mandy. I'll be done in a sec. We should all go together."

"I am Lucy's godmother. I have to look beautiful when I hold her for the first time."

"If you want to go together, hurry up! My sister can't wait for you to do your makeup!"

Logan yelled at Chloe, his patience gone. Chloe's hand holding the curling iron froze, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Why are you yelling at me? I didn't do this on purpose. I'm trying to be fast."

"Who knew Scarlett's water would break today? I didn't have time to prepare anything either. I'm stressed too!"

My mom ignored her, supporting me as we headed for the elevator. Logan and my dad, Arthur, ran down to start the cars. But Brandon, without a second thought, stepped back into the apartment.

"It's okay, Chloe. Take your time. Don't burn yourself."

Hearing this, Mom gave Brandon a chilling look. The baby in my womb was kicking violently due to the lack of oxygen. I gasped in pain and glared at Brandon.

"I need to be at the hospital by 11:00."

"It's already 10:30. Are you coming or not?"

Seeing my pale, sweating face, a hint of guilt flashed across Brandon's eyes. But he just pushed me gently back onto the couch to comfort me.

"Stop throwing a fit, Scarlett. You're acting like you're in so much pain just to make me prioritize you over Chloe."

"She'll be ready soon. Be good."

I was forced to lie back on the sofa. The contractions were no longer just dull aches; they felt like ripping pain.

Chloe was still preening in front of the mirror.

As our eyes met, cold sweat poured down my forehead. She stuck her tongue out at me.

"Well, since my hair is curled, I think I'll just put on some makeup. It'll only take a few minutes."

"Brandon, help me choose. Nude or dusty rose for the lipstick?"

Amanda, who had been quiet, finally snapped.

"Enough is enough! Scarlett is waiting to go to the hospital!"

But Chloe walked over and wrapped her arm around Amanda's, saying in an envious tone:

"Scarlett is so lucky. Her whole family shows up just for her giving birth."

"Unlike me, nobody cares about me. I just want to look pretty to welcome Lucy. Scarlett understands, right?"

I was in too much pain to speak. She took my silence as consent. Brandon looked at me too.

"Just five more minutes. Once she's done, we leave immediately."

Another wave of contractions hit. I gripped the sofa cushion tightly, waiting for the agonizing pain to pass before I spoke.

"Brandon, on the day we went to get our marriage license, she insisted on coming. You insisted on waiting for her. She overslept, City Hall closed, and we never got registered."

"At our rehearsal dinner, she insisted on riding in your car. She got drunk the night before and missed the ceremony."

"Today, I am asking you one last time. Do you choose me and the baby, or do you choose to wait for her?"

Brandon's face darkened completely.

"Are you really using childbirth as an excuse to bring up old grudges?"

Chloe gasped dramatically, covering her mouth.

"Wow, Scarlett. I didn't know you were so petty. Do pregnant women have nothing better to do than pick fights?"

"Whatever, I won't argue with you. I'm not even done with my makeup."

I looked at her. First, it was washing hair, then makeup, and after this, she'd probably want to pick an outfit. It would take at least another hour.

At 10:40, my leaking fluid began to show traces of blood.

I ignored them, biting my lip to keep from screaming in pain.

"Take your time. I'm not waiting."

Hearing that I was leaving, Chloe rushed over to block the door.

"Oh, come on! It's just a few minutes. I'm almost done. Do you really want me to look ugly holding my goddaughter? This is going to be a core memory photo!"

At 10:45, more fluid ran down my legs. I could barely stand. Logan called to pressure us.

"Why aren't you guys down yet? The hospital is rushing us. If we aren't there by 11:00, the chances of a safe delivery drop drastically!"

"Every minute we delay is another minute of danger!"

The contractions were coming in rapid waves. The pain was so intense I couldn't form words.

Amanda snatched my phone and roared into it:

"It's not that we don't want to leave! It's because a certain ugly drama queen refuses to step out of the house and won't let us leave either!"

"Hang on, Logan. Dad and I are coming up!"

When Dad walked in, Chloe was busy putting on false eyelashes in front of the mirror.

Arthur held back his rage and asked Brandon:

"Brandon, I've always treated you like my own son. When you married my daughter, I paid for your wedding, got you a car, and didn't ask you for a dime. All I wanted was for you to treat Scarlett right."

"How did you promise me back then?"

"Now, you're delaying my daughter's emergency medical care just to wait for someone else. Do you think this is acceptable?"

Logan clenched his fists.

"Brandon, when you were pursuing Scarlett, you swore you'd protect her for the rest of your life. That's why we trusted you with her."

"We saw how much she suffered during this pregnancy. Now you're making her wait? Tell me, how does someone 'wait' to give birth?!"

"But... I'm the baby's godmother," Chloe whimpered. "If my hair is greasy, how can we take photos?"

"Yeah, Arthur," Brandon chimed in. "Scarlett agreed to let Chloe be the godmother."

The two of them sang in harmony, making it seem like it was all my fault.

Arthur lost his temper completely. He roared:

"Godmother? What the hell is a godmother compared to her actual mother?!"

"Are you saying Scarlett has to wait for this girl to finish her makeup before she's allowed to give birth?!"

My dad had always been a peacemaker. He was always gentle with Brandon, and whenever Brandon and I had a tiff, he would tell me to swallow my pride.

This was the first time I had ever seen him so furious.

Brandon lowered his head, speechless. Chloe, having just applied her last eyelash, stood in front of Brandon.

"You can't talk to us like that. What do you mean 'waiting for me'? Even if we go to the hospital, we'll just be waiting. Why aren't you yelling at the doctors?"

"And Scarlett, if you hadn't asked me, I wouldn't even have bothered to be the godmother. Now everything is my fault."

"Fine! It's all my fault! I shouldn't have come!"

With a loud sob, she slammed the guest room door behind her.

Suddenly, another vicious contraction hit. My vision went black, and my knees buckled.

My family immediately rushed to carry me out.

But Brandon still blocked the door, his face grim.

"Scarlett, are you really in that much of a hurry? What difference does a few minutes make?"

"You were the one who wanted her to be the godmother. Now that you've caused a scene, go apologize to her."

"Or what? Do you want your baby to be born without her father in the room?"

He knew how terrified I was of childbirth. We had agreed that he would accompany me in the delivery room and cut the umbilical cord.

Now, he was using his presence as leverage. If Chloe didn't go, he wouldn't go either.

Fine. I'll just find my baby a new father.

Because ever since I sent that message, my Snapchat had been blowing up.

The latest message read: "I'm almost there."