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uncertain but grabs a hold of the soft ties and unbounds my wrists and then my ankles. I jump up off the bed and attempt to run to Vi, but my legs feel weak, and I fall to the floor. Vi rushes to my side.
    “Are you okay, Lana?” she asks. I see her giving Alec a dirty look.
    “I’m fine. I’ve just had too much to drink.” She passes me my robe, and I slip it on quickly. “Vi, what’s wrong?”
    “I’m so sorry, Lana, but something’s wrong with Gavin. I need you to come fast,” she says, desperately. “Jack was bringing him over here, but I just told him to bring him back to the house.”
    I don’t give a second thought to the fact that I’m naked and dripping with sweat and sex. I grab Vi’s hand and rush outside, my ass flapping in the wind as the breeze catches my robe. I hurry into her house, finding a panicked Jack.
    “What’s happening,” I ask, feeling myself sober as the adrenaline courses through me. Shit, did I really just sleep with a guy I didn’t know and allow all of that to happen? Whatever. Now’s not the time .
    “Well, you know how he’s been spitting up, right?” Vi asks.
    I nod and pick up a pretty lethargic Gavin. I thought it was just a touch of reflux, totally normal for babies. What did I miss?
    “Well, tonight he started projectile vomiting, and when I say that, I’m not exaggerating. Just a few minutes ago, he shot ten feet across the room. That’s when I came running over to get you. He’s been sleepy all night, but I thought it might be a growth spurt. I have no idea what I’m doing, Lana. Please just fix him,” she pleads.
    “I’m not a doctor, Vi,” I say, flustered. I grab the phone from her nightstand and call the hospital to let them know we’re coming in.
    “Okay, let’s get him into his car seat and hurry to the hospital. I’m just going to run and change into some of your clothes. Meet me in the car. Sit in the back, and don’t take your eyes off of him. If he starts changing color, take him out, flip him onto his belly and pat him on the back. All right?” I say, rushing into her bedroom.
    I could very well be wrong, but I remember another babe Grams delivered who was also throwing up like that—a little boy who was diagnosed with pyloric stenosis. He had surgery to correct it, but I could be so far off the mark, I decide to say nothing to Vi and Jack about it. I’d rather not scare them into thinking he needs surgery if he doesn’t.
    I pull on a pair of jogging pants, commando, a shelf bra tank top and a sweater. I steal a ponytail holder and throw my hair up as I rush out the front door and into Jack’s waiting SUV. He pulls out before I barely get the door closed. I look down at Gavin who’s fallen asleep again. I place my finger an inch beneath his nose so I’m able feel his hot breath, letting me know he’s still okay.
    I notice his chest clip on his car seat is down by his belly, but decide to slip it up silently, as I’m sure Violet was upset and didn’t even think about it. I’ve drilled car seat safety into her ear for nine months, and I know something had to penetrate. I just want to keep the little guy safe.
    “Can you tell us what’s going on?” Jack asks in a shaky voice from the front seat.
    “Take a deep breath. He’s going to be fine. I think he just needs to be checked out by a doctor. I may have seen it before, but I’m not certain. It could be nothing but a touch of the flu, too. I didn’t see it while it was happening,” I answer, trying to keep my cool.
     
    I look over at Violet and Jack who are absolute messes. I would have loved to be wrong, but Gavin is now in surgery to repair his pyloric stenosis. It’s a fairly simple procedure, we’re told, and is pretty common in first born males. It’s a narrowing of the opening between the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. The doctors said that we were incredibly lucky to have found it so early. He was barely even dehydrated when we arrived, unlike