“Mama!” Kristin called out as she tried to get up.

“Don’t move a muscle young lady,” her mother commanded her as she shook her finger in the air. “You stay sitting right where you are!”

Kristin could barely sit still as she waited for her mother to hurry over to the table and hug her like only a mother can.

“How did you get here?” Kristin asked as Mrs. Yancey sat down beside her.

“Tommy flew me in,” she explained. “He thought you might like me to be here when the baby was born.”

“Tommy!” Kristin cried as she turned and wrapped her arms around him.

Her husband had planned this whole evening for her and invited all the people she loved most in the world. Kristin couldn’t think of a way she could ever repay him for everything he had done for her.

“How long are you staying?” Kristin asked her mother as she turned to face her again.

“For as long as you need me here baby,” her mother told her.

“I love you mama!” Kristin said as she took her mother’s hand in her own. “Thank you!”

“I love you too baby,” Mrs. Yancey replied. “I can’t believe my baby is having a baby!”

Kristin smiled as she took hold of both of her mother’s hands and placed them on her belly.

“I can’t wait for the baby to meet you,” Kristin told her.

Kristin smiled as she saw tears creep into her mother’s eyes.

“Hey Kristin,” Tommy said in an attempt to pull her attention from her mother.

“Yeh?” Kristin asked as she turned her attention to Tommy.

“You might want to watch the stage,” he told her.

“Why?” Kristin asked.

“Just watch,” he told her.

Kristin gave her mother a puzzled look before turning her attention to the stage. Who on earth had Tommy paid to come sing at the Cabaret room tonight? She didn’t have to wonder for long. Kristin’s mouth dropped open as the performer walked onto the stage.

“That’s Dolly Parton!” she hissed in Tommy’s ear.

“Really!” Tommy joked with her. “I had NO clue!”

“Hey ya’ll.” Dolly greeted them. “Hope you’re all having a wonderful time here tonight. Happy birthday to the birthday girl and this one’s for you, Kristin, and your wonderful husband.”

If I should stay
I would only be in your way
So I’ll go, but I know
I’ll think of you every step of the way

And I will always love you
I will always love you
You, my darling you

Bittersweet memories
That is all I’m taking with me
So, goodbye. Please, don’t cry.
We both know I’m not what you, you need

And I will always love you
I will always love you

I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you’re dreamed of
And I wish you joy and happiness
But above all this, I wish you love

And I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you…

She was sitting in the Cabaret room. Her husband was on one side of her. Her mother was on the other side of her. Dolly Parton was standing in front of her on the stage singing just for her. Kristin could hardly believe it was all real.

“May your love never be forgotten and may God bless you and your sweet baby.” Dolly concluded.

“Thank you,” Kristin mouthed as she blew her a kiss.

“Can we get the birthday girl on stage for an encore?” Dolly asked the crowd.

Kristin laughed as the entire audience responded with thunderous applause.

“Come on Kristin, come sing with me!” Dolly called out to her.

Tommy helped her out of her chair and she walked toward the stage. Dolly put out her hand and Kristin took it in hers as a smile covered her face.

“What do ya say doll?” Dolly asked her. “How about we sing a little 9 to 5?”

“Sounds good to me!” Kristin replied with a laugh as someone handed her a microphone.

As the music started Kristin felt that odd sensation in her stomach again but this time it lasted a little bit longer. She told herself it was nothing. A little indigestion wasn’t going to stop her from singing with Dolly Parton!

Tumble outta bed
And I stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
And yawn and stretch
And try to come to life
Jump in the shower
And the blood starts pumpin’
Out on the street
The traffic starts jumpin’
The folks like me on the job from 9 to 5

The feeling in her stomach was getting worse and she was starting to worry a bit. She didn’t think Tommy would catch on but she knew her mother would know something was wrong.

Workin’ 9 to 5
What a way to make a livin’
Barely getting’ by
It’s all talkin’ and no givin’
They just use your mind
And they never give you credit
It’s enough to drive you crazy
If you let it
9 to 5, for service and devotion
You would think that I
Would deserve a fat promotion
Want to move ahead
But the boss won’t seem to let me
I swear sometimes that man is out to get me

Kristin stole a quick look at her mother and knew immediately that she had caught on to the fact that something wasn’t quite right with Kristin. She wasn’t getting up, though, so that was ok.

They let you dream
Just to watch ‘em shatter
You’re just a step
On the boss-man’s ladder
But you got dreams
He’ll never take away
You’re in the same boat
With a lotta your friends
Waitin’ for the day your ship’ll come in
And the tide’s gonna turn
And it’s all gonna roll your way

She couldn’t deny it any longer. This was definitely not indigestion; she was in labour. As long as it didn’t get any worse than this she could still enjoy the evening Tommy had planned for her. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin his plans.

Workin’ 9 to 5
What a way to make a livin’
Barely getting’ by
It’s all takin’ and no givin’
They just use your mind
And you never get the credit
It’s enough to drive you crazy
If you let it…

That was it. She couldn’t take it anymore. She dropped the microphone and doubled over in pain as Tommy rushed toward her to support her before she collapsed to the floor.

“What’s wrong hunny?” Dolly asked as the music stopped.

“Ow,” was the only word Kristin could get through her clenched teeth.

“Kristin, are you in labour?” her mother asked as she rushed over to help her daughter.

Kristin felt both her mother’s and Dolly’s comforting hands on her back and managed to nod her head.

“And it just started?” her mother questioned.

Kristin shook her head this time.

“And you didn’t tell anybody!” her mother reprimanded her. “Kristi Dawn you know better than that!”

“Can we talk about that later?” Kristin asked as she clutched her stomach.

“Help me get her out to the lobby,” Mrs. Yancey told Tommy. “She can sit down in the quiet there.”

As Tommy and her mother helped her sit down on a bench in the hall the pain went away and she was able to relax a little.

“How long has this been going on?” her mother asked.

“Since we left the apartment,” Kristin confessed.

“I knew something was wrong!” Tommy told her as he sat down beside her.

“I didn’t want to ruin the evening,” Kristin said as she looked up into his eyes. “You worked so hard to plan everything!”

“Kristin,” Tommy told her. “This is our baby we’re talking about. That is much more important to me than some birthday party.”

“I know,” she cried. “I’m sorry I just really didn’t want to ruin it and—”

Before she could finish her sentence another contraction came on and she doubled over in pain. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tommy drop to his knees in front of her and felt him rest his hands on her knees.

“Breathe like you learned in class,” Tommy comforted her.

“It hurts,” she said, her voice barely audible.

“I know baby,” Tommy told her. “You’re doing great. It’ll be over soon.”

“Mama,” she cried as she reached her hand out toward her mother.

“I’m here baby,” her mother said as she sat down beside Kristin and put her arms around her. “You’re gonna be ok. Mama’s here with you.”

“Make it stop Mama,” Kristin begged.

She felt comforted as her mother rocked her back and forth and began singing their special song in her ear.

I sing because I’m happy
I sing because I’m free
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me

She’d never felt so much pain in her entire life and just when she thought she couldn’t take it another minute the pain went away and she fell into her mother’s comforting arms.

“Let’s get you to the car,” Tommy said as he reached down and helped Kristin stand up.

Kristin felt his strong arms almost carry her out of the building toward the limo that was still waiting for them outside. This was the only time Kristin was glad Tommy wasted so much money to have the driver stay parked outside the building the entire time.