The Delivery

Toni’s side hustle as a delivery driver for Sister Sally’s Soul Food Sensations helped her make ends meet but it got quite tense at times. Sister Sally required all of her delivery drivers to complete their mission in twenty minutes or less. While most of the time that was reasonable, there were occasions when Toni would feel the pressure when the local traffic didn’t cooperate.

Like tonight, for example.

She was cutting it close on this particular delivery. Toni pulled into the driveway at 3215 Pine Forest Drive with a minute to spare. She threw her Toyota in park, grabbed the bag in the passenger seat containing a chicken strip dinner, and sprinted to the door.

Seconds after ringing the doorbell, a man opened the door. “Thank God! You’re finally here.”

He grabbed Toni by the arm and led her into the house. “She’s almost ready,” he said in a sweat. “Come, follow me.”

Toni dropped her delivery on an end table by the sofa in the confusion. She was nearly dragged through the living room and down the hall to what was the master bedroom. They entered the room to find a woman naked from the waist down in a sea of pillows, legs spread and a baby’s crown seconds away from entering the world.

Toni stood in momentary shock.

“Aren’t you going to do something?” the man asked.

The baby continued to ease out for its first breath. Toni’s maternal instinct kicked in. She stepped up just in time to catch the baby as it exited the apartment where it had spent the past nine months. The weary mother exhaled with brief relief and joy. Toni heard a thud. The new daddy passed out on the bedroom floor. He obviously didn’t like the sight of blood.

“Looks like I’m a little late,” a voice behind Toni entered the room.

“Who are you?” the new mom asked between deep breaths.

“I’m Denise. Margaret, your midwife, asked me to come help since she wasn’t available.”

The puzzled new mom looked at Toni. “Who are you?”

“I’m from Sister Sally’s.”

“Sister Sally? Are you some kind of nun or something?”

“No, I’m from Sister Sally’s Soul Food Sensations. I’m supposed to be delivering the food you ordered. I wasn’t expecting to deliver a baby!”

“We didn’t order food. I thought you were the midwife!”

“Isn’t this 3215 Pine Forest Drive?” Toni asked.

“No, this is 3215 Pine Forest Court.”