Page 68 of Best Laid Plans

Lucy’s suitcase had been packed and ready for some weeks now. ‘I’ll put your bag in the car,’ he said, grateful that they’d bought a comfortable all-wheel drive station wagon some months back.

‘Okay. I’d better get the rest of my things.’

He gave her a tremulous smile, but there was nothing tremulous about Lucy’s grin. Her face was alight with exhilaration. ‘Isn’t this exciting, Will? Our baby’s coming.’

A tidal wave of emotions flooded him. Glorious love for her. Chilling fear and a desperate need to protect her. Closing the gap between them, Will took her in his arms. ‘I love you so much.’

‘I know, my darling.’ She touched a gentle hand to his cheek.

He clasped her to him, his precious, precious girl. ‘I’m going to get you there safely, Lucy. I promise.’

Will drove with his heart in his mouth. Despite Lucy’s calm assertion that all was well, he knew her contractions were getting stronger and he suspected they seemed to be coming closer. He could tell by her bouts of deep breathing, and the way she massaged her stomach and he knew she needed all her concentration just to get through the pain.

Now he cursed himself for not making better contingency plans. He’d tried to suggest that Lucy stay in town with her father for these final weeks, but she insisted she’d be fine. He’d read the books on childbirth. He knew every case was different. Hell, he shouldn’t have listened to her.

‘Sorry, this is going to be bumpy,’ he said as they came to the old wooden bridge crossing Willow Creek.

‘It’s okay.’ She smiled bravely. ‘I’m between contractions.’

But they had only just made it to the other side of the bridge when Lucy gave a loud gasp.

‘What’s happening?’ Will sent her a frantic sideways glance.

She couldn’t answer. She was too busy panting.

Panting? Didn’t that mean –?

‘Lucy!’ he cried, aghast. ‘You’re not in transition already, are you?’

‘I think I might be,’ she said when she’d recovered her breath. For the first time she looked frightened. ‘First babies shouldn’t come this fast.’

She no longer sounded calm. All too soon, her eyes were closed, her face twisted with pain, one fist clutched low, beneath the bump of the baby.

Oh, God. They were still thirty minutes from the hospital. Will felt helpless and distraught as he pressed his foot down on the accelerator. His heart began to shred into tiny pieces.

As they rounded the next curve, Lucy cried out and the guttural, animal force of the sound horrified Will. Seizing thefirst possible chance to pull off the road, he brought the car to a halt.

‘I’ll ring for an ambulance,’ he said, already reaching for his phone.

Lucy nodded and managed a weak smile. ‘Good idea. I – I think the baby’s coming.’

Will choked back a cry of dismay.

The voice on the other end of the emergency hotline was amazingly calm as he explained their situation and gave the necessary details, including their location.

‘The ambulance is on its way,’ he said, wishing he felt more relieved.

Lucy nodded and fumbled with her door handle.

‘What are you doing?’ he cried as her door swung open. Had she gone mad?

Leaping out of his seat, he hurried around to the car and found his wife slumped against its side, panting furiously.

Helplessly, he tried to stroke her arm, to soothe her, but she pushed him away and shook her head. He stood beside her, scared she might collapse, arms at the ready.

When the panting was over she opened her eyes. She looked exhausted. Sweat beaded her upper lip. ‘It’s too painful sitting in that front seat. I think I need to get into the back.’

‘Right,’ he said, biting back his fear. ‘Let me help you.’

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