Page 99 of Time to Bounce

“Holy shit,” Auden whispered. “Holy fucking shit, Mave. We have a baby girl.”

Maven burst out crying, and I started to film.

I videoed the two of them as they got to know their new baby.

When I realized that I should probably go get a nurse, I left my phone propped up at the edge of the table to capture the moment despite my not being there and hurried out to find a nurse.

I did stop to wash my hands first, though.

I didn’t find a single one, and when I noted that there were two rooms down the hall with a woman screaming out herself, and about ten nurses shoved into the room, I realized why.

There was a bigger emergency than Maven’s.

I went back into the room and started looking around, finding everything that I would need to get the job done.

This time I pulled gloves on, though.

There was only so much that I loved my friend, and being covered in her fluids wasn’t something I was interested in continuing.

“Auden,” I said, catching their attention. “Get her over here and let’s get her cleaned up. I tried to get a nurse or a doctor, but the entire staff is in two rooms down the hall with other emergencies.”

“She’s kind of tied up,” he pointed to the cord that was still attached to… the placenta that was laying between Maven’s legs.

Nice.

“Oh,” I said as I looked around.

I found everything I needed in the drawer underneath the baby’s area, walking back over to clamp the cord using the little clips that were there.

I clamped, then handed Auden the scissors.

He looked around as if he wasn’t sure he was allowed to do it, and I rolled my eyes. “Get it done, Dad.”

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing, Athena?” he asked.

“I’m an expert,” I lied.

He cut the cord as Maven started to laugh.

Auden caught his little girl up in his hands and carried her over to the area that they used to clean the babies up.

I started fiddling with buttons, then turned on the lamp above the head.

“Like those little lights at tractor supply that warm up the chickens,” Auden mused.

I snorted and gave him some wipes, then said, “Look, it says your baby is seven pounds even.”

“Tiny,” Maven murmured from the bed.

I remembered the phone and hurried back to it, but stopped when I realized I had my gloves.

“Hey, grab that and take some pictures,” I urged Maven.

Maven reached for it, only wincing slightly when she did.

“Sure, just gave birth, but I’ll be my own photographer,” she teased.

Fifteen minutes later, the baby was diapered and once again resting on her mother’s chest, nursing.

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