Page 56 of Peach

Thunder rolled over the landscape, and they both jumped, holding onto each other. The sky had grown darker in the last few minutes.

"Well, someone is looking after us because that cabin looks empty, and we need to get out of this weather." Haisley helped Mel up the steps to the door as another round of lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.

“It’s beautiful out here,” Mel said.

Haisley nodded as she knocked on the door. There was no movement inside, and she knocked again, calling out and asking for help. They waited outside as Mel had another contraction. They needed to get inside before the weather turned worse.

She tried the door, but it was locked. Back in Georgia, loads of people hid keys. Some hid keys under floor mats or in pots. There was no floor mat and no potted plants, which left the light beside the door.

Haisley lifted up on her toes and felt around the back of the lamp but didn't find anything. Next, she touched the top of the lamp and thought she had struck out but felt something toward the back at the top.

It took a moment to unhook the ring from the scrollwork at the top, but she had the key.

"Score," Haisley said before unlocking the door. "Hello?" she called, hoping no one would come out from one of the back rooms. "We need help."

No answer. They were alone and could enter without problems. Haisley checked to make sure the owner hadn’t set any traps before stepping in. They stepped inside just as rain lashed against the side of the house.

“Oooohhh,” Mel groaned as she latched onto Haisley’s hand and clamped down.

The pain was evident, and Haisley knew there was noway she could be as brave as Mel was. She wanted to make sure Mel survived and had as few problems as possible.

There were articles she'd read and books, but she didn't know enough. She needed more, but there wasn't time. They had to do this now.

"Do you see a phone on the wall?" Haisley asked, not really expecting an answer from Mel. It was more so she would look.

“No,” Mel gasped.

“Come on, let’s get you over to the couch.”

“Oh God, Haisley, I’m having this baby.”

"I know, sweetheart. And we're going to get you set up to have a great birth. I just need to find a few things, and I don't want you to fall down. So the couch."

"Okay. I'm good for a moment. Go look for stuff."

Haisley moved to the kitchen and found a pot. She turned on the tap water and filled the pot about half full before setting it on the gas stove. She turned on the gas and heard the hiss and the clicks of the electric starter before the blue flame rose. She turned the gas down a little and went looking for towels and scissors.

She found kitchen sheers and washed them with soap before taking them over to the stove. The water was almost boiling. She’d found tongs in one of the drawers and plopped them down in the heating water first. She laid out a few towels on the counter before she headed into the bedroom. There were blankets and towels. They seemed clean, so she grabbed some and headed back to the room with Mel.

"Okay, I'm sanitizing the scissors, so we'll be able to cut the cord, eventually. I saw a video about people leaving the baby attached to the placenta, so we can do that, too."

“What?” Mel asked.

"It's a thing that can be done. It isn't perfect, but I don't want to mess anything up. So it's an option."

“Good lord, I never thought I would be in the middle of the wilderness delivering a baby. I’m glad you’re here with me, but this is ridiculous.”

Haisley laughed. “It is. It’s freaking stupid that we’re out here. I wish I could get you to a hospital and civilization.”

Mel laughed, and then another contraction hit. Mel held onto Haisley's hand as the pain hit and then ebbed away.

Mel blew out a harsh breath. “Okay. We have about a minute before the next. How is the water?”

“Let me go check it.”

While in the kitchen, Haisley found a metal ladle and put it in the water, too. She grabbed a mug and filled it with water but wasn’t sure if it was clean enough to drink so she poured it into the pot.

After dropping the scissors in the heated water, Haisley checked the refrigerator and found six small bottles of water. She grabbed one and took it out to Mel right as another contraction hit.

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