Page 177 of Safe and Sound

“Dare, I need you.”

“I need to get an ambulance.”

She shook her head. “I’m serious. It’s coming right now.”

My phone dropped from my hands. I could hear the 911 operator calling, “Hello? Hello?”

“We’re having a baby. Send help! NOW!” I shouted as I ran over to Ava. “What do you need me to do?”

“Take off my panties.”

Normally, I would’ve welcomed that statement. But right now it was the last thing I wanted to think about. When I reached beneath the hemline of her dress, I snatched my hand back. “Holy shit. The head is there.”

“No. shit,” she gritted out.

I quickly reached back up to tear her panties down her thighs. Once she could spread her legs, her breath came in harsh pants. “Be ready…to…catch…the baby.”

“You’re joking, right?” When she shook her head wildly back and forth, I said, “Don’t you want to lie down?”

“Can’t.”

In that moment, I would’ve much rather been flaying open the skin of a man than having the pressure of ensuring my child’s safe delivery. I could never live with myself if something happened to it or to Ava. Fuck, none of this was happening like it did in the movies or in the childbirth classes I’d taken. Okay,maybe it was a little like that show Ava made me watch about midwives in London.

Kneeling down, I slid my hands up her thighs. With a groan, Ava bore down into a push that brought the baby completely into my arms. “Holy shit,” I murmured. I didn’t dare move for fear it might slide right through my hands.

My elation was short-lived when I realized the baby wasn’t crying. At the sight of the cord wrapped around the neck, my blood ran cold. I slid my hand up to unwrap it.

But there was still no cry. Glancing up, I stared into Ava’s frightened eyes. “What do I do?”

“Clear out the mouth.”

Reaching into the tiny mouth, I scooped out some of the fluid. Out of nowhere, the idea came to smack the back. I’d seen it happen in enough movies that it had to be okay.

After bringing my palm down on the baby’s back, it jolted in my arms before a hearty cry tore from its lips.

“What is it?” Ava asked.

I realized then that I hadn’t even stopped to check the sex. Flipping the baby over in my arms, I glanced down. A happy sob tore loose from my chest. “It’s a girl!” I cried, as tears stung my eyes.

“Really?”

“Oh yes.” I lifted our daughter up so Ava could see.

“She’s beautiful.”

“Aye, she is. This time I think she takes after her mother.”

The wail of an ambulance broke up our celebration. After getting up, I shifted the baby into the crook of my arm while helping Ava around to sit down. “I’ll ruin it,” she protested.

“We’ll get another one,” I replied, as I eased her down.

“It took me two months to find this couch.”

“I’d say that you’re going into shock the way you’re talking, but then I also remember how insane you’ve been with the decorating.”

Niall ushered the paramedics in. I would’ve given anything to have a camera to capture the absolute shock on his face at the sight of the baby in my arms. “You didn’t call me.”

“We were busy.”

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