Page 43 of Big Island Moonlight
“Help!”
Her aunt was there in a flash, hands steadying her before Jun even realized that she was there. She waited for the contraction to pass before speaking.
“Let’s get you inside, and I’ll call the midwife.”
“He’s early,” Jun gasped, fighting panic.
“Not very,” Emma soothed her.
“But first babies are always late!”
“Not always. Come on, let’s get you to your room.”
“I don’t want to be inside,” she protested.
Emma let out a little huff of a sigh, the first hint that she might be feeling anxious herself. “Let’s get you closer to the cottage, at least. Then I’ll get your phone from inside and call the midwife on that. Mine’s inside somewhere. I didn’t stop to look for it.”
Juniper walked towards the cottage, even though she really wanted to hide away in the orchard instead of stepping out into the full light of the moon.
Halfway across the lawn, another contraction nearly drove her to her knees.
“You’re okay,” Emma said, holding her up. “Just breathe.”
“That hurt!” Jun gasped when she could breathe again.
Emma let out a helpless little laugh. “Come on. Let’s get you up the steps, and you can sit on the lanai if you want to stay out in the fresh air.”
They were nearly there when another contraction came.
“He’s coming fast, Auntie Em,” Jun panted after it had passed. “He’s coming really fast.”
“I know.” Her voice was tight with worry, and she supported Jun as they walked up the steps to the little porch. “Where’s your phone?”
“On the kitchen counter, I think.” She sank wearily onto the cushioned bench.
Emma disappeared into the cottage, and she stayed there long enough that three more contractions came and went. Juniper could hear her aunt’s voice inside, but she couldn’t make out the words.
“What’s going on?” she asked when Emma stepped back through the screen door.
“I talked to your midwife. She’ll be here soon.”
“What took so long?”
“She’s having some car trouble,” Emma admitted, rubbing Jun’s back.
“Shewhat?!”
“Cody’s going to pick her up and bring her here. It won’t be long.”
Juniper felt anxious for a minute, but then another wave took over and pushed away all rational thought. She lost herself to thepush and pull of each contraction, the tidal forces at work within her body, a rhythm of work and rest.
She found that when she stopped fighting it, when she allowed the ancient rhythm to overtake her, it wasn’t actually painful. Intense, yes. More intense than anything she had ever experienced. But painful? No. Not exactly.
She gave herself over to it, and found peace.
When she caught her breath between waves, the night air was sweet and cool.
Her aunt was by her side. All was well.
