Page 99 of The Ranger
I feel my heart rate increasing as an oxygen mask is put over my mouth.
“What are you doing?”He sits up and glares at the man.“Can’t she breathe?”
“She needs oxygen.The baby needs it.Please stay calm for your wife.”
Wife.
Cole grabs my hand and squeezes, looking scared.I squeeze back and close my eyes.
The fluids are helping.
My mouth is not as dry, and my mind is starting to clear, but then another contraction hits, and the mask is knocked away.
“Three minutes out,” the paramedic says.
Three long minutes.
THIRTY MINUTES LATER, I’m in a hospital bed, the room dark and quiet.The doctor has told me to lie on my side to help the blood flow to the baby.
I’m still on oxygen and fluids.
“You’ve been under extreme stress, so what we need to do is keep you calm.Keepbothof you calm,” the doctor says to me and Cole.“I don’t want to give her a sedative as it’s too dangerous.”
“How long until she delivers?”Cole asks.
“Probably a few hours.We need to slow things down and get Scarlett stable.Calm.Remember that word.”
“Okay.”Cole rubs his jaw.
“Babies come when they’re ready.Labor was probably triggered because it no longer felt safe inside mom here due to her stress and dehydration.Her increased blood pressure.”
“Great,” I mumble.
Cole sort of smiles, sort of frowns.
“We need you relaxed so you’ll have an easier delivery,” the doctor says.“You’re safe here.You have security at the door and outside the building.And your husband is here.If we need to, we can do a caesarean section.”
“Hope not,” I mutter, but the wordhusbandkeeps playing over and over in my head.
The doctor smiles and pats my leg.
“I need the blood flow to increase around the placenta, and then we can decide if we have to speed things up or go for surgery.”
I glance at Cole.
He knows I’ve been going on and on about not wanting a C-section.I know some women plan it like a hair appointment, but I wanted to experience childbirth.Hell, it might be the only time.It sounds selfish, but I think there’s more to it than that.
The one time I had an operation, for a broken arm, I was on my own.Mom only came to the hospital to pick me up and my memories dredge up feelings of being alone, scared and lost.
I was seven.
She spent the rest of the time telling me how much it cost her and what a pain in her ass I was.
“I’ll be back in about ten minutes.”The doctor opens the door, and I spot the security guard, which causes a visceral reaction.
Cole leaps into action.“Shhh, he’s there for your protection.”
“One Army Ranger is not enough?”I ask.
