Page 88 of Ruin
“I need a lot of towels. When you think you have enough, get more. A syringe, a clamp, sharp scissors, a large bowl, preferably one with no sentimental value, and a basin with warm, soapy water.”
He nods, and he and his wife disappear within a second.
“A bowl?” I ask.
“For the placenta,” he says simply, as he changes his gloves. The thought makes me lightheaded. “Sweetheart, when I tell you to push, I’m going to need you to push as hard as you can as we count to ten, okay? The harder you push, the quicker your baby will be here.”
“Holy shit,” Grizz says. “Holy fucking shit, this is happening.”
Tommy’s wife comes in with her arms full of towels. “Here’s this for now.”
“Lay a few out on the floor below her, and leave the rest on the side. How’s the rest of the things coming?”
“He’s just trying to find a clamp.”
“String is fine, if you can’t find that.”
She nods and then leaves.
He stands to his full height, looking over Anastacia, who is still crying. “You ready to have a baby?”
She cries harder, shaking her head.
“I know this is scary, but you’re going to do great,” he says.
She cries out, rocking on the bed.
Lucian looks from Grizz to me, then back at Grizz. “I need you both to hold her hands, hold her legs back, keep her as calmas you can, and help her count. You need to be her support. I have to try to break her water before the baby comes out, but I don’t have much time.”
I have no idea how to do this. I’ve never been in support of anyone in my entire life. I feel the panic in my chest rise up, but then I remember what this is for. A baby. I can’t let down a child.
Tommy comes barreling into the room with the rest of the supplies. Lucian quickly lays them out on a towel he put to the side, just as Anastacia lets out the loudest scream yet. It turns into a groan, her body tensing and her face turning red.
Lucian gets on his knees in front of her on the floor. Lubing his fingers again, he checks her again, holding my gaze. His eyes are wide and in doctor-mode.
“I can’t—”
He jerks back as a gush of water comes out, landing on all the towels on the floor.
“Holy shit,” Grizz mutters. “Holy fucking shit. Holy shit. Holy shit.”
“Dude, calm down!” I bark.
“Right, sorry. Fuck.”
With one hand on her stomach, Lucian gets into position and says, “When the next contraction comes, I need you to push down really hard, okay? Do you think you can do that?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so!” she cries.
“I think you can,” I say. “You can do this.”
I lock our hands together tighter while adjusting my grip on her leg. Grizz is watching, and he does the same. Lucian gives me a little smile, his hand still on her stomach.
“Okay, sweetheart, I think one is coming on. Do you feel that?”
“Yes, I feel it. Ow! Oh, no. Oh my God!”
“Push down, sweetheart. One, two, three, four… you’ve got this. Keep going, keep going. Seven, eight, nine, ten.”
