Page 31 of Doctor Mile High
My water just broke.
8
WINSTON
“May I have your attention?Excuse me, all passengers, may I please have your attention? Is there a doctor on board? Please, we need your help with another passenger.”
The murmuring of an announcement from a flight attendant has me taking off my headphones, only catching the last of the sentence. “What did they say?” I lean to the left, asking the gentleman sitting next to me.
“They’re asking if there’s a doctor on board,” he says, flipping a page in his book.
I’m not sure how I’ve managed to get through most of my career without being needed on an airplane. There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to stand and raise my hand, but I know morally that isn’t the right thing to do. Someone needs help and I’m capable of giving it.
Taking off my headphones, I unclip my seat belt and stand, raising my hand. “I’m a doctor!” I shout, hoping the flight attendant can hear me.
All the passengers turn their heads to look at me, whispering amongst themselves to create a false narrative which can lead to panic.
Two flight attendants wearing a light-blue uniform come from the middle section of the plane, their arms wrapped around the patient. Her dark hair is a curtain over her face as she groans in pain. With how pregnant she is, and with how wet her pants are, I can tell she’s in labor thirty-five thousand feet in the air, and we’re still at least an hour away from our destination.
The passenger lifts her head, her hair parting to show her face, and my heart forgets to beat.
It’s her.
It’s Dove.
She’s pregnant.
My vision sways with the realization that there is a chance that this baby mightnotbe mine. I can’t jump to conclusions, no matter how badly I want this child to be ours.
Another flight attendant steps in front of me to hide my view of Dove. “Sir, did you say that you’re a doctor?” she asks in a panic, the color in her face draining of any life.
“Yes, I am. I’m the chief of surgery at Warrick General Hospital. What’s the status of our patient?” I whisper, keeping my voice low so no one else can hear me.
I don’t want to cause a panic.
“Come with me and you’ll be able to tell us, because I have no idea.” She steps aside to allow me to walk in front of us. “Just through those privacy curtains. She’s lying down.”
I groan in annoyance. “Why is she lying down?” Worry consumes me knowing Dove is in so much pain right now. She’s also not in the best position to give birth. I hate that the norm is for women to lie down, when squatting is what’s most beneficial.
I rip the curtains to the side to see my Dove lying on the ground. She can’t see me yet since I’m coming from behind her. My heart beats in wild, nervous tandem with every step I take to get closer to her.
“Ahh, god!” she screams, her hands clutching her belly.
Before I kneel beside her, I point to a flight attendant and glance at her name tag. “Nancy, please get a few airplane bottles of vodka, a few warm rags, and if you have a clean blanket, that would be great as well.” I unbutton the cuffs and roll my sleeves to my elbows, kneeling beside Dove.
Nancy nods fast. “Okay. Okay, I can do that.” She rummages through the cart, snagging a handful of vodka bottles.
“I’ll grab the blanket,” another attendant offers.
I’m not going to bring up anything regarding our past. That isn’t the place, and now is not the time. We can talk later. I refuse to be that selfish, even if all I want to do is ask Dove if this baby is mine.
“Great. Thank you.” I push the hair out of Dove’s face. “Hi, I’m Dr. Warrick. What’s your name?” I make sure my voice is soft and gentle, not wanting to startle or stress her with a harsh tone.
Her eyes widen when she sees me. “Winston,” she whispers on a yelp. “Oh my god, this can’t be happening. What are the chances.” She screams again, clenching her teeth to get through the contraction.
I bend down and whisper into her ear. “You don’t have to act like you know me. We can talk later. Don’t let me stress you out more. I’m only here to help. That’s it. Everything else can wait, okay, sweetheart?” I lean away to see her face.
Her big blue eyes are filled with tears but she nods, grabbing my hand so hard, she might break it. “I’m glad you’re here,” she manages to say, sweat covering her forehead and top lip.
