Page 19 of Baby, Be Mine

“You’re doing great.”

“Don’t patronize me. I’m dripping God knows what under this dress and a baby is trying to flip my insides to my outsides.”

I wasn’t sure if the fact that what she said made sense should terrify me or astound me.

And I didn’t want to think about anything regarding her insides right now. Or helping her birth this baby. I needed to get her upstairs and call a freaking ambulance.

Now.

“Just two more. You can do this.”

“I can’t do this. I didn’t even get to the pushing part and I’m ready to bail.”

“No! No pushing. Dear God. You’re going to get up those last two stairs and I’m going to set you up with the best water view you’ve ever seen. Then I’m going to get a real doctor here to help you. Or at least a paramedic that knows what the fuck they’re doing.”

“Okay. That sounds good. Water is good. Water is soothing.”

“Right? Can you hear the water lapping out there?”

“No. I can’t hear anything over the roaring in my ears.”

I laughed and hoped it didn’t sound as unhinged as it did in my head. Her sparkly pink shoes peeked from underneath her long dress and then we were up on the last step.

I didn’t think. I just swooped her up into my arms and strode across the open deck of the second floor to the bench seat beside the water view.

She clutched my shoulder and the nails of her other hand dug into the front of my chest, ripping out a handful of hair under the shirt. “Don’t drop me.”

“I’m not going to drop you. You’re not even heavy.”

Lies.She was very heavy and cumbersome, but I didn’t want her to do something insane like lay down in the middle of the floor and push that thing out of her.

Did it work that way? No. Even I knew that. But it didn’t stop my overactive imagination from going into hyperdrive.

I only grunted slightly as I set her down on the bench.

Probably manfully—maybe.

Her frown said no, but then she was arching her back and going into a full-on contraction and it didn’t really matter what she thought of me. We were going to get her through this hopefully before the damn ambulance came.

I got behind her shoulders and held onto her as she screamed out a string of slashing French. At least I was pretty sure it was French. I barely spoke any token Spanish.

“I don’t know what you’re saying, but let it out, honey.”

Honey?

Crap. Not sure wherethathad come from.

“I’m going to kill him for doing this to me.” Suddenly, she sagged against me.

Him?It had to be the baby’s father. “Is there someone you want me to call? The dad?”

“No!” She reached behind her to grab at me. “No, he isn’t part of this.”

“Okay.” I found myself smoothing my hand down her hair. “It’s okay. We don’t need to call him, but there has to be someone.”

“Sorry.” She laughed and it came out more like a sob. “I know I sound crazy.”

“Just overwhelmed. I can’t imagine what you’re feeling.”

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