Page 42 of Sudden Summer

She was smiling in some of the pictures, clearly milk drunk and ready for cuddles in the ones closer to the end. I’d barely had time to look through them, but I knew each one was etched on my heart from the minute my eyes landed on the messages. Especially the one Beau sent of Juniper fast asleep on his bare chest, the tattoos I loved so much just visible beyond the in-focus face of the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen. They were both probably fast asleep now; it was the dark hours of early morning still.

“Hey, Birdie?” Michelle stopped me as I walked back to the nurses station.

“Hey. What’s going on?”

“Mom in room 3 is starting to feel some pressure. She’s asking for you, but I know it’s close to shift change and Dr. Witten is here⁠—”

“No. Absolutely not. I’m staying until that baby is here. Thanks, Miche. I’ll go check on her now.”

It only took a few seconds to walk down the hall into room 3. I couldn’t help but smile as I grabbed some sanitizer from the dispenser on the wall and rubbed it all over my hands.

My sweet friends were here in this room, getting ready to welcome their first baby into the world. I had been here when they bustled in, a flutter of excitement and nerves following a spontaneous rupture of membranes and a few hours of consistent contractions they managed at home. I was already pushing back my emotions knowing everything it took for them to get to this day after they suffered a miscarriage a few years ago.

Stone was standing at the head of the bed, gently running his hand over his wife’s head. Mae’s eyes locked on mine, wide with anticipation.

“Well, I heard someone is a star pupil and is already feeling some pressure?” I chuckled as I sat down on my stool at the foot of the bed.

“It doesn’t happen that fast, does it?” She laughed. “I mean, I only got the epidural an hour ago.”

I nodded. “It can. Once your body gets a break from the pain, it can really help speed things along. If you feel up to it, I can check how dilated you are so we can see how things are progressing, or we can listen to the signals your body is giving you?”

“Check,” she answered almost immediately. “Check, please. I have to know if I’m just imagining things. I can’t feel any pain, but I feel…”

“Full?” I asked as I reached back on the wall for a pair of gloves.

“Yes! It’s so strange. I don’t know how to describe it other than this feeling in my chest like I need to push.”

“That’s a good sign, Michaela. You’re doing so well.” Stone leaned over and pressed a kiss to his wife’s forehead.

“It helps having a great coach, Sully.”

My eyes went wide as I tried to find the edge of Mae’s cervix.

“What is it?” Stone asked, a tinge of nervousness in his voice. While he might have been a big and strong Navy SEAL once upon a time, I think everyone in town knew that the newest paramedic in the Silver Springs firehouse was also an extreme softy when it came to his wife. Besides, having medical knowledge added a whole different level of stress to the situation.

“Your baby is really ready to meet you. I don’t feel any cervix left! You’re at a ten, and I can feel the baby’s head right there.” I turned to Emily, the nurse who was assigned to Mae, and nodded. “Let’s prepare for delivery.”

The room was a flurry of activity as we dropped the bed into the delivery position. Stone stood on one side while one of the nurses on shift helped with Mae’s other leg.

“Oh, Birdie, I think…I think I need to push. My body’s just…”

“I’m good, Mae. Listen to your body and push until the urge starts to fade.” I watched as the baby’s head came into view. “Just like that! Amazing, Mae. She’s going to be here in no time.”

Mae gasped as the contraction faded.

“Stone, on the next contraction, if you want, I think you’ll be able to see your daughter’s head. Do you want a mirror, Mae?” I asked.

“No! God, no! The epidural is amazing, but I just know if I look, I’ll be able to feel the pain. And he’s not allowed to look, either. Not until she’s here.”

Stone chuckled. “I was hoping you’d let me hip-check Birdie out of the way and catch her myself.”

“No. No way. You’re my support person right now. Our daughter is in the best… hands…”

“You heard the boss.” Stone turned back to Mae, coaching her as her hands went back around her thigh and she started to push again.

But as the next contraction peaked, Stone’s eyes were locked on his daughter making her way into the world.

“Her head's out! Mae, you are doing such a great job!” I cheered a minute later.