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The hours are long. Lila gets an epidural and sleeps between contractions. I crash next to Tillie on a foldout sofa. Drew mans the rocking chair, fetching ice or drinks or food as we need. I’m so glad it’s a weekend so he can be here.
Around two a.m., I awake with a start. More people fill the room.
“We’re going to fetch Dr.Hendrix, the obstetrician on call,” the nurse says to Lila. “You’re ten centimeters. We’ll be turning down the epidural so you can push.”
Lila’s eyes go wide. “Does that mean it’s going to hurt? I don’t want to turn the epidural down!”
I try to shake away the sleepy cobwebs. “I think they told us that in birthing class.”
Lila seems to panic, her hand pressed to her chest. “I don’t want it to hurt!”
Nurse Candace glances over at me. I stand up and take Lila’s hand. “You can do this. We’ve got you.”
But when the next contraction hits, Lila screams. “Noooo. I don’t want to do this alone!”
Nurse Candace swivels, eyes landing on Drew. “Come on, Dad, get in here. Mom needs you.”
Drew doesn’t miss a beat, kneeling next to the bed on the opposite side and taking Lila’s hand. “I’ve ushered a lot of babies into this world,” he says. “You’re doing way better than the mice.”
“Don’t they eat their babies?” Lila cries between panting.
“Not usually,” Drew says. “But it happens.”
“Okay,” Nurse Candace says. “Let’s focus onthisbaby. Which we are not going to eat!”
A tall man in scrubs enters the room at that very moment, pulling his mask over his mouth and nose. “What is this I hear about eating the baby?”
Even Lila laughs at this. “Drew is a veterinarian,” she says. “And I don’t want to hurt.”
“Let’s see where we are.” Dr.Hendrix situates himself at the end of the bed. “Lila, I’m here until your regular doctor arrives. He’s been paged, but things might happen fast.”
“Please don’t let it hurt,” Lila begs.
He reaches beneath the blue paper sheet. “How about if I told you it would only hurt three times. Can you do it, to get the baby out and meet her?”
Tears stream down Lila’s face, but she says, “I can do that.”
The doctor watches the monitor. “Here comes the contraction. Give me a big ol’ push, Lila. Big one.”
Lila lets out a long guttural groan, her eyes squeezed shut. Drew catches my gaze across the bed. I know what he’s thinking. Should he be here?
I cast my gaze down to where Lila has a death grip on his hand and meet his eyes again.
He nods. He’s in it. He will be part of this birth story.
The push plays out, leaving Lila breathless and panting. “Two more?” she asks.
“Two more,” Dr.Hendrix says.
Of course, it’s not two more, but on the fifth one, he announces, “I can see the head!”
Lila seems bolstered by this. She pushes harder. “I want to be done!”
“Here she comes.” Dr.Hendrix gestures to the nurse.
I catch Drew’s eyes. He’s watching me, too. I know he’s ushered a lot of creatures into the world, but it’s his first human birth.
There’s a small cry, and we both look to the doctor. He lifts the baby, red-faced, covered in white. A nurse quickly wraps the baby’s lower half, and they place her on Lila’s chest.
