Page 110 of Fourteen of a Kind

“Oh God. Gabby, page my Uncle Jackson. I know he’s at the hospital today.”

“On it, Dr. Kind.”

“Ella, the patient’s pressure is bottoming out. You need to get out of there,” Marty said.

“Give me a second, Marty.”

The O.R. door flew open, and my Uncle Jackson ran in.

“I got this, Ella. Get a wheelchair and get her up to the OB Unit.”

“Jackson, there’s no time. We’re going to lose the patient.”

“Gabby, wait.” I stopped her from wheeling me out of the O.R.

“We’re not going to lose the patient, Marty. Relax. There we go.” He held up the tumor. “Your patient is going to be fine, Dr. Kind. Now, go have that baby. We’re all dying to meet her.”

“Gabby, can you find out if my husband is back yet?”

“I’ll find out now, Dr. Kind,” she said, wheeling me into the room.

“I’ve already called Georgia,” Kathy, my nurse, said. “Let’s get you in this gown, hooked up to the fetal monitor, and then I’ll check you.”

I lay on the bed and concentrated on my baby’s steady heartbeat while Kathy checked me.

“You’re dilated to six already. How long have you been contracting?” she asked.

“Just since this morning.”

“Dr. Kind, I couldn’t get a hold of Dr. Malone. But I do know they’re on their way back. The chopper just left Ohio.”

“Okay. OH GOD!” I screamed when a contraction hit. I gripped the bed rail as if my life depended on it. Once it passed, I picked up my phone and called my dad.

“Sweetheart, is everything okay?”

“Dad, I’m in labor, dilated to six, and Graham isn’t back yet with the transplant team. I need you.”

“I’m on my way right now!”

Of all the days to go into labor. My mom and Willow weren’t due back until tonight, and my husband went with a doctor from the transplant team to Ohio to get a new kidney for a child.

“Hey, sis. Your bro is here.” Nicholas smiled, strolling into the room.

“How did you get here so fast?”

“I was down the street on a date when Dad texted me.”

“On a date? In the middle of the afternoon?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Is there a rule that dates can only occur in the evening?” His brows furrowed.

Another contraction started to hit, and I held out my hand to my brother. He ran over, grabbed it, and soon regretted it as I almost broke it.

“I need an epidural!” I shouted.

My nurse, Kathy, walked in. “It’s too late for one. I just got off the phone with Georgia, and she’ll be here as soon as she’s finished with her patient. She said you have time.”

Suddenly, another contraction hit, and I wanted to die. Squeezing my brother’s hand, I let out a howl.

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