Page 40 of Falling for Brody

He waved his hand at her as if he was trying to swat her hand away.

Nothing dangerous. Especially given the condition he was in.

"I called you for my wife."

Rhea got down on one knee and smiled at him. "I know, but she's absolutely fine. You're the one I think might pass out." She looked across the room and saw his wife smiling at him, but there was some worry on her face. "I can tell you care about her. Now, let's take care of you."

He looked a little defeated. And sat heavily on the floor. "I feel like I'm going to make a mess of everything."

She felt a connection to him in that moment.

Charles had worried like Mister Cutter.

"Give me your arm so I can take your blood pressure."

He gave his arm over to her a little more meekly than she'd expected.

Quickly, she slipped the cuff around his arm and secured it. Then she placed the stethoscope's head over the brachial artery on his arm. Then she started to pump. "When I was pregnant with my son, my husband tried to educate himself on everything he needed to know about childbirth."

She stopped to hear his pulse and released the pressure as she continued talking. She'd done this so many times she could easily talk and listen at the same time. Multitasking was a beautiful thing.

"H-how did he do?"

"He forgot everything. It was all wiped out of his head the moment my water broke."

She lifted the head of the stethoscope from his arm and sat back on her haunches, smiling.

He put his head into his hands and groaned. "I know I'm going to mess this up."

Rhea reached out and touched his arm. "You want to know the secret?"

He looked at her, one brow lifted in a curious question of sorts. Then he nodded. "Yeah. I want to know."

She met his gaze and smiled. "Emily is your only concern. When her labor starts, forget the books. They'll tell you a thousand different ways to help her. Things to look out for. But none of that is important."

He frowned at her, his brow furrowing above his nose. "It's not?"

Rhea shook her head. "The important thing is Emily."

He dropped his chin. "Of course she is. But-"

"You keep your focus on her. If she wants ice chips. Get them. If she needs a hand to hold. Hold it. Make sure she's comfortable, well... as comfortable as you can make her. Just give her your focus."

He was nodding his head. "That's all?"

"That," she leaned in with a smile, "is a lot. Believe me. If you're there for her, that's worth more than the rest. The doctor? The nurses? They've got the rest down and memorized. You know Emily best."

"And then after that?"

"After that?" She tugged the Velcro open and slipped the cuff off of his arm. "Well, then pray."

She wasn't sure how he'd react to the joke, but a moment later his head dropped back and he laughed.

Emily moved over to his side and he got up to his feet beside her, wrapping an arm protectively around her. "Are you okay?"

Stephen kissed her on the cheek and turned to face her. "Are YOU okay?"

Rhea watched as Stephen gently rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

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