Page 119 of Axe-identally Married
“Kara,” Willa said, using the calm doctor tone she’d mastered, “you’re in labor.”
“No. Not possible.”
“Yes,” she soothed. “What happened is called a bloody show. It’s the shedding of your cervical cap. That means your body is getting ready to deliver the baby.”
Kara whimpered, the sound so forlorn it hurt my heart.
Willa, speaking a little louder, called my name.
When I stepped back into the living room, Kara was sitting up, wincing, with a hand braced on her back.
Willa turned toward me. “Call the hospital. Tell them we’ve got an OP thirty-four-week delivery coming and see how long it will take them to get there. Then call Jack and tell him we’ve got everything under control. No need to do anything dangerous.”
I nodded, having been given my marching orders.
“And I need latex gloves from my bag.”
I fetched them, making sure to open up the bag so she could reach all the other supplies.
“What does that mean?” Kara cried, her face etched with pain. “OP?”
Willa squeezed her hands. “It means the baby is in the posterior position. We call it sunny side up.” She traced her hands over Kara’s stomach. “You feel this dip above your belly button? The baby is turned around and descending into your cervix, causing your back pain.”
“Is the baby going to be okay?” Kara asked as I headed for the foyer again.
“Yes,” Willa said, her tone full of reassurance.
Once I’d made both calls, I stepped back into the living room. “Ambulance said it will take an hour. I spoke to the emergency department, labor and delivery, and the ambulance dispatcher. They’re going as fast as they can. The roads are bad, but plows are out.”
Kara whimpered, and the sound quickly turned into a cry.
“It’s okay,” Willa explained. “You’re only seven centimeters. We’ve got time. We can let you dilate and try to turn the baby, or if the ambulance gets here in time, we can get you to the hospital for a C-section.”
With tears streaming down her face, Kara hiccupped and sobbed.
My heart broke at the sound. Breathing through the emotion, I looked out the window at the swirling snow, taking a moment to compose myself.
“And Jack?” she asked, garnering my attention.
“Waiting patiently for the winds to die down.” I gave her a sympathetic frown. “When they do, there’s a truck ready to bring him back to town.”
The tears fell as she hiccupped and shook.
But then Willa was grabbing her hands and squeezing hard. “Look at me,” she said firmly. “It’s okay to be terrified. But today is gonna be one of the best days of your life. You’re going to meet your baby. Maybe the circumstances are shitty, but you’re gonna have a hell of a birth story, mama.”
Kara smiled through her tears. “I’m so scared.”
Willa pulled her into a hug. “I know, but I’ll be here with you until the ambulance comes. We’re doing this together.” Her tone was so confident that even I felt comforted.
“Now, let’s time your contractions and practice your breathing.”
Chapter Forty-One
Willa
The ambulance barely made it up the driveway, but by the time they were out front, we had Kara bundled up, and Cole was carrying her outside to the paramedics, who were ready with a fetal monitor and oxygen.
The wind had died down, and visibility had improved greatly. Still, it was bitterly cold and dark. Kara was in better spirits, and the timing of her contractions indicated she’d likely make it to the hospital before that baby made his or her debut.
