Page 41 of Before the Storm
“I honestly have no idea what I’m looking at.” Phoenix snapped on a pair of gloves.
Janelle didn’t want to scare Sam more than she already was.
“Sam, I need you to take a breath, okay? Next contraction, when you push, you’re going to feel me help the baby out.”
Sam sucked in a deep breath.
Janelle repositioned herself, handing the scissors to Phoenix. “The cord’s wrapped around the baby’s neck,” she whispered. “I need you to cut it as I pull this kid out.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He knelt next to her.
“Nope.”
Sam growled.
Janelle did her best to curl her fingers around the baby’s head. She felt the cord. It was tight. No way was this kid coming any farther. She managed to tuck her finger under the cord. “Do it now.”
Phoenix reached in and snipped the cord.
“I need you to push again, Sam,” Janelle said. “Come on. You got this. The head’s out. We just got to move the shoulders.” Tears filled Janelle’s eyes. The baby was blue. Too blue. Her hands trembled as she took the baby into her arms and rubbed its back. “Come on, breathe for me, little girl. Breathe.”
Her child never took a single breath. Never cried. Never had a chance.
The baby startled. A single faint cry.
“That’s it,” Janelle whispered.
“Is my baby okay?” Sam leaned forward, wiggling her fingers. “I want to hold my baby.”
More faint cries.
Janelle placed the little girl on her mother’s chest.
“The ambulance is here.” Phoenix rested his hand on her shoulder.
She rocked back on her knees, letting out a long breath.
The paramedics raced to the bedside. “We’ll take over now.”
Janelle stepped aside. All the pain from her past left her in a flash. That little girl stood a chance now. Hopefully, Sam would get the help she needed.
Phoenix wrapped his strong arms around Janelle, pressing his lips against her temple. “That was intense. And incredible. I don’t know what would have happened had you not been here.”
“The paramedics would have known what to do.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
“But would they have gotten here in time?” He cupped her face. “You knew exactly what to do. You might have saved that little girl.”
“He’s right.” One of the paramedics approached them. “That baby isn’t completely out of the woods. But because of what you did during that delivery, she has half a chance. Are you a doctor? Nurse?”
“No,” she said.
“Well, you’d make for a good one.” The paramedic held out his hand. “Samatha would like to see you before we roll her and her baby away.”
“Sure.” Janelle slipped from Phoenix’s embrace and made her way to the gurney. She took Sam’s hand. “You did good, mama.”
“I thought the world was punishing me for all the terrible things I did during this pregnancy. I figured for sure she was going to die because I was such a terrible mother.”
“Don’t ever speak like that.” Janelle squeezed her hand. “God doesn’t punish people that way. You have an opportunity to change your life right here. Right now.” She waved her freehand. “Everyone here cares about what happens to you and this little angel. No one cares what you did yesterday. Only what you do going forward.”
