Page 241 of Wild Then Wed
And then, thank God, the barn doors bang open behind us.
Sawyer barrels in, slightly out of breath, his vet bag in hand and a look on his face that’s pure focus and adrenaline. His boots crunch across the floor, and the second he sees Anna, his whole posture softens—but doesn’t slow.
“Heard we’re having a baby today, Miss Anna?” he says, already crouching next to me.
Anna nods weakly, barely managing a sound that might’ve been yes.
He kneels beside me, then reaches over to squeeze my shoulder.
“You’ve been doing a good job keeping her calm,” he says, his voice low and warm. The steadiness in it nearly undoes me.
“I didn’t know what to do,” I murmur, my eyes stinging suddenly, the flood of relief hitting me harder than I expected.
“You did everything right,” he says, already reaching for his bag.
Just then, the barn doors swing open again—Tyler rushing in with towels and a heavy blanket clutched in his arms, his face still pale. Estelle’s right behind him, her cheeks flushed, eyes wide, arms full of supplies. Between the two of them, they carry towels, blankets, shears, and a bucket of steaming hot water.
Estelle stops short when she sees Anna on the ground, her face full of sharp, maternal concern. “My God,” she breathes. “Do you need any help?”
Sawyer looks up, calm as ever. “Yeah. Let’s make this space warm and clean as fast as we can.”
Tyler sets the towels down like he’s not sure if he’s allowed to move anymore. Estelle doesn’t wait for instruction—she’s already unrolling a clean blanket and spreading it out behind Anna, nudging hay out of the way with her boot as she goes. I grab one of the dry saddle pads from the wall and tuck it beneath Anna’s back for support, while Estelle uses anotherdamp washcloth to gently pat away some of the sweat slicking Anna’s forehead.
Sawyer kneels, sorting through the supplies quickly but without panic. Every move he makes is calm. Intuitive. Like his hands already know what to do, even if this is brand-new territory for him.
He turns to Tyler, who still looks like he might faint. “You’re good to go, Ty. Go check in with Crew, let him know we’re okay in here.”
Tyler doesn’t hesitate—just nods and bolts, grateful for the out.
Sawyer turns to his mom. “You don’t have to stay, Mom. We’ve got it from here.”
Estelle looks personally offended. “Like hell I don’t. I’ve deliveredsevenbabies, need I remind you. I’m not going anywhere unless Anna tells me to.”
We all look at Anna, who nods faintly, her eyes fluttering shut. “She can stay.”
I move up to her head and sit beside her, letting her grab my hand, which she does like it’s the only thing tethering her to the earth. Her fingers are slick with sweat. Her skin’s burning up. I keep brushing the damp strands of blonde hair off her face with my free hand.
Estelle kneels behind Sawyer, just far enough to give him space, but close enough to step in if needed.
Sawyer shifts forward. “Anna, I want to be upfront with you. I’ve never delivered a human baby before,” he says gently. “But I’ve delivered dozens of foals and calves, and it can’t be much different than that. I’m confident I can help get this baby here safely. We’re going to take it one step at a time, okay? We’ll work together.”
Anna nods quickly, her breath hitching. “Okay.”
“I’m going to check the baby’s position and your cervical dilation,” he says in the most clinical voice I’ve ever heard him use. “I want to make sure it’s safe to start pushing. Is that alright with you?”
Anna doesn’t even hesitate. She lets out a strangled scream and then pants, “Yes. Just—please—get it out!”
Sawyer puts on a pair of gloves, crouches low, and gently inserts his hand. Anna cries out, her whole body stiffening, and I press her hand tighter in mine.
“You’re doing great,” he says calmly. “You’re really close, Anna. If I had to make an estimate, I’d say you’re at about eight centimeters dilated.”
Anna sobs. “I can’t push. I’m too scared.”
“Yes, you can,” I whisper, leaning in closer. “You just need to give one strong push. Then you can rest. That’s it. Just one.”
“You can squeeze my hand as hard as you need to,” I add, immediately regretting it because she’s already squeezing like she has the strength of a hundred women.
Estelle leans in on Anna’s other side, sliding her hand into Anna’s free one. “You’ve got this, sweetheart. You’re strong. We’re right here.”
