Page 46 of A Ferry Merry Christmas
“We have a singer here!” he shouted out. “Would it help Lilly if we sang to her?”
James asked his wife. “She says it would, especially during the contractions.”
“You got it.” He called over his shoulder for Tom to retrieve his clarinet. Liam had played his guitar earlier and entertained the children. Olivia had sat front and center, her sweet off-key voice easily distinguishing it from the other kids’.
Once again, James started counting out the seconds, and as before, a loud chorus of voices rose in unison, letting Lilly know she had their support and encouragement.
“The nurse is going to check to see how far Lilly has dilated,” James said after this latest contraction. “When she arrived at the hospital, she was at three,” James explained. “She hadn’t progressed beyond that the last time the nurse checked.”
Cherise took the opportunity to explain the three stages of birth to those who were unfamiliar with the terms. “Once Lilly has dilated to ten, the second phase of the birth will start as the baby enters the birth canal.”
James held the phone close to his ear and his jaw dropped and he gasped.
“What’s happened?” Avery wanted to know.
He blinked several times and then announced, “Lilly is at a seven.”
Avery’s gaze swiveled to the nurse who stood close to James. Cherise’s eyes revealed her surprise. “That’s great. Labor is progressing along nicely. How long has it been since Lilly was admitted?”
“Not long,” James said. “Maybe thirty or forty minutes.” His gaze pleaded with the nurse. “Does that mean I won’t make it to the hospital in time for the birth?”
Cherise gestured weakly with her hands. “That remains to be seen.”
“Is it a boy or a girl?” the woman with the tattoos on her arms asked.
James pushed the hair away from his forehead. “We don’t know. We chose to wait. We just want a healthy baby.”
“A Christmas surprise.”
James jerked and straightened. “Lilly’s having another contraction.”
It seemed like everyone on the entire deck helped count out the forty-five seconds.
Once again, James looked to the nurse, eager for any information. “That’s ten seconds longer than the last contraction,” he announced, as if this earth-shattering information required an explanation.
“It was,” Cherise agreed, without adding anything else.
If James was hoping for some medical insight, he was disappointed.
Avery heard Lilly’s faint voice, since she was the one sitting closest to James. He listened and smiled.
Holding the phone away from his ear, James looked up and said, “Lilly wants you all to know that she appreciates the support. She can hear you, and it’s helping her deal with the pain.”
A couple folks exchanged high fives.
“We took birthing classes when Lilly was six months along. Lilly wanted to give birth naturally, but it was understood I’d be right beside her. She says with all of us helping, she doesn’t feel alone and is better able to manage the birth right now without the epidural.”
A cheer of support followed.
Tom started strumming his guitar. “Liam and Suzie, what should we play?”
“What kind of music does your wife enjoy?” Liam asked.
“Country,” James answered. “New country—you know, like Jelly Roll or Lainey Wilson.”
“Got it,” Liam said, as he took a seat and rested his guitar on his thigh. “Let us know when the next contraction starts, and Suzie and I will start singing. I hope it helps.”
“Now!” James shouted a few minutes later, holding the phone out toward Liam and the tall woman standing at his side to better pick up the music.
