Page 46 of Healing Hazel
“I know.”
He began to slam the door and before it was completely closed, the ambulance was already pulling away, its siren now blaring.
All thoughts of the distance, the time, even Wes disappeared as I concentrated on Mira. The attendants were professional, following every order without question and relaying the information to the waiting team we’d find at the hospital. It was with great relief when a cry filled the ambulance, as this one came from the new life that joined us. I gave the infant a quick check and then handed the baby to Henrietta who had a blanket waiting.
“Her BP is dropping,” Aaron, the second EMT informed me.
Mira’s voice was so low I had to bend forward to hear her. I thought she was asking if she’d had a boy or a girl, but her plea of, “Please, don’t let me die,” surprised and scared the fuck out of me.
“No one’s dying. Not on my watch!” I said, my growl as feral as Wes’ had been.
Her eyes closed, her hair stuck to her face with sweat and fear as I threw the pad I’d used on the floor only to grab another out of Aaron’s hand. A third followed, each one pristine white before becoming crimson with Mira’s blood.
At a second cry from her baby, Mira’s eyes fluttered open to find mine. “Tell Wes… tell them both I’m sor-sorry.”
“Fuck that! Don’t you dare give up, Mira. Do you hear me? You fight, Mira, you fight like hell! You’re stronger than you think. We’re almost there, just hang on a few minutes longer.”
I wasn’t aware when the ambulance stopped.
I wasn’t aware when the doors opened or when the others joined us. All I was conscious of was Mira as I straddled her body atop the gurney while the transfer from ambulance to the hospital proper was made. When there were no more pads to use, I’d pushed half my arm up inside her. My hand continued to massage her uterus in an attempt to encourage it to begin contracting, to stop the hemorrhage that threatened to end her life after she’d given life to another.
Epilogue
Hazel
If I lived to be a thousand, I’d never forget the sight of Nigel straddling’s Mira’s body on that gurney… and I was sure the same could be said for Wes as he watched his wife being rolled through the doors.
“Noooo…”
I’d also replay that gut-wrenching plea again and again as I slid my arm around Wes when his knees threatened to give out. I didn’t bother with platitudes. They wouldn’t be welcome and I feared they’d be nothing but lies. I’d been scared that Mira might lose the baby, but never once, not even for a millisecond, had I ever considered that Mira might die. Her face was so pale, her arm hanging so limply over the side of the gurney, and there was so much blood. A cry jerked my gaze from where the gurney had disappeared to one of the attendants climbing down from the ambulance. A movement had my heart clenching yet again. The woman was holding a bundle and a tiny fist was waving in the air.
“Oh my god, Wes, look!” When he didn’t so much as turn his head, I slid my arm from his waist and grabbed his hand. “Wes, your baby,” I said softly. “Your baby needs you too.”
His tortured eyes found mine and then followed my finger to where the attendant was rocking the bundle in her arms on her way into the hospital. I tried to tug Wes forward, “Wait,” I called, gaining her attention. “This is the father.”
I felt such a wave of gratitude as the woman didn’t brush me off. Instead, she turned and waited while Wes stood frozen as if terrified yet another bomb was going to drop on him.
“Dr. Lake, come say hello,” the EMT said and when that didn’t have Wes reacting, she looked down at the bundle. “Are you ready to meet your daddy?”
The question snapped Wes out of his stupor and he joined us. The woman folded back a corner of the blanket to allow Wes to see his baby’s face. When a nurse joined us with a much smaller gurney on which an incubator sat, the EMT handed the baby, not to the nurse, but to Wes. “And your wife is one hell of a fighter, Dr. Lake.”
“I know.” Wes nodded, his head bowed as he looked at his baby. “Your mommy is going to be holding you soon. We love you.” He pressed a kiss to the infant’s head and then allowed the nurse to take the baby.
“After we make sure everything is fine, you can come to the nursery,” the nurse said.
The EMT put her hand on Wes’ arm. “The baby may be early but seems perfectly healthy. We all wish your family the very best.”
Wes nodded again, and I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard. “Thank you, for everything.” He turned to me. “Thank you, Hazel, and no matter what happens, I know Nigel is doing all he can.”
“He is and so is Mira.”
He gave me a fierce hug and then disappeared through the same double doors where his child had just been taken. I could do nothing but watch and pray. When Lawson and Derek movedto not only stand at my sides, but to then slip their arms around my waist, I let myself accept their quiet strength. Quincy led us all to the waiting room before he too disappeared behind the double doors. It was only then that I gasped.
“What is it?” Derek asked.
“That’s just it, I-I don’t know. The EMT never said if Mira had a boy or a girl.”
“Then I suppose we’ll just have to wait for Mira to tell us herself.”
