Special Delivery. Laura Browning

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СКАЧАТЬ to Jim and Susie across the seat.

      “Buckle up. This could be an interesting ride home.”

      “Yes, sir.”

      “Have you talked to your sister to let her know you’re on the way?” Jake put the truck in gear. When Tyler didn’t respond, he glanced over and saw the boy shift. “Tyler? Did you call her?”

      “Our phone’s shut off.”

      Jake started to swear, remembered the boy sitting next to him, and bit his tongue, smacking his palm against the steering wheel instead. “You mean to tell me your stubborn sister is all alone out there on bed rest with no way to call anyone?”

      “Yes.” Tyler’s voice shook. “We couldn’t pay it, so they cut it off last week.”

      Last week? Why hadn’t she said anything? He’d been by several times. Did she mistrust him so much? Jake pressed his lips together. “Okay, okay. We’ll get you home, then come hell or high water, I’m taking you and your sister out of there tonight. Even with a phone, I’m not sure any help could get to y’all in an emergency.” Thinking of the protective order, he added, “You can stay with me until you find someplace closer in where Holly can get help if she needs it.” And by God, if she bowed up on him, he’d carry her out over his shoulder, pregnant or not.

      As they set off, Jake realized he was doing what Jenny had angled for at her party. He realized something else. It didn’t matter. He couldn’t let Holly and her brother stay in that piece-of-shit house any longer. The place should have fallen in years ago.

      * * * *

      How long had it been since the last contraction? Holly huddled in the bathroom. She’d been sick a couple of times as the contractions rolled through her. The pains came harder and faster, and now she wasn’t sure just how much time she had. She put clean towels on her bed and boiled water. What the water was for she had no idea, but it seemed like people always wanted boiling water when they screamed about birthing babies in the movies.

      She checked her watch. Five o’clock. She’d been in labor about four hours. Not very long. She remembered other women at Doc Owens’s talking about being in labor for twelve hours and more. She checked her watch as the next contraction hit. Less than five minutes. The freezing rain hit the windowpanes with an ominous ticking noise.

      For the first time, unease stirred and with it the realization she was in very real trouble.

      When she heard a vehicle outside, she braced one arm on the edge of the tub and tried to stand, but she was tired. As she shifted one more time, something popped and was followed by a gush of warm liquid that drenched her clothing and left her gaping in horror. The front door opened and Tyler called to her.

      “Holly? Where are you?”

      Another contraction hit, and she moaned.

      * * * *

      Jake pushed into the house right behind Tyler and stomped the snow off his boots. He heard Holly’s moan as soon as the door shut. He took in the scissors and string on the table, the pot of water on the stove, the towels and a book on pregnancy and birth. Dropping the box he carried into the chair next to the door, Jake shot past Tyler.

      “Holly!” Fear drove him down the hall.

      She knelt on the floor of the bathroom in a puddle. His throat ached. Her eyes swallowed her pale face. He had seen the look before: pure, unadulterated fear. For soldiers, it could be deadly, and Jake had no doubt this could be just as dangerous. Calm down. He had to be the strong one because she must be scared spitless.

      “Holly, honey, it’s Jake,” he murmured, not sure how aware she was. “You need me to help you?”

      She nodded. “My water just broke, but I’ve been in labor for a while.” She sucked in a shaky breath. “Oh, Jake. Thank God you’re here.”

      He picked her up, mindless of her wet clothing, and carried her down the hall to the room he assumed belonged to her. He was relieved to see the bedcovers turned back and towels already covering the sheets. He glanced at her with new respect. She’d prepared to get through this on her own. As he settled her on top of the towels, he asked, “How long have you been having pains?”

      “They started around one.”

      He glanced at his watch. About five hours. “How far apart are they?”

      She swallowed and whispered, “The last ones were three minutes.”

      Jake pulled out his phone, checked to see he had a signal, and punched a button. It rang just two times. “Doc? It’s Jake.”

      “Hmm, you’re calling me Doc, so this must be business.”

      “It is. I’m at Holly’s house. I brought Tyler home. She’s in labor. About five hours. Pains three minutes apart.”

      “Shit.” There was a pause and then she said, “Why didn’t she call someone? No. Never mind that now. Think you can deliver a baby?”

      “Uhh, Jen…we covered the basics in training, but I’ve never done it.”

      “Jake, I’m at home and stuck. If you move her on this ice and get stranded, the situation could go from bad to worse—life-threatening worse for her and the baby.”

      Jake closed his eyes then opened them to stare at the ice hitting the windowpane with its rhythmic tick, tick.

      “Give me a refresher. Her water’s already broken.”

      “How’s she holding up?”

      “Other than being scared, breathing and color seem okay. I haven’t checked her pulse.”

      “It’ll be elevated. I’m not so worried about that. Has she said anything about feeling the need to push?”

      “No.”

      “Chances are she’s not fully dilated yet. Clean her, get her changed, and make her comfortable. Check to see if you can see the baby’s head, then give me a call.”

      Jake punched End and stared at the blank phone screen. What the fuck? He was barely on a first-name basis with Holly and Jenny wanted him to… He looked at Holly’s pale face and wide eyes. Jake blew out a deep breath. Time to put his personal interests aside. This was professional. Right. And he was no doctor.

      “Holly?” Tyler’s voice came from the doorway. His face was pinched and pale as he took in her soiled clothing. “What’s wrong? It’s too soon for the baby, isn’t it?”

      Jake heard the edge of hysteria in the boy’s voice and realized he must be thinking about losing his parents the year before. Now the only family member left was bloody and in pain.

      “It’s okay.” Holly’s smile vanished as another contraction slammed into her. “Just a little early. No big deal.” She panted and closed her eyes as if to hide her fear from her brother.

      So Jake smiled. “Your niece, Uncle Tyler, has decided it’s time to be born, and she and Holly will need our help. Can you be a big man and do that?”

      Tyler СКАЧАТЬ