you in the car and to the hospital.”
She moaned. “Oh, I don’t think we’re going to make it to the hospital. I feel so much pressure down there and I have the urge to push. I think I may have been in labor for a few days.”
“The book called it back labor, damn it. Damn, I should’ve remembered that!” Zack said. He could hear the panic in his own voice.
“Oh, it hurts,” she whimpered.
He lifted her up and took her back to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. “It’s okay, baby, it’s okay. I’m calling the ambulance and Dr. Patel.” Just as he snagged both of their phones off the bedside table, the lights flickered and went out. “Well, this is absolutely great.”
“Contraction!” Jordyn gasped and began to pant. “I need to push.”
“No, don’t do that, honey. Breathe, breathe.” He imitated the breathing pattern for her to follow as he dialed nine-one-one on his cell and pressed the speed dial button for Dr. Patel on hers. “Hello, we need an ambulance at seventeen forty-two Grove Lane. My wife is in labor.” He switched phones, putting her phone to his hear. “Dr. Patel, yes, Zack Hennessey here. Jordyn is in labor. She said she feels like pushing.” He switched phones again. “What do you mean no ambulance can get to us right now? A bad accident where?” His mind was spinning as he tried to listen to both phones at the same time now, one phone at each ear. “You want me to check her what?”
“Zack, give me Dr. Patel. You deal with emergency services.” Jordyn plucked the phone from his hand. “Hello, Dr. Patel. Zack is on the phone trying to get an ambulance out here.”
Zack focused on listening to the dispatcher. “How long before you can get us an ambulance out here? Jesus, half an hour may be way too long. I mean, she is ready to push!”
His mind reeled. The pleasant thought of being in a nice hospital room, holding her hand while she was completely numbed and then feeding her ice chips and being an encouraging husband was flying out the window. Hell, it jumped and took the rope with it, leaving him stranded.
“Fine, just hurry out here. My neighbor is a registered nurse. I’m going to go get her to help. Just fucking hurry!” Zack snapped. He threw the phone on the bed and looked at Jordyn. “What’s he saying?”
“He said to check my dilation.” Jordyn began to pant again. “Here comes another one! Oh, God!”
“I need to find a damn flashlight!” Zack ran off to the kitchen where he kept the LED lanterns under the sink all the while cursing the Oahu power company. He was back in minutes and helping her shimmy out of her undies. Put the phone on speaker so I can talk to the doctor. “What does it mean when you can almost see the top of the head with hair?”
“It means the baby is coming now. She’s crowning.” Dr. Patel’s voice came through the phone loud and clear. “How long have you been tired and your back aching, Jordyn?”
“The last two days have been awful,” she admitted. Then cast a sorry, tear-filled look at Zack. “I didn’t want to worry you.”
He was by her side instantly and kissed her. “Don’t cry, honey. But next time worry me, please worry me.”
“Zack, is there anyone you can call to come over and help you, at least until the ambulance arrives?” Dr. Patel said.
“My neighbor Mrs. Pond is a retired nurse. Will that do?” Zack asked.
“She will be fine. Go get her and be quick about it. This child is not waiting,” Dr. Patel said.
“Okay.” He kissed Jordyn. “I’ll be back in a flash, honey. Keep doing your breathing. I love you.”
“I love you too. Oh, here’s another one. Hurry!” She began to pant in earnest and Zack almost said fuck it to running for Mrs. Pond. But if Jordyn or the baby had problems he wouldn’t know what to do, so with one last look in her direction he was rushing down the hall and out the front door to the pouring rain outside. His sneakers were soaked and muddy as he ran
She moaned. “Oh, I don’t think we’re going to make it to the hospital. I feel so much pressure down there and I have the urge to push. I think I may have been in labor for a few days.”
“The book called it back labor, damn it. Damn, I should’ve remembered that!” Zack said. He could hear the panic in his own voice.
“Oh, it hurts,” she whimpered.
He lifted her up and took her back to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. “It’s okay, baby, it’s okay. I’m calling the ambulance and Dr. Patel.” Just as he snagged both of their phones off the bedside table, the lights flickered and went out. “Well, this is absolutely great.”
“Contraction!” Jordyn gasped and began to pant. “I need to push.”
“No, don’t do that, honey. Breathe, breathe.” He imitated the breathing pattern for her to follow as he dialed nine-one-one on his cell and pressed the speed dial button for Dr. Patel on hers. “Hello, we need an ambulance at seventeen forty-two Grove Lane. My wife is in labor.” He switched phones, putting her phone to his hear. “Dr. Patel, yes, Zack Hennessey here. Jordyn is in labor. She said she feels like pushing.” He switched phones again. “What do you mean no ambulance can get to us right now? A bad accident where?” His mind was spinning as he tried to listen to both phones at the same time now, one phone at each ear. “You want me to check her what?”
“Zack, give me Dr. Patel. You deal with emergency services.” Jordyn plucked the phone from his hand. “Hello, Dr. Patel. Zack is on the phone trying to get an ambulance out here.”
Zack focused on listening to the dispatcher. “How long before you can get us an ambulance out here? Jesus, half an hour may be way too long. I mean, she is ready to push!”
His mind reeled. The pleasant thought of being in a nice hospital room, holding her hand while she was completely numbed and then feeding her ice chips and being an encouraging husband was flying out the window. Hell, it jumped and took the rope with it, leaving him stranded.
“Fine, just hurry out here. My neighbor is a registered nurse. I’m going to go get her to help. Just fucking hurry!” Zack snapped. He threw the phone on the bed and looked at Jordyn. “What’s he saying?”
“He said to check my dilation.” Jordyn began to pant again. “Here comes another one! Oh, God!”
“I need to find a damn flashlight!” Zack ran off to the kitchen where he kept the LED lanterns under the sink all the while cursing the Oahu power company. He was back in minutes and helping her shimmy out of her undies. Put the phone on speaker so I can talk to the doctor. “What does it mean when you can almost see the top of the head with hair?”
“It means the baby is coming now. She’s crowning.” Dr. Patel’s voice came through the phone loud and clear. “How long have you been tired and your back aching, Jordyn?”
“The last two days have been awful,” she admitted. Then cast a sorry, tear-filled look at Zack. “I didn’t want to worry you.”
He was by her side instantly and kissed her. “Don’t cry, honey. But next time worry me, please worry me.”
“Zack, is there anyone you can call to come over and help you, at least until the ambulance arrives?” Dr. Patel said.
“My neighbor Mrs. Pond is a retired nurse. Will that do?” Zack asked.
“She will be fine. Go get her and be quick about it. This child is not waiting,” Dr. Patel said.
“Okay.” He kissed Jordyn. “I’ll be back in a flash, honey. Keep doing your breathing. I love you.”
“I love you too. Oh, here’s another one. Hurry!” She began to pant in earnest and Zack almost said fuck it to running for Mrs. Pond. But if Jordyn or the baby had problems he wouldn’t know what to do, so with one last look in her direction he was rushing down the hall and out the front door to the pouring rain outside. His sneakers were soaked and muddy as he ran
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