Tiffany released her seat belt and was about to get out of the car when he was there to pick her up and carry her inside.
“I can walk.”
“You don’t need to. I’m here.”
Before she could reply, another sharp pain stole the breath from her lungs.
“She’s having pain, and her water broke,” Blaine said to Katie Lawry McCarthy, the nurse at the front desk. “The baby isn’t due for six more weeks.”
“Right this way,” Katie said.
As they followed her to an exam room, they encountered their friend Dan Torrington in the hallway. “What’s up, guys?”
“Tiffany may be in labor six weeks early. What about you?”
“Kara’s in labor right on time. I hope everything is okay with your little one.”
“Same to you,” Blaine said as he deposited Tiffany on the bed in one of the exam rooms.
She was seized by another sharp pain, followed by intense pressure to push.
“Let’s get you undressed,” Katie said, moving quickly to help Tiffany out of her clothes and into a gown.
Nurse Practitioner/Midwife Victoria Stevens came into the room, pulling on gloves. That she didn’t say hello or crack the usual joke or do anything other than get right down to business only added to Tiffany’s considerable anxiety—and Blaine’s, judging by the tense way he held himself.
“It’s too early,” Tiffany said.
“Babies have minds of their own.” Vic smiled as she examined her. “And your baby is coming right now. Let’s get ready to deliver.”
“Is it safe to have him this early?” Blaine asked.
“We’ll do everything we can to make sure mom and baby are just fine,” Victoria said. “I’ll be right back.” To Katie, she added, “Call David. Tell him I need him.”
Terrified, Tiffany reached for Blaine, and he was there to wrap his arms around her and comfort her with his presence. As long as he was right by her side, she could convince herself that nothing could go wrong.
“You’re shaking, baby,” Blaine said.
“I’m so scared.”
“I have total faith in Victoria, David and Katie. They know what they’re doing.”
“What if the baby is too little?” They’d chosen not to find out the baby’s sex, but Tiffany was convinced it was a boy. Everything about this pregnancy had been different from the ones with her girls.
“I’m sure he or she will be strong like Ash and Addie are.”
Tears filled her eyes as her chin wobbled. “I don’t want to lose this baby.”
“You won’t. I have a good feeling about this little person. They’re showing us who’s the boss from the start. Imagine what the teen years will be like.”
She appreciated his efforts to help her think about anything other than the growing need to push and the fear that something could go terribly wrong.
Chapter 5
“Tiffany is in labor, too,” Dan told Kara when he brought her another cup of ice chips and fed them to her after a particularly brutal contraction.
He wasn’t sure he would survive childbirth, but he wisely kept his mouth shut since he wasn’t the one doing the heavy lifting. He’d never been prouder of his incredible wife than he’d been during the interminable day that had passed since she woke him up to tell him she was in labor early that morning.
“It’s too soon for Tiffany. She’s not due until after Christmas.”
