“I’ll be in right away to assess whether she’s still in the zone to have one.”
“There’s a zone?”
Victoria nodded. “We don’t like to administer an epidural if she’s crowning or about to deliver because it can slow things down. I’ll take a look and see where we are. Be right there.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course. How’re you doing?”
“I’m fine. Just worried about her.”
“Have you eaten anything?”
“Not since this morning.” The thought of eating had made him nauseated because he was so worried about Kara.
“You should have something so you don’t pass out and give us another patient to tend to.” Victoria gestured to the pizza on the table. “Have some. We have plenty.”
Dan’s stomach growled.
Victoria and David laughed.
“Don’t mind if I do.”
“Help yourself, friend,” David said.
“How much longer will this go on?” Dan asked between bites of the delicious pepperoni pizza.
“We’re giving her four more hours, and then we’ll consider our options,” David said, “but please don’t worry about anything. She’s doing great, and this is a very typical first labor, as hard as it is on both of you. And also, the baby is tolerating labor well, with a strong heartrate.”
“That’s a relief, but I’m worried about Kara. I hate to see her suffering.”
“She’s a warrior,” Vic said. “She’s got this.”
“Thanks for the reassurances. I’m going back to check on her. Thanks for the pizza.”
“Sure thing,” David said. “Hang in there, Dad. You’re doing great, too.”
“If you say so.”
“I say so, and I’m the boss around here.”
“Puleeze,” Victoria said. “We all know who the boss is, and it ain’t you.”
“You see what I put up with?” David asked.
Dan laughed, relieved to see them goofing around. If they were doing that, they weren’t overly concerned about Kara. “I see, and I wish you well, my friend.”
“I need all the good wishes I can get with all the women in my life bossing me around,” David said.
“Let’s go check on Kara,” Vic said as she thoroughly washed her hands.
In the hallway, Dan took a second to reply to Kara’s grandmother Bertha’s text checking on her progress.
Slow going, but she’s hanging in there.
Keep me posted.
Will do.
