by Tanya Stowe
“Pia, are you in labor?”
Jaci had to wait for the pain to pass before her friend could answer.
“Yes. I think I’ve been in labor all day. I just didn’t realize…it was just a backache, and I promised Madison and Lance I’d cover the office phones today so they could drive down to Houston.” Another spasm struck, and she doubled over moaning with effort.
“I’ll call David.”
“I don’t think there’s time. The pains are coming…too fast.” Her words ended in another gut-wrenching groan.
“Oh, no.” Deedee stood in the doorway her features frozen in horror as she dropped her keys and purse.
Pia’s groan ended in an anguished whimper almost at the same time.
If Jaci didn’t do something fast, she would have two hysterical women on her hands. She gripped her employer’s cold fingers and squeezed while she focused on Pia. “It’ll be all right.” Hopefully, both of them would take her words to heart. “I’ll drive you to the hospital, Pia. We’ll call David on the way.”
Pia took a deep, reviving breath and rose to her full height. “Thank you. I knew the Lord would send me help. I should have known it would be Baby.” She gave the dog a weak smile.
“Just give me a moment, Pia. I have to get my keys and my car but I’ll be right back.”
“No…” Deedee touched her arm. “I’ll drive. My car’s closer.”
“Are you sure?” Jaci searched her friend’s face.
Deedee grasped her fingers tighter and smiled. “I am absolutely positive.” She picked up her keys and bag and ran down the porch steps as fast as her high heels would allow.
Jaci pulled a towel from the front bathroom and helped Pia dry off as much as possible. Fortunately, she was wearing a loose, comfortable dress. Jaci threw another towel on the floor puddle, and then grabbed a lovely afghan from the back of the couch and wrapped it around Pia. Jaci fetched Pia’s purse and closed the door behind them.
Deedee had pulled into the circular drive in front of the house. She hopped out and opened the back door. Baby hurried forward and leapt in before anyone could stop her. The older woman gave a wry shrug. “I guess she’s not leaving your side until she knows everything’s all right.”
Pia nodded as she slid onto the seat but couldn’t speak as another pain struck her. Jaci hurried around to the front trying to count the minutes between labor pains. The gripping contraction didn’t pass until they were off the Heart’s Haven grounds and onto the main highway.
Leaning her head back against the seat, Pia took a few deep breaths. “My cell phone is in my purse. Please call David.”
Jaci punched the number. David was in a meeting, but his secretary, Aria, said she would pull him out, and he would be at the hospital in exactly six minutes. They’d already timed his route from the church office.
Aria’s words brought a smile to Pia’s lips…which quickly faded with another sharp labor pain. They were coming so close together.
Would they make it to the hospital, or would Jaci be delivering a baby on the side of the road?
Pia’s pained, frightened expression made it clear she feared the same thing.
Icy terror swept over Jaci in a wave.
9
Pia pointed to her purse. “The front pocket…cards David and I prepared. Please read them.”
Jaci pulled out the rubber-banded collection. Card after card, covered with scripture quotes about God’s love, His mercy, and promises of peace. Jaci began to read, one after another.
A deep, low moan came from Pia. “Don’t stop. Help me claim His promise.” Pia’s voice broke on a plea.
Jaci began again, her voice strong and firm as she claimed God’s peace for them all.
By the time Deedee pulled beneath the hospital’s portico, the pains were still coming fast, but the fearful, strained looked had eased from Pia’s features.
Deedee and Jaci leapt out of the car at the same time both running toward sliding doors. Jaci grabbed a wheelchair and headed back to the car while Deedee hurried to the desk. Just as the door swished open she heard her friend say, “A woman’s in labor. Her pains are less than a minute apart.” The door closed cutting off the rest of Deedee’s explanation.
Jaci helped Pia into the chair. An orderly met them at the door taking the wheelchair from Jaci. Pia latched onto her hand and dragged her along as the orderly wheeled toward the desk. Another pain prevented Pia from answering the admitting nurse’s questions.
Without thought, Jaci handed the cards to Deedee. Stooping low, her friend began to quietly recite the scriptures for Pia while Jaci answered the questions.
“Her name is Pia Myers. She should be pre-admitted. Not sure about her doctor’s name. Her husband is on his way. He should be here any minute.”
“Thank you.” The nurse nodded. “Yes, she’s all set up.” She punched a button, and a printer spit out a band. Coming around the desk, the nurse pulled a tab and secured the sturdy paper I.D. bracelet around Pia’s wrist. “There you are, Mrs. Myers. Now let’s go get you settled.”
The nurse gestured ahead of her, and the orderly pushed Pia toward two double doors just as another spasm hit and nature took over. “I think I need to push.”
“Hold on, Mrs. Myers. We’ll have you there in a moment.”
Pia’s baby was coming.
They had arrived just in time.
“Pia!” David Myers entered as the doors closed behind his wife with a final click. Fortunately, the nurse heard him. She came back and held the door wide. He rushed by Jaci and Deedee murmuring a thank you.
Jaci felt a tap on her arm and looked over her shoulder. Deedee shoved the cards toward her and Jaci grabbed them. “David!”
He spun and saw the cards. Pausing, he let his head fall back with exasperation. With a grateful smile he ran back.
Jaci met him halfway.
He kissed her forehead. “Thank you.” He waved at Deedee. “Thank you both. You’ve been a blessing to us today.” Then he disappeared behind the closed doors.
Suddenly Jaci and Deedee were alone. The waiting room was empty. No one was at the desk. After all the excitement the silence was anti-climactic. Jaci looked at Deedee and held up her hands trying to express her amazement. All she could do was giggle.
Deedee followed suit.
Soon they were both laughing and hugging.
“I thought you would have to deliver a baby from the back seat of a car!” Her boss said in her most girlish tone.
“Me? You would have been my helper.”
Deedee sobered. “Yes, I would have. One thing for sure. We still make a great team.”
Jaci nodded “Yes, my friend, we do.”
Deedee looped her arm through Jaci’s. “Come on. Let’s not leave Baby in the car.”
They drove home in near silence.
Jaci couldn’t seem to stop smiling.
Deedee had the same problem. She pulled to a stop in front of Jaci’s bungalow.
“If you’d like to come in we can finish that conversation now.”
Deedee shook her head. “No. I'm going to go home, wrap my arms around my husband, and hold him for a while.”
Jaci smiled. “That sounds like a great idea. Will I see you at work tomorrow?”
Deedee shook her head again. “I might stop in later just to see if I can lend a hand. But right now, my place is with my husband. Besides, you’re on top of things. You’ll let me know if I’m needed.”
Jaci hugged her friend. “Thanks.” She hopped out of the car and opened the door for Baby. As they walked up the walk, she turned and waved. Amazing what prayer can do. Jaci stepped inside her door just in time to hear the muffled ring of her cell phone. Dashing across, she dug it out from her bottomless bag. Linda's name flashed across the screen.
“Hello?”
“Hey, you didn't answer my text message so I was beginning to get worried. Everything OK?”
Apparently Jaci’s sister had accepted her phone apology.
>
“Yes, we had a bit of an emergency here.” Jaci smiled again. She couldn’t help herself. “Pia Myers went into labor, and I had to take her to the hospital.”
“Is she OK? How’s the baby?”
“They were headed to the delivery room when I left.”
“It’ll be soon then.”
“Yep. Very soon.”
“Well, I texted to let you know you don’t have to take the kids to practice this evening. Paul’s doing it.”
“Paul? I thought…”
“You were right, Jaci. My husband had a drug problem, and I was so deep in denial, I wouldn’t even admit to myself why he left.” She paused for a long while.
Jaci kept silent.
“I'm not condoning what he did, and I’m having trouble with forgiveness but…I have lot of prayer and atonement to do myself. Maybe Paul and I can walk that path side by side.”
“I’m so glad to hear that. Thanks for letting me know.”
“I’ve got to get back to work. We’ll talk more later.”
“Sounds great. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Jaci closed her phone with a deep sigh and gave Baby a happy smile. “There’s only one more thing left to do. And if we hurry, we’ll have just enough time.”
She bundled Baby in the car and a short time later turned down Justin’s road.
He’d just left his house, headed for the corral and a 5:30 PM class. As soon as he saw Jaci’s car, he changed direction.
How did I get so blessed? Justin’s dark hair fell over his forehead, and his blue gaze pierced even from a distance. His handsome face was creased with concern, and his long-legged stride carried him purposefully toward her.
I’m the most fortunate woman in the world, and I don’t want to waste a minute more. She pulled the emergency brake and flung herself out of the car not even pausing to open the back for Baby. Jaci heard the sound of the dog leaping over the seat into the front. Her pet was soon trotting by her side. Jaci ran the short distance to Justin and flung herself into his arms wrapping her legs around him.
“Jaci, I’m sorry…”
She stopped his words with a long, luxurious kiss. Then she leaned her forehead against his. “I’m just like you. I don’t think I’m falling in love. I know I love you, Justin Blakely. I’ve loved you from the minute you picked me up from the ground and brushed the dust off me.”
A wicked grin spread over his lips. “So you like my hands on you.”
An answering smile teased her lips. “Yeah. That part is pretty nice, but I also love your kindness. And your integrity and how you stand your ground…even when it’s painful for me. You were right. I was a train wreck waiting to happen. I needed to be taken to task. I think the Lord and I have worked that out now, but the two of us—you and I—have to get one thing straight.” She leaned back and met his gaze full on. “Baby is my dog. I know she would make a wonderful service animal but God sent her my way. She’s mine, and I'm not giving her up. Ever.”
Justin's hands spanned her waist and tightened. Setting her firmly on the ground, he pushed her an arm’s distance away and studied her with clouded features. “Let me get this straight. You won’t let Baby go to a good home?”
A cold feeling cinched her stomach into a tight ball, but she stood her ground and shook her head. “No. Not ever. She belongs to me, and I belong to her.”
A slight smile tilted one side of his mouth. “Wow. Did the go-to woman just say no?”
The tight ball in her stomach snapped like a broken rubber band and laughter spilled out. “Yes, I did. I’ve said no three times this afternoon.”
“I’m impressed.” He tugged her a little closer.
“You should be. It’s all your doing. In fact, you might've created a monster.”
Pulling her even closer, he said in a low tender tone, “Not likely. Not even on your worst day.”
“You never know. I’m starting to like the word.”
“That’s fine with me…as long as you don't say no when I ask the woman of my dreams to marry me.”
Jaci’s humor faded, and she whispered, “Not likely. Not even on my absolute worst day.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him down for another long, lovely kiss…and all the while, Baby’s wagging tail made a steady thump against their legs.
****
At exactly 5:00 PM, Andrew David Myers burst into the world. He had dark curling hair, and after he’d been cleaned and placed in his mother’s anxiously awaiting arms, he opened his big blue eyes. One was most definitely lighter than the other.
“Oh, look, David. He has your eyes.”
Her husband shook his head. “Surely it’s too soon to tell.”
The nurse standing close by leaned over. “No, Papa, I think she’s right. One is a different shade than the other.”
David bent over his wife’s shoulder and for a long while little Andrew stared most solemnly at his parents. But then, for some inexplicable reason, he turned his head and focused on something just behind his proud father.
“Look at that,” the nurse exclaimed. “There’s an angel in the room.”
“Excuse me?” David couldn’t contain his surprise.
“Sorry. It’s just something my mother used to say. She always told me babies and dogs are closest to God, so of course, they are the first to see His heavenly messengers when they arrive.”
The nurse bustled away. David wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulder and smiled down at his son. “Welcome home, little Andrew. Welcome to Heart’s Haven.”
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