Mia never answered her phone while driving, but she was at a dead stop because of a rockslide blocking the road into Echo Falls. Yellow tape marked off the hazard area, and a sheriff’s car was parked in the opposite lane, its light bar flashing a warning. Five cars idled ahead of her, and about a dozen sat behind her, all waiting while a deputy in cold weather gear organized the tangle of cars trying to turn around.
When she saw Jake’s caller ID, she debated whether or not to answer. She loved the idea of surprising him—in a good way, for a change. On the other hand, she tingled all over at the thought of hearing his voice.
She picked up on the third ring. “Hey, there.”
“Mia, thank God you answered.”
That tone—and the prayer. Her spine snapped into an iron rod. “What’s wrong? Is it Lucy?”
“She’s in labor.”
“Labor?” Mia pressed her hand to her forehead. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Her water broke.”
“Well, that settles that.” Thank you, God, for sending me home in time. “Which hospital? I’ll turn around now.”
“Turn around? What do you mean?”
“I’m here. In Echo Falls. Well, almost. There’s a rockslide.”
“You mean you’re two miles away? You’re not in Dallas? What—How—”
“I’ll explain later.” She could barely speak over the lump in her throat, but her hand remained steady as she gripped the gear shift, ready to ease into a U-turn. “Tell me which hospital. I’ll meet you there.”
“No hospital.”
“Then where—oh no.” Mia’s hand froze with the 4Runner still in park.
“That’s right. We’re at the house. Her water broke less than an hour ago. The contractions are ten minutes apart, but they’re pretty intense.”
“When did they start?”
“Early this morning, but she didn’t realize what was happening. I called you for a crash course in Childbirth 101. But if you’re here, that changes everything.”
She opened the car door and stood on the frame to get a better look at the snow and rock blocking the road. It was deep, cold, and no doubt treacherous. But if she could scale Echo Falls, she could trust God to get her through the debris. “I’m on my way, but I’ll have to go through the slide area on foot.”
“Mia, no! The mountain isn’t stable. There’s help coming to clear the road, plus we have some time, right?”
“Probably.” She looked at her watch. “I want you to time the contractions.”
“I’m doing it now. They’re about ten minutes apart—”
A sharp cry pierced Mia’s ear through the phone, followed by Lucy calling Jake’s name.
“Make that nine minutes.”
Mia swallowed hard. “Where is she now?”
“On the couch.”
“Get her bed ready. Put down clean sheets and gather some towels. Birth is messy. If you can, check the baby gifts for an infant care kit. When Beanie Girl comes, use a suction ball to clear her nose and mouth.”
“Oh man—” His voice wavered, but just a little. “Lucy’s calmer than I am.”
Mia pictured him dragging his hand through his hair and smiled. Even strong men like Jake sometimes turned to jelly. “You’ve got this, Jake. I know you do. Birth is a natural process. If I don’t get there in time, just let it happen. Don’t pull or push. Just watch and be ready to catch the baby.”
He hesitated. “Like a football, right?”
“A very slippery football. Now get to work, and don’t forget to wash your hands up to your elbows.”
“Got it, doc. Anything else?”
“No.” Just that I love you. “Actually, a lot, but it has to wait. Let me talk to Lucy, okay?”
When he handed over the phone, Mia closed her eyes, picturing Lucy as the little girl she used to be and the brave woman she was now. Snow whipped and churned around the 4Runner, wrapping Mia in a white cocoon until Lucy’s shaky voice came over the phone.
“Mia? Are you really here?”
“I sure am, so let’s bring Beanie Girl into the world. Tell me about the contractions.”
“They suck.” Not one of Lucy’s usual words.
“On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the worst pain ever, what are they?”
“Eight? The last one was horrible.”
“I’d like to know how dilated you are, but we’ll hold off on that.” Modesty would fly out the window soon enough, and the information wouldn’t change Mia’s instructions to Jake. “Have you talked to Sam?”
“Yes. He finished the exam early and was already on his way home. I told him about the rockslide, but he said he’d find a way. He’s great, Mia. I love him so much.”
Frank. Jake. Sam. Three good men with the faith to move mountains for the women they loved. “Hang in there, honey.”
“I-I’m trying.”
“Babies don’t just pop out. We have some time.” Mia glanced out the snowy windshield. When she saw a blob of bright yellow on the other side of the slide area, she started the wipers. It was a bulldozer. Another one pulled up next to it. “They’re clearing the road now. It won’t be much longer.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know, but they’re working on it.”
“I’m just so scared—” The words cut to a squeak. “Mia? Why is this happening?”
“Well, your body decided—”
“That’s not what I mean. Do you think God is punishing me? Or that He’s mad at me because I can’t do everything right like you do?”
“Oh, Lucy. No. You are so wrong.” Both about God punishing her and about Mia doing everything right. “For one thing, God loves us just as we are. He knows about our mistakes, and He’s strong when we’re not.”
“Like now,” Lucy whispered. “He’s helping me.”
“And He helped me in Dallas.” Grace. God’s kindness when I was stubborn and scared. Mia swallowed a lump. “Look at the mess I made with Jake. I hurt him. I know I did.”
“I’m so glad you’re back. Tell me you’re staying.”
“I am. But more on that later. Right now you’re the focus. You and Beanie Girl.”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this. And Sam’s not here.” She sniffed back tears. “It’s me and God.”
“And Jake.”
“Yes—ooooh!” Another contraction.
Mia talked her through it while looking at the second hand on her watch. The spasm lasted close to a minute and had come eight minutes after the last one. Lucy’s labor was picking up steam. They didn’t have several hours like Mia hoped, but she’d save that information for Jake. When the contraction ended, she encouraged Lucy to rest and save her strength.
Angry shouting erupted outside her car. Mia turned her head and saw Sam going nose-to-nose with the deputy organizing the vehicles jockeying to turn around. She turned off the engine of her car, flung the door wide, and spoke to Lucy at the same time. “I see Sam. I’ll call you right back.”
“Yes—tell him I love him. Bye!”
“Bye!” Mia jammed her phone in her pocket and hurried over to the deputy.
Sam saw her and cried out, “Mia! I can’t believe it. Lucy’s having the baby. Right now! At home. I have to get to her, and Deputy Dimwit—”
“Sam, stop it.” Mia used the stern tone she reserved for hysterical fathers-to-be. They were usually the strong ones, men like Sam who were used to being in charge. “Pull yourself together. Now.”
His jaw dropped, but he composed himself.
Mia glanced at the deputy’s name tag. “Officer Haywood, please forgive my brother-in-law. I’m Nurse Practitioner Mia Robinson. My sister—Sam’s wife—is in Echo Falls. She’s in labor, and it’s progressing fast. We need to get to her as soon as possible, even if it means going through the slide area on foot.”
“Sorry, Ms. Robinson, but that’s not safe.”
“Not safe?” Sam flung his arms up to the sky. “I don’t care about safe. My wi
fe is having a baby!”
Rocking back, the deputy gave Sam a firm but patient look. “Son, keep calm. That’s the best way to help her.”
“But—I—We—” Red-faced, Sam spun away, hunched over, and sucked in lungfuls of air. The poor kid was a wreck.
The deputy turned to Mia. “Let’s check the progress with the backhoes.”
He signaled Sam, and the three of them ducked under the yellow tape to get away from the cars turning around. About a hundred feet away, the backhoes worked in tandem, scooping debris and pushing it into the river.
Mia sighed. At this rate, it would take hours to clear the road enough for even a single car to pass through. On the other hand, she and Sam could tackle the slide area on foot. Never mind the danger. Lucy needed her, and so did Jake. Mia spoke in a low voice just for Sam. “I’m willing to risk it if you are.”
“You bet I am.”
Deputy Haywood must have heard, because he turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “I can’t let you do that, Ms. Robinson. It’s just not safe.”
Mia laced her next words with authority. “Deputy Haywood, I have never willfully disobeyed a law in my life, but with all due respect, Sam and I are crossing this slide.”
“If you break a leg, you’ll have an even bigger problem.”
“We’re willing to risk it,” Sam said.
The deputy glanced between them. “I understand the need. But I also see the danger. Let’s check the status with the plows.” He bent his neck and spoke into the mic on his collar. “Haywood here. We have an emergency involving a pregnant woman in Echo Falls. How long to clear a path for medical personnel to hike through?”
Deputy Brian Ross identified himself. “Roger that. Checking now.”
Sam spoke under his breath. “We’re going no matter what, right?”
“Yes, we are.”
Mia was ready to make a break for it when the radio crackled. “The backhoe operator says it’ll take about thirty minutes.”
“What do you think?” Sam asked Mia.
She glanced at the half-buried boulders and the dirt and snow that would come up to their thighs. More rocks were no doubt hidden beneath the debris, making the crossing slow and doubly treacherous. “I hate to wait, but I think it’s smart.”
“Me too.” Sam’s expression turned battle-hard. “But just thirty minutes. That’s all.”
Mia agreed. “Let’s see how Lucy is doing.”
She lifted her phone and called Jake. At the same time, Sam tried to call Lucy. Neither of them answered, a sure sign Beanie Girl was demanding their attention.
“Stay calm,” Mia said, as much to herself as to Sam. “Jake can handle this. He was a cop. He has some training.”
Sam stared at his phone and muttered, “Please, God” about a dozen times.
Together they watched the backhoe clear a narrow path one slow, heavy shovelful at a time. When he broke through to their side, Mia recognized Bill Hatcher.
To her surprise, he gave her a salute and shouted, “Good luck to your sister!”
Shoving aside her questions, Mia waved her gratitude. With Sam in the lead, they walked as fast as they dared, slipping and sliding on compacted snow and ice until they broke through to the other side. Out of breath, they jumped into Officer Ross’s patrol car and rode with the siren blaring.
They both tried to call again. Still no answer.
Chapter
29
Jake heard Mia’s ringtone, but he’d left his phone in the other room when he half-carried Lucy to the bed. He couldn’t leave to answer it now, while she was whimpering through another contraction. They were coming fast, one on top of the other. Leave it to Lucy to break every rule in the pregnancy book, especially the one about first babies taking a long time to make their way into the world. Beanie Girl was crowning—meaning Jake could see the top of her head.
“You’re doing great,” he said to Lucy.
“I am?” The poor girl was dripping with sweat. Her fingers clenched at the sheets, and between contractions, she gulped in deep breaths and blew them out.
“Yes, you are. So is Beanie Girl.” As for himself, he wasn’t so sure. As calm as he seemed on the outside, his pulse was as rapid as Lucy’s. If Pirate had been allowed in the room, he would have crawled into Jake’s lap.
For the tenth time, Jake ran through his training in his head. There was one basic rule: Don’t interfere with the natural process. That was fine, as long as the process was natural, but Lucy had run into trouble with the placenta previa. The baby was early but not too early. On the plus side, the last ultrasound had showed Beanie Girl in the proper head-down position.
“I’m trying to be brave, but I want Sam.” Lucy wiped the tears off her cheeks with a corner of the bed sheet.
“He’ll be here soon.”
“And Mia—oh crud!” Lucy let loose a moan that turned to a shriek. “Jake, help me! Oh, God, please. Please—”
Her cries nearly destroyed him. What if she started to bleed? What if the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck? What if Beanie Girl didn’t breathe on her own? Jake had never seen a woman so helpless, except Connie lying in that bombed-out building. He could live with that memory, but he couldn’t live with something awful happening to Beanie Girl or Lucy.
Please, God. Help us.
The next contraction showed even more of the baby’s head. Lucy pushed and bore down. More of Beanie Girl’s head emerged. Lucy shrieked again. Red-faced, her hair in a tangle, she clutched the sheets and pushed with all her might.
“You’re doing it, Lucy!”
“Aaaaach!” She clenched her teeth, squeezed her eyes tight, and bore down again.
Jake could only watch and wait and be ready with towels and that green bulb to suction Beanie Girl’s mouth. The old training video played in his mind. The baby will be slippery. Don’t drop it. Not a chance. Not Connie’s granddaughter.
“Oh! Oh!” Lucy pushed again.
“Hang in there, honey! She’s almost here. I see her face!”
Another push. Then another.
“The shoulders are out.”
Lucy pushed one more time, and the wet, bloody, slippery baby shot into Jake’s waiting hands. Using the green bulb, he cleared Beanie Girl’s nose and mouth. Air filled her lungs, and life flowed through her tiny body—and into Jake’s hands. He felt her first breath as plainly as he had witnessed Connie’s last.
When the baby started to cry, so did Jake. He didn’t even try to hold in the tears as he wiped Beanie Girl off with a soft towel. Lucy was sobbing and reaching for her, so Jake placed the baby on her stomach with the cord still attached. The afterbirth needed to be delivered, but the thump of the front door hitting the wall in the living room distracted him.
“Lucy!” Sam rounded into the room, saw his wife and daughter, and totally lost it. The poor kid was blubbering more than Jake.
Mia raced over the threshold while shoving out of her damp coat. Her gaze shot to Lucy and the baby first, then the birth mess, and finally to Jake. He drank in the sight of her face, the relief, and especially the way she schooled her features into a professional calm. Later she would laugh and cry, he knew, but right now she was the picture of poise.
She rested her chilled fingers on his arm. “You did great.”
He couldn’t stop staring at her. To make sure she was real, he brushed his fingers down the sleeve of her red sweater. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “There’s so much I need to tell you.”
But what was it? If she was still undecided about their future, he didn’t think he could stand it. He sealed his lips, unsure of what to say or do.
Mia broke in. “I’ll finish here. Why don’t you clean up?”
“Thanks, I’ll do that.”
Mia turned to Lucy, and Jake lumbered up the stairs to his room. A hot shower cleared his head but did nothing to ease his uncertainty about Mia’s surprise arrival. Surely it was a g
ood sign. But she had waffled on him before.
When he returned to Lucy’s room, the sheets were fresh, and the new mother was propped up on pillows with her daughter in her arms. Beanie Girl, wearing a knit cap and swaddled in a blanket, resembled a pink burrito. Sam sat in a chair next to the bed, while Mia stood opposite him. When Jake knocked on the doorframe, Lucy looked up.
“Jake! You’re the best. I can’t thank you enough.”
Sam stood and hugged him hard. “My mom would be grateful. So am I.” They traded at least six back slaps before they broke apart.
Lucy blinked away happy tears. “Jake, you were great.”
“No,” he said, “you were. You and Beanie Girl did all the work. I just played catcher.”
Mia smiled in that Mona Lisa way of hers. “You did more than that. You ushered a new life into the world.”
Lucy gave a fist pump. “Teamwork! With Mia coming in for the last five minutes of the game. Touchdown!”
Jake and Sam traded high fives, and Lucy crooned to the baby, telling her she already had her mommy and daddy wrapped around her little finger.
Mia smoothed the blanket over Lucy’s legs. “Mother and baby are doing just fine. Beanie Girl is on the small side, but her color is excellent. No problems with the afterbirth either. With the history of placenta previa, I checked carefully.”
“So we don’t need the hospital?” Sam asked Mia.
“I don’t think so.
Jake was glad to hear it. “That’s good. The road won’t be cleared for a while.”
Mia turned to him with a sheen in her eyes. “Congratulations on your first delivery, Dr. Tanner.”
He shared a poignant look with her, then flashed a smile at Lucy and Sam. “I’m honored to have been here. But for the record, I hope I never have to do it again.”
“Same here!” Lucy kissed the baby’s head. “Well, at least not at home.”
Mia kept her attention on Jake. “But it was glorious too. Wasn’t it?”
“Yes. Very much so.” From Connie’s death to Beanie Girl’s birth, Jake had come full circle and found peace. But that circle would be a hollow place to live without Mia in the center of it. He aimed his chin at the door, raising his brows to ask if she was ready to talk.
The Two of Us Page 29