Breathe (Sea Breeze #1)(52)

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I pulled the sliding overnight bag back up on my arm as I stepped off the elevator. The waiting room was full of excited, hopeful people of all ages. Grandparents bounced children on their knee and pointed and gushed over the babies in the window. This was a happy place where life started. I walked toward the double doors that led to the delivery rooms. I passed new dads, or almost new dads, standing around the coffee pot sharing horror stories of wives who had morphed into monsters. A few had decided that hiding out here was a better idea than witnessing the birth of their child. I wondered if Jessica had become one of these crazed monsters as I searched for room 321. I spotted it and took a deep breath before walking in. I was all Jessica had. There would be no one else standing by to hold her hand. It was just me, and I couldn’t go anywhere.

“Sadie, oh good, you got all the stuff. I guess I should have packed, but I wasn’t expecting this to happen so soon.”

I nodded, sat the bags down on a chair, and walked over to her. All sorts of cords were hooked up to her. Wet with sweat, her hair clung to her head, and she remained pale. Other than that, she wasn’t cursing and foaming at the mouth, which was what other women on this floor were apparently doing.

“Um, you look good,” I admitted.

She grinned and shrugged. “Well, it ain’t over yet, honey, and it gets worse. Right now my dilating has slowed, and I am high on Demerol. I know there is pain, but I just don’t seem to care at the moment.”

I nodded, not sure what that meant. “Well, do you need anything?” I asked, wanting to be useful.

“More ice would be nice,” she mumbled. I nodded and headed out to find ice. “Wait! You’re gonna need my cup.”

I turned around and went to get the plastic hospital cup sitting beside her bed. “I’ll be right back.”

Once outside the room, I went to find the ice and filled her cup up to the top. I wanted to make sure she was fine before I made the call to Ms. Mary. Once I had Mom fixed up, I slipped out of the room and back outside the hospital. I called Ms. Mary.

“Hello.” Her cheery voice lightened my spirits.

“Ms. Mary, it’s Sadie. I just wanted to call and let you know Mom is having the baby.”

“Oh, this is early, but don’t worry about that none. I had both my girls several weeks early, and everything was just fine. I’m coming to see you as soon as I get off work. Now, how are you?”

I smiled at the warmth that filled me when Ms. Mary worried about me. Jessica loved me, but she had never really worried over me.

“I’m fine, and Mom’s doing good. They have given her some Demerol, and she said it makes her not care that she is in pain.”

Ms. Mary chuckled. “That is some amazing stuff, I tell you. Well, I’ll be with you soon, and maybe there will be a baby to hold by then. You call me if you need me, do you hear?”

I couldn’t help but smile. “I will.”

“Goodbye, for now,” she said in her jolly tone that always made it seem like everything was going to be okay.

“Goodbye,” I replied before pressing end. I turned the phone back off and slipped it into my pocket.

By the time I reached Jessica’s room, I heard the familiar screaming and hurried inside. Jessica was sitting up with her legs spread, with the covers draped over her, thankfully. A nurse, who appeared very calm and collected, considering her patient was screaming profanities at her, smiled at me. I smiled at her apologetically and went to stand beside Jessica.

“Is she about to have the baby now?” I asked nervously.

The nurse nodded. “Yep, as soon as the doctor gets in here, she can begin pushing.”

My stomach churned. The whole idea of pushing and where this baby was going to enter the world from made me slightly lightheaded. However, another of Jessica’s bloodcurdling screams was like a slap in the face, and I quickly shook the thoughts out of my head.

“What can I do?” I asked, anxiously staring at the nurse.

“You can lock me in my room if I ever decide to date again!” Jessica yelled and grabbed my arm as another onslaught of contractions hit her.

I grimaced and fought the urge to pry her hands off me. As soon as it ended and she released her ironclad grip, I stepped out of her reach. The nurse grinned at me.

“That might be wise,” she whispered as she walked past me to check the machine’s beeping.

Jessica began screaming again, and this time the bed rail was her gripping post. I rubbed my arm, thankful to have put distance between us.

“Ah, the doctor’s here,” the nurse beamed, obviously ready to get this over with so she could escape the violence being spewed from my mother’s mouth.

“Are you going to stay for this part?” the doctor asked, frowning as he slipped gloves on his hands.

Jessica panted and nodded her head. “Yes! She is!” she yelled, and then let out another fierce scream.

I nodded.

He shrugged and took his place down by her feet. “All right, Ms. White, are you ready to do this thing?” he asked jovially, and I wondered if someone had to be mentally off to actually be glad he was in the room with a screaming woman about to extract a human from her body.

“Get it out!” she screamed again.

He smiled at me. “She’ll be back to normal real soon.” He winked and nodded to the nurse.