Duncan (The Protectors #3)(55)
“Just be ready,” Slade said, not really paying attention. His focus was totally on Pam.
“Ah…okay,” Sid sighed with a roll of his eyes. “Just be ready, he says….”
Once everyone was in position, Slade pushed up her skirt. Taking the scissors, he cut her soaked panties off. “Well I have good news.” Slade glanced up at Pam. “The baby is in position and I can see the head.”
Sid made a gagging face, then frowned when Duncan punched him in the leg.
Pam nodded, her eyes closed. “So he’s okay?”
“He’s more than okay. He’s ready to meet the world,” Slade replied. “You having any pain right now?”
“No, I feel it building though,” she sighed, preparing herself for the pain that would seize her tired body.
“You are going to want to push, but you need to wait until I tell you to.” Slade looked up when she didn’t answer. “Pam, this is important. Do you understand me? Do not push until I tell you to push.”
Pam nodded with a moan. “It hurts so badly!” she cried out, biting her lower lip.
“I know, but you’re doing great,” Slade reassured. “Just hold on for a few more seconds.”
“I love you.” Duncan whispered, but his eyes watched Slade’s reaction to everything. “It won’t be long now.”
Pam’s moans turned into screeches of pain.
“Now Pam.” Slade looked up. “Push.”
Duncan grabbed her hands, so she could hold onto something and squeeze. He used his upper body to push her forward. “That’s it.”
“Okay, good. Relax,” Slade instructed as he checked. “Next time, I need you to push a little harder.” Slade didn’t have the luxury of a monitor. He had to guess at the right time for her to push. Seeing her face scrunch in pain, he waited for a few seconds.
“The ambulance is here,” Sid announced in relief, even though everyone in the room could hear the sirens.
“Pam this is it.” Slade’s voice took a totally different tone. “You have to push like you’ve never pushed before, and keep pushing.”
“I’ll try.” Pam’s voice sounded weak with exhaustion.
“Listen to me.” Slade’s face was stern. “You have got to do this. There is no trying to it. Do you understand?”
“Pam?” Duncan shook her.
The paramedics entered the room assessing the situation, and then stood at the head of the bed ready if needed. Slade acknowledged them quickly. “Be ready for transport.”
“We’re ready,” one of the paramedics answered. “Do you need assistance?”
Slade shook his head at the paramedic. He put his hand on her stomach and felt another contraction building. “Pam you need to start pushing.” When she didn’t respond, Slade yelled. “Push!”
“Okay, dammit!” she hissed, using Duncan’s chest to push herself forward. “Anyone with a penis needs to die.”
Sid took a side step with a frown. “What is it with her wanting to rip balls out the throat and kill anything with a penis?”
“Because…” Pam panted, “a penis….” she grunted, “is what’s….” she made a guttural sound, “causing this pain, and you all need to die.” The word die was drawn out in a scream that seemed to last forever.
Sid glanced back at the EMT’s. “Guess she has a point.”
One of them snickered while the other one elbowed him.
“That’s it.” Slade didn’t grin or laugh. “Now push.”
Pam grunted, groaned, screamed and cursed as she pushed. Running out of breath, she flopped back against Duncan.
“Push, Pam.” When she didn’t respond, Slade looked up at Duncan. “She needs to push. If she doesn’t push, we are going to lose the baby.”
Hearing Slade, Pam stirred and sat up, her eyes determined. “I’m not losing him,” she grunted crying out. “Don’t you dare let anything happen to him!”
“Come on. You’re doing great. His head’s out.” Slade watched as Pam took a small break, before leaning forward again with determination on her face. “One more big push, Pam. You can do this.”
“Come on, Pam,” Duncan urged her. “One more time, babe. I’ve got you.”
Those words gave her the extra strength she needed. He was there for her, and he wasn’t going to let her fail. She gave everything she had with a long drawn out yell. Total exhaustion and fatigue shoved her back against Duncan. Not hearing anything from anyone, her eyes opened to slits when she heard a tiny whimper that soon turned into a full-fledged cry from a baby, her baby.
“You have a healthy boy with strong lungs.” Slade grinned, holding the crying baby up so she could see.
“No fangs?” Sid teased with a big grin.
“No fangs.” Slade rolled his eyes at Sid then glanced at Pam and Duncan. “Who wants to cut the cord?”
Pam looked up at Duncan. “Please.”
Looking down into her eyes, he was choked with emotion. Shifting himself, Duncan took hold of the surgical scissors from Slade with a forced steady hand, listening to the instructions of what to do. Placing the scissor where Slade’s fingers were, he cut the cord of life between mother and baby.