Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)(79)

“Contact the guardian. The grandmother will need to sign release papers before we can treat her.”

“Okay.”

Libby disconnected the call. “Has your grandmother left for work yet?”

Ava, who looked pale and shaken, shook her head. “I … I don’t think so. I snuck out of the house before she was awake. She didn’t hear me, otherwise she would have stopped me.”

Libby kept her cell phone in her hand. “I need to get ahold of your grandmother.”

“No!” Ava screamed. “Don’t, please don’t.”

“Sweetheart, I’m sorry, but it’s necessary.”

Darlene Carmichael answered on the fourth ring, at the same time the paramedics arrived.

“This is Ava’s friend Libby. Ava is with me … I’ve called an Aid Car to take her to the hospital.”

“What does she need to go to the hospital for?” Darlene demanded.

“She’s in labor.”

The teen’s grandmother gasped. “No, she isn’t. She can’t be.”

Libby didn’t have time to argue with her. “Listen, Mrs. Carmichael, I’m taking Ava to the hospital. She’s in terrible pain and needs to see a physician.”

“I can’t afford this.”

“I don’t want you to worry about the expense; that isn’t important just now. Taking care of Ava and her baby is.” Libby was willing to agree to just about anything as long as Ava’s grandmother cooperated. “You need to meet me at Seattle General to sign papers in order for Ava to be treated.” Before the other woman could complain she added, “If there’re any medical charges I’ll pay those, too.”

“I can’t be late for work,” Darlene cried, sounding like she was close to tears. “I can hardly afford to feed these kids, let alone pay hospital bills.”

Her own voice quivering, Libby carefully enunciated each word. “I’m sure your work will understand if you’re a few minutes late. You need to get to the hospital and sign those release papers so Ava can be treated. Understand?”

“All right,” Darlene muttered. “I’ll be at Seattle General in fifteen minutes.”

“Please hurry.”

Because Libby wasn’t allowed to go in the Aid Car, Ava was already set up in the labor room with Sharon Jennings when Libby arrived at the hospital. The admission papers, which awaited Darlene Carmichael’s signature, were on a clipboard at the end of the gurney.

“Libby.” Ava half rose from the bed and stretched her arm toward her.

Libby grabbed hold of the girl’s hand and brought it to her lips. “I’m here. Everything is going to be fine.”

Ava relaxed against the pillow and breathed in deeply. “No one told me it would hurt this much.”

Never having experienced labor and never having been with anyone who had, Libby hardly knew what to say to comfort her. She hoped the pain wouldn’t get much worse. As it was the teen’s face was pale and pinched, her eyes wide with pain and fear. Libby brushed the hair back from Ava’s forehead. The teenager looked so young and vulnerable against the white sheets, far too young to be in this predicament.

Within a few minutes Libby heard Darlene Carmichael outside the labor room door. “Where is she?” Darlene called out. “What have you done with my granddaughter?”

Apparently someone pointed the way because Darlene burst into the room. “What is Ava doing in here?” she demanded, not bothering to greet her granddaughter.

“Ava is in labor,” Sharon said and handed Darlene the clipboard for her signature.

Darlene penned her name and handed it back to Sharon. “In labor? Are you all fools? Ava isn’t having any baby. She just eats too much.”

Just then a pain contorted Ava and she squeezed her eyes closed and groaned while twisting her head back and forth against the pillow. “Make the pain stop. Make it stop.” As the labor pain eased, she exhaled and gradually relaxed.

“Tell them you aren’t pregnant,” Darlene told her granddaughter.

“Grandma,” Ava said, her voice reed thin. “I’m having a baby.”

Darlene gasped and cupped her hand over her mouth.

“Mrs. Carmichael,” Sharon said, glancing down at the chart and Darlene’s signature. “Your granddaughter is in labor. She is definitely giving birth within the next few hours.”

“She’s only thirteen,” Darlene cried.

“Apparently she’s old enough,” Sharon replied calmly. She brought an IV bag over to Ava.

“What’s she doing?” Ava demanded of Libby, watching Sharon.

She gripped hold of Libby’s hand so hard that she had to pry the girl’s fingers loose.

“I … I don’t like needles.”

“It’s all right,” Libby assured her softly. “Turn your head away, and don’t look.”

Darlene stood by mutely, as if in shock, while Sharon inserted the needle into Ava’s arm and then secured it with tape.

“I don’t believe this is happening,” Darlene cried, and started to weep loudly. “All this time I just thought she was overeating.”

“I’m sorry, Grandma, I’m sorry.” Ava started to sob now, too.