Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)(80)

“It’s all right,” Libby tried to reassure Ava.

“I can’t have you upsetting my patient,” Sharon told Ava’s grandmother.

Darlene Carmichael wiped the tears from her face. “What are we going to do? A baby? How will I ever be able to afford a baby?” Then, as if she suddenly realized Ava hadn’t gotten pregnant all on her own, the older woman squared her shoulders. “Tell me who the father is.” Angry now, she slapped the side of the bed. “I’ll string him up by his balls, I will.”

“Mrs. Carmichael,” Sharon said again. “You’re upsetting my patient.”

“You don’t think I’m upset?” Darlene flared back. “I just found out that my thirteen-year-old granddaughter is having baby.” With that she gave a wail of frustration and shock.

“Grandma, I’m sorry, so sorry …”

“Mrs. Carmichael,” Libby said, putting her arm around the older woman, “now isn’t the time to demand answers. Ava hates that she disappointed you.”

“I want to know who did this to her. Who’s responsible.”

Libby had guessed but she couldn’t be sure. “There will be time enough later to find that out. Right now we need to do everything we can to help your granddaughter.”

Darlene stared back at her as if she hadn’t understood a word Libby had said. “If I’m late again for work, I could lose my job, then what will happen to us?”

Ava endured another contraction, thrashing her head back and forth against the pillow as she softly whimpered, “It hurts, it hurts.” She clenched hold of Libby’s hand in a grip so tight it left marks.

“Help her,” Darlene cried. “Do something to help her.”

It was easy to see that the grandmother would be more of a distraction than a help.

Ava must have felt the same thing. “Go on to work, Grandma, I’ll be okay. Please, just leave, okay?”

Darlene hesitated and then nodded. “Okay, but someone will phone me, right?”

“Of course,” Libby promised.

Darlene Carmichael patted Ava’s shoulder. “Everything will work out, Ava. I’ll find out who did this to you and we’ll deal with what to do with the baby later. Don’t you worry.” Tears glistened in her eyes as she turned away and hurried out of the labor room door.

“Who’s her physician?” Sharon asked.

“She doesn’t have one,” Libby explained. “She had her first appointment scheduled for later this week.”

Sharon shook her head. “Okay …” Then, looking to Ava, she smiled and gently patted her shoulder. “Not to worry. Libby and I are here and we’ll help you through this. I’ll be with you as much as possible and will explain what’s happening to your body. Everything is going to be fine. You, me, and one of our great doctors will bring this sweet baby into the world together, okay?”

Her reassuring voice was exactly what Ava needed. “Okay,” she agreed, her own eyes bright with tears. “But I want Libby with me, too.”

“You got it,” Sharon said, and gave Ava’s arm a squeeze.

Libby stayed with her as the labor progressed.

“Sing to me,” Ava pleaded. “Sing to me the way you said you sing to the babies.”

“Okay.” Libby chose a Kelly Clarkson song and to her surprise Ava’s voice joined hers after the first few words. The pure quality of it stunned her. Ava had mentioned before that she liked to sing, but Libby hadn’t realized how talented she actually was.

“Ava, you have a lovely voice.”

“I like singing …” She paused as another pain overtook her.

Ten hours later, with a staff physician attending, Ava delivered a four-pound, one-ounce baby girl. Libby had to admit, the teenager had been a real trouper. Not once had Ava given in to the pain and screamed. Instead she sang. Sharon had praised Ava several times for her self-control. Ava cooperated in every way, although she wouldn’t let Libby leave her side for more than a few moments.

Phillip was in and out of the labor room and between pains Ava smiled up at him. “I know you.”

Phillip cocked his head to one side. “You do?”

Ava’s smile widened. “You were the doctor we saw in the elevator that day, the one Libby talks about all the time. She’s hot for you.”

“Ava,” Libby protested, embarrassed.

Phillip winked and leaned forward and whispered to Ava, “Well, the truth is, I’m hot for her myself.”

“Good. I’m glad.” Another contraction came then and Ava focused all her attention on getting through the pain.

Following the delivery Ava was taken to a hospital room, where she promptly fell asleep. Libby took the opportunity to check on the baby … her daughter. The infant was incredibly tiny but she was a giant compared to another one of the babies, who weighed in at less than three pounds.

“How is she?” Libby asked when Phillip joined her. He stood behind her, his hand at her neck.

“She’s relatively good. We’re estimating that she’s about thirty-five to thirty-six weeks. Early is never ideal but her vitals are strong and her lungs seem developed enough that she should be fine.”

“She’s perfect, isn’t she?” Libby whispered, looking down on the small, sleeping bundle. “And so beautiful.” Her voice cracked with emotion. This was her child, her daughter.