Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5)(79)

“By the time you got to cleaning the bathroom this afternoon, you had completely given yourself away,” he told her.

“Yeah, I suspected this would happen today. But I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I don’t think we have a whole lot of time to screw around. She’s here, Jack.”

He turned her around to face him. “Have you been having contractions all day?”

“Not really. A couple. A few.” She inhaled deeply. “Yeah.”

He lifted her immediately into his arms and started barking orders. “Someone bring Davie to the truck and ride home with us. Preach—call John Stone and tell him it’s now and it’s gonna be quick.” Then he carried Mel out the door to the truck.

Brie quickly picked up her nephew, the diaper bag, and followed. Preacher went to the kitchen to use the phone. Everyone waited tensely. When Preacher came back to the room he said, “John’s on his way.”

More silence lingered. Then Mike said, “What are we waiting for? Let’s wipe up the floor, pack up some stuff and join the party.” Everyone got busy cleaning up, gathering food, drink and even cigars to go to the Sheridan house to stand by for the birth.



Before Jack got Mel home, she was already having hard contractions, two minutes apart. “Breathe,” he was telling her. “Don’t even think about pushing.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted.

“You’d better be. I should’ve known. I should’ve kept you home. I should’ve brought Doc along.”

“Lighten up, it’s only a ten-minute drive. And Doc’s on a call… Uhhhh,” she added, bending over her belly.

“Aw, Melinda… Okay, baby. You just breathe, don’t worry about a thing.”

“I’m not worried,” she rasped out.

When they got to the house, he lifted her out of the truck into his arms and smacked her head on the door frame in the process.

“Ow!”

“Sorry,” he said.

“You’ve done this to me before!” she accused.

“I know. I’ve always been real smooth,” he said, remembering a time long ago, before they were married, when he was carrying her home in much this same manner, though not pregnant, and while his mind was on sex, he damn near gave her a concussion, which sort of precluded any kind of sex. His mind was definitely not on sex right now.

Jack carried Mel to the bedroom while Brie took charge of David. Mel had already prepared the bed with a rubber mattress protector so all that was necessary was helping her to undress and climb in, which Jack did. He added a couple of soft, clean towels under her. Then he went for a flashlight from the kitchen and Brie shouted, “What’s that for?”

“I have to see how close she is,” Jack responded, moving quickly.

“Oh my God,” Brie said. “We need some professionals here!”

“Try Doc Mullins’s pager. The number’s inside the cupboard door. And get out a bottle,” Jack said.

“You’re going to have a drink?” she asked, appalled.

Not a bad idea, he thought. “For Davie. Get him ready for bed and give him his bottle.”

“Oh. Sure,” she said, rattled.

Back in the bedroom he said, “Let’s have a look, honey.”

Mel’s knees came up and Jack clicked on the flashlight, shining it right on her pelvic floor. “Good. I don’t see anything yet.” Then he looked over her knees. “You gonna wait for John this time?”

“With any luck,” she answered breathlessly.

He rolled his eyes. “Where’s your bag?”

“In the truck.”

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll get it. I’ll wash up. Pant.” And he disappeared again.

He didn’t stop to chat with Brie as he ran through the house, but he noticed her eyes were round and a little scared as he passed her with Mel’s medical bag. He was rushing around like a madman, getting clamps, scissors and suction out of her bag, spreading out towels and baby blankets at the foot of the bed. He shone the flashlight on her again and said, “Pant!” Then he headed for the bathroom, rolled up his sleeves and began to scrub up to his elbows. He’d been down this road before and he wasn’t thrilled about doing it again. Doctors and midwives should deliver babies, not men who knew nothing about it. He’d been lucky once, but there was no guarantee he’d be lucky again. It took him ten minutes to get set up and washed, then he was back at her side, flashlight in hand. He gave a look. “Oh God,” he said.

“She’s crowning,” she confirmed.

“You’re incredible. How can you do this so fast?”

“I don’t have the first idea. I’m a breeder, Doc says.”

“Pant,” he said. “If you push, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“You know, you get so pissy…”

“Yeah, I keep trying to avoid this part. All the rest of it, I’m game. I hate doing this. I should’ve had you tested or something—to see why you just dump ’em like this, like there’s nothing to it. Holy shit, Melinda—what if I screw up? Huh? Have you thought of that?”

“Jack,” she said weakly, “you aren’t going to screw up.” And then she was seized by another contraction.