“That’s it! You’re a trooper, Juniper. You’ve got this. On the next contraction, if you feel you want to push, go for it.”
William felt the intensity of the next contraction in his gut as Juniper pushed back hard against him, holding his hand in a knuckle crunching grip. She made an otherworldly keening sound, forgetting about the whistle in her other hand. When it passed, she said, “I want to push, but I can’t.” She moved her legs restlessly, looking for purchase.
Mikky shot Rafe a look and he shifted forward, taking her barefoot in his hand. He placed it against his hip, rubbing the top. “I’ve got you, darling. Brace against me.”
“And here.” Mikky settled Juniper’s foot against the tree root just near her. “See how you go on the next push, if you’re not comfy, we’ll figure something out.”
“Okay. It’s coming again, I can feel it. Oh god, I can’t. I can’t.”
“Look at the moon. Just look at the moon.” William cursed himself as soon as the words were out.
“The moon! Why the fuck would I want to look at the fucking moon! The moon’s not going to come down here and get this fucking baby out of meeeee….aahhhhhh!”
“Fair point,” William said.
She bore down hard, straining, pushing her chin down on her chest and groaning, long and loud. “What was that?”
“That was your water breaking, it’s all good.” Rafe handed Mikky some towels and she quickly laid them on the plastic sheeting.
On another contraction, Mikky said, “That’s it, Juniper, amazing. Not long to go, I promise.”
There was a short respite before another contraction hit, more pushing, more screaming, then a pause, then Juniper did it all again.
“This is it, love. I can see the baby’s head. Let’s go.”
On the next contraction, Mikky pushed Juniper’s dress high on her hips to get it out of the way and William could see the baby’s head emerging. He took a deep breath as he felt the blood drain from his face. This was a really big deal. An actual baby…coming out of her.
“You right there, William?” Rafe asked.
“Me? Yeah, of course.” Get your shit together, man, you’re not the one having the baby, he said to himself.
“One more big push, honey, and your baby will be here.”
On the next push, Mikky adeptly caught the baby as it slithered out. In one smooth move, she held the baby up. William thought it was simultaneously the ugliest and most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. All purple, covered in gunk, it looked like an alien. Its face was all crumpled, like a miniature Winston Churchill. Juniper reached for it and Mikky grinned widely as she passed the baby into her arms. “You’ve got yourself a little boy.” Rafe tucked a space blanket around them both, and William shifted so his arms were outside the blanket, and he could still hold her.
Juniper cradled the baby against her chest and leaned back on William as the baby let out a loud, lusty wail. Her chest was heaving with the effort and she sobbed, “I did it…I did it.”
William stroked her hair back from her forehead. “You sure did.” She turned her face against his neck, and he cradled her as she cradled her baby.
The paramedics gave her a little time to get her breath before Rafe said, “I think we should get you moving, darling.”
“Right, okay.” Juniper was still breathless.
Mikky took a clamp and scissors from the kit. “We’ll do this first or things are gonna get real awkward, real fast.” She looked at Juniper, reading something in her face. “William, to do the honors?”
At Juniper’s nod, she offered the scissors to William. He took the scissors with a shaking hand. It felt like a significant moment, something the baby’s father should do. He felt honored that Juniper had asked him to do it. He reached down between Juniper’s legs and as he cut the cord, made a wish for the baby, that he would have a full and happy life. When he handed the scissors back, Rafe turned to Mikky, “How do you think we should do this?”
“I’ll take the baby, you take everything else, William can help Juniper. Sound like a plan?” As they all nodded, she rose to her feet and bent to take the squalling baby in her arms, tucking a blanket around him firmly. Rafe helped Juniper up and wrapped the sterile sheeting around her waist, then the space blanket. William stood, rolling his shoulders and flexing his hands. Now that it was over, he hadn’t realized how much of a workout that had been. He reached for Juniper as Rafe let her go and she stumbled a little.
“Sorry, my legs are a little shaky.”
“No problem.”
“You got her?” Rafe hefted the kit, the bags and the torch.
“Yep.” Rather than make her walk, William swung her up in his arms, smiling when she gasped in surprise. “I’ve got you.” He looked down at her for a long moment, caught. “You trust me?”
“Yes.” She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting her head fall on his shoulder. He moved forward, following Rafe as he held the light high, leading them out of the clearing. Climbing the embankment was the hardest part and he had to stifle a groan, feeling more than a tinge of relief when Rafe pulled the gurney out of the back of the ambulance, and he was able to lay Juniper carefully down. Mikayla handed the baby over and William stood, looking down at both of them. Juniper met his gaze.
