I watched, feeling utterly useless, as Maxwell tried to help my mate and my baby. I cursed myself.Is there really nothing I can do but stand here and watch?
“Adriel,” Caleb called my name weakly.
I took his hand and squeezed it. “I’m right here. You’re doing wonderfully, Caleb.”
He gritted his teeth as Maxwell put pressure on his belly.
“Caleb, I need you to do something for me. Can you sit up?” Maxwell asked.
“Yeah,” Caleb said in between breaths.
I helped my mate sit up until his spine was nearly perpendicular with the table. Sweat dripped down Caleb’s flushed face. Fear and confusion marred his beautiful features. I knew he was worried sick with anxiety about the idea of a c-section. All I could do was pray that Maxwell could prevent it.
“Good,” Maxwell said. “That’s much better. Keep pushing, Caleb. Not too hard yet, but push.”
Caleb strained. As Maxwell continued to work on maneuvering the baby, Caleb grew short of breath. “Is it working?”
“Focus on something else,” Maxwell said firmly. “Keep breathing. Deep, rhythmic breaths.”
“Fuck!” Caleb cried.
“Caleb, listen to him,” I said. “Look at me and just breathe. You’re doing just fine so far. Nothing bad has happened.”
“No matter what happens, you can get through this,” Benji told him. “You’ve been through worse. You’ll get through this, too, Caleb.”
Tears formed in Caleb’s eyes, but he nodded, blinking them away and trying to remain strong.
The tension broke as Maxwell exclaimed with a happy chuckle, “There we go!”
“What?” Caleb cried.
Maxwell smiled at him and wiped the sweat off his brow with his forearm. “She’s all turned around now. All she needed was a push, some help from the doctor, and her own willpower.”
Caleb gasped. “Wait… So she’s not breech anymore?”
“No. She’s all good to go.” Maxwell glanced down at Caleb’s lower half beneath the sheet. “And it looks like she’s ready to come out!”
I risked a glance - and if I had breath to lose, I would have lost it. The baby was already crowning.
“Caleb, you’re amazing!” I told my mate.
“What? What’s going on?” he asked.
“Oh, wow… She’s coming out!” Benji laughed. “You’re having this baby a lot faster than I had mine. I’m jealous!”
“She is?” Caleb breathed. The anxiety melted off his expression, leaving behind hesitant excitement. “Oh my god.”
“Okay, Caleb, I need you to push for real now,” Maxwell instructed. “You can lay back a bit, and push hard for me.”
“So I don’t need surgery…?” Caleb asked.
Maxwell shook his head. “Nope. You’re good to go. In fact, your birth is progressing quite well.”
Caleb threw his head back in pure relief. “Oh, thank god.”
“It’s not over yet, though,” Maxwell warned. “I need you to push hard now. This baby isnotwaiting.”
“Okay…” Caleb gritted his teeth and clutched my hand as he strained to push the baby out.
