“You’re doing so good, Dais.His head is already out.One more and you’ll be holding him.”
“I-it is?Oh god!”Her abdomen tenses again.Daisy cries but props herself up, looking between her legs as she pants and focuses on her breathing.
With her next push, the baby slides free into my waiting arms.The cord is wrapped around his neck, but long enough that I can easily pry it loose.
“He’s ...he’s not crying,” Daisy says.
“He’s okay,” I support his neck and tip him over, rubbing his back.Come on, little one.Breathe.A gurgled cry comes out of his little mouth.Daisy gasps.And I breathe a sigh of relief.“He’s got a good set of lungs, mama.Just needed a minute to learn how to use them.”
“Oh my god,” she cries, pulling herself up to get closer.Her wide eyes take in every inch of his tiny little body.“Baby.Oh, baby, you’re so beautiful.”
“Perfect.All ten fingers and toes.Here you go, Mama.”I lay him on her chest while I look for something to wrap him in.Why the fuck didn’t I grab a blanket before we left?When I realize there is nothing, I unfasten the buttons on my shirt and lay it over the two of them, tucking it in tight around the baby.
She’s trembling as she holds him close, and tears spill over her lashes.It’s likely the shock or adrenalin that has her shaking like a leaf, but I put my arms around her shoulders and rub vigorously in case she’s cold.“You did it, mama.”
“I did.I did it.”
“I never had any doubt.”I press a kiss to her sweaty temple and look down at the most precious sight I ever saw, her mewling little baby snuggling in against her breast.
“Thank you,” she says as she looks up at me, those warm eyes bright with joy and wonder.“I couldn’t have done it without you.”
I lean down and kiss her lips.I don’t even think about it, because right now it’s the most natural thing in the world.It’s a sweet, chaste kiss and not really romantic in the slightest.It’s the kiss a husband gives his wife after witnessing their baby being born.Innocent.Tender.And my heart still trips all over itself because in this moment, I know without a doubt I love her.I love him, and I’d lay my life down to keep them safe, always.
***
An hour later, we pullup to the ambulance bay, and a cavalry of doctors and nurses are waiting to meet us.I’d checked my cell reception thirty minutes ago and eventually got through to 911—who’d apparently alerted every medical professional in this hospital.I help Daisy out of the truck and into a waiting wheelchair, and I’m met with a barrage of questions from two of the nurses.I’m just about to follow the one leading her into A&E, when the security guard stops me.“Sir, you can’t leave your vehicle there.”
“Like hell I can’t.”
“Sir, this is an ambulance bay.I need you to move the vehicle or risk having it towed.”Fuck.I don’t care about the truck being towed, but I can’t be the reason someone dies because I was parked in an ambulance zone.I move the vehicle as quickly as possible and approach the reception desk.There’s a stalwart woman on the phone, but I don’t have time to wait.I need to know Daisy and the baby are okay.“Excuse me, ma’am.”
She holds up a finger with a no-nonsense expression, indicating I should wait.If I wait, she might not let me back there.
“The woman they just bought in, had a baby in the truck?My wife.”
She scowls and covers the phone, whispering, “Birthing suite, level two.”
“Thank you.”I hurry for the elevators and climb in, quickly reaching level two.The doors open and I have no doubt this is where I’m supposed to be.The Labor ward is noisier than I imagined.Cries of agony echo down the hall and chill my blood.I can’t believe she went through all that by the side of the road with no drugs and no one to help her but me.
“Can I help you sir?”A young woman in pink scrubs wheeling some kind of doppler asks.
“Er ...my wife was just bought in.She had the baby by the side of the road.”
“Oh, yes.I assume you’re the one who helped her deliver?”
“One in the same.”
“She’s in suite four, right at the end of the hall.”
“Thanks.”I head for Daisy’s room.
“Congratulations,” she calls after me.I stop dead in my tracks.If I say the baby isn’t mine, she might not let me back there.Do I even deserve to be back there?Does Daisy want me here, or am I just intruding on their time together?
“Thank you, Ma’am.”I say with confidence I don’t feel, and head for the end of the hall.I raise my hand to knock and almost get bowled over by a midwife exiting the room.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“It’s my bad.”I mutter, but I’m not focusing on her.Beyond her, Daisy sits on a hospital bed, worry all over her face as nurses crowd around a table.
