Paul looked pale, but it was Hannah who seized Clara’s attention. She lay on the stretcher bed, both hands gripping her swollen belly, her groans caught between her teeth.
‘She’s in labour!’ Clara jumped into the back. ‘I need to examine her.’ She gave Paul a shove and he stumbled out of the ambulance.
‘What’s happening?’ asked Max, appearing at the doors.
‘Hannah’s in labour.’ Clara’s voice was steady but firm. ‘I need to examine her alone.’ She shut the door on Max’s startled face before he could protest, then turned to Hannah with practised calm.
A quick examination confirmed what Clara suspected. ‘You’re in labour. Only a couple of centimetres dilated. We need to get you somewhere safe quickly.’
Hannah’s eyes filled with tears, and she grabbed Clara’s hand. ‘Please don’t let anything happen to the twins.’
‘I will do everything I can to keep them safe,’ Clara said, squeezing Hannah’s hand. The words felt too much like a promise, but Hannah’s terrified eyes demanded something to hold onto. She covered Hannah with the blanket and then went out to speak to Max.
‘We need to go,’ said Max as soon as she stepped foot outside.
‘I know that. But Hannah is in labour.’
‘Advanced?’
‘No, but I don’t know how long we have, a couple of hours maybe or longer, it all depends on how quickly the babies want to arrive.’ She looked at Paul and was pleased to see some colour had returned to his face. ‘I’ll stay in the back with Hannah. Where are you taking her?’
‘A safe house. Her husband is waiting there for her,’ said Max.
‘Good. Please drive as quickly as you can but also avoid any bumps. Hopefully, we can get her to the safe house in time.’
‘And get through the checkpoint,’ muttered Max. He threw the cigarette he was smoking to the ground. ‘Let’s go.’
The journey grew rougher as they left paved roads behind. In the back of the ambulance, Clara braced herself against each lurch, one hand steadying Hannah, the other gripping the stretcher frame. She could tell they were coming into the city by the way the ambulance ride grew smoother. They stopped at the checkpoint and a guard peered in the back of the ambulance.
‘My patient is in labour,’ Clara called through the doors. ‘We need to get through. Now.’ On cue, Hannah let out a guttural moan as another contraction seized her. ‘Hurry up,’ repeated Clara.
The guard swiftly closed the doors, and Clara heard him calling to his colleague on the gate to let the ambulance through quickly.
‘Are we nearly there?’ Hannah panted as she tried to catch her breath.
‘Not long now,’ reassured Clara, holding Hannah’s hand. ‘We just need your babies to stay where they are for a little longer.’ As she sat there, Clara became aware of the change in the engine, not slowing exactly but struggling. A stuttering, uneven rhythm that made Clara’s stomach clench with dread. She didn’t know much about motor engines, but she knew enough to realise the ambulance didn’t sound right.
Suddenly, Clara felt the ambulance lurch to the right, and she was almost thrown off her seat as it took a tight left-hand turn, before coming to a halt, the engine still running, albeit poorly.
‘Are we here?’ asked Hannah.
‘I don’t know.’ Clara listened as she heard the driver’s door open and then close. A few seconds later, the rear door opened, and Max hopped up. ‘I don’t think this thing is going to make it to the safe house.’
‘What?’ Hannah tried to sit up.
‘We can’t stay here though,’ said Max. ‘It will attract attention.’
‘What are you proposing?’ asked Clara.
Max looked uncertain. ‘Walking.’
Clara let out a laugh. ‘I hope you are joking. Hannah can’t walk very far. She’s in active labour.’
‘I’m fully aware of that,’ snapped Max. ‘But what do you want me to do? Call for a real ambulance?’
There was a heavy silence in the vehicle. Clara spoke first. ‘Whereabouts are we?’
‘In the Charlottenburg district,’ said Max. ‘We had to come this way to avoid any more checkpoints.’
