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Valentina looked up and saw him. ‘Can you take me home?’

‘You know I can’t do that.’ Rocco began rubbing Valentina’s lower back.

‘I’m not ready to have the baby,’ Valentina blurted out, sounding scared. ‘I have no idea what to do with it.’

Frankie turned to Jay but he’d gone to the front of the van and was speaking to someone on the phone.

‘All you need to do for now is focus on breathing, just like we practised. Breathe in through the nose, nice and deep, that’s it, and then out through the mouth, slow and measured.’

Frankie stared in wonder at her brother who was acting like a birthing doula.

Rocco led her back to his car.

‘I’ll follow you,’ Frankie said as Rocco got Valentina into the passenger seat, making sure to put her seatbelt on.

Frankie raced back to her van as Jay finished his call.

‘Go with them,’ Frankie said.

‘It’ll help if you can time the contractions,’ Rocco called over.

‘Sure.’

Frankie parked next to Rocco’s car at the hospital and, with Valentina walking slowly, they all trooped into the maternity unit together as a midwife came over.

‘We just need to check to see how far dilated you are, Valentina, okay? Have your waters broken?’

‘Yes, about half an hour ago,’ Frankie said as Rocco handed over Valentina’s maternity file.

The midwife looked between them all. ‘Birthing partner?’

Rocco raised his hand.

‘I’m her brother. And not the dad.’

The midwife smiled. ‘Okay then, uncle-to-be, give us five minutes then come through.’ And Valentina was taken away.

Frankie turned to Jay in disbelief. Why hadn’t he offered to go with Valentina? She could feel rage simmering, but knew that a busy maternity ward was not the time for a showdown.

A couple of minutes later the midwife poked her head back out the door. She looked a little flustered.

‘Okay, as well as her birth partner, Valentina is asking for the dad.’

Rocco looked at Frankie and gave the midwife a helpless shrug. ‘That we can’t help with, I’m afraid.’

Frankie glowered at Jay. ‘We can. It’s just that someone here won’t.’

Rocco frowned.

‘Do you not think you should step up?’ Frankie hissed at Jay.

Rocco stared at Jay and opened his mouth to speak.

‘Please,’ the midwife interrupted, ‘decide who’s coming in and then come in, Valentina’s almost fully dilated and this baby won’t hang around while you argue out here.’

Jay looked between them, confused. ‘Why do I need to step up?’

Frankie looked at Jay. ‘Because you’re the father!’