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He laid the tablet on the counter and glowered at Lorraine. “Where’s Mackey?”

“In Exam Two.” As always, Lorraine loved him, but wasn’t impressed with him. She graced Caitlin with a genuine smile. “Do you need a wheelchair, sweetie?”

“No.” Horror flitted over Caitlin’s face. Her mouth tightened, and she bore down on his hand, his knuckles grinding under the pressure. He cast a surreptitious glance at his watch.

“Lorraine.” He pitched his voice to the best calm and quiet tone he had. He didn’t need Caitlin to see his concern and he wasn’t giving Lorraine the satisfaction of seeing him rattled. “Her contractions are less than two minutes apart.”

Lorraine waved her Big Gulp cup over her shoulder and laid Caitlin’s license and their insurance card back on the counter. “Landra’s gonna walk you to Exam Four.”

“Great. Thanks.” He disentangled his hand long enough to slide the cards in his wallet. Landra swung the heavy door open, and he shouldered her weekender, his hand at the small of her back. Maybe they should have grabbed that wheelchair after all. “Sure you don’t want a chair?”

“I can walk fifty feet.” She blew out a breath. “I need to walk.”

“We’ve met once or twice, but I’m Landra. Tick and I are like third cousins.” She fell into step beside them, her smile wide. “Let’s get you checked out, see where we are.”

Tick had been in each exam room in the ER often enough, taking reports or witness statements back in the day when Phoebe was full and DOCO cases got sent south, that he knew the delivery warmer and extra monitors in Exam Four tonight weren’t standard equipment. He helped Caitlin ease onto the side of the bed and hunkered on his haunches to remove her shoes. She laid a hand on his shoulder like she didn’t want to break contact with him, and he turned his head to brush a kiss over her wrist.

Landra laid a gown on the foot of the bed and met his gaze as he straightened. “Okay if Tick helps you undress and change into that while I grab some things?”

Caitlin nodded, and Tick brushed his knuckle along her cheek when the door closed behind Landra. She caught his wrist, holding his hand in place a second before releasing him and reaching for the hem of her shirt. With his help, they stripped away the shirt, and he peeled off her leggings. He reached for the clasp on her bra and tied the gown loosely in the back. Her lashes fell on another contraction, and he went on his haunches before her, hands spread over the swell of their child.

A knock heralded Landra’s return, Mackey accompanying her.

“Hey.” He slapped Tick’s shoulder and settled on the stool in front of Caitlin while Landra took her vitals. “Two minutes apart?”

Caitlin nodded with a glance at Tick. “He says less than.”

“Feel like they’re right on top of each other?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” He studied her heart rate and blood pressure on the screen. “Your vitals are good, but you’re definitely in active labor. Landra’s going to check how far dilated you are because he’ll be weird about me doing it—”

“I will not.”

A grin quirked at one corner of Mackey’s mouth. “Okay, so Landra’s more accurate than I am. Landra, let’s put the wireless monitor on, too. I’m going to check six and I’ll be right back.”

“I promise not to have you lie down longer than I have to.” Landra draped a sheet across Caitlin’s thighs, and Tick helped her back against the bed. Caitlin hissed in a breath during the exam, and Landra’s brows drew together in apology before she drew her gloves off. “I’m sorry — that’s never comfortable. You’re at nine, so we are really close to having a baby.”

Caitlin stared at her. “Nine.”

“Mm-hmm.” Landra busied herself attaching the wireless monitor to Caitlin’s abdomen and setting up the display. “The baby’s vitals are great. I’ll be right back with Mackey.”

She bustled out, and Caitlin brushed her hair behind her ear, shifting to the side of the bed once more. “Holy Mother.”

“Hey.” He pulled the stool so he sat before her and reached for her hands. The monitor screen allowed him to see the contractions building before she even tightened her hold on him. “Look at it this way — we’re not going to be in labor and delivery for hours like with Eva.”

She laughed, a shaky, broken sound.

Mackey knocked before entering. He paused at the foot of the bed, watching the screen as well. “Okay, his vitals are solid. Tick, move a second for me.”

Tick shifted to sit at her hip. Landra swept in, placing a cellophane wrapped tub on the counter that ran along one wall.

“Shaw is here, but she’s with a patient going for an emergency c-section.” Mackey took the stool, hands between his knees. He met Caitlin’s gaze. “Labor and delivery is full. Normally, I’d transfer you to Thomasville, but you’re at a nine, which means we have maybe thirty, forty-five minutes until you’re ready to push.”

Her lashes fell. Tick’s stomach — his entire torso — clenched. He dragged his hand through his hair and over his nape.

“You have a history of uncomplicated births, you’re doing great, and Landra and I end up delivering a baby down here a few times a year.”