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“I’m Shelby.” I crawled into the back of the car and knelt in front of the woman’s bent legs, wiping the water off my face.
“Are you a doctor?”
“Midwife.”
“I don’t want a natural birth!” she yelled. “I want drugs.”
“Well, let’s see what’s going on. Do you mind if I check you, uh . . .” I realized I didn’t know her name.
“Jerri.”
“Nice to meet you, Jerri. I’m going to need you to remove your pants.”
“Don’t do that,” her husband stuck his wet head in. “The baby will come out.”
I tried not to laugh. I turned back to see who was out there. Sawyer and Emma came into view. My eyes asked them to please help. They both took the man by the arms, trying to calm him down. I heard Ryder tell him, “Shelby knows what’s she’s doing.”
I focused back on Jerri and began helping her remove her yoga pants and underwear, using my body to block anyone’s view of her. Immediately, I knew they weren’t making it to the hospital. The baby was about to crown.
“Someone please call 911. I need more towels,” I shouted, “and some latex gloves if anyone has them. Also, some shoelaces and a pair of scissors.” I heard a flurry of activity behind me. I hoped that meant I would get what I needed, but my main focus was the momma in front of me.
“What’s wrong?” Jerri asked.
“Nothing at all. You are about to become a mommy.” I smiled, doing my best to reassure.
“Here?”
“Yes, ma’am. Have you given birth before?”
She shook her head, tears streaming down her face.
“It’s okay,” I tried to soothe her. “How far along are you?”
“Almost thirty-eight weeks.”
“That’s perfect. Do you know if it’s a boy or girl?”
“Girl.”
“Well, this baby girl is anxious to meet her momma.” I smiled again, locking eyes with Jerri.
“We were up here on a babymoon,” she cried. “My doctor said it was fine. I wasn’t even dilated two days ago.”
She was a ten now and one hundred percent effaced.
“Have you had any complications during your pregnancy I should be aware of?”
She shook her head before screaming, “I need to push!”
“Jerri, I know you want to, but I need to you to pant for me.”
“Like a dog?”
“Kind of. Fast, shallow breaths.” I turned my head and shouted out of the car. “Hurry with the gloves and towels.” I didn’t want to touch her or the baby with my bare hands without washing them. And I knew that if she pushed, her baby would be on her way out.
“We have a first aid kit in the car,” her husband seemed to have suddenly remembered. “There are gloves in there.”
“Great. Will someone please get those for me?” I quickly asked.
“I will,” Ryder’s unmistakable voice hit me. Before I knew it, he was opening the passenger side door and retrieving the ever-important gloves. He reached over the seat and handed them to me with a genuine smile. The one I had been missing.
I reached up and took them. “Thank you. Is someone getting me towels?”
“Mr. Carrington is,” he informed me.
I hastily put on the gloves and got her under the one clean towel she had left. “Jerri, this is going to sting a bit, but you’ve got this. The hard part is almost over.”
Jerri screamed loudly.
“Is my wife okay?” Her husband rushed the car. “Baby, are you all right?”
“Do I look okay to you, Patrick? I’m having your baby in the back of the freaking car. I told you I didn’t feel good earlier.”
“I’m sorry, honey,” Patrick apologized.
“Patrick, why don’t you open the back-passenger door and hold Jerri’s hand, but keep the rain away from her.” I needed him out of my way.
Mr. Carrington arrived with towels, scissors, and a handful of shoe strings. He also threw a poncho over Patrick.
“It’s time, Jerri. I need you to give me a good push.”
Her grunt filled the car while she pushed. The baby’s head crowned.
“Very good. This baby has some dark hair.”
“She does? Oh, thank God. I didn’t want her to be bald like Patrick.”
Patrick looked highly affronted.
“I need you to pant again. We want to ease this baby out.”
“Damn this hurts,” she yelled.
“I know. I know. You’re doing great. You’re almost there.” I placed my hand, ready to catch the baby’s head. “Keep it up. Here comes the baby’s head.”
Within thirty seconds, a tiny little head landed in my hands. “I need you to stop.” The umbilical cord was around the baby’s neck, but thankfully not tightly. I slipped it over the baby’s head. “Okay, one more big push.”
Jerri screamed and pushed. Her little girl’s body was delivered, allowing me to pull her the rest of the way out. I quickly wiped the mucous out of her nose and her cries pierced the rainy night, making my heart soar. There was no better sound.
